Electronic pen
AssigneeWacom Co., Ltd.
InventorToru Eguchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments provide an electronic pen that ensures security of information, avoids of unnecessary transmission of information, and protects a core body. In one embodiment, the electronic pen includes a core body, a signal transmitter that transmits a signal to a sensor of a position detecting device, a protector that sets at least a tip of the core body to the state of being not exposed to an external environment, and a detector that detects whether or not at least the tip of the core body is in the state of being protected by the protector. A signal including information is allowed to be transmitted from the signal transmitter when at least the tip of the core body is not protected by the protector, and is precluded from being transmitted when at least the tip of the core body is protected by the protector.
Claims21
An electronic pen configured to transmit a signal to a sensor of a position detecting device, the electronic pen, comprising:
- a core body;
- a signal transmitter which, in operation, transmits a signal for position detection and a signal including information about the electronic pen to the sensor of the position detecting device;
- a protector which, in operation, sets at least a tip of the core body to a protected state from an unprotected state, at least the tip of the core body being unexposed to an environment external to the electronic pen in the protected state, at least the tip of the core body being exposed to the environment in the unprotected state;
- and
- a detector which, in operation, detects whether at least the tip of the core body is in the protected state or the unprotected state,
- wherein the signal for position detection and the signal including the information are transmitted from the signal transmitter to the sensor of the position detecting device in response to the detector detecting that at least the tip of the core body is in the unprotected state, and
- wherein the signal for position detection is transmitted from the signal transmitter and the signal including the information is precluded from being transmitted from the signal transmitter in response to the detector detecting that at least the tip of the core body is in the protected state.
A method, comprising:
- determining whether a core body within an electronic pen is in a protected state or an unprotected state, at least a tip of the core body being unexposed to an environment external to the electronic pen in the protected state, at least the tip of the core body being exposed to the environment in the unprotected state;
- transmitting, from the electronic pen, a signal for position detection and a signal including information about the electronic pen in response to determining that the core body is in the unprotected state;
- and
- transmitting, from the electronic pen, the signal for position detection and stopping the signal including the information from being transmitted from the electronic pen in response to determining that the core body is in the protected state.
An electronic pen configured to transmit a signal to a sensor of a position detecting device, the electronic pen, comprising:
- a core body having electrical conductivity;
- a peripheral electrode provided around the core body;
- a signal transmitter which, in operation, transmits a signal for position detection and a signal including information about the electronic pen to the sensor of the position detecting device;
- a protector which, in operation, sets at least a tip of the core body to a protected state from an unprotected state, at least the tip of the core body being unexposed to an environment external to the electronic pen in the protected state, at least the tip of the core body being exposed to the environment in the unprotected state;
- and
- a detector which, in operation, detects whether at least the tip of the core body is in the protected state or the unprotected state,
- wherein the signal for position detection and the signal including the information are transmitted from the signal transmitter to the sensor of the position detecting device in response to the detector detecting that at least the tip of the core body is in the unprotected state, and the signal including the information is precluded from being transmitted from the signal transmitter in response to the detector detecting that at least the tip of the core body is in the protected state, and
- wherein a signal from the sensor of the position detecting device is received through one of the core body and the peripheral electrode by capacitive coupling, and a signal generated based on the signal from the sensor of the position detecting device is transmitted from the other of the core body and the peripheral electrode to the sensor of the position detecting device by capacitive coupling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.