# US 10,503,288 B2 · Stylus and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,503,288 B2 - Document ID: US10503288B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/283,216 - Filed: 2019-02-22 - Published: 2019-06-20 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-08 - Assignees: Egalax_Empia Technology Inc. - Applicants: Egalax_Empia Technology Inc. - Inventors: Chin-Fu Chang; Shang-Tai Yeh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503288B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0383: {Signal control means within the pointing device} - G06F 3/03545: {Pens or stylus} - G06F 3/038: Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry - G06F 3/04162: {for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware} - G06F 3/04166: {Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184)} - G06F 3/04186: {Touch location disambiguation} - G06F 3/0441: {using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals} - G06F 3/0442: {using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 2203/04108: Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract The present invention provides a stylus for providing a tilt angle, comprising: a first electrode at a tip of the stylus; a second electrode surrounding the first electrode; a third electrode surrounding the second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled, the second electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled; and a control module connecting the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode, wherein the control module instructs the first electrode and the second electrode to emit a first-time-period electrical signal during a first time period, and instructs the first electrode and the second electrode to emit a second-time-period electrical signal and the third electrode to float during a second time period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stylus for providing a first projection area and a second projection area to determine a tilt angle information on a touch screen with a touch controller, comprising: a first electrode at a tip of the stylus; a second electrode surrounding the first electrode; a third electrode surrounding the second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled, the second electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled; and a control module connecting to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode; wherein, during a first period, the stylus renders the first projection area on the touch screen via the control module instructing the first electrode and the second electrode to emit a first-time-period electrical signal, and the third electrode to connect to a DC voltage or ground potential; wherein, during a second period, the stylus renders the second projection area on the touch screen via the control module instructing the first electrode and the second electrode to emit a second-time-period electrical signal, and the third electrode to float and be induced by the second-time-period electrical signal; and wherein the tilt angle information is determined by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating a projection vector of the stylus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stylus of claim 1, wherein the touch controller determines the tilt angle information by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating the projection vector of the stylus, wherein the projection vector is further determined by characteristics of the first projection area and the second projection area, the characteristics including one of followings: a position of a center of gravity, a shape, and a center position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stylus of claim 1, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is same as the second-time-period electrical signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The stylus of claim 1, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal or the second-time-period electrical signal includes signals of a plurality of frequencies, and a pressure experienced by the first electrode is a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The stylus of claim 1, further includes a detection circuit connected to the control module, wherein after the detection circuit detects a beacon signal, the control module then enters into the first time period and the second time period. ### Claim 6 A control method for providing a tilt angle information of a stylus on a touch screen with a touch controller, which the stylus includes a first electrode at a tip of the stylus, a second electrode surrounding the first electrode, a third electrode surrounding the second electrode, and a control module, wherein the first electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled, the second electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled, the control method comprising: rendering a first projection area on the touch screen by the stylus during a first time period via the control module instructing the first electrode and the second electrode to emit a first-time-period electrical signal, and the third electrode to connect to a DC voltage or ground potential; and rendering a second projection area on the touch screen by the stylus during a second time period via the control module instructing the first electrode and the second electrode to emit a second-time-period electrical signal, and the third electrode to be floated and to be induced by the second-time-period electrical signal; wherein the tilt angle information is determined by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating a projection vector of the stylus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, wherein the touch controller determines the tilt angle information by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating the projection vector of the stylus, wherein the projection vector is further determined by characteristics of the first projection area and the second projection area, the characteristics including one of followings: a position of a center of gravity, a shape, and a center position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is same as the second-time-period electrical signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal or the second-time-period electrical signal includes signals of a plurality of frequencies, and a pressure experienced by the first electrode is a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, further comprising: detecting a beacon signal, wherein the stylus is made to enter the first time period and the second time period when the beacon signal is detected. ### Claim 11 A stylus for providing a tilt angle information on a touch screen, comprising: a first electrode at a tip of the stylus; a third electrode surrounding the first electrode; a second electrode surrounding the third electrode, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled, the third electrode is connected to ground potential for shielding the first electrode and the second electrode; and a control module connecting the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the control module instructs the first electrode to emit a first-time-period electrical signal during a first time period for rendering a first projection area corresponding to the first electrode on the touch screen, and instructs the first electrode and the second electrode to emit a second-time-period electrical signal during a second time period for rendering a second projection area corresponding to the first electrode and second electrode on the touch screen; wherein the tilt angle information is determined by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating a projection vector of the stylus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The stylus of claim 11, wherein during the first time period, the second electrode is connected to ground potential or floated, and the touch screen comprises a touch controller for determining the tilt angle information by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating the projection vector of the stylus, wherein the projection vector is further determined by characteristics of the first projection area and the second projection area, the characteristics including one of followings: a position of a center of gravity, a shape, and a center position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The stylus of claim 11, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is same as the second-time-period electrical signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The stylus of claim 11, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal or the second-time-period electrical signal includes signals of a plurality of frequencies, and a pressure experienced by the first electrode is a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The stylus of claim 11, further includes a detection circuit connected to the control module, wherein the control module enters into the first time period and the second time period after the detection circuit detects a beacon signal. ### Claim 16 A control method for providing a tilt angle information of a stylus on a touch screen with a touch controller, which the stylus includes a first electrode as a stylus tip, a third electrode surrounding the first electrode, and a second electrode surrounding the third electrode, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode are not electrically coupled, and the third electrode is connected to ground potential for shielding the first and second electrodes, the control method includes: having the first electrode emitting a first-time-period electrical signal during a first time period for rendering a first projection area corresponding to the first electrode on the touch screen; and having the first electrode and the second electrode emitting a second-time-period electrical signal during a second time period for rendering a second projection area corresponding to the first electrode and the second electrode on the touch screen; and determining the tilt angle information by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating a projection vector of the stylus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control method of claim 16, wherein during the first time period, having the second electrode connected to ground potential or floated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The control method of claim 16, wherein the first-time-period electrical signal is same as the second-time-period electrical signal, and the touch controller determines the tilt angle information by comparing the first projection area and the second projection area, and then calculating the projection vector of the stylus, wherein the projection vector is further determined by characteristics of the first projection area and the second projection area, the characteristics including one of followings: a position of a center of gravity, a shape, and a center position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The control method of claim 16, the first-time-period electrical signal or the second-time-period electrical signal includes signals of a plurality of frequencies, and a pressure experienced by the first electrode is a ratio of signal strengths of the plurality of frequencies. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The control method of claim 16, further comprising: detecting a beacon signal, wherein the stylus is made to enter the first time period and the second time period when the beacon signal is detected.