# US 10,503,340 B2 · System and method for multiple object detection on a digitizer system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,503,340 B2 - Document ID: US10503340B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/671,240 - Filed: 2017-08-08 - Published: 2017-11-23 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2007-03-29 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Rafi Zachut; Meir Morag; Amir Kaplan; Yuval Stern - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503340B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/046: by electromagnetic means - G06F 3/03545: {Pens or stylus} - A63F 2003/00665: {using inductance} - A63F 2009/241: {Touch screen} - A63F 2009/2489: {by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID} - A63F 2300/1068: being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A digitizer system comprises at least one object incorporating an electronic tag configured for radiating at least one modulated signal and at least one second signal; a digitizer sensor configured for detecting the at least one second signal while the object is positioned on or over the digitizer sensor; and circuitry configured for identifying the object based on modulation of the at least one modulated signal and for determining a position of the object on or over the digitizer based on the detected second signal on a portion of the digitizer sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A digitizer controller comprising: a circuit configured to: sample first outputs from an antenna; demodulate information from the first outputs to identify an object; sample second outputs from a digitizer sensor that is separate from the antenna; determine a position of the object interacting with the digitizer sensor based on the second outputs; associate the position of the object with the information based on a time at which each of the first outputs and the second outputs is received; and provide the position of the object and the identity of the object to a host computer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to transmit a query signal to the object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The digitizer controller according to claim 2, wherein the first outputs are transmitted based on the query signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The digitizer controller according to claim 2, wherein both the first outputs and the second outputs are transmitted based on the query signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the information includes an identification code configured for identifying the object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the first outputs include information simultaneously transmitted by a plurality of objects interacting with the digitizer sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to transmit a modulated signal to the object via the antenna. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is positioned substantially around the digitizer sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the first outputs is received from two separate dipoles spaced apart, wherein the two dipoles are configured for radiating signals with a phase shift between them. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The digitizer controller according to claim 9 comprising determining orientation of the object based on the second outputs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to track fingertip touch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the second outputs are based on a plurality of objects interacting with the digitizer sensor and wherein the circuit is configured to determine a position of each of the plurality of objects based on the second outputs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the object is a stylus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to simultaneously query a plurality of objects interacting with the digitizer sensor with a first query signal and to sample the first outputs based on the first query. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The digitizer controller according to claim 14, wherein the circuit is configured to detect identification of each of the plurality of objects based on the first outputs sampled based on the first query. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to: sequentially query each of a plurality of objects simultaneously interacting with the digitizer sensor; to sample the second outputs based on each of the sequentially queries; and to determine position of each of the plurality of objects based on the second outputs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The digitizer controller according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to sample the second outputs from conductive lines forming a grid based capacitive sensor. ### Claim 18 A digitizer controller comprising: a circuit associated with a digitizer sensor and configured to: transmit a query signal; sample first outputs from an antenna; demodulate information from the first outputs to identify an object; sample second outputs from the digitizer sensor that is separate from the antenna; identify an object interacting with the digitizer sensor based on the first outputs; determine a position of the object interacting with the digitizer sensor based on the second outputs; associate the position determined with the object identified; and provide position of the object and the identity of the object to a host computer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The digitizer controller according to claim 18, wherein the first outputs are sampled based on a second query directed to the object identified. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The digitizer controller according to claim 19, wherein the circuit is configured to: identify a second object interacting with the digitizer sensor based on the second outputs; transmit a third query directed to the second object identified; sample third outputs from a digitizer sensor based on third query; determine a position of the second object interacting with the digitizer sensor based on the third outputs; associate the position of the second object with the second object identified; and provide position of the second object to a host computer.