# US 12,133,042 B2 · Force-activated stylus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,133,042 B2 - Document ID: US12133042B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/405,697 - Filed: 2024-01-05 - Published: 2024-05-09 - Granted: 2024-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-21 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Nahid Harjee; Brian R. Twehues; Teera Songatikamas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12133042B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)} - H04R 1/1091: {Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083} - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - H03K 17/975: using a capacitive movable element - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 1/1066: {Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support (earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335)} - G06F 2203/04104: Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger - H03K 2017/9613: {using two electrodes per touch switch} - H03K 2217/96076: with spring electrode - H03K 2217/960775: Emitter-receiver or "fringe" type detection, i.e. one or more field emitting electrodes and corresponding one or more receiving electrodes - H04R 2201/10: Details of earpieces, attachments therefor, earphones or monophonic headphones covered by H04R1/10 but not provided for in any of its subgroups - H04R 2460/00: Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A stylus includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stylus, comprising: a housing, the housing having an internal wall; a flap disposed inside the housing and extending toward the internal wall; a sensor disposed within the housing that produces a signal in response to bending of the flap; and a controller that determines an input using the signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stylus of claim 1, wherein the flap is operable to bend in response to force exerted on the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The stylus of claim 2, wherein the input comprises an amount of force. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The stylus of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a force sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The stylus of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a capacitive sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The stylus of claim 1, further comprising a structure to which the flap is coupled. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The stylus of claim 1, wherein: the flap is a first flap; the first flap extends toward a first portion of the internal wall; and the stylus further comprises a second flap that is disposed inside the housing and extends toward a second portion of the internal wall. ### Claim 8 A stylus, comprising: a housing, the housing defining an input surface; an internal structure disposed within the housing; a flexible arm extending from the internal structure to the housing that defines an acute angle between the internal structure and the housing and is operable to bend to decrease the acute angle when an input force is applied to the input surface; a force sensor disposed within the housing that is operable to detect movement of the flexible arm; and a controller that is operative to determine a non-binary amount of the input force using the force sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The stylus of claim 8, wherein a portion of the flexible arm is flush with the housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The stylus of claim 8, wherein: the flexible arm is positioned between the internal structure and the housing on a first side of the internal structure; the flexible arm is a first flexible arm; and the stylus further comprises a second flexible arm positioned between the internal structure and the housing on a second side of the internal structure that is opposite the first side. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The stylus of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the force sensor is positioned on the flexible arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The stylus of claim 8, wherein the flexible arm is operable to move with respect to at least a portion of the force sensor when the flexible arm bends. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The stylus of claim 8, further comprising a touch sensor disposed within the housing that is operable to detect a touch on the housing. ### Claim 14 A stylus, comprising: a housing that defines: a first input surface; and a second input surface opposite the first input surface; and a flexible circuit disposed in the housing and comprising: a first circuitry section; a second circuitry section; a third circuitry section; and a fourth circuitry section; wherein the flexible circuit flexes to allow: the first circuitry section to move toward the second circuitry section when a first force is applied to the first input surface; the first circuitry section to move away from the second circuitry section when the first force is no longer applied; the third circuitry section to move toward the fourth circuitry section when a second force is applied to the second input surface; the third circuitry section to move away from the fourth circuitry section when the second force is no longer applied; and a controller, disposed in the housing, that is operative to determine: a first non-binary amount of the first force using a first change in a first mutual capacitance detected using the first circuitry section and the second circuitry section; and a second non-binary amount of the second force using a second change in a second mutual capacitance detected using the third circuitry section and the fourth circuitry section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The stylus of claim 14, wherein the controller determines a total force amount using the first non-binary amount of the first force and the second non-binary amount of the second force. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The stylus of claim 14, wherein the controller determines an amount of time that at least one of the first force and the second force is applied. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The stylus of claim 14, wherein the controller interprets the first force as: a first input if the first non-binary amount of the first force is below a force threshold; and a second input if the first non-binary amount of the first force at least meets the force threshold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The stylus of claim 14, further comprising: an antenna disposed within the housing; wherein: the flexible circuit is mounted to the antenna. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The stylus of claim 14, wherein: the housing defines a port; and the first input surface and the second input surface are substantially orthogonal to the port. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The stylus of claim 14, further comprising a touch sensor disposed within the housing that is operable to detect a touch on the housing.