# US 2018/0024650 A1 · Stylus with capacitive slide and grip sensors

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- Number: US 2018/0024650 A1
- Document ID: US20180024650A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/217,969
- Filed: 2016-07-22
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: Adonit Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yu-Kuang Hou; Yueh-Hua Li; Yen-Teh Lee; CHIEN-PANG LIN; Yu-Ting Lo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024650A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0383: {Signal control means within the pointing device}
- G06F 3/03545: {Pens or stylus}
- 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 2203/0381: Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
- G06F 2203/04106: Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Embodiments of a stylus having a capacitive slide sensor and grip sensors are disclosed, for use with electronic devices and particularly with touchscreen devices. The stylus is in signal communication with the electronic device, either wired or wirelessly, and the slide sensor allows a user to generate a sliding data value as well as a contact/no-contact datum; these can be used as scaled control values or as buttonpress control values to control features of applications running on the electronic device. The capacitive sensors are formed on a single flexible PCB wrapped inside the stylus barrel.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-7. (canceled)

### Claim 8

A stylus, the stylus comprising:
a barrel having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
a chassis-having an upper chassis and a lower chassis disposed within the barrel;
a plurality of proximity sensors configured to output a plurality of proximity data according to a presence or absence of touch or touches on the plurality of proximity sensors;
a slide sensor configured to output a gradient datum according to a position of a touch on the slide sensor;
a circuit board comprising a communications subcircuit; and
a two-layer flexible PCB having a first side facing in a first direction and a second side facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction and a first region and a second region different from the first region, the two-layer flexible PCB mounted to the circuit board,
wherein the slide sensor is formed on the first side and first region of the two-layer flexible PCB, and the proximity sensor is formed on the second side and second region of the two-layer flexible PCB, and
wherein the first region of the two-layer flexible PCB is wrapped around the upper chassis such that the second side of the first region is positioned proximally to the upper chassis and the first side of the first region is positioned proximally to the interior surface of the barrel, and the second region of the two-layer flexible PCB is wrapped around the lower chassis such that the first side of the second region is positioned proximally to the lower chassis and the second side of the second region is positioned proximally to the interior surface of the barrel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The stylus of claim 8, wherein when the slide sensor outputs a gradient datum according to a position of a touch on the slide sensor, then the communications subcircuit transmits the gradient datum.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The stylus of claim 8, wherein when the plurality of proximity sensors outputs the plurality of proximity data according to the zero or more touches on the proximity sensor, then the communications subcircuit transmits the proximity data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The stylus of claim 8, further comprising a tactile switch assembly, the tactile switch assembly comprising a cosmetic button,
wherein the cosmetic button is made of a nonconductive material and is disposed along and through a side of the barrel, and
wherein the slide sensor is disposed longitudinally within the barrel and underneath the cosmetic button.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The stylus of claim 11, wherein the upper chassis further comprises a hinged segment, the tactile switch assembly further comprises a switch, and the switch is disposed on the circuit board,
wherein when force is applied to the cosmetic button, the force is transmitted through the slide sensor to the hinged segment of the upper chassis, and then to the switch.

### Claim at position 7

-14. (canceled)

### Claim 15

A stylus, the stylus comprising:
a barrel having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
a chassis having an upper chassis and a lower chassis disposed within the barrel;
a proximity sensor configured to output a proximity datum according to a presence or absence of touch on the proximity sensor;
a slide sensor configured to output a gradient datum according to a position of a touch on the slide sensor;
a circuit board comprising a communications subcircuit; and
a two-layer flexible PCB having a first side facing in a first direction and a second side facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction and a first region and a second region different from the first region, the two-layer flexible PCB mounted to the circuit board,
wherein the slide sensor is formed on the first side and first region of the two-layer flexible PCB, and the proximity sensor is formed on the second side and second region of the two-layer flexible PCB, and
wherein the first region of the two-layer flexible PCB is wrapped around the upper chassis such that the second side of the first region is positioned proximally to the upper chassis and the first side of the first region is positioned proximally to the interior surface of the barrel, and the second region of the two-layer flexible PCB is wrapped around the lower chassis such that the first side of the second region is positioned proximally to the lower chassis and the second side of the second region is positioned proximally to the interior surface of the barrel.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The stylus of claim 15, wherein when the slide sensor outputs a gradient datum according to a position of a touch on the slide sensor, then the communications subcircuit transmits the gradient datum.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The stylus of claim 15, wherein when the proximity sensor outputs a proximity datum according to a position of a touch on the proximity sensor, then the communications subcircuit transmits the proximity datum.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The stylus of claim 15, further comprising a tactile switch assembly, the tactile switch assembly comprising a cosmetic button,
wherein the cosmetic button is made of a nonconductive material and is disposed along and through a side of the barrel, and
wherein the slide sensor is disposed longitudinally within the barrel and underneath the cosmetic button.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The stylus of claim 18, wherein the upper chassis further comprises a hinged segment, the tactile switch assembly further comprises a switch, and the switch is disposed on the circuit board,
wherein when force is applied to the cosmetic button, the force is transmitted through the slide sensor to the hinged segment of the upper chassis, and then to the switch.