# US 9,519,352 B2 · Pen/touch tablet computer having multiple operation modes and method for switching operation modes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,352 B2 - Document ID: US9519352B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/938,293 - Filed: 2015-11-11 - Published: 2016-03-03 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-19 - Assignees: Wacom Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Wacom Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Konrad Pollmann; Michael Thompson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519352B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0227: {Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer (G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence)} - G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations} - G06F 3/03545: {Pens or stylus} - G06F 3/038: Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/04182: {Filtering of noise external to the device and not generated by digitiser components} - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06F 3/14: Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} - G06F 13/00: Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units (interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 {; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46}; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16 ) - G06F 13/385: {for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices} - G06F 13/4282: {on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus (on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247)} - G06F 13/409: {Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438)} - 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 - 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 - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A tablet computer is provided, which includes a sensor section operable to detect positional input by a human operator and output a positional input signal; a display, laid over the sensor section, operable to receive and display a video signal; and a processor, coupled to a memory storing programs for running an operating system (OS) and executing software loaded to the memory, the processor being operable to receive and process the positional input signal from the sensor section and to output a video signal of the OS and the software to the display. The tablet computer further includes a sensor signal filter capable of selectively communicating the positional input signal from the sensor section to the processor, to a separate external processor, or to neither the processor nor the separate external processor; and a display switch capable of coupling the display to the processor or to the separate external processor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tablet computer system, which is coupleable to an external computer having a first interface and a second interface, the tablet computer system comprising: (a) a stylus type device; (b) a sensor section operable to detect positional input by the stylus type device and to output a positional input signal to the first interface of the external computer when the sensor section is coupled to the external computer; (c) a display, laid over the sensor section, operable to receive and display a video signal from the second interface of the external computer when the sensor section is coupled to the external computer; and (d) a combined cable coupleable at one end to the sensor section and coupleable at another end to the external computer, the another end including: (i) a first branch coupleable to the first interface of the external computer, and (ii) a second branch coupleable to the second interface of the external computer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tablet computer system according to claim 1, wherein the another end of the combined cable further includes: (iii) a third branch coupleable to a power source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tablet computer system according to claim 1, wherein the first interface is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface and the second interface is a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tablet computer system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor section is operable in at least two different operation modes depending on a video-in link status of the HDMI interface when the sensor section is coupled to the HDMI interface via the second branch of the combined cable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tablet computer system according to claim 4, wherein the at least two operation modes of the sensor section include: a first operation mode in which the sensor section is controlled by the external computer, and a second operation mode in which the sensor section is disabled. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tablet computer system according to claim 5, further comprising: a processor coupled to a memory storing software to be executed by the processor, the processor being operable to receive and process the positional input signal from the sensor section and to output a video signal of the software to the display, wherein the at least two operation modes of the sensor section further include: a third operation mode in which the sensor section is controlled by the processor of the tablet computer system. ### Claim 7 A method of operating a tablet computer system, which is coupleable to an external computer having a first interface and a second interface, the method comprising: (a) using a sensor section of the tablet computer system to detect positional input by a stylus type device and output a positional input signal to the first interface of the external computer when the sensor section is coupled to the external computer; (b) displaying on a screen laid over the sensor section a video signal from the second interface of the external computer when the display is coupled to the external computer; and (c) selectively coupling a combined cable at one end to the sensor section and at another end to the external computer, the another end including: (i) a first branch coupleable to the first interface of the external computer, and (ii) a second branch coupleable to the second interface of the external computer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the another end of the combined cable further includes: (iii) a third branch coupleable to a power source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the first interface is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface and the second interface is a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising operating the sensor section of the tablet computer system in at least two different operation modes depending on a video-in link status of the HDMI interface when the sensor section is coupled to the HDMI interface via the second branch of the combined cable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the at least two operation modes of the sensor section include: a first operation mode in which the sensor section is controlled by the external computer, and a second operation mode in which the sensor section is disabled. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least two operation modes of the sensor section further include: a third operation mode in which the sensor section is controlled by an internal processor of the tablet computer system. ### Claim 13 A tablet computer system, comprising: a sensor section operable to detect positional input by a human operator and output a positional input signal; a display, laid over the sensor section, operable to receive and display a video signal; and a combined cable coupleable at one end to the sensor section and coupleable at another end to an external computer, the another end including: (i) a first branch coupleable to a first interface of the external computer, and (ii) a second branch coupleable to a second interface of the external computer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The tablet computer system according to claim 13, wherein the another end of the combined cable further includes: (iii) a third branch coupleable to a power source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The tablet computer system according to claim 13, wherein output of the positional input signal from the sensor section is determined based on a video-in link status of the sensor section relative to the external computer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The tablet computer system according to claim 13, wherein output destination of the positional input signal from the sensor section is selected out of multiple output destinations. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The tablet computer system of claim 16, further comprising: a processor coupled to a memory storing programs to be executed by the processor, the processor being operable to receive and process the positional input signal from the sensor section and to output a video signal of the programs to the display. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The tablet computer system according to claim 17, wherein the output destination of the positional input signal is selected out of the multiple output destinations including: i) to the processor of the tablet computer system, ii) to the external computer, and iii) to neither the processor nor the external computer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 7) The tablet computer system of claim 7, wherein the programs stored in the memory include an operation system (OS).