Atmel Corporation

Wacom Co., Ltd.

Amtel Corporation

Neodron Limited

Thomas Matthew Bell

Carl Carley

Paul Clements

Nigel Stephen Daniel Hinson

Karl Attrill

A stylus includes a first sensor configured to receive a first receive signal from a touch sensor of a device, and a second sensor configured to receive a second receive signal from the touch sensor of the device. The stylus includes an amplifier coupled to the first and second sensors and configured to produce a third signal by amplifying the difference between the first receive signal and the second receive signal. The stylus includes a controller configured to decode information encoded in the first receive signal and the second receive signal by processing the third signal.

Touch sensor and method for deriving a stylus position

Active stylus with multiple sensors for receiving signals from a touch sensor

In one embodiment, a stylus includes a first sensor disposed proximate a first end of the stylus. The first sensor is adapted to receive a first receive signal via a first capacitive coupling with a touch sensor of a device. The first end of the stylus is at a tip-end of the stylus. The stylus also includes a second sensor disposed proximate the first end of the stylus. The second sensor is adapted to receive a second receive signal via a second capacitive coupling with the touch sensor of the device. A proximity of the first sensor to the first end of the stylus is greater than a proximity of the second sensor to the first end of the stylus. A widest portion of the first sensor has a greater width than at least a portion of the second sensor.

In one embodiment, a touch screen device includes a controller, a force sensing layer, a cushion layer, and a reference layer. The controller includes a processor to determine a distance between the force sensing layer and the reference layer. The cushion layer is between the force sensing layer and the reference layer. The cushion layer may include a plurality of holes at selected locations devoid of material of which the cushion layer is made. The reference layer may include a plurality of raised areas at selected locations.

Touch sensor with force sensor response normalization, and related method and apparatus

In one embodiment, a controller includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing logic. The logic is configured to perform, when executed by the processor, operations including detecting, in response to driving a plurality of electrodes of a touch sensor with a first drive signal having a first polarity, a first sense signal. The first sense signal has a second polarity, the second polarity being an inverse of the first polarity. The logic is further configured to perform operations including driving, in response to detecting the first sense signal, the plurality of electrodes with a second drive signal having the second polarity.

Touch sensor electrode system and method

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at each of at least four receivers of a stylus, a signal from an electrode line oriented along a first axis of a touch-sensing device and determining, by a processor of the stylus, a signal strength of the signal at each of the at least four receivers of the stylus. The received signal has a different signal strength at each of the at least four receivers. The method includes determining, by the processor of the stylus, a tilt direction of the stylus based on the determined signal strength at a plurality of the at least four receivers, and providing, by a transmitter of the stylus, a response signal to the touch-sensing device. The tilt direction includes a direction of the stylus along a second axis of the touch-sensing device and the second axis is oriented in a different direction than the first axis.

Method and system for determining stylus tilt in relation to a touch-sensing device

In certain embodiments, a method includes determining a position of a touch input in a touch-sensitive area of a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first number of electrodes having a first orientation and a second number of electrodes having a second orientation. The second orientation being different from the first orientation. The method also includes selecting a first set of the first number of electrodes corresponding to at least a portion of an area of the touch input within the touch-sensitive area; and applying a first pre-determined voltage to the selected first set of the first number of electrodes based at least in part on the area of the touch input being larger than a pre-determined area.

Object detection and scan

In certain embodiments, a method includes selecting, for a touch sensor including a first number of electrodes and a second number of electrodes, a first set of the first number of electrodes and a second set of the second number of electrodes. The first number of electrodes has a first orientation and the second number of electrodes has a second orientation. The second orientation being different from the first orientation. An overlap area is formed by an overlap of the first set and second set. The method also includes applying, during a first time period, a signal including a first pre-determined voltage to the first set and the second set such that, during the first time period, the overlap area has a first signal state; and applying, during a second time period, the signal to the first set and a second pre-determined voltage to the second set.

In certain embodiments, a method includes determining a position of an input within a touch-sensitive area of a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first number of electrodes having a first orientation and a second number of electrodes having a second orientation. The second orientation is different from the first orientation. The method also includes selecting a first set of the first number of electrodes and a first set of the second number of electrodes such that the determined position of the input is within an overlap of the first set of the first number of electrodes with the first set of the second number of electrodes. An area of the overlap is smaller than the touch-sensitive area.

In one embodiment, a method includes determining, by a processor of a stylus, a tilt direction of the stylus based on respective first signal strengths at a plurality of receivers. The tilt direction comprises a direction of the stylus along an axis of a touch-sensing device. The method further includes generating, by the processor of the stylus, a response signal comprising information indicative of the tilt direction of the stylus.

In one embodiment, a controller includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing logic. The logic is configured to perform, when executed by the processor, operations comprising detecting, in response to driving electrodes of a touch sensor with a first drive signal having a first polarity, a presence of a stylus. The presence of the stylus is detected based on a first sense signal, the first sense signal having a second polarity. The operations further comprise detecting, in response to driving the electrodes with a second drive signal having the first polarity, a second sense signal having a third polarity. The third polarity is an inverse of the second polarity. The operations further comprise driving, in response to detecting the second sense signal having the third polarity, the electrodes with a third drive signal having a fourth polarity. The fourth polarity is an inverse of the first polarity.

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Southampton, United Kingdom

Thomas Matthew Bell