Nerding out on the Apple Pencil Potential....

Had a moment to nerd out using IPRally - triggered by the (subtle) marketing by Apple for today’s Keynote.

The whole ‘Pencil it in’ made me think, and then jam out to see if I couldn’t quickly find potential new Apple Pencil features.

No further research was done, nor do I claim to know anything (of anything…) - but if I’m right...

Potential Feature 1: Compressive Force Sensor with Touch-Based Haptic Feedback (Patents US11755128B2 AND US11360560B2) (links found at end)

Potential Feature 2: ‘Find My’ Capability (Patent US20230161545A1)

Potential (neat) Feature 3: Optical Sensor for Colour matching from any surface (Patent US20230078597A1)

Would be really neat to not only be able to find my pencil (thanks Cosmo…) but also use it to sample colours quickly and react to pressure specific inputs.

I then asked our Multi-Document Ask AI a simple question of each document: "Summarise the invention in how it is used to write on a device, including novel operations or uses of."

Potential Feature 1:

US11755128B2 Stylus with Compressive Force Sensor: Based on the patent document, the stylus invention is used to provide input to an external electronic device, such as a tablet or other touch-enabled device. The key points about how the stylus is used for writing are: - The stylus has a first end that is configured to contact the surface of the external electronic device, allowing the user to write or draw on the device. - The stylus has multiple sensors coupled to the housing between the first and second ends. These sensors are configured to detect a compressive force (i.e. squeezing or pressing) applied to different segments of the continuous outer surface of the stylus housing. - By detecting the compressive force applied to the stylus housing, the stylus can provide additional or alternative input to the external electronic device, beyond just the contact of the tip on the device surface. - The patent describes various sensor types that can be used to detect the compressive force, such as capacitive sensors, strain gauges, force-sensitive resistors, inductive sensors, pneumatic sensors, and piezo sensors. - The different sensor configurations allow the stylus to detect the position and/or magnitude of the compressive force applied by the user, which can then be used to provide additional control inputs to the external device. So in summary, the novel aspect is the ability of the stylus to detect squeezing or pressing on its housing, in addition to the tip contact, to provide enhanced input capabilities to the connected electronic device.

US11360560B2 Touch-Based Input Device with Haptic Feedback: According to the patent, the stylus can be used to provide input and receive haptic feedback when used with an external device, such as a device with a display surface and/or touch panel. Some key points about how the stylus can be used for writing: - The stylus can detect user input forces applied to the housing using one or more piezoelectric devices. This allows the stylus to detect when the user is applying input, such as for writing on the external device. - The piezoelectric device(s) can produce an electrical voltage when deformed by an input force, allowing the stylus to detect the user's input. - The stylus can transmit an input signal to the external device based on the detected user input. This allows the external device to interpret the user's input, such as for drawing or writing. - The stylus can also provide haptic feedback to the user, such as by actuating the piezoelectric device(s) to provide a force or vibration. This haptic feedback can confirm that an input has been received by the external device or provide other information to the user. - The haptic feedback can be focused to the user's natural grip location on the stylus for more direct and efficient transmission. - The stylus can detect characteristics of the user's input, such as the magnitude, duration, or direction of the input force, and transmit corresponding input signals to the external device. This allows the external device to interpret the user's input, such as for adjusting the thickness or other properties of the drawn/written markings. So in summary, the key novel aspects are the use of piezoelectric devices in the stylus to both detect user input and provide haptic feedback, allowing enhanced writing/drawing functionality when used with an external device.

Potential Feature 2: ‘Find My’ Capability

US20230161545A1 Peripheral Device with Acoustic Resonator: The invention describes a stylus that can be used to provide input to a touch-sensitive device, such as a touchscreen. Some key points about how the stylus is used to write on a device: - The stylus includes one or more electrodes at the tip that can generate stimulation signals to be detected by the touch-sensitive device, allowing the stylus to be used for touch input (e.g. writing, drawing) on the device's surface. - The stylus includes a force sensor that can detect the amount of force applied at the tip when the stylus is in contact with the touch-sensitive surface. This force information can be communicated to the electronic device and used in conjunction with the touch location. - The stylus can operate in different modes - a default mode where it provides haptic feedback based on user interactions, and a "beacon" mode where it generates an acoustic signal that can be detected by the electronic device to help locate the stylus. - In the beacon mode, the stylus can generate the acoustic signal at a specific frequency, amplitude and/or duration specified by a request received from the electronic device. This allows the electronic device to better detect and locate the stylus. So in summary, the key novel aspects are the use of stimulation signals, force sensing, and acoustic beacon functionality to enhance the stylus's capabilities for providing input to a touch-sensitive device. The document does not describe any other novel operations or uses of the stylus beyond these.

Potential (neat) Feature 3:

Optical Sensor for Colour matching from any surface.

US20230078597A1 Electronic Device with Optical Sensor for Sampling Services: According to the document, the invention relates to an electronic device such as a stylus that can be used to interact with a touch-sensitive display on a device like a tablet computer. Some key points about how the stylus is used for writing: - The stylus has a tip that can emit electromagnetic signals that are detected by the touch sensor in the tablet's display. This allows the position of the stylus tip to be tracked as the user writes or draws on the display. - The stylus can wirelessly transmit information to the tablet computer, such as color measurements made by a color sensor in the stylus. This allows the color sampled by the stylus to be used in a drawing program or other software on the tablet. - The color sensor in the stylus can measure the color, texture, reflectivity, and other optical properties of real-world objects. This sampled color and other information can then be used in the drawing program or other software on the tablet. - The stylus can adjust the color spectrum of its own light emitter based on ambient light measurements, in order to provide illumination that matches the ambient lighting conditions when making color measurements on an object. - The stylus can modulate the intensity of its light emitter during color measurements, in order to subtract out the effects of ambient lighting conditions on the color measurements. So in summary, the key novel uses of the stylus are its ability to sample color and other optical properties of real-world objects, and then wirelessly transmit that information to the tablet computer for use in drawing programs and other applications.

#nerdout #patentnerd #patents #IPRally #apple #applepencil

References for Patents (LinkedIn didn't let me hyperlink)

US11755128B2 Stylus with Compressive Force Sensor https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/080791419/publication/US11755128B2?q=pn%3DUS11755128B2

US11360560B2 Touch-Based Input Device with Haptic Feedback https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/069528296/publication/US11360560B2?q=pn%3DUS11360560B2

US20230161545A1 Peripheral Device with Acoustic Resonator https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/084360280/publication/US2023161545A1?q=pn%3DUS2023161545A1

US20230078597A1 Electronic Device with Optical Sensor for Sampling Services https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/081940459/publication/US2023078597A1?q=pn%3DUS2023078597A1