Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120142305 | EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION USING IMAGES - There are disclosed methods that enable a user in an emergency situation to capture an image (such as a picture image or a video image) and transmit the image to an emergency authority (such as a PSAP) and/or to another party. In some embodiments, these operations can be performed while the user equipment and/or a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) inserted into the user equipment are in a locked condition. Devices and systems are also disclosed for performing the methods, as well as a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, perform the methods. | 06-07-2012 |
20140028633 | FORCE SENSING STYLUS - The present disclosure provides a force sensing stylus that includes a shaft. The shaft has a tip-end, which protrudes from the stylus body, and an interior-end that is located within the body. The shaft is supported in the body at the tip-end by a compliant element. A multi-axis force sensor, in contact with the interior-end of the shaft, senses lateral and longitudinal components of a force applied to the tip-end of the shaft, or a combination thereof. The sensed force components may be transmitted to an electronic device and used to control an application executed on the device. | 01-30-2014 |
20140035882 | APPARATUS AND METHOD PERTAINING TO A STYLUS HAVING A PLURALITY OF NON-PASSIVE LOCATION MODALITIES - A stylus, configured for interactive use with a surface such as but not limited to a display, includes a stylus housing that supports a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to selectively effect at least two different non-passive location modalities wherein each of the non-passive location modalities imparts location-determination information. The plurality of non-passive location modalities can be selectively used in combination with one another or in a singular fashion as desired. | 02-06-2014 |
20140035883 | Apparatus and Method Pertaining to a Stylus That Emits a Plurality of Infrared Beams - A stylus has a writing tip and includes a plurality of infrared transmitters configured and disposed to emit a plurality of infrared beams via that writing tip. These infrared transmitters can be disposed substantially equidistant from one another about a central axis of the writing tip and emit infrared beams at an angle that is other than parallel to that central axis. A corresponding display can detect these various beams to determine corresponding stylus-gesture information. This stylus-gesture information can comprise, for example, determining an angle of inclination of the stylus. As another example this stylus-gesture information can comprise rotation (such as a direction of rotation or the mere state of rotation) about the stylus' longitudinal axis. This stylus-gesture information, in turn, can serve as parameters to further guide or influence any of a variety of applications. | 02-06-2014 |
20140035885 | Apparatus and Method for Selecting Stylus Location-Determination Information Provided by a Plurality of Non-Passive Stylus-Location Modalities - A stylus includes a stylus housing that supports a control circuit. The control circuit is configured automatically compare data quality as corresponds to stylus location-determination information being provided by at least two different stylus-based candidate non-passive location modalities to thereby select a particular stylus-based non-passive location modality and to then use that particular stylus-based non-passive location modality when transmitting stylus location-determination information to a corresponding electronic device. | 02-06-2014 |
20140035886 | Apparatus and Method to Determine an Angle of Inclination and/or Rotation of a Stylus - An electronic device has a control circuit that receives first location-determination information from such a stylus as per a first location modality along with second location-determination information as per a second location modality, wherein the second location modality is different from the first location modality. This control circuit then uses the first location-determination information in combination with the second location-determination information to determine at least one of an angle of inclination of the stylus with respect to the aforementioned scribing surface and rotation of the stylus about a central longitudinal axis. | 02-06-2014 |
20140050516 | COMBINATION PEN REFILL CARTRIDGE AND ACTIVE STYLUS - A dual mode apparatus for writing on paper, inputting information to a host electronic device, and/or controlling applications on a host electronic device. The apparatus is preferably constructed and arranged as a combination pen and active stylus that includes a pen refill cartridge and an active stylus module. The pen refill cartridge comprises a body configured for storing ink and a ball-point assembly for dispensing the ink on a writing surface or physical media. The active stylus module is configured to transmit signals to the ball-point assembly of the pen refill cartridge. The ball-point assembly may include an antenna, optical transducer or ultrasonic transducer. In one expedient, the signals may be radio signals characterizing a force applied to the ball-point assembly, the level of a battery or the level of ink in the pen refill cartridge. | 02-20-2014 |
20140055424 | Method and Apparatus Pertaining to Detecting a Light-Emitting Stylus' Position - A display includes a light-transmissive planar member with side edges and opposing surfaces. A plurality of light sensors are disposed along at least two of the side edges of this planar member. These light sensors are disposed to detect light moving through the light-transmissive planar member by internally reflecting off the aforementioned opposing surfaces. A control circuit detects a position of a light-emitting stylus with respect to the display by using the plurality of light sensors to detect light from the light-emitting stylus that moves through the light-transmissive planar member via the aforementioned internal reflections. By one approach the side edges the light-transmissive planar member are inclined at other than a perpendicular angle with respect to the aforementioned opposing surfaces. | 02-27-2014 |
20140078116 | RECHARGEABLE ACTIVE PEN AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH CORRESPONDING CHARGING DOCK - Powered by a battery module, an active pen may transmit a signal that is intended for detection by a touch screen. The active pen may comprise an elongated clip member connected to an elongated body member, the free end of the clip member having a ground contact, and the body member having control and charging contacts opposite the ground contact. The free end may be biased such that the ground contact is normally in contact with the control and charging contacts, thereby maintaining the active pen in a signal-transmitting state until separation of the contacts. An electronic device may charge the battery module, optionally responsive to authorization thereof. The electronic device may comprise a partition member to separate the free end of the clip member from the body member, the partition member having contacts corresponding to those of the active pen for enabling charging of the battery module. | 03-20-2014 |
20140098074 | APPARATUS AND METHOD PERTAINING TO THE USE OF MULTIPLE LOCATION MODALITIES WITH A STYLUS - A stylus is configured for interactive use with a scribing surface. The stylus comprises a stylus housing and a first control circuit support by the stylus housing. The first control circuit is configured to simultaneously effect, as a primary operating state as regards tracking movement of a stylus, at least two different location modalities wherein each of the location modalities imparts location-determination information. The aforementioned two different location modalities can both be selected from a group consisting of capacitively-based non-passive approaches, acoustically-based non-passive approaches, magnetically-based non-passive approaches, light-emitting-based non-passive approaches, camera-based non-passive approaches, and radio-frequency-based non-passive approaches. | 04-10-2014 |
20140134962 | DEVICE SYSTEM THAT PERFORMS RADIO-FREQUENCY MATCHING WITH A STYLUS ANTENNA - A device system is provided, comprising: a stylus comprising a first antenna; a receptacle for the stylus; a second antenna; and, at least one antenna tuning circuit enabled to: perform RF (radio-frequency) matching with the first antenna when the stylus is present in the receptacle to at least one of transmit and receive data via the first antenna; and, perform RF matching with the second antenna when the stylus is not present in the receptacle to at least one of transmit and receive the data via the second antenna. | 05-15-2014 |
20140160087 | Method and Apparatus Pertaining to Gestures with Respect to a Stylus - An apparatus and method pertaining to detecting a user's gesture(s) with respect to a stylus and the wireless transmission of information regarding that gesture. The detected gesture can comprise, for example, movement of a user's finger along the stylus and/or displacement of a user's finger from contact with the stylus. | 06-12-2014 |
20140160088 | ACTIVE STYLUS FORCE SENSING MECHANISM FOR GENERATING A WAKEUP INTERRUPT TO THE CONTROLLER - An active stylus having a control circuit configured to wake up the stylus from a sleep mode to an active mode in response to pressure applied to a tip of the stylus. The stylus includes a force sensor electrically coupled to a power source, an operational amplifier, and a voltage level comparator, the voltage level comparator configured to output a digital wake up interrupt signal when pressure is applied to the tip when the control circuit is in the sleep mode. The operational amplifier is configured to provide an analog signal representative of varying pressure on the tip. This signal is processed by the control circuit such that the stylus goes into the sleep mode after a specified period of time following cessation of variations in the analog signal. | 06-12-2014 |
20140168173 | AUTOMATIC CALIBRATION OF STYLUS LOCATION USING MAPPING BETWEEN COLOR AND LOCATION - The present disclosure describes an electronic device, a stylus having a color sensor, and methods for calibrating the stylus relative to a screen of the electronic device. A color image is displayed on the screen of the electronic device, the color image comprising pixels each having one or more color components. A first screen location is determined at which the color components of a pixel match one or more color components sensed by the stylus. A second screen location is determined in response to a sensed location of the stylus and dependent upon one or more calibration parameters. The calibration parameters are adjusted dependent upon the first and second screen locations. | 06-19-2014 |
20140168174 | STYLUS LOCATION UTILIZING MULTIPLE MAGNETOMETERS - The present disclosure provides a host electronic device, a stylus and a method for determining the location of a stylus with respect to a host electronic device. A magnetic field generator of the stylus is energized and a first magnetic field is sensed at two or more magnetometers of the host electronic device. The location of the stylus with respect to the host electronic device is determined dependent upon the first magnetic field. A second magnetic field may be sensed, while the magnetic field generator is either deactivated or energized with an opposite polarity, to correct for the presence of a background magnetic field. The magnetometers may be directional magnetometers and may be arranged in an array. | 06-19-2014 |
20140168175 | MAGNETICALLY COUPLING STYLUS AND HOST ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Magnetic coupling between a stylus and a host electronic device is provided using an array of magnetic field generators that produce a magnetic field in proximity to a drawing surface of the host electronic device. The magnetic field produces a force on a magnetic tip of the stylus. The magnetic field may be controlled dependent upon the location, motion, tilt angle and/or contact force of the stylus and may also be controlled dependent upon images rendered on a display screen that is combined with the drawing surface. The magnetic field may also cause motion in a movable magnet of the stylus. The energy associated with the motion may be harvested to provide power to the stylus. | 06-19-2014 |
20140198051 | Apparatus and Method Pertaining to the Stylus-Initiated Opening of an Application - A particular application is pre-associated with the detection of a predetermined stylus action that occurs while a given electronic device is in a standby mode of operation. Upon then detecting that predetermined stylus action these teachings provide for responsively opening that particular application. By one approach this opening of the particular application occurs in conjunction with switching the electronic device from the standby mode of operation to the active mode of operation. The pre-association can be based, at least in part, upon an automatic association based upon identifying the most-used application for the electronic device. As another example, the pre-association can be based, at least in part, upon a specific user-based selection. | 07-17-2014 |
20140198080 | Method and Apparatus Pertaining to Pre-Associated Stylus-Input User Preferences - A control circuit stores profiles of stylus-input user preferences and pre-associates individual ones of those profiles with corresponding different applications. Upon opening one of those applications the control circuit then automatically uses the corresponding pre-associated stylus-input user preferences. So configured, a user's specific preferences regarding how the control circuit will render electronic ink on a display in response to stylus-based input are automatically utilized on an application-by-application basis without requiring the user to access and change global settings for stylus input. | 07-17-2014 |
20140204126 | Method and Apparatus Pertaining to Predicted Stylus Movements - An apparatus and method pertaining to the display of a stylus path that includes both a validated portion and a predicted portion. Upon determining an error between subsequent stylus movement and that predicted portion, these teachings provide for morphing a display of the predicted portion to accord with the subsequent stylus movement over time rather than abruptly switching the display to an immediately fully-corrected representation. | 07-24-2014 |
20140210730 | STYLUS BASED OBJECT MODIFICATION ON A TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY - A stylus is used to modify the appearance of objects rendered on a touch-sensitive display. One of a plurality of objects on the display is selected by making contacting the object with the stylus. The stylus tilt and stylus contact pressure are determined. The appearance of the selected object is modified in response to the stylus tilt of the stylus and the stylus contact pressure. | 07-31-2014 |
20140232698 | Method and Apparatus Pertaining to Adjusting Textual Graphic Embellishments - Stylus-entered writing is converted into corresponding text and a control circuit then adjusts graphic embellishment of at least a first portion of that text as a function, at least in part, of detected user dynamics as regards user control of the stylus at a time that corresponds to the stylus-entered writing that corresponds to that first portion of the text. By one approach this adjustment reflects a comparison between those detected user dynamics and previously-stored user dynamics profile information. So configured, the resultant recognized text can, via the aforementioned graphic embellishment, convey emotional expression of the writer at the time of writing that text. | 08-21-2014 |
20140267182 | Apparatus To Sense Stylus Nib Pressures - A stylus has a stylus barrel and a stylus nib that can move with respect to the stylus barrel. A first pressure sensor is configured to sense air pressure that corresponds to force being supplied to the stylus nib and a second pressure sensor serves to sense ambient air pressure. A control circuit operably couples to both pressure sensors and determines a gauge pressure value as corresponds to force being applied to the stylus nib. By one approach a temperature sensor can also operably couple to the control circuit and provide temperature information that the control circuit can utilize when determining the aforementioned gauge pressure value. | 09-18-2014 |
20140375573 | System and Method of Authentication of an Electronic Signature - An apparatus and method pertaining to detecting user input, such as a signature, with respect to a stylus and the transmission of information regarding that input. The detected input can comprise, for example, characteristics of the input and transmit them to a secondary device to verify the input matches a stored template. | 12-25-2014 |
20150029085 | Apparatus and Method Pertaining to the Use of a Plurality of 3D Gesture Sensors to Detect 3D Gestures - A device having at least two 3-dimensional gesture sensors that employ differing gesture-sensing modalities as compared to one another further includes a control circuit that operably couples to both of these 3-dimensional gesture sensors and employs both to detect three-dimensional gestures. By one approach the control circuit employs both sensors in a temporally-overlapping manner to reliably and accurately detect the 3D gesture. As another illustrative example, the control circuit may employ different sensors during different portions of a given 3D gesture to detect those corresponding portions of the 3D gesture. | 01-29-2015 |
20150043824 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR PROVIDING INTELLIGENT PREDICTIVE INPUT FOR HANDWRITTEN TEXT - A computer-implemented method for use in an electronic device includes receiving a first handwritten input comprising at least one handwritten character, and obtaining a plurality of candidate words that correspond to at the least one handwritten character. A first electronic instruction is generated to display information identifying one or more of the candidate words on a display of the electronic device. A second handwritten input indicative of a selection of one or the displayed candidate words is received, and a second electronic instruction is generated to display the selected candidate word on the display of the electronic device. | 02-12-2015 |
20150049011 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE PROCESSING - A system and method of controlling displayed three-dimensional visual content is disclosed. A signal is received from a user operated adjustment device, the signal being generated by a physical movement of the adjustment device by the user, wherein the signal corresponds to a desired adjustment of the displayed three-dimensional content. A value of an image-generation parameter of the three-dimensional visual content is adjusted corresponding to the signal received from the adjustment device. A physical parameter of a display device that displays the three-dimensional visual content is changed based on the adjusted value of the image-generation parameter in order to implement the desired adjustment of the displayed three-dimensional visual content. | 02-19-2015 |
20150062321 | DEVICE CONTROL BY FACIAL FEATURE RECOGNITION - An electronic device is controlled by scanning a face at an ultrasonic frequency, by at least one audio speaker. Facial features are mapped based on the scanning and repetitive movements of the facial features are detected by mapping the facial features over time. Future locations of the facial features are predicted based on the detecting of the repetitive movements. Control movements of the facial features are detected based on the mapping of the facial features and the predicting of the future locations of the facial features. The electronic device is controlled based on the detecting of the control movements. | 03-05-2015 |