Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110083110 | TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY AND METHOD OF CONTROL - A method includes displaying one or more selection options on a touch-sensitive display and detecting a hovering touch associated with a first option of the one or more selection options. Information associated with the first option is previewed in a first format in an information field in response to detecting the hovering touch. A selection of one of the one or more selection options is detected, and a function associated with the selected option is performed. | 04-07-2011 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20150116273 | CONTACTLESS GESTURE RECOGNITION WITH SENSOR HAVING ASYMMETRIC FIELD OF VIEW - Methods, devices and sensors for detecting a gesture are described. In an embodiment, a gesture sensor includes a time of flight sensor having a sensing element configured to generate an electrical signal responsive to received light. The time of flight sensor also includes a light source for emitting a burst of light. The sensing element has a sensing side for receiving light and a non-sensing side which is opposite the sensing side. The gesture sensor also includes one or more light inhibitors positioned relatively nearer the sensing side of the sensing element than the non-sensing side. The light inhibitors are asymmetric about a first center line of the sensing element. The first center line is located midway between first and second sides of the sensing element. The gesture sensor further includes a processor coupled to the time of flight sensor configured to detect a gesture. | 04-30-2015 |
20150369906 | LENS WITH PROXIMITY DETECTION PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT LAYER - It is proposed herein to add a layer to the proximity detector lens of a smart phone. The layer, with beneficial qualities such as high transparency and high refractive index, may be seen to improve proximity sensor performance in the presence of matter deposited on an anti-fingerprint coating of the proximity detector lens. | 12-24-2015 |
20160061586 | Method to Determine Length and Area Measurements Within a Smartphone Camera Image - A mobile communication device includes a processor operably coupled to a memory and to a wireless communication subsystem operable to send and receive data, a camera operably coupled to the processor, a sensor operably connected to provide to the processor a distance between the camera and an element viewable by the camera. Instructions are stored in the memory; when these instructions are executed by the processor, the mobile communication device takes an image with the camera, uses the sensor to determine a distance between the camera and at least one object recorded in the image, receives a request for a desired measurement comprising one of a desired length measurement and a desired area measurement of an element in the image, calculates the desired measurement, and provides the desired measurement to the user. | 03-03-2016 |