IP Library Granted Patent US 9,557,833
Granted Patent B2
US 9,557,833 · App. 13/335,296 · Granted Jan 31, 2017

Dynamic adjustment of received signal threshold in an active stylus

Inventors: Kishore Sundara-Rajan (San Jose, CA); Trond Jarle Pedersen (Trondheim, NO); Vemund Kval Bakken (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
G06F3/03545G06F3/0412G06F2203/04101G06F2203/04104
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,557,833
App. No.
13/335,296
Granted
Jan 31, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a signal at a stylus. The stylus is operable to wirelessly transmit signals to and receive signals from a device. The stylus includes a plurality of electrodes disposed in a tip of the stylus. The method includes determining a characteristic of the signal, and based at least in part on the characteristics of the signal, a threshold for determining whether to process signals received wirelessly from the device is dynamically adjusted.

Claims (40)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device, the stylus being operable to wirelessly transmit signals to and receive signals from the device;

filtering, by the stylus, the first signal received by the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal;

determining, by the stylus, a characteristic of the filtered first signal;

receiving, by the stylus from the device, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal;

comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and

dynamically adjusting, by the stylus and based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received by the stylus from the device, whether the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal meets the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stylus further comprises one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to process signals wirelessly received from the device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the logic of the stylus processes a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a frequency of the first signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is an amplitude of the first signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a phase of the first signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal.

9. A stylus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory units collectively storing logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device;

filtering, by the stylus, the first signal received by the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal;

determining a characteristic of the filtered first signal;

receiving, by the stylus from the device, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal;

comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and

dynamically adjusting, based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received by the stylus from the device, whether the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal meets the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value.

10. The stylus of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise processing signals wirelessly received from the device.

11. The stylus of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise processing a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold.

12. The stylus of claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal.

13. The stylus of claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a frequency of the first signal.

14. The stylus of claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is an amplitude of the first signal.

15. The stylus of claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a phase of the first signal.

16. The stylus of claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device;

filtering, at the stylus, the first signal received at the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal;

determining, at the stylus, a characteristic of the filtered first signal, the stylus comprising the media;

receiving, by the stylus from the device, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal;

comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and

dynamically adjusting, based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received at the stylus, whether the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal meets the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received at the stylus from the device and the second threshold, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value.

18. The media of claim 17 , wherein the logic is further operable when executed to process signals wirelessly received from the device.

19. The media of claim 18 , wherein the logic is further operable when executed to process a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold.

20. The media of claim 17 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2018
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: WACOM CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 047640/0227 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Sep 27, 2018
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 047158/0958 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Sep 27, 2018
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 047159/0792 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038376/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031912/0173 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2011
From: SUNDARA-RAJAN, KISHORE; PEDERSEN, TROND JARLE; BAKKEN, VEMUND KVAL
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027436/0362 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61553114 · Oct 28, 2011
Related Publication 20130106795A1 · May 2, 2013