STYLUS FOR USE WITH TOUCH SCREEN COMPUTING DEVICE
A pen or stylus for use with a touch screen computer. The stylus has a conductive body and a conductive tip. A relay in the stylus is used to selectively electrically connect the conductive stylus body, which is coupled to the hand of the, user, to the conductive tip. A series of the pulses are produced by the stylus that are detected by software on the computer. The detected pulses can be used to differentiate between a finger touch and a stylus touch and to transfer data or commands from the stylus to the touch screen device.
1 . A stylus for use with a touch screen device, said stylus comprising:
a conductive housing;
a conductive tip; and
a switch that connects said conductive housing to said conductive tip.
2 . The stylus of claim 1 wherein said conductive housing further comprises a conductive plastic.
3 . The stylus of claim 1 wherein said conductive tip further comprises a conductive rubber tip.
4 . The stylus of claim 1 further comprising a microcontroller that controls said switch such that said conductive housing is alternatively connected to, and disconnected from, said conductive tip.
5 . The stylus of claim 4 wherein said microcontroller operates said switch at a rate of 20 Hz.
6 . The stylus of claim 1 further comprising a motion sensor that detects motion of said stylus.
7 . An input device for interacting with a touch screen device having a touch screen; said input device comprising:
a first conductive portion that contacts said touch screen;
a second conductive portion that contacts a user's hand; and
a relay that operates to selectively connect and disconnect said first conductive portion and said second conductive portion.
8 . The input device of claim 7 further comprising application software on said touch screen device that detects rapid changes in contact with said touch screen.
9 . The input device of claim 7 wherein said first conductive portion further comprises a pen-shaped housing.
10 . The input device of claim 7 wherein said second conductive portion further comprises a rubber conductive tip.
11 . The input device of claim 7 further comprising a microcontroller.
12 . The input device of claim 7 further comprising an accelerometer.
13 . The input device of claim 7 further comprising a boost converter power supply.
14 . A method of interacting with a device having a touch screen, said method comprising the steps of:
contacting said touch screen with a conductor; and
selectively electrically connecting said conductor to a finger of a person.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of using a microcontroller to control said electrical connecting of said conductor to said finger.
17 . The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of detecting movement of said conductor and selectively connecting said conductor to said finger based upon said detected movement.