Apparatus and method for selecting stylus location-determination information provided by a plurality of non-passive stylus-location modalities

1. An apparatus comprising:

a stylus configured for interactive use with a surface comprising:

a stylus housing;

a control circuit supported by the stylus housing and configured to:

selectively effect at least two different non-passive location modalities such that each of the non-passive location modalities imparts location-determination information; and

select, as a function, at least in part, of a comparison of data quality, whether to transmit the location-determination information from a first one of the at least two different non-passive location modalities or to transmit the location-determination information from a second, different one of the at least two non-passive location modalities.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the two different non-passive location modalities include at least one of:

a capacitively-based non-passive location modality;

an acoustically-based non-passive location modality;

a magnetically-based non-passive location modality;

a light-emitting-based non-passive location modality;

a radio-frequency-based non-passive location modality.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first one of the at least two different non-passive location modalities is more effective when the stylus hovers over the surface as compared to when the stylus contacts the surface and a second one of the at least two different non-passive location modalities is more effective when the stylus contacts the surface as compared to when the stylus hovers over the surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the comparison of data quality comprises, at least in part, a comparison of metrics that indicate a presence or absence of valid data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically compare the data quality on a periodic basis.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the control circuit wherein the periodic basis is at least once every one hundred milliseconds.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to employ a data quality standard as corresponds, at least in part, to a currently-active application.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the currently-active application comprises an application that is currently active in an electronic device that comprises the surface.

9. A method comprising:

by a stylus control circuit as regards use of a stylus with a corresponding surface:

comparing 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;

automatically using the particular stylus-based non-passive location modality when transmitting stylus location-determination information to an electronic device that comprises the corresponding surface.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically compare the data quality on a periodic basis.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the control circuit wherein the periodic basis is at least once every one hundred milliseconds.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein comparing the data quality comprises, at least in part, a comparison of metrics that indicate a presence or absence of valid data.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein comparing the data quality comprises employing a data quality standard as corresponds, at least in part, to a currently-active application.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the currently-active application comprises an application that is currently active in the electronic device that comprises the corresponding surface.