Combination touch and transducer input system and method
A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique.
1. A pen-shaped stylus for use with an input system including sensing electrodes, comprising:
signal generation circuity configured to generate a driving signal;
an electrode antenna configured to emit an electric field to the sensing electrodes capacitively based on the driving signal;
a pressure sensor configured to generate a pressure signal indicative of a pen pressure applied to a tip of the pen-shaped stylus;
a transceiver, which is different from the electrode antenna; and
a controller, which, in operation,
controls the transceiver to receive information that is transmitted from the input system;
controls the electrode antenna to emit the electric field to the sensing electrodes capacitively to indicate a position pointed to by the pen-shaped stylus, and
controls the transceiver to transmit the pressure signal to the input system,
wherein, for transmission of the pressure signal through the transceiver, a wireless link is established between the transceiver and the input system.
2. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless link is an RF channel link according to a defined wireless communication protocol.
3. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 2 , wherein the defined wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth® protocol.
4. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 1 , wherein the information configures the pen-shaped stylus to start signal transmission from the pen-shaped stylus.
5. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 1 , wherein the information includes at least one of sensor ID information, sensor operational mode information, or frequency information indicative of a frequency at which the electric field is generated by the pen-shaped stylus.
6. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 1 , further comprising a drive current source including a battery or a capacitor.
7. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 6 , wherein the drive current source is configured to be charged with power transmitted from the input system.
8. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 6 , wherein the drive current source is configured to be charged when the pen-shaped stylus is placed in a charging station.
9. The pen-shaped stylus of claim 1 , wherein the controller, in operation, controls the transceiver to transmit at least one of a stylus ID of the pen-shaped stylus or a switch status of the pen-shaped stylus.
10. A method executed in a pen-shaped stylus for use with an input system, the input system including sensing electrodes, the method comprising:
generating a driving signal;
emitting, from an electrode antenna, an electric field based on the driving signal to the sensing electrodes capacitively to indicate a position pointed to by the pen-shaped stylus;
generating a pressure signal indicative of a pen pressure applied to a tip of the pen-shaped stylus;
using a transceiver, which is different from the electrode antenna, receiving information that is transmitted from the input system; and
using the transceiver, transmitting the pressure signal to the input system,
wherein, for transmission of the pressure signal through the transceiver, a wireless link is established between the transceiver and the input system.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the wireless link is an RF channel link according to a defined wireless communication protocol.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the defined wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth® protocol.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the information configures the pen-shaped stylus to start signal transmission from the pen-shaped stylus.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the information includes at least one of sensor ID information, sensor operational mode information, or frequency information indicative of a frequency at which the electric field is generated by the pen-shaped stylus.
15. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
using the transceiver, transmitting at least one of a stylus ID of the pen-shaped stylus or a switch status of the pen-shaped stylus.
16. An integrated circuit configured to control operation of a pen-shaped stylus for use with an input system, the input system including sensing electrodes, the integrated circuit comprising:
signal generation circuity configured to generate a driving signal; and
control circuitry configured to:
control an electrode antenna to emit an electric field based on the driving signal to the sensing electrodes capacitively to indicate a position pointed to by the pen-shaped stylus;
control a transceiver, which is different from the electrode antenna, to receive information that is transmitted from the input system; and
control the transceiver to transmit, to the input system, a pressure signal indicative of a pen pressure applied to a tip of the pen-shaped stylus,
wherein, for transmission of the pressure signal through the transceiver, a wireless link is established between the transceiver and the input system.
17. The integrated circuit of claim 16 , wherein the wireless link is an RF channel link according to a defined wireless communication protocol.
18. The integrated circuit of claim 17 , wherein the defined wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth® protocol.
19. The integrated circuit of claim 16 , wherein the information configures the pen-shaped stylus to start signal transmission from the pen-shaped stylus.
20. The integrated circuit of claim 16 , wherein the information includes at least one of sensor ID information, sensor operational mode information, or frequency information indicative of a frequency at which the electric field is generated by the pen-shaped stylus.
21. The integrated circuit of claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the transceiver to transmit, to the input system, at least one of a stylus ID of the pen-shaped stylus or a switch status of the pen-shaped stylus.