IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,638,932
Granted Patent B2
US 12,638,932 · App. 19/003,707 · Granted May 26, 2026

Sensor system

Inventors: Yoshio Nomura (Saitama, JP); Yuhi Hatano (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
G06F3/03545G06F3/0383G06F3/044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,638,932
App. No.
19/003,707
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein is a sensor system that detects a stylus on at least one panel surface having an effective region. The sensor system includes a memory device including computer-executable instructions, and a processor. The processor, when loaded with the computer-executable instructions, performs: and obtaining a position of the stylus and a pen pressure value indicating a pressure applied to a pen tip of the stylus; outputting the position and the pen pressure value to a host processor. In response to the position being outside the effective region, the processor performs processing to conceal from the host processor occurrence of at least one of a pen-down indicating the stylus contacting the panel surface and a pen-up indicating the stylus being removed from the panel surface.

Claims (54)

1 . A sensor system that detects a stylus on at least one panel surface having an effective region, the sensor system comprising:

a memory device including computer-executable instructions; and

a processor which, when loaded with the computer-executable instructions, performs:

obtaining a position of the stylus and a pen pressure value indicating a pressure applied to a pen tip of the stylus;

outputting the position and the pen pressure value to a host processor; and

when the position is outside the effective region, preventing outputting of

the pen pressure value,

until the position returns to an inside of the effective region.

2 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein, after the pen pressure value becomes a noncontact value indicating that the stylus is not contacting the panel surface, the processor prevents outputting of

the pen pressure value.

3 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein the panel surface includes a detectable region disposed to enclose the effective region.

4 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein the panel surface is a touch pad of a notebook personal computer.

5 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the position is outside the effective region, after the pen pressure value becomes a noncontact value indicating that the stylus is not contacting the panel surface, the processor performs:

outputting the noncontact value in place of the pen pressure value until the position returns to the inside of the effective region.

6 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the position is outside the effective region, after the pen pressure value becomes a noncontact value indicating that the stylus is not contacting the panel surface, the processor performs:

preventing outputting of the position and the pen pressure value to the host processor until the position returns to the inside of the effective region.

7 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the position is outside the effective region, after the pen pressure value changes from a first value indicating the stylus contacting the panel surface to a second value indicating the stylus not contacting the panel surface, the processor performs:

outputting the first value until the position returns to the inside of the effective region.

8 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor performs:

in response to detection of a change in the pen pressure value to a value indicating the stylus contacting the panel surface, outputting a pen-down signal to the host processor.

9 . The sensor system according to claim 8 , wherein the processor performs:

in response to detection of a change in the pen pressure value to a value indicating that the stylus is not contacting the panel surface, outputting information indicative of a pen-up status of the stylus to the host processor; and

when the position is outside the effective region, not outputting the information indicative of the pen-up status to the host processor.

10 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the position is outside the effective region, the processor performs:

outputting a replacement position within the effective region corresponding to the obtained position to the host processor.

11 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , comprising a first display and a second display each having a panel surface, wherein the processor performs:

receiving a downlink signal transmitted by the stylus;

in response to non-reception of the downlink signal, outputting information indicative of a pen-up status of the stylus to the host processor;

determining whether or not the stylus is located in a region between the panel surfaces of the first display and the second display; and

in response to determining that the stylus is located in the region between the panel surfaces, not outputting the information indicative of the pen-up status of the stylus to the host processor for a defined period of time.

12 . The sensor system according to claim 11 , wherein the processor performs:

in response to non-reception of the downlink signal, canceling pairing with the stylus; and

in response to determining that the stylus is located in the region between the panel surfaces, not canceling the pairing with the stylus for the defined period of time.

13 . The sensor system according to claim 11 , wherein, when the position is outside the effective region, after the pen pressure value becomes a noncontact value indicating that the stylus is not contacting the panel surface, the processor performs:

outputting the noncontact value in place of the pen pressure value until the position returns to the inside of the effective region.

14 . The sensor system according to claim 11 , wherein, when the position is outside the effective region, after the pen pressure value becomes a noncontact value indicating that the stylus is not contacting the panel surface, the processor performs:

preventing outputting of the position and the pen pressure value to the host processor until the position returns to the inside of the effective region.

15 . The sensor system according to claim 11 , wherein, when the position is outside the effective region, after the pen pressure value changes from a first value indicating the stylus contacting the panel surface to a second value indicating the stylus not contacting the panel surface, the processor performs:

outputting the first value until the position returns to the inside of the effective region.

16 . The sensor system according to claim 11 , wherein the processor performs:

in response to non-reception of the downlink signal, outputting, to the host processor, the position and the pen pressure value previously output to the host processor.

17 . The sensor system according to claim 1 , comprising a first display and a second display each having an effective region, wherein the processor performs:

receiving a downlink signal transmitted by the stylus;

in response to non-reception of the downlink signal, canceling pairing with the stylus;

determining whether or not the stylus is located in a region between panel surfaces of the first display and the second display; and

in response to determining that the stylus is located in the region between the panel surfaces, not canceling the pairing with the stylus for a defined period of time.

18 . The sensor system according to claim 17 , wherein the processor performs:

in response to detection of a change in the pen pressure value to a value indicating that the stylus is not contacting the panel surface, outputting information indicative of a pen-up status of the stylus to the host processor; and

when the position is outside the effective region, not outputting the information indicative of the pen-up status to the host processor.

19 . The sensor system according to claim 18 , wherein the processor performs:

in response to detection of a change in the pen pressure value to a value indicating the stylus contacting the panel surface, outputting a pen-down signal to the host processor; and

when the position is outside the effective region, not outputting the pen-down signal the host processor.

20 . The sensor system according to claim 18 , wherein the processor performs:

in response to non-reception of the downlink signal, outputting, to the host processor, the position and the pen pressure value previously output to the host processor.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-007100 · Jan 20, 2020 · national
Continuity (5)
Continuation 18528514 · Dec 4, 2023
Continuation 18064807 · Dec 12, 2022
Continuation 17859697 · Jul 7, 2022
Continuation 17114352 · Dec 7, 2020
Related Publication 20260118975A1 · Apr 30, 2026
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