Active stylus with surface-modification materials
In one embodiment, a stylus has one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device. The stylus also has an electronic circuit operable to provide an input that changes a property of one or more materials located on the body of the stylus or on the stylus tip.
1. A stylus comprising:
an electrode for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device;
a surface comprising a surface-modification material having a plurality of functionality-specific states, each functionality-specific state identifying that a specific functionality of the device or the stylus is available;
a computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying instructions that are operable when executed to identify, in response to a determination that a specific functionality is available, from the plurality of functionality-specific states the specific functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality; and
an electronic circuit operable to, in response to the identification, provide a signal causing the surface-modification material to be in the functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality.
2. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the device.
3. The stylus of claim 2 , wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:
deleting specific data;
navigating through a particular menu;
exiting a particular application; or
entering a secure operating mode.
4. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the stylus.
5. The stylus of claim 4 , wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:
deleting specific data; or
entering a secure operating mode.
6. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein the surface-modification material comprises:
a shape-memory alloy;
a shape-memory polymer;
an electronic or ionic electroactive polymer;
a magnetocaloric material;
a thermoelectric material;
a pH-sensitive material;
a temperature-responsive material;
a piezoelectric;
a halochromic material;
a chromogenic material; or
a photomechanical material.
7. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of functionality-specific state comprises:
a particular shape of the surface-modification material;
a particular size of the surface-modification material;
a particular hardness of the surface-modification material;
a particular effective coefficient of friction of the surface-modification material;
a particular brightness of the surface-modification material;
a particular color of the surface-modification material;
a particular viscosity of the surface-modification material;
a particular texture of the surface-modification material;
a particular temperature of the surface-modification material; or
a particular opacity of the surface-modification material.
8. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed by one or more processors to:
identify, in response to a determination that a specific functionality of a device or a stylus is available, from a plurality of functionality-specific states a specific functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality;
initiate, in response to the identification, a signal causing a surface-modification material of the stylus to be in the functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality, wherein:
the surface-modification material has the plurality of functionality-specific states, each functionality-specific state identifying that a specific functionality of the device or the stylus is available; and
the stylus comprises an electrode for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device.
9. The media of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the device.
10. The media of claim 9 , wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:
deleting specific data;
navigating through a particular menu;
exiting a particular application; or
entering a secure operating mode.
11. The media of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the stylus.
12. The media of claim 11 , wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:
deleting specific data; or
entering a secure operating mode.
13. The media of claim 8 , wherein the surface-modification material comprises:
a shape-memory alloy;
a shape-memory polymer;
an electronic or ionic electroactive polymer;
a magnetocaloric material;
a thermoelectric material;
a pH-sensitive material;
a temperature-responsive material;
a piezoelectric;
a halochromic material;
a chromogenic material; or
a photomechanical material.
14. The media of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the functionality-specific state comprises:
a particular shape of the surface-modification material;
a particular size of the surface-modification material;
a particular hardness of the surface-modification material;
a particular effective coefficient of friction of the surface-modification material;
a particular brightness of the surface-modification material;
a particular color of the surface-modification material;
a particular viscosity of the surface-modification material;
a particular texture of the surface-modification material;
a particular temperature of the surface-modification material; or
a particular opacity of the surface-modification material.
15. A method comprising:
identifying, in response to a determination that a specific functionality of a device or a stylus is available, from a plurality of functionality-specific states a specific functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality;
causing, in response to the identification, a surface-modification material of the stylus to be in the functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality, wherein:
the surface-modification material has the plurality of functionality-specific states, each functionality-specific state identifying that a specific functionality of the device or the stylus is available; and
the stylus comprises an electrode for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device.
16. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein the signal is initiated by a user of the stylus.
17. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein the signal is initiated by software executed by the stylus or the device.
18. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the functionality-specific states is associated with the specific functionality by one or more user-configurable settings.
19. The stylus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the functionality-specific states is associated with the specific functionality by software executing on the stylus of the device.
20. The media of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the functionality-specific states is associated with the specific functionality by one or more user-configurable settings.