Electronic pen and position detection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017277286-A1
Application number	US-201715449608-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Mar 28, 2016
Publication date	Sep 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic pen is readily provided with an expanded function and remains easy to use without complicated power supply management. An electronic pen body implementing an electronic pen function is connected with an expansion device implementing a laser pointer function via a connector jack and a connector plug. A chargeable battery mounted in the electronic pen body keeps the center of gravity of the body low and is arranged to feed power to the expansion device. A control circuit of the electronic pen body suitably controls the supply of power from the battery to the expansion device in accordance with a status of use of the electronic pen body and of the battery. A switch of the expansion device is operated to emit a laser beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic pen comprising:
an electronic pen body including:
a first position designator configured to transmit a signal to a position detection sensor;
a controller;
a first connector; and
an internal power supply configured to be charged from an external power supply via the first connector; and
an expansion device including:
a second position designator configured to designate a position in an area different from an input area of the position detection sensor;
a switch configured to receive an operation performed by a user; and
a second connector,
wherein the electronic pen body and the expansion device are attachable to and detachable from each other via the first connector and the second connector, wherein, when the electronic pen body and the expansion device are connected to each other, the internal power supply of the electronic pen body is enabled to feed power to the expansion device, wherein the controller of the electronic pen body controls a supply of power from the internal power supply of the electronic pen body to the expansion device, and wherein, when the switch is operated, the controller performs control to transmit an instruction from the second position designator.

2 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first connector has a recessed structure, wherein the electronic pen body includes a cylindrical part having the first connector part formed therein. wherein the second connector has a protruding structure, wherein the expansion device includes a wall that surrounds the second connector, and wherein, when the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other, the cylindrical part and the wall are interlocked with each other and the first connector and the second connector are covered protectively.

3 . The electronic pen comprising: according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first connector has a protruding structure, wherein the electronic pen body includes a wall that surrounds the first connector part, and wherein the second connector has a recessed structure; and wherein the expansion device includes a cylindrical part having the second connector formed therein, wherein, when the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other, the cylindrical part and the wall are interlocked with each other and the first connector and the second connector are covered protectively.

4 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second position designator is a semiconductor laser that emits a laser beam and enables position designation using the emitted laser beam from the semiconductor laser.

5 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when connected to each other, the electronic pen body and the expansion device are configured to exchange data therebetween, wherein the electronic pen body has a wireless transmitter, and wherein, when the switch of the expansion device is operated, the controller performs control to receive an instruction from the second position designator and transmit the instruction via the wireless transmitter.

6 . The electronic pen according to claim 5 ,
wherein the second position designator is a gyro sensor, and the instruction from the second position designator is angular velocity data.

7 . The electronic pen according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first connector and the second connector each comply with a universal serial bus standard.

8 . A position detection system comprising:
an electronic pen including an electronic pen body and an expansion device; an information processing device having a display and a position detection circuit configured to detect a position designated by the electronic pen; wherein the electronic pen body includes:
a first position designator configured to transmit a signal to a position detection sensor;
a controller;
a first connector;
an internal power supply configured to be charged from an external power supply via the first connector; and
a wireless transmitter; and
wherein the expansion device includes:
a second position designator configured to designate a position in an area different from an input area of the position detection sensor;
a switch configured to receive an operation performed by a user; and
a second connector,
wherein the electronic pen body and the expansion device are attachable to and detachable from each other via the first connector and the second connector, wherein, when the electronic pen body and the expansion device are connected to each other, the internal power supply of the electronic pen body is enabled to feed power to the expansion device, the electronic pen body and the expansion device further enabling data to be exchanged therebetween, wherein, when the switch of the expansion device is operated, the controller performs control to receive an instruction from the second position designator and transmit the instruction via the wireless transmitter of the electronic pen body, and wherein the information processing device includes:
a display controller configured to perform control in such a manner that information is displayed at a position on a display screen of the display, the position corresponding to the position designated by the electronic pen and detected via the position detection circuit,
a receiver configured to receive a signal transmitted from the wireless transmitter of the electronic pen body, the signal being the instruction from the second position designator of the expansion device, and
a position designator display controller configured to perform control in such a manner that in addition to an image displayed on the display screen of the display, a position designator is displayed as instructed by the expansion device based on the signal received via the receiver.

9 . The position detection system according to claim 8 ,
wherein the first connector part has a recessed structure; wherein the electronic pen body includes a cylindrical having the first connector formed therein; wherein the second connector has a protruding structure; and wherein the expansion device includes a wall that surrounds the second connector, wherein, when the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other, the cylindrical part and the wall are interlocked with each other and the first connector and the second connector are covered protectively.

10 . The position detection system according to claim 8 ,
wherein, in reference to a specific position considered a reference position on a display screen of the display, the position designator display controller of the information processing device performs control to display the position designator on the display screen at a position corresponding to the operation performed on the expansion device.

11 . The position detection system according to claim 10 ,
wherein the specific position on the display screen of the display is a predetermined screen position.

12 . The position detection system according to claim 10 ,
wherein the specific position on the display screen of the display is where the position designated by the electronic pen is detected to have disappeared by the position detection circuit.

13 . A position detection system comprising:
an electronic pen including an electronic pen body and an expansion device; an information processing device having a position detection circuit configured to detect a position designated by the electronic pen; an image display device configured to receive image information from the information processing device and perform processing to displ

Assignees

• Wacom Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chiu Kuan-Her
• Sun Ming-Shen
• Onoda Naoto

Classifications

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F3/0383

  Signal control means within the pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/03545 Primary

  Pens or stylus · CPC title