Smartpen configured for hands free audio recording

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9736561-B2
Application number	US-201314054851-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2013
Priority date	Apr 20, 2011
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A smartpen configured for hands free audio recording is disclosed. One example smartpen may be configured so that a microphone contained in the smartpen is automatically oriented for unobstructed reception of ambient sound when the smartpen is placed on a supporting surface. Another example smartpen may have a weight distribution that causes the smartpen to roll to a desired orientation of the microphone when the smartpen is placed on a supporting surface with the microphone in a different orientation. Still another example smartpen may have one or more surface features disposed on a surface of the body of the smartpen, where the surface features are configured to position the microphone in a desired orientation when the smartpen is placed on a supporting surface.

First claim

We claim:

1. A digital pen apparatus that captures pen strokes and audio, the digital pen apparatus comprising:
a substantially cylindrical body; and
components disposed in the substantially cylindrical body, wherein the components include a microphone,
wherein the components are arranged and fixed within the substantially cylindrical body such that a weight distribution associated with the components causes the substantially cylindrical body to orient the microphone for reception of ambient sound when the substantially cylindrical body is placed on a supporting surface,
wherein the weight distribution associated with the components is configured to cause the substantially cylindrical body to roll to an orientation of the microphone for reception of the ambient sound when the substantially cylindrical body is placed on the supporting surface with the microphone in a different orientation,
wherein the ambient sound is received by the microphone primarily via the supporting surface rather than via air coupling when the substantially cylindrical body is placed on the supporting surface, and the weight distribution associated with the components orients the microphone toward and in contact with the supporting surface,
wherein the weight distribution associated with the components is configured to position a center of gravity of the components below a central axis of the substantially cylindrical body when the substantially cylindrical body is placed on the supporting surface,
wherein the microphone and the center of gravity are positioned on a same side below the central axis such that the microphone is oriented downward toward and in contact with the supporting surface, when the substantially cylindrical body is placed on top of the supporting surface, for reception of the ambient sound via the supporting surface rather than via the air coupling,
wherein the components further include a heat sink and a counterbalance element,
wherein the heat sink is positioned on a same side as the center of gravity, and
wherein positioning the center of gravity below the central axis is independent of the counterbalance element.

2. The digital pen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supporting surface is a substantially horizontal surface.

3. The digital pen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the components further include one or more of a battery, a loudspeaker, an imaging system, a processor, a memory, and/or an input/output (I/O) port.

4. The digital pen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substantially cylindrical body comprises a non-circular cross-section.

Assignees

• Empire Technology Dev Llc

Inventors

• Wiklof Christopher A
• Portinga Anna Marie

Classifications

• H04R5/027

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads · CPC title

• H04R1/028 Primary

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• H04R1/34

  by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/402)} · CPC title