18462330. PHOTO-SENSING ENABLED DISPLAY FOR STYLUS DETECTION simplified abstract (Apple Inc.)

PHOTO-SENSING ENABLED DISPLAY FOR STYLUS DETECTION

Organization Name

Apple Inc.

Inventor(s)

Christoph H. Krah of Cupertino CA (US)

Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost of San Francisco CA (US)

Christopher J. Butler of San Jose CA (US)

PHOTO-SENSING ENABLED DISPLAY FOR STYLUS DETECTION - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18462330 titled 'PHOTO-SENSING ENABLED DISPLAY FOR STYLUS DETECTION

Simplified Explanation

The optical stylus system described in the patent application includes an optical stylus and optical sensing system that work together to determine various characteristics of the stylus, such as target or touch location, centroid, hover distance, tilt angle, azimuth, and even orientation and rotation.

• Light illuminator and detector angular filters are used to limit the angles of illumination and detection of light, reducing false object detection.
• The stylus is a passive stylus with a surface that reflects light consistently regardless of tilt, allowing for accurate detection.
• The stylus can detect light at different modulation frequencies or emit light with different spectral distributions to determine its location accurately.

Potential Applications

The technology could be used in:

• Digital art and design applications
• Virtual reality and augmented reality systems
• Interactive whiteboards and displays

Problems Solved

The technology solves issues related to:

• Accurate stylus detection and tracking
• Minimizing false object detection
• Consistent performance regardless of stylus orientation

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

• Improved precision in stylus input
• Enhanced user experience in digital environments
• Reduced errors in stylus detection and tracking

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology could be commercially applied in:

• Graphic design software
• Educational technology products
• Gaming and entertainment systems

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art could be the use of optical stylus systems in graphic tablets and touchscreens, but the specific features and capabilities described in this patent application may be novel and innovative.

How does the technology handle interference from external light sources?

The patent application does not provide detailed information on how the system deals with ambient light interference and whether it affects the accuracy of stylus detection.

What is the power consumption of the optical stylus system?

The patent application does not mention the power requirements or consumption of the optical stylus system, which could be crucial for portable devices or battery-operated applications.

Original Abstract Submitted

An optical stylus system including an optical stylus and optical sensing system that are together operative to determine one or more of the target or touch location, centroid, hover distance, tilt angle, azimuth, and in some instances the orientation and rotation of the stylus is disclosed. In some examples, light illuminator and detector angular filters are employed to limit the illumination and detection angles of light to minimize false object detection. In other examples, the stylus is a passive stylus with a surface that reflects light with a consistent angular reflection profile or reflected light pattern regardless of stylus tilt. In still other examples, the stylus can detect light at different modulation frequencies emitted from an array of light emitters in the optical sensing system, or the stylus can emit light and detect reflected light with different spectral distributions across the optical sensing system to determine stylus location.