Disclosed is a detection method performed by a sensor controller connected to a sensor including a plurality of sensor electrodes, the method detecting, with use of the sensor, a position of a passive pointer that does not transmit a signal and a position of an active pen that transmits a pen signal from a pen electrode provided on an end of the active pen. The method includes acquiring a pen pressure value indicating pressure applied to a pen tip of the active pen, and controlling an operation mode of the sensor controller according to the pen pressure value.

A pen state detection circuit is incorporated in electronic equipment having a touch sensor of a capacitive system made of planarly disposed multiple sensor electrodes. The pen state detection circuit is configured to perform acquiring, from the touch sensor, signal distribution indicating a change in capacitance associated with approach of a pen-side electrode included in an electronic pen, and estimating a state of the electronic pen according to an input-output model. In the input-output model features relating to the acquired signal distribution are input and a state quantity of the electronic pen is output. The pen state detection circuit is configured to be capable of setting an input-output model that is different depending on a change in an outer shape of the electronic pen or the electronic equipment.

Disclosed is a pointer position detection method for detecting, using a touch sensor including a plurality of sensor electrodes, a touch position indicated by a passive pointer that does not transmit a signal and a pen position indicated by an active pen configured to transmit a downlink signal from a pen electrode disposed in a distal end of the active pen, the pointer position detection method performed by a sensor controller connected to the touch sensor. The pointer position detection method includes: detecting one or more candidate pen positions based on a level of the downlink signal in each of the plurality of sensor electrodes; determining the pen position in an active region at least partially surrounded by a bezel region of a display device from the one or more candidate pen positions; and detecting a gesture performed by the active pen in the bezel region of the display device.

A stylus includes a first sensor configured to receive a first receive signal from a touch sensor of a device, and a second sensor configured to receive a second receive signal from the touch sensor of the device. The stylus includes an amplifier coupled to the first and second sensors and configured to produce a third signal by amplifying the difference between the first receive signal and the second receive signal. The stylus includes a controller configured to decode information encoded in the first receive signal and the second receive signal by processing the third signal.

An active pen is provided. The active pen includes a first transceiver and a first control circuit. The first transceiver is configured to receive uplink information and send corresponding touch coordinate information, first-type downlink information, and second-type downlink information through at least one data channel. The first control circuit is coupled to the first transceiver. The first control circuit generates the touch coordinate information and multiple downlink information based on the uplink information and classifies the downlink information into the first-type downlink information or the second-type downlink information according to the amount of data and a required transmission frequency thereof. A touch system including the active pen is also provided.

A system includes a sensor controller, and a pen configured to periodically transmit a pen-pressure value of N bits to the sensor controller, in which the sensor controller and the pen perform pairing by bidirectionally communicating with each other. After processing for the pairing is completed, the pen periodically transmits the pen-pressure value, and, during a period before the processing for the pairing is completed, the pen transmits, instead of the pen-pressure value, a shortened pen-pressure value of high-order M bit(s) that are shorter than the N bits for the pen-pressure value.

A touch-screen system comprises adjacent first and second touch-screen sensors, first and second digitizers, and synchronization, tracking, and return logic. Each of the first and second digitizers is coupled electronically to the respective touch-screen sensor and configured to provide a pen signal responsive to action of a pen on the touch-screen sensor. The synchronization logic is configured to synchronize the pen to the first and second digitizers and to enable pen tracking by any of the first and second digitizers conditionally, based at least partly on the first and second pen signals. The tracking logic is configured to define a region of precision scanning of the first or second touch-screen sensor by the respective first or second digitizer, based at least partly on the first and second pen signals. The return logic is configured to expose a result of the precision scanning to an operating system of the touch-screen system.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may comprise a touchscreen and a processor configured to identify a touch input generated by a stylus pen via the touchscreen, identify whether the touch input meets a first condition for generating a specific gesture, identify whether the touch input meets a second condition including at least one of a time condition, a length condition, and a space condition using a touch start point of the touch input or an end point of a prior touch input as a reference point, based on the touch input meeting the first condition, and execute a function corresponding to the specific gesture based on the touch input meeting the second condition.

An active stylus includes a stylus tip and a pressure sensor disposed proximate to the stylus tip. A stylus controller is configured to receive, from the pressure sensor, a current pressure value quantifying a pressure measured at the stylus tip. The stylus controller receives, from a separate display device, a proximity indicator that indicates a current estimated proximity of the stylus tip to a surface of a touch-sensitive display of the display device. Based at least on both of (1) the proximity indicator received from the separate display device, and (2) a comparison between the current pressure value and a touch input pressure threshold, the stylus controller sends a touch status indicator to the separate display device.

A position indicator includes a transmission signal generating circuit, a resonant circuit coupled to the transmission signal generating circuit, a first electrode connected to a first node of the resonant circuit, and a second electrode connected to a second node of the resonant circuit. The first electrode, in operation, transmits a first signal. The second electrode, in operation, transmits a second signal that is different from the first signal.