US 12,133,042 B2
Force-activated stylus
Nahid Harjee, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Brian R. Twehues, Campbell, CA (US); and Teera Songatikamas, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/405,697.
Application 18/405,697 is a continuation of application No. 17/897,152, filed on Aug. 27, 2022, granted, now 11,917,355.
Application 17/897,152 is a continuation of application No. 17/351,133, filed on Jun. 17, 2021, granted, now 11,463,799, issued on Oct. 4, 2022.
Application 17/351,133 is a continuation of application No. 16/539,515, filed on Aug. 13, 2019, granted, now 11,070,904, issued on Jul. 20, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/734,389, filed on Sep. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0155281 A1, May 9, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04R 1/10 (2006.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 1/1041 (2013.01) [G06F 3/044 (2013.01); H04R 1/1016 (2013.01); H04R 1/1066 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04104 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A stylus, comprising:
a housing, the housing having an internal wall;
a flap disposed inside the housing and extending toward the internal wall;
a sensor disposed within the housing that produces a signal in response to bending of the flap; and
a controller that determines an input using the signal.
 
8. A stylus, comprising:
a housing, the housing defining an input surface;
an internal structure disposed within the housing;
a flexible arm extending from the internal structure to the housing that defines an acute angle between the internal structure and the housing and is operable to bend to decrease the acute angle when an input force is applied to the input surface;
a force sensor disposed within the housing that is operable to detect movement of the flexible arm; and
a controller that is operative to determine a non-binary amount of the input force using the force sensor.
 
14. A stylus, comprising:
a housing that defines:
a first input surface; and
a second input surface opposite the first input surface; and
a flexible circuit disposed in the housing and comprising:
a first circuitry section;
a second circuitry section;
a third circuitry section; and
a fourth circuitry section;
wherein the flexible circuit flexes to allow:
the first circuitry section to move toward the second circuitry section when a first force is applied to the first input surface;
the first circuitry section to move away from the second circuitry section when the first force is no longer applied;
the third circuitry section to move toward the fourth circuitry section when a second force is applied to the second input surface;
the third circuitry section to move away from the fourth circuitry section when the second force is no longer applied; and
a controller, disposed in the housing, that is operative to determine:
a first non-binary amount of the first force using a first change in a first mutual capacitance detected using the first circuitry section and the second circuitry section; and
a second non-binary amount of the second force using a second change in a second mutual capacitance detected using the third circuitry section and the fourth circuitry section.