Abstract: A stylus for use with a digitizer sensor includes a housing confined by a first and second end, a primary tip positioned at the first end of the housing and associated with a first transmitting element, the first transmitting element having a first diameter, a secondary tip positioned at the second end of the housing and associated with a second transmitting element, the second transmitting element having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, a transmitting unit for transmitting a first signal with a first amplitude via the first transmitting element and for transmitting a second signal with a second amplitude via the second transmitting element, wherein the first amplitude is at least twice the second amplitude and a powering unit for powering transmission of the first and second signal.

Abstract: A method for identifying intended input to a digitizer sensor includes identifying a plurality of regions of input to a digitizer sensor over a plurality of refresh cycles, classifying each of the plurality regions as one of intended input and unintended input, the classifying performed for each of the plurality of refresh cycles, storing a list of locations of regions classified as unintended input regions, where each entry of the list stored for a pre-defined time period and then subsequently removed from storage and invalidating output obtained from a region classified as a region of intended input, responsive to the region overlapping a location listed in the list of locations classified as unintended input regions.

Abstract: A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.

Abstract: A system and method for providing feedback to a user making a gesture for switching between at least two types of user interactions used to operate a digitizer system, the method comprising recognizing the gesture to switch between the types of user interactions, switching the type of user interaction used to operate the digitizer system, and providing feedback to the user indicating recognition of the gesture.

Abstract: A method for classifying input provided to a digitizer sensor includes sampling output over one or more sampling periods, identifying a location of intentional input to the digitizer sensor from the output sampled over the one or more sampling periods, identifying an area of potential palm input based on the identified location of the intentional input, and classifying output detected in the area of the potential palm input as output potentially obtained from undesired input to the digitizer sensor. The area of potential palm input is defined to have a defined spatial relation to the location of the intentional input. The output classified is sampled over one or more sampling periods other than the one or more sampling periods from which the area of potential palm input is identified.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive stylus, comprises a movable tip that recedes within a housing of the stylus in response to user applied contact pressure, wherein a displacement of the tip along an axis on which it recedes is a function of the applied contact pressure, and an optical sensor enclosed within the housing for optically sensing the displacement of the tip and for providing output in response to the sensing.

Abstract: A digitizer system includes a designated sensing area comprising a plurality of sensing lines for sensing an electromagnetic signal emitted by a stylus interacting with the digitizer system, circuitry for detecting output from the plurality of sensing lines and for determining an interacting position of the stylus in the designated sensing area based on the output detected and a peripheral area contiguous to the designated sensing area. The peripheral area includes a plurality of conductive elements for connecting the plurality of sensing lines to the circuitry and at least one auxiliary sensing line extending over the peripheral area in the vicinity of the plurality of conductive elements and connected to the circuitry. The at least one auxiliary sensing line is operable to sense the electromagnetic signal when it is emitted over the peripheral area and the circuitry is operable to detect output from the at least one auxiliary sensing line.

Abstract: A method for operating a digitizer with an autonomous asynchronous stylus includes sampling outputs from a digitizer, detecting from the outputs at least one pulsed signal transmitted from an autonomous asynchronous stylus at a defined rate, determining a location of the stylus interaction with respect to the digitizer, and tracking stylus interaction with the digitizer over subsequent pulsed signals transmitted from the stylus.

Abstract: A method for customizing operation of a digitizer system operated with an electronic device is described, the electronic device including software applications. The method includes operating the digitizer system in a first mode of operation, the first mode of operation defined by a plurality of operating parameters, receiving instructions for adjusting one or more operating parameters of the digitizer system, wherein the instructions are defined by a software application, the software application operative to receive input from the digitizer system, and updating operation of the digitizer system responsive to the instructions defined by the software applications.

Abstract: An input device includes a touch sensitive sensor operative to detect finger touch, a controller for controlling the touch sensitive sensor, the controller operative to set at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a single touch sampling method and to set at least one other area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a multi-touch sampling method, wherein the multi-touch sampling method is other than a single touch sampling method, and a detection unit of the touch sensitive sensor controllable to apply the single touch sampling method over the at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor and to apply the multi-touch sampling method over the at least one other area of same touch sensitive sensor.

Abstract: A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.

Abstract: A digitizer system includes a stylus comprising a plurality of transmitters for transmitting signals, wherein each of the plurality of transmitters are distanced from one another by a defined distance, a digitizer sensor operable for sensing signals transmitted by the plurality of transmitters, and circuitry associated with the digitizer sensor for tracking a projected location on the digitizer sensor of each of the plurality of transmitters based on the signals sensed, and for tracking a geometric relationship between the projected locations.

Abstract: A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.

Abstract: A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.

Abstract: A method for noise reduction in a digitizer includes determining a location of a stylus with a known frequency of emission over a first sampling period, sampling output from a plurality of detecting elements over a second sampling period, identifying detecting elements with sampled output in the second sampling period above a defined threshold in a selected frequency, the selected frequency being close to but different than the known frequency of the stylus, selecting as a candidate carrier of mere noise a detecting element from the detecting elements identified that is spaced away from the determined location of the stylus, and reducing values of output sampled over the second sampling period from at least one other detecting element, in accordance with the output sampled over the second sampling period from the detecting element selected as the candidate carrier of mere noise.

Abstract: A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.

Abstract: An input device includes a touch sensitive sensor operative to detect finger touch, a controller for controlling the touch sensitive sensor, the controller operative to set at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a single touch sampling method and to set at least one other area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a multi-touch sampling method, wherein the multi-touch sampling method is other than a single touch sampling method, and a detection unit of the touch sensitive sensor controllable to apply the single touch sampling method over the at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor and to apply the multi-touch sampling method over the at least one other area of same touch sensitive sensor.

Abstract: An input device comprises a touch sensitive sensor operative to sense finger touch, a detection unit controllable to apply a single touch detection method over at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor and a multi-touch detection method over at least one other area of same touch sensitive sensor, and a controller operative to set the areas of single touch and multi-touch detection.

Abstract: A method for securing operation of a computing device operated with a stylus includes recognizing a pre-defined gesture performed by a stylus on a touch screen, the pre-defined gesture defined as a user command to lock an item displayed on the touch screen, determining a location of the gesture, determining identity of the stylus, locking an item displayed at the location determined, and recording identity of the stylus. A method for operating a computing device with a stylus includes receiving a command with a stylus to add restricted annotations to a document, receiving identity of the stylus, linking an annotation to the identity, restricting display of the annotation on the document to a computing device receiving input from the stylus; and displaying the document absent the at least one annotation on a computing device on which input from the stylus is not received.

Abstract: A method for detection on a digitizer sensor, the method comprises simultaneously transmitting orthogonal signals having the same frequency on at least two conductors of a digitizer sensor; sampling a signal on at least one other conductor crossing the at least two conductors, wherein the signal is responsive to capacitive coupling at cross-junctions formed between the at least two conductors and at least one other conductor; decomposing the sampled signal into orthogonal components; and analyzing the orthogonal components to detect user interaction at each cross junction.