Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided that are capable of controlling a display in response to reliable detection of a sliding movement operation of a pointer (e.g., a user's finger) that passes through an end of a display region. The apparatus and method utilize a position detection sensor, which is superposed on the display and configured to detect the pointer's position discretely and successively at a predetermined time interval. Based on a first position detected by the position detection sensor and a second position detected, at the predetermined time interval since the detection of the first position, by the position detection sensor, which together indicate a moving operation of the pointer, it is determined whether the moving operation of the pointer has crossed an end of the display region. If it is so determined, a passed end position of the display region is calculated based on the first and second positions.

Abstract: A sensor system includes first sensor electrode groups and a first integrated circuit, and second sensor electrode groups and a second integrated circuit. The first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are controlled such that a first uplink signal, which is transmitted from the first integrated circuit via the first sensor electrode groups, and a second uplink signal, which is transmitted from the second integrated circuit via the second sensor electrode groups, are not transmitted at the same time.

Abstract: A position indicator that electrostatically interacts with a sensor includes: a casing having a pen shape; a conductive core body including a pen tip that protrudes from an opening on one end in the axial direction of the casing; a conductor surrounding the core body; a signal transmitting circuit which, in operation, generates a signal that electrostatically interacts with the sensor, and supplies the generated signal to the core body; and a control circuit which, in operation, produces different electrostatic interactions with the sensor by performing a first control operation that sets the conductor in a state of being grounded while the signal is sent out from the pen tip of the core body to the sensor, and performing a second control operation that sets the conductor in a state different from the state of being grounded.

Abstract: A touch detection method is performed by a controller of a touch sensor of a capacitive type including sensor electrodes. The touch detection method includes acquiring detection values at crossing positions of the sensor electrodes, acquiring capacitance values for the crossing positions, calculating difference values for the crossing positions, each of the detection values being obtained by subtracting the moving average for one of the crossing positions from one of the difference values for the one of the crossing positions, acquiring a maximum value among the detection values at the crossing positions, determining a first threshold value by subtracting a subtraction value, which is a fixed value or a value that decreases as the maximum value increases, from the maximum value, and deriving a position of the indicator based on the detection values at the crossing positions with reference to the first threshold value.

Abstract: A pen includes reception circuitry configured to receive an uplink signal generated according to a first protocol. The pen includes transmission circuitry configured to transmit a downlink signal on the basis of a reception timing of the uplink signal and a command included in the uplink signal. In a case where the reception circuitry, after receiving the uplink signal, in a period in which the next uplink signal is receivable, receives an uplink signal that is in a special state instead of receiving the next uplink signal normally, the transmission circuitry transmits, according to the first protocol, the downlink signal including either data according to the command or default data.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided that are capable of controlling a display in response to reliable detection of a sliding movement operation of a pointer (e.g., a user's finger) that passes through an end of a display region. The apparatus and method utilize a position detection sensor, which is superposed on the display and configured to detect the pointer's position discretely and successively at a predetermined time interval. Based on a first position detected by the position detection sensor and a second position detected, at the predetermined time interval since the detection of the first position, by the position detection sensor, which together indicate a moving operation of the pointer, it is determined whether the moving operation of the pointer has crossed an end of the display region. If it is so determined, a passed end position of the display region is calculated based on the first and second positions.

Abstract: A processor of a stylus according to the present disclosure detects a first signal supplied to a sensor electrode group in each frame. The processor determines whether the first signal represents a setting instruction of a local ID, and writes a value of the local ID specified by the setting instruction in a memory if the first signal is determined to represent the setting instruction. The processor repeatedly detects a second signal supplied to the sensor electrode group in each of one or more slots included in the frame. The processor compares values of a local ID included in the detected second signal and the local ID stored in the memory every time the processor detects the second signal, and transmits a first downlink signal to a sensor controller using an electrode if the values correspond with each other.

Abstract: A home user interface (UI) system for managing digital ink is provided. The home UI system includes a plurality of state sensors capable of detecting a state in a house or a change in the state, and a plurality of home-use devices that are provided in the house or that form part of the house and that each include a handwriting sensor capable of detecting handwriting made by a person. The home UI system further includes one or more notification units that are configured to notify the person of the existence of the home-use device or a detectable region of the handwriting sensor of the home-use device. The home UI system further includes a controller which, when it is determined that a notification is necessary from a detection result of one or more of the state sensors, instructs at least one of the notification units to carry out the notification.

Abstract: A sensor controller includes a transmitter configured to transmit an uplink signal including a first partial signal and a second partial signal. The transmitter is configured to transmit the first partial signal by direct spreading using a first spread code and transmit the second partial signal by direct spreading using a second spread code which is different from the first spread code and which has an identical chip time length to the first spread code. An active stylus includes a receiver configured to receive an uplink signal including a first partial signal and a second partial signal. The receiver is configured to synchronize with the uplink signal by detecting the first partial signal using a first spread code and thereafter detect the second partial signal using a second spread code, which is different from the first spread code and has an identical chip time length to the first spread code.

Abstract: A method to be performed by a sensor controller that periodically transmits an uplink signal, and by a stylus that, upon receiving the uplink signal, determines a transmission and reception schedule for a downlink signal and the uplink signal on the basis of the reception timing of the uplink signal. The method includes executing, by the stylus, an uplink signal receiving operation for a first predetermined period of time according to the transmission and reception schedule. The method includes, responsive to the uplink signal not received through the receiving operation and expiration of the first predetermined period of time, continuing, by the stylus, the uplink signal receiving operation for a second predetermined period of time, instead of transmitting the downlink signal according to the transmission and reception schedule.

Abstract: A pen-shaped position indicator is configured to capacitively couple with a sensor surface of a position detection apparatus. The indicator includes a pen-shaped body; a coil; a driving power production circuit configured to produce a DC voltage from an induced signal in the coil by a wireless interaction with a charging device; a signal production circuit connected to the driving power production circuit and configured to generate a signal based on the DC voltage to form a capacitive relationship between the pen-shaped body and the position detection apparatus; a first electrode; and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes are configured to form first and second capacitive relationships with the sensor surface, respectively, to generate detection signals in the sensor surface from which a first detection signal and a second detection signal distinguishable from each other are extracted and used to obtain angle information of the pen-shaped position indicator.

Abstract: A single position indicator that can be used with a plurality of different types of position detection systems. The position indicator includes a communication circuit which, in operation, communicates with an outer device, a configuration circuit which, in operation, performs an initial setting process based on a signal from the outer device, a signal generation circuit which, in operation, generates a stylus position signal, and a control circuit. The control circuit, in operation, controls transmission of the stylus position signal based on an initial setting of at least one switch circuit that is set by the initial setting process performed by the configuration circuit, and controls reception of a signal received from the outer device via the communication circuit.

Abstract: Allocation of slots to different styluses is flexibly changed in units of the slot that is shorter than a frame. A stylus bi-directionally transmits and receives signals to and from a sensor controller connected to a sensor via capacitive coupling. The stylus includes a memory that temporarily stores a value of a local ID. The stylus includes a controller that determines whether or not a detected uplink signal includes the value of the local ID stored in the memory every time the uplink signal transmitted by the sensor controller is detected. The controller, in response to determining the detected uplink signal includes the value of the local ID stored in the memory, generates a downlink signal that is based on an operation state and transmits the downlink signal to the sensor controller.

Abstract: A sensor controller is provided for use in a position detector for detecting a position of a position indicator on a touch surface. The sensor controller includes a microprocessor for outputting a value of a symbol to be sent to the position indicator. The sensor controller includes a transmitter coupled to the microprocessor for generating a transmission signal including a chip string CN1 produced by cyclically shifting a code string PNa having autocorrelation characteristics by a shift quantity based on the value of the symbol to be sent, and sending the generated transmission signal to the position indicator via the touch surface. A higher bit rate can be obtained for a given chip rate compared with the prior art in which only 1 bit can be expressed by one code string.

Abstract: A method is provided to interface an active stylus with a sensor controller, wherein the sensor controller is coupled to a sensor configured to receive input from the active stylus. In the method the sensor controller caches stylus capability information of the active stylus. The stylus capability information includes setting information for inking used by an application program executed to display input from the active stylus on the sensor. The active stylus generates a hash value of the stylus capability information and transmits the hash value to the sensor controller when the active stylus enters a sensing zone of the sensor controller.

Abstract: A processor of a stylus according to the present disclosure detects a first signal supplied to a sensor electrode group in each frame. The processor determines whether the first signal represents a setting instruction of a local ID, and writes a value of the local ID specified by the setting instruction in a memory if the first signal is determined to represent the setting instruction. The processor repeatedly detects a second signal supplied to the sensor electrode group in each of one or more slots included in the frame. The processor compares values of a local ID included in the detected second signal and the local ID stored in the memory every time the processor detects the second signal, and transmits a first downlink signal to a sensor controller using an electrode if the values correspond with each other.

Abstract: A sensor controller includes a transmitter configured to transmit an uplink signal including a first partial signal and a second partial signal. The transmitter is configured to transmit the first partial signal by direct spreading using a first spread code and transmit the second partial signal by direct spreading using a second spread code which is different from the first spread code and which has an identical chip time length to the first spread code. An active stylus includes a receiver configured to receive an uplink signal including a first partial signal and a second partial signal. The receiver is configured to synchronize with the uplink signal by detecting the first partial signal using a first spread code and thereafter detect the second partial signal using a second spread code, which is different from the first spread code and has an identical chip time length to the first spread code.

Abstract: A stylus includes a first transmission circuit, a second transmission circuit, and a control circuit which controls the first and second transmission circuits according to a first transmission mode in which the control circuit controls the first transmission circuit to transmit a first downlink signal from a tip electrode and controls the second transmission circuit to not transmit a second downlink signal from a tail electrode, a second transmission mode in which the control circuit controls the first transmission circuit to not transmit the first downlink signal from the tip electrode and controls the second transmission circuit to transmit the second downlink signal from the tail electrode, and a third transmission mode in which the control circuit controls the first transmission circuit to transmit the first downlink signal from the tip electrode and controls the second transmission circuit to transmit the second downlink signal from the tail electrode.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus of the electrostatic coupling type is provided, to detect not only a position of a pointer but also information other than the position information such as, for example, pointer pressure or side switch information. The pointer transmits two codes such that a pressure applied to a pen tip is associated with a time difference between the two codes. A position detector carries out a correlation matching operation between signals generated in reception conductors and correlation calculation codes corresponding to the two codes, to thereby detect a position on a sensor section pointed to by the pointer from a result of the correlation matching operation and based on at least one of the codes.

Abstract: A single position indicator that can be used with a plurality of different types of position detection systems. The position indicator includes a communication circuit which, in operation, communicates with an outer device, a configuration circuit which, in operation, performs an initial setting process based on a signal from the outer device, a signal generation circuit which, in operation, generates a stylus position signal, and a control circuit. The control circuit, in operation, controls transmission of the stylus position signal based on an initial setting of at least one switch circuit that is set by the initial setting process performed by the configuration circuit, and controls reception of a signal received from the outer device via the communication circuit.