Patent Publication Number: US-2021181867-A1

Title: Digital pen adapter shells

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A digital pen includes a writing tip that is engageable on a writing surface to cause a marking to be made in response to the writing tip interacting with the writing surface as a user writes on the writing surface. The marking can appear on the writing surface, or alternatively, the marking can be displayed on a separate display device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some implementations of the present disclosure are described with respect to the following figures. 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate an arrangement including a digital pen adapter shell to removably receive a digital pen, according to some examples. 
         FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate various digital pen adapter shells having corresponding different form factors, according to various examples. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an arrangement including a digital pen adapter shell and a digital pen, according to further examples. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a digital pen adapter shell according to some examples. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a digital pen according to some examples. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a process of forming a digital pen adapter shell, according to further examples. 
     
    
    
     Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover, the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the present disclosure, use of the term “a,” “an”, or “the” is intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Also, the term “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” “comprising,” “have,” or “having” when used in this disclosure specifies the presence of the stated elements, but do not preclude the presence or addition of other elements. 
     A digital pen can refer to an electronic input device (also referred to as a “stylus”) to form a marking based on user manipulation of the input device, where the marking that is made has a pattern that corresponds generally to a gesture of the input device caused by the user manipulation. A marking can refer to text entered by a user, a drawing being made by a user, or any other input symbol, character, or pattern. 
     The digital pen can have an elongated shape and includes a writing tip that is engageable on a writing surface to cause a marking to be made in response to the writing tip interacting with the writing surface as a user writes on the writing surface. The movement of the digital pen by the user forms a gesture that indicates the marking to be made. In some examples, the writing surface can include a display screen, such that as the user uses the digital pen to write on the display screen, corresponding markings are displayed on the display screen. In other examples, the writing surface can include a non-display surface, such as a board, a surface of a table or other furniture, and so forth. As the user uses the digital pen to write on the non-display surface, the interaction between the digital pen and the non-display surface is detected by a computer, and corresponding markings can appear on a display device coupled to the computer, either directly over a cable or indirectly over a network (wired network or wireless network). 
     In some examples, interaction between a digital pen and a writing surface can refer to a contact-based interaction, where a writing tip of the digital pen makes contact with the writing surface, and any gesture made while the writing tip is in contact with the digital pen is detected to form a marking. In other examples, interaction between a digital pen and a writing surface can refer to a proximity-based interaction, where a gesture made while the digital pen is within a specified proximity of the writing surface (which can include the writing tip being spaced apart from the writing surface but within a specified distance, or the writing tip touching the writing surface) is detected to form a marking. 
     A digital pen has a specific form factor, which defines an outer profile of an outer body of the digital pen. This outer profile of the outer body of the digital pen is what a user feels when gripping the digital pen during use. In some examples, the form factor of the digital pen corresponds generally to the form factor of traditional ink pens or pencils that makes ink markings on a writing surface such as paper. 
     Digital pens may be useable in a number of different contexts. For example, a digital pen can be used to write on a writing surface on a table surface, which is analogous to writing using an ink pen or a pencil on a paper. In such a context, the form factor of the digital pen that corresponds generally to the form factor of a traditional ink pen or pencil may be acceptable to a user. However, in other contexts, users may desire or expect that a digital pen have different form factors. For example, when a user is making markings on a whiteboard (such as when presenting at a meeting or conference), the user may desire that the digital pen have a larger form factor that corresponds generally to the form factor of traditional whiteboard markers. As another example, an architect making an architectural drawing may desire that the digital pen have a form factor corresponding generally to architect pencils. As a further example, a child drawing on a writing surface may desire that the digital pen have a form factor corresponding generally to that of crayons. 
     Owning multiple different digital pens with different form factors may not be economically feasible, since digital pens are generally much more expensive than their analog counterparts (e.g., ink pens, pencils, whiteboard markers, crayons, etc.). 
     In accordance with some implementations of the present disclosure, digital pen adapter shells are provided, where different adapter shells can have different form factors. Generally, a “form factor” of an adapter shell can refer to any or some combination of the following physical attributes: a length of the adapter shell, a width (e.g., a diameter) of the adapter shell, a weight of the adapter shell, and a center of gravity of the adapter shell. Each adapter shell has a shell housing that provides an inner chamber to removably receive a “fully configured” or “complete” digital pen. A fully configured or complete digital pen can refer to a digital pen having an outer body and elements of the digital pen contained within the outer body, where the outer body can be gripped by a user during use of the digital pen in making markings on a writing surface. 
     The fully configured or complete digital pen is inserted as a complete unit into the adapter shell, without first removing inner parts of the digital pen and then inserting the removed inner parts into the adapter shell. Removing inner parts from the outer body of the digital pen would result in the digital pen no longer being useable by a user without first returning the inner parts to the digital pen&#39;s outer body or another outer body. 
       FIGS. 1A-1B  illustrate a digital pen adapter shell  102  that has a shell housing  104  that defines an inner chamber  106  to removably receive a digital pen  108 . The digital pen  108  is insertable into the inner chamber  106  of the shell housing  104  through an upper opening  110  of the shell housing  104 . The upper opening  110  is formed in an upper portion  112  of the shell housing  104 . 
       FIG. 1A  further shows a lower opening  114  formed in a lower portion  116  of the shell housing  104 . The lower opening  114  is to allow a writing tip  118  of the digital pen  108  to pass through the opening  114 , such that the writing tip  118  extends beyond the lower portion  116  of the shell housing  104  and protrudes outwardly from the lower portion  116  of the shell housing  104 , as shown in  FIG. 1B . 
     A retainer  120  is provided in the inner chamber  106  of the shell housing  104  to engage an outer surface of an outer body  122  of the digital pen  108 . The retainer  120  can include a spring-loaded or compressible protruding structure that can flexibly engage the outer surface of the outer body  122  of the digital pen  108 . The retainer  120  is to maintain the digital pen  108  in position once the digital pen  108  has been inserted into the inner chamber  106  of the shell housing  104 . 
     The writing tip  118  is used to engage a writing surface, which can be a display screen or a non-display surface. Interaction of the writing tip  118  with the writing surface can be detected using a sensor assembly, where the sensor assembly can include any or some combination of the following: sensor(s) in the digital pen  108  (where the sensor(s) can detect the movement of the digital pen and pressure applied by the writing tip on the writing surface), sensor(s) that is (are) part of the writing surface (such as a capacitive touch sensor, an optical sensor, etc.), or sensor(s) of a computer (that is (are) able to detect, such as optically, movement and a depth of the digital pen). 
     In some examples, as shown in  FIG. 1B , a computer  122  is able to communicate with the digital pen  108  over a communication medium, where the communication medium can include a wireless medium (e.g., radio frequency or RF medium, infrared medium, etc.) or a wired medium. The computer  122  can include a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a wearable electronic device (e.g., a smart watch, smart eyeglasses, head-mounted device, etc.), an appliance, a set-top box, and so forth. 
     In examples where the digital pen  108  includes a sensor (or multiple sensors), the sensor(s) can provide measurement data to the computer  122  regarding movements of the digital pen  108  and/or regarding pressure between the writing tip  118  and a writing surface. In other examples, where the writing surface includes a sensor (or multiple sensors), the sensor(s) on the writing surface can provide measurement data to the computer  122  regarding a gesture made by the digital pen  108 . In further examples, the computer  122  can include or be connected to a sensor (or multiple sensors) that is (are) able to detect a gesture of the digital pen  108  on the writing surface. 
     The computer  122  includes a display screen  124 , which can be used to display markings formed in response to gestures of the digital pen  108  made on a writing surface (based on either contact-based interaction or proximity-based interaction). In some examples, the display screen  124  of the computer  122  can be the writing surface with which the writing tip  118  of the digital pen  108  can interact. For example, the computer  122  can be a tablet computer, a smartphone, or any other electronic device that has a display screen that provides a writing surface for the digital pen  108 . In other examples, the display screen  124  of the computer  122  is separate from the writing surface for the digital pen  108 . 
     in some examples, the digital pen  108  can include a control button  126 . The control button  126  can be used to perform various tasks of the digital pen  108 . Although just one control button  126  is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , it is noted that in further examples, the digital pen  108  can include multiple control buttons. In some examples, the control button  126  can perform any or some combination of the following tasks: power on/off (the control button  126  when actuated causes the digital pen  108  to be powered on or off), erase (the control button  126  when actuated causes an erase task to be performed, to erase a marking that was previously made), or any other task. 
     After the digital pen  108  is inserted into the inner chamber  106  of the shell housing  104 , the control button  126  may no longer be accessible to a user. To address this issue, the shell housing  104  can be provided with a control button activator  128 , which can engage the control button  126  once the digital pen  108  is inserted into the inner chamber  106  of the shell housing  104 . The control button activator  128  can include a plunger  130  and a user-actuatable button  132  that can be pressed by the user to cause the plunger  130  to engage the control button  126  of the digital pen  108 , to actuate the control button  126 . In other examples, instead of using the control button activator  128 , an opening can be cut into the side of the shell housing  104 , such that the control button  126  can be accessible by the user through this opening to allow the user to actuate the control button  126 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , in some examples, when the digital pen  108  is inserted into the inner chamber  106  of the shell housing  104 , a first portion  134  of the digital pen  108  is provided inside the shell housing  104 , while a second portion  136  of the digital pen  108  remains outside of the shell housing  104  (in other words, the second portion  136  of the digital pen  108  remains exposed even though the first portion  134  of the digital pen  108  is received inside the shell housing  104 ). The exposed second portion  136  can include the writing tip  118  that extends through the lower opening  114  of the shell housing  104 . 
     Although not shown, in further examples, the digital pen  108  can include an erase element provided on a tail end of the digital pen  108 , such as at the top of the portion  136  shown in  FIG. 1B . A user can flip the digital pen  108  and engage the erase element on the tail end of the digital pen  108  with the writing surface to digitally erase markings. 
       FIGS. 2A-2C  show digital pen adapter shells  202 ,  204 , and  206  of different form factors. Each of the digital pen adapter shells  202 ,  204 , and  206  can removably receive the digital pen  108 . Thus, for example, a user can purchase the three digital pen adapter shells  202 ,  204 , and  206  of the different form factors, and can selectively insert the digital pen  108  into one of the adapter shells  202 ,  204 , and  206  depending upon the context in which the user wishes to use the digital pen  108 . For example, the adapter shell  204  of  FIG. 2B  can be used in a context where the user is using the digital pen  108  to write onto a generally horizontal writing surface. As another example, the user can use the adapter shell  202  of  FIG. 2A  when the user is using the digital pen  108  as a marker on a whiteboard writing surface. The adapter shell  206  can have the form factor of a crayon, and the digital pen  108  can be used in the adapter shell  206  when a child is using the digital pen  108  as a crayon. 
     The adapter shell  202  of  FIG. 2A  has a width W 1  (e.g., a first diameter) and a length L 1 . The adapter shell  204  of  FIG. 28  has a width W 2  (e.g., a second diameter) and a length L 2 , where the width W 2  can be different from the width W 1 , and/or the length L 2  can be different from the length L 1 . 
     The adapter shell  206  of  FIG. 2C  has a width W 3  (e.g., a third diameter) and a length L 3 , where W 3  can be different from W 1  and/or W 2 , and/or the length L 3  can be different from L 1  and/or L 2 . 
     Although  FIGS. 2A-2C  show three example form factors, it is noted that in other examples, adapter shells of other different form factors can be provided. 
       FIG. 3  shows an example adapter shell  302  for removably receiving the digital pen  108 , where the adapter shell  302  has an indicator  304  to indicate the type of the adapter shell  302 . For example, the adapter shells  202 ,  204 , and  206  shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C , respectively, can have different indicators to indicate the respective different types of adapter shells. The indicator  304  can provide a type indication of a writing style for the digital pen  108  that is inserted into the adapter shell  302 . The writing style for the digital pen  108  can refer to a characteristic of a marking that is made responsive to a gesture of the digital pen  108 . For example, the marking that is made by the digital pen  108  when used with the adapter shell  202  of  FIG. 2A  can be thicker than a marking made by the digital pen  108  when used with the adapter shell  204  of  FIG. 2B . Generally, in some examples, the writing style can specify a characteristic that includes any one or some combination of the following: a thickness of a marking made in response to a gesture of the digital pen  108  (where the thickness can refer to a line width of the marking), a darkness of the marking that is made (e.g., a marking made by the digital pen  108  when used with an adapter shell corresponding to a whiteboard marker is darker than a marking made by the digital pen  108  when used with an adapter shell for an architect&#39;s pencil), a color (e.g., a marking made by the digital pen  108  when used with an ink pen adapter shell can produce a black or blue color, whereas a marking made with the digital pen  108  used with a crayon adapter shell can produce a different color, such as yellow, pink, etc.), or any other characteristic of a marking made in response to the writing tip of the digital pen interacting with a writing surface. 
     The indicator  302  can be a mechanical indicator, which can be detected by the digital pen  108  when the digital pen  108  is inserted into the adapter shell  302  and engages the mechanical indicator  304 . The mechanical indicators used in different adapter shells can have different physical profiles, such that the digital pen  108  can detect the different physical profiles of the different mechanical indicators to determine the type of adapter shell into which the digital pen  108  has been inserted. For example, a first mechanical indicator can include a first physical profile that has a first number of protrusions or grooves, a second mechanical indicator can include a second physical profile that has a different second number of protrusions or grooves, and so forth. In other examples, other mechanical indicators can be used. 
     In other examples, the indicator  304  can be an electronic indicator, which can electronically communicate with the digital pen  108  or with a computer (e.g., the computer  122  of  FIG. 1B ) to indicate the type of adapter shell  302  into which the digital pen  108  has been inserted. For example, the electronic indicator  304  can include a communication transceiver, such as a wireless transceiver, to transmit the type indication to the digital pen  108  and/or the computer  122 . The wireless transceiver can include a Bluetooth transceiver, a Near Field Communication (NFC) transceiver, an RF identification (RFID) transceiver, or any other type of wireless transceiver. 
     Alternatively, the electronic indicator  304  can make electrical contact with a corresponding contact pad of the digital pen  108  when the digital pen  108  is inserted into the adapter shell  302 . The electrical contact between the electronic indicator  304  and the digital pen  108  can allow the digital pen  108  to read an electronic indication of the electronic indicator  304 , where the electronic indication can include a value stored in a memory of the electronic indicator  304 , or a voltage or current value provided by an analog circuit of the electronic indicator  304 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 3 , the adapter shell  302  can include a power charger  306 , which can be used to charge a battery  308  in the digital pen  108  after the digital pen  108  is inserted into the adapter shell  302 . For example, the power charger  306  can include an inductive coupling coil to inductively couple power to the battery  308  to charge the battery  308 . As another example, the power charger  306  can include an electrical contact to make electrical connection with the digital pen  108  after the digital pen  108  is inserted into the adapter shell  302 , where the electrical connection allows the power charger  306  to charge the battery  308 . 
     In some examples, the digital pen  108  can include a communication transceiver  310  (a wireless transceiver or a wired transceiver) to communicate with the computer  122  ( FIG. 1B ) or a communication transceiver  312  of the adapter shell  302 . The communication transceiver  312  of the adapter shell  302  can also communicate with the compute  122  in further examples. In other examples, any of the communication transceiver  312 , the power charger  306 , and the communication transceiver  310  can be omitted. 
       FIG. 4  shows a simplified view of a digital pen adapter shell  402 , which has a shell housing  404  that provides an inner chamber  406  to removably receive an outer body of a digital pen, such as the digital pen  108  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
     The adapter shell  402  further includes a retainer  408  inside the shell housing  404  to engage the body of the digital pen  108  after the digital pen is inserted into the inner chamber  406  of the adapter shell  404 . 
     The adapter shell  404  further includes an opening  410  in an end portion  412  of the shell housing  404  through which a writing tip of the digital pen is to pass. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a digital pen  502  that includes an outer body  504 , where the outer body  504  is for holding and gripping by a user when the digital pen  502  is used by a user outside an adapter shell. The digital pen  502  includes a writing tip  506 . 
     The digital pen  502  also includes a controller  508  to perform various tasks. A “controller” as used herein can refer to any hardware processing circuit, which can include logic circuitry, a microprocessor, a core of a multi-core microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable gate array, a programmable integrated circuit device, or any other hardware processing circuit. In further examples, a controller can include a combination of a hardware processing circuit and machine-readable instructions (software or firmware) executable on the hardware processing circuit. 
     The tasks performed by the controller  508  (whether performed by the hardware processing circuit or under control of machine-readable instructions) include a shell insertion detection task  510  to detect insertion of the digital pen  502  into an adapter shell, such as any of the adapter shells discussed above. Another task of the controller  508  is an adapter shell type determining task  512 , which determines a type of the adapter shell based on an indicator (e.g., indicator  304  of  FIG. 3 ) of the adapter shell. The controller  508  can transmit, to a computer using a communication transceiver, a writing style indication in response to the determined type of the adapter shell based on the indicator of the adapter shell. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a process of forming a digital pen adapter shell, according to some examples. The method includes providing (at  602 ) a shell housing defining an inner chamber to removably receive an outer body of a digital pen. The outer body of the digital pen for gripping by a user when the digital pen is used by the user outside the shell housing. 
     The process further includes arranging (at  604 ) a retainer inside the shell housing to engage the body of the digital pen. 
     In addition, the process includes providing (at  606 ) an opening, at an end portion of the shell housing, through which a writing tip of the digital pen is to pass. The process further incudes providing (at  608 ) an indicator to indicate a writing style for the digital pen, the indicated writing style controlling a characteristic of a marking made in response to the writing tip of the digital pen interacting with a writing surface. 
     In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the subject disclosed herein. However, implementations may be practiced without some of these details. Other implementations may include modifications and variations from the details discussed above. It is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications and variations.