Embodiments relate generally to control devices, such as human interface devices, configured for use with a touch-screen containing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and various apparatus that are used to actively control the interaction of a handheld device, such as a stylus pen, with a touch-screen containing device. Embodiments of the invention provide a universal handheld device that is able to provide input to any type of capacitive sensing touch-screen containing device, regardless of the manufacturer or, in some embodiments, without knowledge of the touch-screen containing device manufacturer's specific capacitive touch-sensing detection techniques.