Active Pen Pairing Control Using Contact-State Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems with active pens and sensor controllers experience performance degradation due to frequent pairing state management processes, especially in multi-pen scenarios, and users cannot easily identify assigned writing attributes, leading to inconvenient and potentially conflicting pairing states.
Innovation Solution
A sensor controller and active pen system that detects pen positions using sensor electrodes, updates pairing states, and transmits identification data to maintain synchronized communication, allowing users to recognize writing attributes and avoid pairing conflicts without line breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the active pen unilaterally cancels pairing state or performs bidirectional communication to check pairing state when failing to receive uplink signals, then the pairing state can be maintained or verified, but input processing is delayed and system performance appears degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor controller proactively transmits uplink signals containing pairing state information before the active pen needs to check the pairing state. This preliminary action allows the active pen to receive the pairing state information in advance, eliminating the need for delayed bidirectional communication checks and preventing input processing delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor controller implements a feedback mechanism by continuously transmitting uplink signals that include pairing state information to the active pen. This feedback loop ensures the active pen always has current pairing state information without needing to initiate check requests, thereby maintaining reliability while avoiding productivity degradation.
2Reliability
If bidirectional communication is performed to check pairing state each time entrance or exit from coverage occurs, then pairing state can be verified, but performance appears significantly degraded due to frequent checks
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor controller proactively transmits pairing state information in uplink signals before the active pen needs to verify the pairing state. This preliminary transmission eliminates the need for frequent bidirectional communication checks when entrance or exit from coverage occurs, maintaining verification reliability while preventing performance degradation.
3Device complexity
If one uplink signal pairs only one active pen, then pairing management is simplified, but multi-pen operation performance is significantly degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor controller merges pairing state information for multiple active pens into a single uplink signal transmission. By incorporating pairing state data for all paired active pens in one signal, the system maintains simplified management procedures while enabling efficient multi-pen operation, thus resolving the contradiction between complexity and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The uplink signal structure is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it transmits pairing state information for multiple active pens, maintains synchronization, and provides communication configuration data. This multi-functionality allows the system to manage multiple pens efficiently without increasing procedural complexity, thereby improving multi-pen operation performance.
4Reliability
If local pen IDs are not notified to the user, then security is maintained, but users cannot easily identify which writing attributes are assigned to which active pens
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a display device as an intermediary between the pairing system and the user. The display device receives pairing state information from the sensor controller and presents it to the user in a visually accessible format. This intermediary allows users to identify writing attributes associated with each active pen without exposing the actual local pen IDs, thus maintaining security while improving ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively suppresses performance degradation by managing pairing states and enables easy identification of writing attributes, ensuring smooth multi-pen operation without line breakage.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor controller connected to a plurality of sensor electrodes and detecting positions of one or more active pens based on charge induced on the sensor electrode
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit, for use with an active pen, transmits a downlink signal including first identification data via a pen tip electrode of the active pen after the active pen has been paired with a sensor controller, and in a case where an uplink signal including second identification data corresponding to the first identification data is received, controls transmission of a next downlink signal based on the second identification data, where each of the first identification data and second identification data is contact state data indicating whether a pen tip of the active pen is in contact with a touch surface, and compares the second identification data included in the uplink signal with the first identification data included in the downlink signal and controls transmission of the next downlink signal depending on a result of comparing the second identification data with the first identification data.