Stylus input device utilizing a permanent magnet

Abstract

A stylus that operates utilizing magnetic fields, wherein a permanent magnet is disposed within a passive stylus that is detectable by a plurality of magnetic sensors that remove the magnetic field of the stylus from the earth's relative magnetic field to thereby obtain vectors that are used in a triangulation equation to determine the location of the stylus in two or three dimensions, depending upon the number of magnetic sensors that are used, wherein one set of magnetic sensors can be used as a reference for earth's magnetic field, and wherein each of the magnetic sensors includes a polarizing coil to change direction of sensitivity, a null coil and a flipping coil.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A passive stylus system for providing input to an electronic appliance, wherein the passive stylus utilizes a permanent magnet to provide location information to a magnetic sensor system, said passive stylus comprising: 
 a passive stylus including at least one permanent magnet;    a magnetic sensor system for detecting a location of the at least one permanent magnet disposed within the passive stylus, wherein the magnetic sensor system further comprises a plurality of magnetic sensors that are capable of (1) detecting the at least one permanent magnet, (2) determining a location of the at least one permanent magnet relative to a reference point, and (3) transmitting the location of the at least one permanent magnet; and    a display system, wherein the display system utilizes the location of the at least one permanent magnet to display data on the display system that represents movement of the passive stylus within a field of operation.