Stylus and color information transmitting method

Abstract

Color information obtained by an optical sensor of a stylus can be displayed at a pen tip of the stylus with good visibility, and visual feedback is provided as a suitable user interface when the color information is transmitted from the stylus to an electronic apparatus. A stylus includes: a trigger signal generating circuit; an optical sensor that detects incident light; a memory circuit that stores color information of the incident light detected by the optical sensor; a color presenting circuit which is disposed at a pen tip of the stylus and which presents a color corresponding to the color information; and a control circuit. The control circuit presents the color information detected by the optical sensor using the color presenting circuit at the pen tip, and controls the color presenting circuit in response to a trigger signal from the trigger signal generating circuit when transmitting the color information to the electronic apparatus.

1 . A pen-shaped stylus, comprising:
 a color capture that is disposed at one axial end of the stylus and configured to obtain color information;   a memory circuit configured to store the color information obtained by the color capture;   a reception circuit configured to receive information from an electronic apparatus;   a transmission circuit configured to transmit information, including the color information, to the electronic apparatus;   a feedback generation circuit; and   a control circuit configured to control the feedback generation circuit in response to a transmission of the color information by the transmission circuit to the electronic apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the visual feedback that is visually distinguishable from a visual presentation of the color information.   
     
     
         3 . The stylus according to  claim 2 , wherein the visual feedback comprises blinking light. 
     
     
         4 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit in response to no color information being stored in the memory circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides tactile feedback, and   the control circuit, in response to no communication link being established between the stylus and the electronic apparatus to transmit the color information, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the tactile feedback.   
     
     
         6 . The stylus according to  claim 5 , wherein the control circuit determines a status of the communication link between the stylus and the electronic apparatus based on whether the reception circuit receives information from the electronic apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The stylus according to  claim 5 , wherein the tactile feedback comprises vibration. 
     
     
         8 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the information transmitted from the electronic apparatus includes a command for controlling the stylus, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the transmission circuit to transmit the color information to the electronic apparatus in response to the command transmitted from the electronic apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the color presentation based on the color information stored in the memory circuit.   
     
     
         10 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the feedback generation circuit is arranged near the color capture.   
     
     
         11 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback circuit to provide the color presentation based on the information transmitted from the electronic apparatus and received by the reception circuit.   
     
     
         12 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit in response to the color capture obtaining the color information. 
     
     
         13 . The stylus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the color presentation based on the color information.   
     
     
         14 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides tactile feedback, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the tactile feedback in response to the color capture obtaining the color information.   
     
     
         15 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein the color capture comprises an imager. 
     
     
         16 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , comprising an operation switch, an operation of which causes the color capture to obtain the color information. 
     
     
         17 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , comprising an illumination circuit configured to illuminate a location where the color information is obtained by the color capture. 
     
     
         18 . The stylus according to  claim 17 , wherein the control circuit, in operation, controls the illumination circuit based on an amount of light received at the location. 
     
     
         19 . The stylus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to illuminate a location where the color information is obtained by the color capture.   
     
     
         20 . A pen-shaped stylus, comprising:
 a color capture that is disposed at one axial end of the stylus and configured to obtain color information;   a power circuit configured to receive a wireless power supply from an external device and to provide a drive power for the stylus;   a memory circuit configured to store the color information obtained by the color capture;   a reception circuit configured to receive information from an electronic apparatus;   a transmission circuit configured to transmit information, including the color information, to the electronic apparatus;   a feedback generation circuit; and   a control circuit configured to control the feedback generation circuit in response to a transmission of the color information by the transmission circuit to the electronic apparatus.   
     
     
         21 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein the power circuit comprises a coil configured to receive the wireless power supply via electromagnetic induction. 
     
     
         22 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the visual feedback that is visually distinguishable from a visual presentation of the color information.   
     
     
         23 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit in response to no color information being stored in the memory circuit. 
     
     
         24 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides tactile feedback, and   the control circuit, in response to no communication link being established between the stylus and the electronic apparatus to transmit the color information, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the tactile feedback.   
     
     
         25 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the information transmitted from the electronic apparatus includes a command for controlling the stylus, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the transmission circuit to transmit the color information to the electronic apparatus in response to the command transmitted from the electronic apparatus.   
     
     
         26 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to provide the color presentation based on the color information stored in the memory circuit.   
     
     
         27 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback circuit to provide the color presentation based on the information transmitted from the electronic apparatus and received by the reception circuit.   
     
     
         28 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , comprising an operation switch, an operation of which causes the color capture to obtain the color information. 
     
     
         29 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , comprising an illumination circuit configured to illuminate a location where the color information is obtained by the color capture. 
     
     
         30 . The stylus according to  claim 29 , wherein the control circuit, in operation, controls the illumination circuit based on an amount of light received at the location. 
     
     
         31 . The stylus according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the feedback generation circuit, in operation, provides visual feedback comprising color presentation, and   the control circuit, in operation, controls the feedback generation circuit to illuminate a location where the color information is obtained by the color capture.