Apple Pencil is a smart stylus product released by Apple, which is used with Apple iPad series products, which can be used to draw, take notes or annotate documents, etc., it has tilt angle sensing, pressure sensing, magnetic adsorption, hovering and other functions. In terms of design, the product is white overall, and there are slight differences in details between different models.
ApplePencil can be said to be the best match for iPad and one of the essential accessories for many iPad users. On the evening of October 7 last year, Apple officially launched the Apple Pencil with USB-C interface, which can also be better compatible with different iPads.
Patent Revealed: Apple Pencil Without Charging?
According to the list recently published by the United States Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO), Apple has obtained a patent for Apple Pencil, and Apple Pencil can support iPhone interoperability.
It is understood that the patent is called "Photo-Sensing Enabled Display For Stylus Detection" (Photo-Sensing Enabled Display For Stylus Detection), revealing that the future Apple Pencil will achieve no battery loss, and consumers can still write or draw on the screen smoothly, mainly relying on the function of the screen itself.
Technical principle: How to achieve without charging?
The patent application relates to an "optical stylus system" that primarily utilizes the screen to determine one or more of the target or touch location, center point, hover distance, tilt angle, azimuth and, in some cases, the direction and rotation of the stylus. In other words, it's like a magic wand on the screen that communicates with the device optically.
Design highlight: The allure of a passive stylus
Apple specifically mentions a "passive stylus" in the patent, which means that this Apple Pencil is actually a device that doesn't require a power supply. The pen reflects light to the iPad or other devices, which senses it optically, reducing complexity and making it easier to use.
Conclusion: The future is here?
If it is used in this aspect of the iPad, it is indeed very convenient, but if it is used in the mobile phone, here we borrow a sentence from Joe's gang leader, "Who wants a stylus?" You have to get em’, put em’ away. You lose them. Yuck”。 I don't know if this is progress or regression.
Of course, patents are patents, and we still need to be patient when the real product will be on the market. But let our imagination fly freely on the screen, just like Apple Pencil.
Vocabulary analysis
- Optical stylus system: A technology that uses optical principles to determine the position and action of a stylus on the screen.
- Passive stylus: A stylus that does not require a built-in power supply and interacts with the device, for example, through external light reflections.
- Hover distance: The distance the pen is from the surface of the screen, which can be used to perform a specific function on some devices.
- Tilt angle: The angle between the stylus and the surface of the screen, which can be used to simulate different stroke effects.
- Bearing: The orientation of the stylus relative to the screen can affect the look of drawing or writing.
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