Patent Application
20150116286
Information handling devices (“devices”), for example laptop computers, tablets, smart phones, e-readers, etc., are often used with a stylus. Particularly, styluses or pens (hereinafter simply “stylus”) are utilized with mobile devices, e.g., smart phones, hand held computers, or other mobile platforms, as a mode of input. A stylus provides an additional input method allowing a user to provide inputs to a surface, e.g., a digitizer or a touch screen.
Conventionally during non-use, e.g., during transport of the device, the stylus is not tethered to the device but rather is secured in some way to the device, such that the stylus may be detached and utilized. Prior solutions for attaching or securing a stylus when not in use include providing a dock or slot into which the stylus is placed during non-use.
In summary, one aspect provides a system, comprising: a stylus; one or more housing components containing a processor and a memory; a stylus input surface that registers input from said stylus using said processor and said memory; a tag protruding from said one or more housing components; and a stabilizing element incorporated into said one or more housing components; said stabilizing element configured to stabilize an end of the stylus when said stylus is disposed within said tag.
Another aspect provides a product, comprising: an accessory for attachment to an information handling device; a tag protruding from said accessory; and a stabilizing element incorporated into said accessory; said stabilizing element configured to stabilize an end of a stylus when said stylus is disposed within said tag.
A further aspect provides a system, comprising: a stylus; and an accessory for attachment to an information handling device; a tag protruding from said accessory; and a stabilizing element incorporated into said accessory; said stabilizing element configured to stabilize an end of a stylus when said stylus is disposed within said tag.
The foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting.
For a better understanding of the embodiments, together with other and further features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.
It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations in addition to the described example embodiments. Thus, the following more detailed description of the example embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of example embodiments.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” (or the like) means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” or the like in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, et cetera. In other instances, well known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obfuscation.
Current methods and arrangements for carrying a stylus with a device (e.g., tablet, smart phone, etc.) involve sliding the stylus into the device (e.g., sliding the stylus into a dock or slot provided by the device housing). However, with devices becoming smaller, and particularly with devices becoming slimmer, the provisioning of a dock or slot in the device housing is increasingly difficult, as space is at a premium. Moreover, this approach lends to making the stylus itself more “slim” or thin such that it may fit into the smaller dock or slot. Such approaches tend to sacrifice good ergonomics by reducing the stylus size in favor of retaining a slim overall device profile.
Accordingly, an embodiment provides a tag in tandem with a stabilizer to secure or attach (reversibly) the stylus to a device or a device accessory. In an embodiment, the tag is tapered or closed at one end thereof (similar to a holster). The stylus may thus be slid into the tag, e.g., tip first. If included on an accessory, e.g., a cover for a tablet device, the tag may serve multiple functions, e.g., securing the stylus tip and acting as a convenient place for the user to grasp to open the accessory.
In combination with the tag element, an embodiment provides a stabilizing or stabilization element, e.g., disposed a short length (e.g., ⅔ of the stylus length) away from the tag. The stabilizing element reversibly attracts or attaches to the stylus, e.g., at the other end (distal to the stylus tip). Therefore, the tandem pair of tag and stabilizing element adequately secures or attaches the stylus to the device housing or accessory while simultaneously accommodating a larger sized stylus (e.g., larger diameter) without negatively impacting the overall width profile of the device or accessory.
The illustrated example embodiments will be best understood by reference to the figures. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain example embodiments. It should be noted as well that the figures include examples wherein a tag and stabilizing element are provided to an accessory. However, the same principles illustrated in the examples herein may be applied to other items, e.g., a device housing or the like, in addition to an accessory (e.g., tablet cover).
While various other circuits, circuitry or components may be utilized in information handling devices, with regard to smart phone and/or tablet circuitry 100, an example illustrated in
There are power management chip(s) 130, e.g., a battery management unit, BMU, which manage power as supplied for example via a rechargeable battery 140, which may be recharged by a connection to a power source (not shown). In at least one design, a single chip, such as 110, is used to supply BIOS like functionality and DRAM memory.
System 100 typically includes one or more of a WWAN transceiver 150 and a WLAN transceiver 160 for connecting to various networks, such as telecommunications networks and wireless Internet devices, e.g., access points. Commonly, system 100 will include a touch screen 170 for data input and display. System 100 also typically includes various memory devices, for example flash memory 180 and SDRAM 190.
The example of
In
In
The system, upon power on, may be configured to execute boot code 290 for the BIOS 268, as stored within the SPI Flash 266, and thereafter processes data under the control of one or more operating systems and application software (for example, stored in system memory 240). An operating system may be stored in any of a variety of locations and accessed, for example, according to instructions of the BIOS 268. As described herein, a device may include fewer or more features than shown in the system of
Information handling device circuitry, as for example outlined in
Having secured the tip of the stylus 303 into the tag 304, a stabilizing element 305 placed appropriately serves to stably secure or attach the stylus 303 to the accessory 301. In the example of
As will be appreciated, although a variety of tags and stabilizing elements have been described herein, these are non-limiting examples. Other tags or stabilizing elements may be utilized. For example, different shapes may be utilized for the tag and certain shapes may be used for other or additional purposes, e.g., branding. As another example, other forms of stabilizing elements may be utilized, e.g., hook and loop fasteners disposed on the accessory of device housing and the stylus that reversibly attach to one another. Moreover, the edge of the device housing or accessory containing the stabilizing element (e.g., magnet) may be shaped complimentary to the stylus, e.g., a spherical depression in the edge of the device housing or accessory that is circumferentially matched or complimentary to the shape of the stylus. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the various tag and stabilizing elements may be used in a variety of combinations other than the examples explicitly described and illustrated herein.
As used herein, the singular “a” and “an” may be construed as including the plural “one or more” unless clearly indicated otherwise.
Certain aspects are described herein with reference to the figures, which illustrate various example embodiments. This disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The example embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain principles and practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
Thus, although illustrative example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying figures, it is to be understood that this description is not limiting and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure.
