Dynamic adjustment of received signal threshold in an active stylus

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a signal at a stylus. The stylus is operable to wirelessly transmit signals to and receive signals from a device. The stylus includes a plurality of electrodes disposed in a tip of the stylus. The method includes determining a characteristic of the signal, and based at least in part on the characteristics of the signal, a threshold for determining whether to process signals received wirelessly from the device is dynamically adjusted.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device, the stylus being operable to wirelessly transmit signals to and receive signals from the device; 
 filtering, by the stylus, the first signal received by the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal; 
 determining, by the stylus, a characteristic of the filtered first signal; 
 receiving, by the stylus from the device, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal; 
 comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and 
 dynamically adjusting, by the stylus and, the first threshold based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received by the stylus from the device, whether a result of the comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal meets with the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stylus further comprises one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to process signals wirelessly received from the device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the logic of the stylus processes a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a frequency of the first signal. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is an amplitude of the first signal. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a phase of the first signal. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal. 
     
     
       9. A stylus comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory units collectively storing logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by the stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device; 
 filtering, by the stylus, the first signal received by the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal; 
 determining a characteristic of the filtered first signal; 
 receiving, by the stylus from the device, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal; 
 comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and 
 dynamically adjusting, the first threshold based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received by the stylus from the device, whether a result of the comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal meets with the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The stylus of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise processing signals wirelessly received from the device. 
     
     
       11. The stylus of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise processing a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold. 
     
     
       12. The stylus of  claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal. 
     
     
       13. The stylus of  claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a frequency of the first signal. 
     
     
       14. The stylus of  claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is an amplitude of the first signal. 
     
     
       15. The stylus of  claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a phase of the first signal. 
     
     
       16. The stylus of  claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal. 
     
     
       17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, at a stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device; 
 filtering, at the stylus, the first signal received at the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal; 
 determining, at the stylus, a characteristic of the filtered first signal, the stylus comprising the media; 
 receiving, by the stylus from the device, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal; 
 comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and 
 dynamically adjusting, the first threshold based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received at the stylus, whether a result of the comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal meets with the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received at the stylus from the device and the second threshold, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value. 
 
     
     
       18. The media of  claim 17 , wherein the logic is further operable when executed to process signals wirelessly received from the device. 
     
     
       19. The media of  claim 18 , wherein the logic is further operable when executed to process a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold. 
     
     
       20. The media of  claim 17 , wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal. 
     
     
       21. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device, the stylus being operable to wirelessly transmit signals to and receive signals from the device;   filtering, by the stylus, the first signal received by the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal;   determining, by the stylus, a characteristic of the filtered first signal;   accessing, by the stylus, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal;   comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and   dynamically adjusting, by the stylus, the first threshold based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received by the stylus from the device, a result of the comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein the stylus further comprises one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to process signals wirelessly received from the device. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, wherein the logic of the stylus processes a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 21, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a frequency of the first signal. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 21, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is an amplitude of the first signal. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 21, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a phase of the first signal. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 21, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 21, comprising:
 storing, in a memory device of the stylus, the data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal, and   accessing, by the stylus, said data stored in the memory device.   
     
     
       30. A stylus comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory units collectively storing logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by the stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device; 
 filtering, by the stylus, the first signal received by the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal; 
 determining a characteristic of the filtered first signal; 
 accessing, by the stylus, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal; 
 comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and 
 dynamically adjusting the first threshold based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received by the stylus from the device, a result of comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value. 
   
     
     
       31. The stylus of claim 30, wherein the operations further comprise processing signals wirelessly received from the device. 
     
     
       32. The stylus of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise processing a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold. 
     
     
       33. The stylus of claim 30, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal. 
     
     
       34. The stylus of claim 30, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a frequency of the first signal. 
     
     
       35. The stylus of claim 30, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is an amplitude of the first signal. 
     
     
       36. The stylus of claim 30, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is a phase of the first signal. 
     
     
       37. The stylus of claim 30, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal. 
     
     
       38. The stylus of claim 30, wherein the operations comprise:
 storing, in a memory device of the stylus, the data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal, and   accessing, by the stylus, said data stored in the memory device.   
     
     
       39. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, at a stylus, a first signal wirelessly from a device;   filtering, at the stylus, the first signal received at the stylus from the device to attenuate noise, the filtering of the first signal resulting in a filtered first signal;   determining, at the stylus, a characteristic of the filtered first signal, the stylus comprising the media;   accessing, by the stylus, data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal;   comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is for determining whether to process signals wirelessly received by the stylus from the device and the second threshold is for determining whether to adjust the first threshold; and   dynamically adjusting the first threshold based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal received at the stylus, a result of the comparing the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal with the second threshold, and the known characteristic of the first signal, the first threshold dynamically adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value.   
     
     
       40. The media of claim 39, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to process signals wirelessly received from the device. 
     
     
       41. The media of claim 40, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to process a second signal wirelessly received from the device if the second signal exceeds the first threshold. 
     
     
       42. The media of claim 39, wherein the determined characteristic of the filtered first signal is the presence or absence of a digital or analog pattern in the first signal. 
     
     
       43. The media of claim 39, wherein the operations comprise:
 storing, in a memory device of the stylus, the data regarding a known characteristic of the first signal, and   accessing, by the stylus, said data stored in the memory device.