Prior art — US Patent 9933866

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 9933866, a review of the patent's cited references, filtered by their priority/filing dates preceding US9933866's priority date of October 28, 2011, has been conducted. The patent US9933866 generally relates to an active stylus capable of transmitting high-voltage signals to a device's touch sensor, utilizing a voltage conversion component within the stylus.

Most Relevant Prior Art:

Based on a direct disclosure of a "high voltage stylus" for capacitive touch screens, US6377248B1 stands out as the most directly relevant prior art for anticipating the core concepts of US9933866. While other cited patents discuss active styluses and distinguishing input, US6377248B1 explicitly details the use of high voltage from the stylus.

It is important to note that US20130106720A1, titled "Active Stylus with High Voltage," shares the same priority date (October 28, 2011) and was originally assigned to Atmel Corporation, the original assignee of US9933866. However, US9933866 is a continuation of the application that resulted in US20130106720A1. Therefore, US20130106720A1 is part of the same patent family and represents an earlier publication of the same inventive disclosure, rather than prior art that could anticipate US9933866 under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

Below are the details for the most relevant prior art patents, including their potential anticipation of claims from US9933866:

1. US6377248B1

Full Citation: US6377248B1 - Tony S. Partow - "High voltage stylus for portable computer"
Publication/Filing Date: Filed: 1999-09-30, Granted: 2002-04-23
Brief Description: This patent discloses a stylus designed for portable computers featuring a capacitive touch screen. The stylus incorporates internal circuitry to generate and deliver a high voltage direct current (DC) charge to its tip. This high voltage is sufficient to be detected by the touch screen upon contact, enabling writing input to the computer. The stylus also includes a switch to activate the high voltage source and can be powered by an internal battery or by the computer.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent potentially anticipates aspects of Claims 1, 8, and 15 due to its explicit disclosure of a high-voltage stylus interacting with a capacitive touch screen.
- Claim 1: This patent teaches a "stylus" with "one or more electrodes" (at the "tip of the stylus") for "transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor" by supplying an "electric charge" which is a "high voltage direct current (DC) voltage" detectable by the touch screen. It also describes "internal circuitry for generating and supplying an electric charge" and a "switch for enabling the high voltage source," which implies a component to convert a lower voltage (e.g., from a battery) to a high voltage. While specific voltage ranges (1-3V normal, 10-20V high) and explicit "computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic" are not detailed in the abstract, the core concept of a stylus generating and transmitting high-voltage signals through its tip to a touch sensor for input is present.
- Claim 8: Similar to Claim 1, it describes a stylus with electrodes at the tip transmitting "electric charge" (a form of electromagnetic signal) wirelessly to a touch sensor using "high voltage." The abstract does not, however, specify that the high voltage is "based on a voltage difference between a drive line of the touch sensor and a sense line of the touch sensor."
- Claim 15: The "internal circuitry" and "switch for enabling the high voltage source" suggest logic for generating and transmitting the high-voltage signals from the stylus.

2. US20100315384A1

Full Citation: US20100315384A1 - Kirk Hargreaves - "Untethered active pen and a method for communicating with a capacitive sensing device using the untethered active pen"
Publication/Filing Date: Filed: 2009-06-12, Publication: 2010-12-16
Brief Description: This patent provides an untethered active pen and a method for its communication with a capacitive sensing device. The active pen features a tip electrode that capacitively couples with the sensing device, a power source, and both a transmitter and an active receiver for bidirectional signal exchange. The pen can convey information such as its identification, pressure applied, and button presses, either by modulating the impedance of its tip or by generating an electrical signal from the tip.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is relevant for disclosing an active pen with capacitive communication.
- Claim 1: It teaches a "stylus" ("untethered active pen") with a "tip electrode" for "capacitively coupling with a capacitive sensing device" (touch sensor) and a "transmitter and an active receiver for transmitting and receiving signals." This addresses the stylus, electrodes, wireless transmission, and stylus tip. However, the abstract does not explicitly mention "high-voltage signals" or a "component operable to convert the voltage of approximately 1 to 3 volts to the high voltage." It refers to "generating an electrical signal," but not specifically a high voltage relative to a normal operating range.
- Claim 8: It describes transmitting "electrical signals" electromagnetically via capacitive coupling. Similar to Claim 1, the explicit "high voltage" and the basis for it (drive/sense line difference) are not in the abstract.
- Claim 15: The "transmitter and an active receiver" imply logic for transmitting signals, but without the explicit "high voltage" aspects detailed in the claim.

3. US20080238885A1

Full Citation: US20080238885A1 - N-Trig Ltd. - "System and method for multiple object detection on a digitizer system"
Publication/Filing Date: Filed: 2007-03-29, Publication: 2008-10-02
Brief Description: This patent introduces a method for distinguishing between various objects interacting with a digitizer. The method involves receiving signals from a digitizer array, detecting at least two signals, and then determining if these signals correspond to a finger or a stylus based on predefined signal characteristics. The system includes a digitizer and a processing unit adapted to perform this method.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant to the dependent claims of US9933866 that focus on distinguishing input types.
- Claims 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20: This patent directly anticipates the concept of distinguishing between "contact by an object other than the stylus with the device" (e.g., "at least one finger") and "a stylus" itself by analyzing signals from the digitizer. It also implicitly covers situations where the object is "at least a part of a human hand" (e.g., a finger). However, it focuses on the detection and processing capabilities of the digitizer system, not on the stylus's specific mechanism of transmitting high-voltage signals to enable this differentiation, which is a key aspect of US9933866's independent claims.

4. US20090095540A1

Full Citation: US20090095540A1 - N-Trig Ltd. - "Method for palm touch identification in multi-touch digitizing systems"
Publication/Filing Date: Filed: 2007-10-11, Publication: 2009-04-16
Brief Description: This patent describes a method for identifying palm touches within a multi-touch digitizing system. The method involves identifying areas of multi-touch input, analyzing the characteristics of at least one of these input areas, and then classifying that area as a palm or another multi-touch input device based on the identified characteristics.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant to the dependent claims of US9933866 related to distinguishing input types.
- Claims 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20: This patent anticipates the method for "distinguishing" contact from "an object other than the stylus" by specifically teaching "palm touch identification." Like US20080238885A1, its abstract focuses on the digitizer's ability to analyze and classify inputs, rather than detailing a stylus's active high-voltage signal transmission to facilitate this distinction.