Apple has been granted another patent (number 11,231,784) for a “stylus with force feedback” (the first was number 11,009,955). It involves possible future iterations of the Apple Pencil.
About the patent
A shear force is a force applied perpendicular to a surface, in opposition to an offset force acting in the opposite direction. This results in a shear strain. In simple terms, one part of the surface is pushed in one direction, while another part of the surface is pushed in the opposite direction.
The shear forces would act on a user to provide unique tactile sensations. For example, an Apple Pencil could provide shear sensations at the a user’s fingers. Or the shear forces could be unaligned forces that urge one part of the user’s hand in one direction and another part of the user’s hand in an opposite direction or that tend to maintain the other part of the user’s hand in a stationary location.
In the patent filing, Apple notes that a variety of handheld devices exist for detecting input from a user during use. For example, a stylus can be utilized to provide input by contacting a touch panel of an electronic device. The touch panel may include a touch sensitive surface that, in response to detecting a touch event, generates a signal that can be processed and utilized by other components of the electronic device.
A display component of the electronic device may display textual and/or graphical display elements representing selectable virtual buttons or icons, and the touch sensitive surface may allow a user to navigate the content displayed on the display screen. Typically, a user can move one or more input devices, such as a stylus, across the touch panel in a pattern that the device translates into an input command. Apple wants to expand this capability with the Apple Pencil.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “Touch-based input devices, such as a stylus, can provide feedback in the form of shear forces applied to the user. A stylus can produce shear forces that act on a user to provide unique tactile sensations.
“For example, a shear device can be included at a grip region of a stylus to provide shear sensations at the user’s hands (e.g., fingers). The shear forces can be unaligned forces that urge one part of the user’s hand in one direction and another part of the user’s hand in an opposite direction or that tend to maintain the other part of the user’s hand in a stationary location.”
