Future Apple Pencil Pros may work with Macs, iPhones, and Vision Pros as evidenced by a new Apple patent filing for “Handheld Controllers With Surface Marking Capabilities.”
About the patent filing
Th patent filing relates generally to computer systems and, more particularly, to input devices for computer systems. In the patent filing Apple says that electronic devices such as computers can be controlled using computer mice and other input accessories. In virtual reality systems, force-feedback gloves can be used to control virtual objects.
Smartphones may have touch screen displays and vibrators that are used to create haptic feedback in response to touch input. However, Apple says that devices such as these may not be convenient for a user, may be cumbersome or uncomfortable, or may provide inadequate feedback. Apparently, the tech giant is at least considering scenarios in which Macs, iPhones, and Vision Pros, as well as iPads, can take advantage of the Apple Pencil.
Summary of the patent filing
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “A system may include an electronic device such as a head-mounted device and a handheld controller for controlling the electronic device. The handheld controller may have a housing with an elongated shaft extending between first and second tip portions. A removable tip member may be coupled to the first tip portion.
“A position sensor may be located in the removable tip member and may be used to track surface markings made with the handheld controller on a surface. The position sensor may be an optical flow sensor, a visual inertial odometry camera, an interferometer, or other sensor. A force sensor at the first tip portion may be used to detect when the tip contacts a surface. The position sensor may switch from air input mode to surface marking mode in response to detecting contact with the surface.”
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