A future Apple Pencil may be able to detect when it’s not being used and power down even if attached to an iPad. Apple has been filed for a patent for “Stylus With Attachment Detection.”
About the patent filing
The patent filing involves an Apple Pencil that can detect when it’s used/not used and adapt accordingly. Apple says it’s desirable to conserve power of an electronic device, particularly when then device isn’t in active use by the user.
There may be multiple conditions that indicate that an Apple Pencil isn’t in use. For example, where a stylus is maintained at rest, it can be determined that the stylus is not in use and that one or more components need not be operated. Additionally, where a stylus is attached to a host device, it can be also be determined that the stylus is not in use and that one or more components need not be operated.
However, such different conditions can be detected in different ways and/or with different components of the stylus. Apple says it would be useful to optimize detection operations so that power is conserved in an efficient manner without limiting operations of the stylus while in use.
Summary of the patent filing
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “An input device, such as a stylus, can be operated to determine one or more conditions and select an appropriate operating mode. For example, a stylus can be attached to a host device when not in active use by a user. Attachment can be securely and releasably achieved with magnetic coupling.
“In such a configuration, the stylus can detect the attachment based on the presence and modification of magnetic fields. Based on such detection, the stylus can select an operating mode that allows power to be conserved when it is determined that certain components of the stylus need not be actively operated.”
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