Patent given for Apple Stylus smart pen for capturing digital notes from any surface


Apple was recently granted patent for its stylus smart pen on Tuesday. Apple stylus smart pen will allow Apple users to write or draw on any paper or on any surface and have their notes or drawings simultaneously transfer to an iDevice like an iPhone or iPad.

apple stylus smart pen

Describes as “communication stylus”, the patent for Apple stylus smart pen was awarded this week by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Apple stylus smart pen uses accelerometers and wireless communication hardware to transfer handwritten notes and sketches onto the display of a computer, phone or tablet, even from a distance of say across a room. This therefore will enable users to for example be in a classroom setting taking notes and at the same time simultaneously create a digital version of those notes on his mobile device in his pocket. Similarly, Apple stylus smart pen can also be use on whiteboard mounted on a wall and simultaneously display what he has written on a computing device. These notes can then be transfer to multiple devices at the same time.

All this is possible because Apple stylus smart pen does not require any specialized paper or surface for persons to be able to enter data into the computing device without actually touching the device.

In addition, Apple stylus smart pen does not uses infrared technology but instead uses an array of sensors to track movement and power up when it is picked up and when its nib is pressed into paper. Users do not have to fear using Apple stylus smart pen at specific angles as the device can be tracked at any angle, therefore it will accurately relay movement whether the user is writing on a table, wall or in the air.

The data can also be stored on the pen and then transmitted after a specific time frame.

Apple is not the first or only company to develop a smart pen. One such company is Livescribe with it smart pen which works in a similar manner as Apple stylus smart pen. However, whereas Apple stylus smart pen can be use an any surface or paper, Livescribe smart pen uses specialize paper and an infrared sensor to record what’s being written by the pen’s regular ink nib, and saving it as a digital file. Livescribe 3 infrared camera is stored at the tip to capture handwriting and then transfer data via Bluetooth, or the data can be stored onboard.

Although this technology will greatly change how we communicate, I for one would love to have one, the chances of Apple stylus smart pen being develop and put on the market is very slim considering the enormous efforts it takes to create multitouch interface. We hope that Apple stylus smart pen will be available for the widely-rumoured iPad Pro, a large tablet Apple is tipped to be preparing for a launch in early to mid-2015.

Apple began filing patents for a smart pen in 2010.