Apple Obtains Patent on Smart Pen Stylus

Apple received a patent on Tuesday, Dec. 30 for a new type of stylus that can write on surfaces including whiteboards, paper and the iPad touch screen, as reported by Latin Post.

The stylus uses motion sensors and accelerometers to track writing, and it activates only when picked up, when the tip is pressed to a surface, it has been manually turned on or it has been taken off of a dock.

The stylus conserves battery life by transmitting data in real time or in timed intervals, similarly to how fitness trackers synchronize at times with smartphones to minimize power draw of a continuous wireless connection.

The patent details that the stylus can capture handwriting when it is used on a wall, a table surface, or in the air with the use of 3D motion sensors. It also captures digital copies of handwritten notes and has the ability to reproduce information when writing on a whiteboard in real time.

The stylus patent was first filed in 2010.