At a glance
| Patent number | CN107139606B (application CN201710415709) |
| Type | China invention patent (发明专利) - protects product shape, structure and methods |
| Original title | A kind of multifunctional pen (一种多功能笔) |
| Patent owner | Individual |
| Inventors | Ou Yuchen, Zhang Yaxin, Tang Ying |
| Filing date | 2017-06-06 |
| Grant date | 2019-01-08 |
| Status (China) | Lapsed - terminated for non-payment of annual fees (recorded 2020-05-22) |
| Patent family | Chinese filings only - no US, European, Japanese, PCT or other filings listed |
| Cited by | 1 later document |
| Source | Google Patents (search for CN107139606B) |
What the claims cover, in plain language
Claim 1 describes a multifunctional pen with a pen tip, pen core, barrel and a display on the barrel surface. Inside the barrel is an electronic compartment holding a pen tip position sensing device, microprocessor, memory, vibrator, power supply and USB interface. The sensing device sits at the end of the pen core, and the microprocessor above it contains a controller, arithmetic unit and comparator. The power supply includes a power supervisor and rechargeable battery. The claim specifies adding a wireless communication module inside the compartment and a matching wireless remote data indicator. The remote indicator has a wireless communication recipient and a display screen sized at about 5 cun or more, divided into two or more square viewing areas with implied grid patterns. Before writing, font libraries are downloaded via USB. During writing, the sensing device sends handwriting information to the microprocessor, then to the wireless module. The controller pulls font data from memory, the comparator selects the closest matching character, and both the written text and matched font are sent to the remote indicator to display side by side. If strokes are missing or extra, the controller signals the vibrator to shake.
Claim 2 specifies the pen tip position sensing device includes a gyroscope, pressure sensor, acceleration transducer and miniature webcam. The pressure sensor is at the pen core end, the acceleration transducer is close to it, the gyroscope is close to the acceleration transducer, and the miniature webcam points toward the pen tip.
Claim 3 adds a microphone and switch button to the electronic compartment, connected to the microprocessor. Pressing the switch button and speaking into the microphone sends a voice signal to the microprocessor for decoding.
This is a simplified reading for orientation only. The legal scope is defined by the exact claim wording in the official Chinese document.
What this means for US production
This patent was filed only in China and is lapsed due to non-payment of annual fees, so it no longer restricts anyone in China either. It has no US or other foreign counterpart.
Two points to settle early:
- Other patents may exist. BIC Violex Single Member S.A. holds a later US patent (US12026327B2) citing this document, indicating active patenting in the electronic writing instrument field. A freedom-to-operate (FTO) review covering optical tracking pens, motion-sensing styluses and wireless handwriting systems is needed before tooling.
- Component integration. Fitting a webcam, gyroscope, accelerometer, pressure sensor, battery, vibrator and wireless module into a pen barrel requires precise internal layout design to maintain a comfortable grip diameter and balance.
Customization and manufacturing
What can be customized
| Area | Options |
|---|---|
| Barrel material | ABS, PC, aluminum alloy or custom plastics |
| Display type | OLED or LCD strip screen, size to be confirmed in design |
| Remote indicator | Screen size, resolution and number of viewing areas set in design |
| Wireless protocol | Bluetooth or proprietary RF module |
| Battery capacity | Rechargeable lithium cell size based on power draw calculations |
| Pen core | Standard ballpoint, gel or rollerball refill compatibility |
| Color and finish | Matte, glossy, soft-touch coating, custom brand colors |
Things to plan for (US market)
- FCC Part 15 - the wireless communication module (e.g., Bluetooth) must be tested and certified for radio frequency emissions before sale in the US.
- UN 38.3 - the rechargeable lithium battery requires transport testing certification for shipping.
- CPSC / CPSIA - if marketed to children under 12, the pen and its materials must comply with lead and phthalate limits, and small parts warnings apply.
- California Prop 65 - plastics, batteries and metal coatings must be screened for listed chemicals.
How a project runs
- Inquiry - target audience, feature set, display preferences and quantity.
- Design - mechanical layout of the barrel, PCB routing, sensor placement and software logic for the microprocessor.
- Prototype - 3D printed barrel samples with assembled electronics to test grip, weight, sensor accuracy and wireless range.
- Pilot run - small batch for FCC pre-testing, battery validation and handwriting recognition tuning.
- Production - injection molding, PCB assembly, sensor calibration, final assembly and quality control.
Quantities & timeline
The barrel requires injection molds, the PCB needs SMT assembly lines, and the sensors and displays are sourced as electronic components. FCC certification and UN 38.3 battery testing dictate much of the development schedule. Software tuning for the handwriting recognition algorithm takes significant engineering time. Send us your target audience, required features, display preferences, estimated quantity and timeline and we will reply with options.
Patent drawings
Drawings reproduced from the public patent document for reference.
