HTC patents stylus for capacitive touchscreens

Many cellphone users prefer a capacitive touchscreen over a resistive one. The former is the type of display you will find on the iPhone, the BlackBerry Storm and the G1,among others. It works with a finger and will not work with a regular stylus. The latter display is what you will find on the LG Dare or even the Touch Pro2. This screen works when two layers are forced together by use of a finger or a stylus, a pen cap or anything that can apply pressure to the screen.

While many owners of touchscreen devices prefer the capacitive screens because of their sensitivity to touch, there are many who prefer the precision of using a stylus. It could be that someone with large fingers cannot click on the correct links. In some Asian markets, using a stylus is greatly preferred over the use of one's fingers on a touchscreen handset. And yet, for many, a capacitive screen conveys a sense of a higher quality device. The problem here is how to get the sensitivity and richness of a capacitive display together with the precise data entry of a stylus on a resistive screen. HTC has stepped in with a solution that seems to appease most touchscreen users. The Taiwanese firm has patented a magnetic stylus that will work on a capacitive display to allow those who favor using a pointing device to have one that will allow for precise clicking on a link and still allow for the greater sensitivity and higher build quality than one would have with a resistive screen.

The HTC stylus has a magnetic head that produces a current. When the current comes in contact with a capacitive screen, the screen responds the same way as if it were touched by a finger, but with more precision. HTC's product allows users to be precise while at the same time, allow for the rich appearance and responsiveness of a capacitive display.

source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office via WMPoweruser