US Patent 10496193 Digital pen with three-dimensional input interface

A pen device includes a battery, a logic unit and a wireless transceiver configured to transmit detected pen device inputs by a user to an IHS (Information Handling System). A touchpad extending around a circumference of the pen device includes capacitive layers configured to detect the user contacting the touchpad. The touchpad also includes pressure-sensitive layers configured to detect a force applied by the user in contacting the touchpad. The combination of inputs from the layers of the touchpad provides the location and pressure of the user's contact with the touchpad. These touchpad inputs in combination with the detected movement of the pen device support detection of inputs such as taps, squeezes and gestures that may serve as inputs to an application operating on the IHS. Utilizing the pen device in this manner, a user may provide various types of application inputs without interruption from the user's current workflow.