The USPTO, also known as the United States Patent and Trademark Office, granted Apple a new patent today for a "communicating stylus." The patent, No. 8,922,530, goes into detail about the various features that are projected to be incorporated into the device.

Also included in the patent for Apple's stylus are a series of prototype images that clearly show how modular the device will be.

According to the official USPTO document, "A stylus for writing on any type of surface, such as a piece of paper or a whiteboard and subsequently displaying the written images or text on a display of a digital computing device."

Sources go on to say that this means the stylus will be able to work on virtually any surface and be able to communicate data. Whether it's a tablet's touchscreen, a school desk, or even hand motions in the air, Apple's communicating stylus is going to able to record and reproduce data onto other smart devices.

Another feature that is sure to be somewhat revolutionary, is the device's ability to capture the user's handwriting. This means that the stylus will be able to transmit hand-written notes to whatever device it is synced to.

With regards to its activation and use, the device is projected to detect when it's picked up, taken out of its holster, or when its point is pressed down onto a surface. Evidently, conserving its battery has been taken into consideration by Apple, as they do not want the device to be constantly running at full power, especially when not in use.

According to TechCrunch, the communicating stylus will be equipped with 3D motion sensors that serve as the means for all the projected features.

In terms of application in a real-world setting, TC went ahead and laid out some example where a device like this might be of use.

For example, if a group were scheduled to have a meeting in a board room of sorts, the user with Apple's stylus, could communicate his or her notes or rough descriptions onto the personal smart devices of the members in attendance.

Another thing that should come to mind is this type of device's application in a school setting. Clearly a teacher or professor could use this device to show how one solves a certain equation, or even use scansion to mark up a Shakespearean sonnet by hand, showing all the students which syllables are stressed.

Beyond all that, the USPTO Apple patent for a "Communicating stylus" is only the first step in a series of larger steps toward the release of the device. Users interested in such a gadget can only wait and look for more information about its features and projected launch window.