Multi-conductor touch system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11972085-B2
Application number	US-202217828354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

A touchscreen display includes one or more conductive layers that is implemented for a touch sensor and a common portion. The touch screen display may include as few as one conductive layer that is partitioned for both the touch sensor and the common portion in some examples. A first conductor of the touch sensor is composed of first segments(s) that are electrically connected, and a second conductor of the touch sensor is composed of a second segments(s) that are electrically connected. Also, the common portion includes a third conductor. Drive-sense circuits (DSCs) are respectively implemented to service the conductors and to generate digital signals representative of electrical characteristics of signals provided to those conductors. Processing module(s) is/are configured to execute operational instructions to process the digital signals to facilitate operation of the touchscreen display including to detect presence, interaction, and/or gestures, etc. of a user with the touchscreen display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device comprising:
one or more conductive layers that is implemented for a touch sensor and a common portion, wherein the touch sensor includes a plurality of segments that are electrically connected;
a drive-sense circuit (DSC) operably coupled to the touch sensor, wherein, when enabled, the DSC configured to:
generate a signal based on a reference signal;
provide the signal to the touch sensor via a single line and simultaneously to sense the signal via the single line, wherein an electrical characteristic of the touch sensor affects the signal; and
generate a digital signal representative of an effect on the signal based on the electrical characteristic of the touch sensor;

memory that stores operational instructions; and
one or more processing modules operably coupled to the DSC and the memory, wherein, when enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured to execute the operational instructions to:
process the digital signal to determine the electrical characteristic of the touch sensor; and
process the electrical characteristic of the touch sensor to detect interaction of a user with the touch sensor.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more conductive layers are implemented on a same plane.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more conductive layers are implemented within more than one plane.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more conductive layers that is implemented for the touch sensor and the common portion also is implemented for another touch sensor; and
the another touch sensor includes another plurality of segments that are electrically connected.

5. The computing device of claim 4 , wherein:
the touch sensor is aligned in a first direction; and
the another touch sensor is aligned in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the common portion is implemented for another touch sensor, and further comprising:
another DSC operably coupled to the another touch sensor, wherein, when enabled, the another DSC configured to:
generate another signal based on another reference signal;
provide the another signal to the another touch sensor via another single line and simultaneously to sense the another signal via the another single line, wherein another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor affects the another signal; and
generate another digital signal representative of another effect on the signal based on the another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor;

wherein, when enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured to execute the operational instructions to:
process the another digital signal to determine the another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor; and
process the another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor to detect other interaction of the user with the another touch sensor.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the common portion is implemented for another touch sensor, and further comprising:
another DSC operably coupled to the another touch sensor, wherein, when enabled, the another DSC configured to:
generate another signal based on another reference signal;
provide the another signal to the another touch sensor via another single line and simultaneously to sense the another signal via the another single line, wherein another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor affects the another signal; and
generate another digital signal representative of another effect on the signal based on the another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor;

wherein, when enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured to execute the operational instructions to:
process the another digital signal to determine the another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor; and
process the another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor to detect presence of the user within a detectable proximity of the computing device.

8. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein, when enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured to execute the operational instructions to:
operate the computing device based on a first power mode before detection of the presence of the user within the detectable proximity of the computing device; and
operate the computing device based on a second power mode that is different than the first power mode after detection of the presence of the user within the detectable proximity of the computing device.

9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein, when enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured to execute the operational instructions to:
after detection of the presence of the user within the detectable proximity of the computing device, process the electrical characteristic of the touch sensor to detect other interaction of the user with the touch sensor;
based on no detection of the other interaction of the user with the touch sensor, process the another electrical characteristic of the another touch sensor to detect other presence of the user within the detectable proximity of the computing device; and
based on no detection of the other presence of the user within the detectable proximity of the computing device, operate the computing device based on the first power mode.

10. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein:
the first power mode is a lower power mode than the second power mode.

11. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the common portion is implemented for another touch sensor; and
a segment of the plurality of segments is surrounded by a portion of the common portion.

12. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more conductive layers that is implemented for the touch sensor and the common portion also is implemented for another touch sensor;
the another touch sensor includes another plurality of segments that are electrically connected;
a segment of the plurality of segments and another segment of the another plurality of segments are adjacently located within an area of the one or more conductive layers; and
the segment of the plurality of segments and the another segment of the another plurality of segments are surrounded by a portion of the common portion.

13. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more conductive layers that is implemented for the touch sensor and the common portion also is implemented for another touch sensor;
the another touch sensor includes another plurality of segments that are electrically connected;
a segment of the plurality of segments is surrounded by another segment of the another plurality of segments; and
the another segment of the another plurality of segments is surrounded by a portion of the common portion.

14. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor is implemented within a touchscreen of the computing device.

15. A computing device comprising:
one or more conductive layers that is implemented for a touch sensor and a common portion, wherein the one or more conductive layers are implemented on a same plane, wherein the touch sensor includes a plurality of segments that are electrically connected, wherein the common portion is implemented for another touch sensor;
a drive-sense circuit (DSC) operably coupled to the touch sensor, wherein, when enabled, the DSC configured to:
generate a signal based on a reference signal;
provide the signal to the touch sensor via a single line and simultaneou

Assignees

• Sigmasense Llc
• Sigmasense

Inventors

• Van Ostrand Daniel Keith
• Gray Patrick Troy

Classifications

• G06F3/045 Primary

  using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0446 Primary

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title