Display screen position sensing using inductive sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022205816-A1
Application number	US-202117319659-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 13, 2021
Priority date	Dec 24, 2020
Publication date	Jun 30, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and a system may inductively determine a position of a display screen of a computing device. Associated processes may generate a magnetic field by providing an alternating current to a driver coil, and may generate a voltage at a sensor coil in response to the magnetic field. The system and method may additionally include determining a position of the display screen by executing an algorithm at a processor. An input to the algorithm may include voltage data associated with the voltage generated at the sensor coil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of inductively determining a position of a display screen of a computing device, the method comprising:
generating a magnetic field by providing an alternating current to a driver coil; generating a voltage at a sensor coil in response to the magnetic field; and determining a position of a display screen by executing an algorithm at a processor, wherein an input to the algorithm comprises voltage data associated with the voltage generated at the sensor coil.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring a change in the voltage generated at the sensor coil, wherein the change detected corresponds to movement of the display screen.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning a target configured to affect the magnetic field, wherein the target is further configured to move in relation to the driver and sensor coils.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising positioning a back shield proximate the target, wherein the back shield is conductive or non-conductive.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising positioning the target such that the target moves in association with the display screen.

6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising configuring the target to couple to at least one of the driver and sensor coils when the target is moved into proximity of the at least one of the driver and sensor coils, wherein the target electromagnetically, magnetically, or inductively couples to the least one of the driver and sensor coils, wherein the target comprises at least one of a metallic material, a ferrous material, or another material affecting a magnitude or intensity of a magnetic field.

7 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising configuring the target to be one of a plurality of targets to couple to at least one of the driver and sensor coils, wherein the target electromagnetically, magnetically, or inductively couples to the least one of the driver and sensor coils.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the algorithm includes executing at least one of curve fitting, portioning and fitting, and weighted voting algorithms.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising rapidly cycling the alternating current on and off to the driver coil.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying at least one of a noise filter and zero voltage switching to at least one of the voltage and the magnetic field to remove system noise.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning an additional sensor coil to overlap the sensor coil.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the sensor coil to include at least one of a singled-ended coil and a differential coil.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using an inductive resonant frequency and a driver coil frequency as inputs to the algorithm.

14 . An integrated circuit comprising:
a memory storing an algorithm; and a processor configured to access the memory and execute the algorithm to:
receive voltage data associated with a voltage generated at a sensor coil, wherein the voltage is generated in response to a magnetic field generated at a driver coil; and
determine a position of a display screen using the voltage data.

15 . The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the driver coil and the sensor coil are configured to move with respect to the other of the other of driver coil and the sensor coil.

16 . The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein a change of voltage at the sensor coil corresponds to movement of the display screen.

17 . The integrated circuit of claim 14 , further comprising a target configured to affect the magnetic field, wherein the target is further configured to move in relation to the driver and sensor coils.

18 . The integrated circuit of claim 15 , wherein the target comprises a negative target, where the absence of a material is used to modify a voltage response of the sensor coil to a magnetic field.

19 . The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the sensor coil includes at least one of a singled-ended coil and a differential coil.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instruction that, in response to execution of the instructions by a processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations:
receive voltage data associated with a voltage generated at a sensor coil, wherein the voltage is generated in response to a magnetic field generated at a driver coil; and determine a position of a display screen using the voltage data.

Assignees

• Renesas Electronics America Inc

Inventors

• Mehas Gustavo James
• Acar Damla
• De Wolfe Ashley
• Agrawal Pooja
• Smith Nicholaus Wayne

Classifications

• G06F1/1677

  for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• H04M1/0266 Primary

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• G06F3/04182

  Filtering of noise external to the device and not generated by digitiser components · CPC title

• G06F3/046 Primary

  by electromagnetic means · CPC title