Self-capacitance measurement with compensated capacitance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8952927-B2
Application number	US-201213475644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2012
Priority date	May 18, 2012
Publication date	Feb 10, 2015
Grant date	Feb 10, 2015

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes dividing a first amount of charge between a capacitance of a touch sensor and a compensation capacitor. The division of the first amount of charge results in a first voltage at an input node. The method also includes applying a reference voltage at the input node. The application of the reference voltage at the input node induces a second amount of charge proportional to a difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor. The method also includes determining a first difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage based on a second amount of charge on the integration capacitor; and determining whether a touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the first difference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
coupling a capacitance of a touch sensor in series with a compensation capacitor;
applying a supply voltage at the compensation capacitor, thereby dividing a first amount of charge between the capacitance of the touch sensor and the compensation capacitor, the division of the first amount of charge resulting in a first voltage at an input node;
applying a reference voltage at the input node, the application of the reference voltage at the input node inducing a second amount of charge proportional to a difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
determining a first difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage based on a second amount of charge on the integration capacitor; and
determining whether a touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the first difference.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reversing a polarity of the second amount of charge on the integration capacitor;
dividing a third amount of charge between the capacitance of a touch sensor and the compensation capacitor, the division of the third amount of charge resulting in a second voltage at the input node;
applying the reference voltage at the input node, the application of the reference voltage at the input node inducing a fourth amount of charge proportional to a difference between the second voltage and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
summing the second and fourth amounts of charge on the integration capacitor; and
determining whether the touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the second and fourth amounts of charge on the integration capacitor.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein dividing the third amount of charge comprises:
applying the supply voltage at the capacitance of the touch sensor; and
coupling the capacitance of the touch sensor in parallel with the compensation capacitor.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein reversing the polarity of the second amount of charge comprises reversing a configuration of the integration capacitor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compensation capacitor comprises a capacitor external to a measurement circuit.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modifying the capacitance of the compensation capacitor; and
minimizing the difference between the first voltage in an absence of the touch input and a reference voltage.

7. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic configured when executed to:
couple a capacitance of a touch sensor in series with a compensation capacitor;
apply a supply voltage at the compensation capacitor, thereby dividing a first amount of charge between the capacitance of the touch sensor and the compensation capacitor, the division of the first amount of charge resulting in a first voltage at an input node;
apply a reference voltage at the input node, the application of the reference voltage at the input node inducing a second amount of charge proportional to a difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
determine a first difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage based on a second amount of charge on the integration capacitor; and
determine whether a touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the first difference.

8. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
reverse a polarity of the second amount of charge on the integration capacitor;
divide a third amount of charge between the capacitance of a touch sensor and the compensation capacitor, the division of the third amount of charge resulting in a second voltage at the input node;
apply the reference voltage at the input node, the application of the reference voltage at the input node inducing a fourth amount of charge proportional to a difference between the second voltage and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
sum the second and fourth amounts of charge on the integration capacitor; and
determine whether the touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the second and fourth amounts of charge on the integration capacitor.

9. The medium of claim 8 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
apply the supply voltage at the capacitance of the touch sensor; and
couple the capacitance of the touch sensor in parallel with the compensation capacitor.

10. The medium of claim 8 , wherein the logic is further configured to reverse a configuration of the integration capacitor.

11. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the compensation capacitor comprises a capacitor external to a measurement circuit.

12. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
modify the capacitance of the compensation capacitor; and
minimizing the difference between the first voltage in an absence of the touch input and a reference voltage.

13. A device comprising:
a measurement circuit; and
a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium coupled to the measurement circuit and embodying logic configured when executed to:
couple a capacitance of a touch sensor in series with a compensation capacitor;
apply a supply voltage at the compensation capacitor, thereby dividing a first amount of charge between the capacitance of the touch sensor and the compensation capacitor, the division of the first amount of charge resulting in a first voltage at an input node;
apply a reference voltage at the input node, the application of the reference voltage at the input node inducing a second amount of charge proportional to a difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
determine a first difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage based on a second amount of charge on the integration capacitor; and
determine whether a touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the first difference.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
reverse a polarity of the second amount of charge on the integration capacitor;
divide a third amount of charge between the capacitance of a touch sensor and the compensation capacitor, the division of the third amount of charge resulting in a second voltage at the input node;
apply the reference voltage at the input node, the application of the reference voltage at the input node inducing a fourth amount of charge proportional to a difference between the second voltage and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
sum the second and fourth amounts of charge on the integration capacitor; and
determine whether the touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the second and fourth amounts of charge on the integration capacitor.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
apply the supply voltage at the capacitance of the touch sensor; and
couple the capacitance of the touch sensor in parallel with the compensation capacitor.

16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the compensation capacitor comprises a capacitor external to the measurement circuit.

17. The device of claim 13 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
modify the capacitance of the compensation capacitor; and
minimizing the difference between the first voltage in an absence of the touch input and a reference voltage.

Assignees

• Hanssen Ingar
• Whelan Rian
• Atmel Corp

Inventors

• Hanssen Ingar
• Whelan Rian

Classifications

• H03K2217/960725

  Charge-transfer · CPC title

• H03K2217/960745

  Capacitive differential; e.g. comparison with reference capacitance · CPC title

• H03K17/962 Primary

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title