Fast scanning for mutual capacitance screens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9274656-B2
Application number	US-201313929307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2013
Priority date	Jun 27, 2013
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus for detecting a touch. The apparatus includes a touch sensor that includes a first plurality of electrode lines and a second plurality of electrode lines. The apparatus also includes a touch sensor controller coupled to the touch sensor. The touch sensor controller is operable to apply a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the first plurality of electrode lines, measure a respective signal at each of the second plurality of electrode lines, and detect a touch based on the measurement of the respective signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for detecting a touch comprising:
a touch sensor comprising a first plurality of electrode lines and a second plurality of electrode lines; and
a touch sensor controller coupled to the touch sensor, the touch sensor controller operable to:
in a first detecting mode, perform operations comprising:
applying a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the first plurality of electrode lines;
measuring a respective signal at each of the second plurality of electrode lines; and

change, in response to not detecting a touch in the first detecting mode, to a second detecting mode, the touch sensing controller operable to, in the second detecting mode, perform operations comprising:
applying a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the second plurality of electrode lines;
measuring a respective signal at each of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
detecting a touch based on the measurement of the respective signals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to apply a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the plurality of drive lines by applying:
a respective voltage pulse having a first magnitude to a first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
a respective voltage pulse having a second magnitude and a polarity opposite the respective voltage pulse applied to the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines to a second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines comprises a third portion of the first plurality of electrode lines and a forth portion of the first plurality of electrode lines, wherein the third portion of the first plurality of electrode lines is separated from a fourth portion of the first plurality of electrode lines by the second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to detect a touch based on either positive or negative signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to apply a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the plurality of drive lines by applying:
a respective voltage pulse having a first magnitude to a first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines, wherein the first magnitude is inversely proportional to the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
a respective voltage pulse having a second magnitude and a polarity opposite the respective voltage pulse applied to the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines to a second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines, wherein the second magnitude is inversely proportional to the second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to apply a respective voltage pulse to each of the first plurality of electrode lines in a sequence when a touch has been detected.

7. A method comprising:
in a first detecting mode, performing operations comprising:
applying a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of a first plurality of electrode lines;
measuring a respective signal at each of a second plurality of electrode lines; and

changing, in response to not detecting a touch in the first detecting mode, to a second detecting mode;
in the second detecting mode, performing operations comprising:
applying a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the second first plurality of electrode lines;
measuring a respective signal at each of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
detecting a touch based on the measurement of the respective signals.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
applying a respective voltage pulse having a first magnitude to a first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
applying a respective voltage pulse having a second magnitude and a polarity opposite the respective voltage pulse applied to the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines to a second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines comprises a third portion of the first plurality of electrode lines and a fourth portion of the first plurality of electrode lines, wherein the third portion of the first plurality of electrode lines is separated from a fourth portion of the first plurality of electrode lines by the second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising detecting a touch based on either positive or negative signals.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
applying a respective voltage pulse having a first magnitude to a first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines, wherein the first magnitude is inversely proportional to the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
applying a respective voltage pulse having a second magnitude and a polarity opposite the respective voltage pulse applied to the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines to a second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines, wherein the second magnitude is inversely proportional to the second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising applying a respective voltage pulse to each of the first plurality of electrode lines in a sequence when a touch has been detected.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising logic for execution, the logic, when executed by a processor, operable to:
in a first detecting mode, perform operations comprising:
causing the application of a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of a first plurality of electrode lines; and
measuring a respective signal at each of a second plurality of electrode lines; and

change, in response to not detecting a touch in the first detecting mode, to a second detecting mode, the logic, when executed by a processor, operable to, in the second detecting mode, perform operations comprising:
causing the application of a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the second plurality of electrode lines;
measuring a respective signal at each of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
detecting a touch based on the measurement of the respective signals.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium comprising logic for execution of claim 13 , the logic, when executed by a processor, further operable to cause the application of a respective voltage pulse simultaneously to each of the first plurality of electrode lines by causing the application of:
a respective voltage pulse having a first magnitude to a first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines; and
a respective voltage pulse having a second magnitude and a polarity opposite the respective voltage pulse applied to the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines to a second portion of the first plurality of electrode lines.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium comprising logic for execution of claim 14 wherein the first portion of the first plurality of electrode lines comprises a third portion of the first plurality of electrode lines and a fourth portion of the first plurality of electrode lines, wherein the third portion of the first plurality of electrode lines is separated from the fourth portion of the first plurality of

Assignees

• Brunet Samuel
• Collins Richard P
• Hristov Luben H
• Myren Steinar
• Pedersen Trond J
• Stavely Paul
• Atmel Corp

Inventors

• Brunet Samuel
• Collins Richard P
• Hristov Luben H
• Myren Steinar
• Pedersen Trond J
• Stavely Paul

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/04166

  Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184) · 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

• G06F3/041662

  using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning · CPC title