Touch sensor detector system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9582098-B2
Application number	US-201414498478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A touch sensor detector system and method incorporating an interpolated sensor array is disclosed. The system and method utilize a touch sensor array (TSA) configured to detect proximity/contact/pressure (PCP) via a variable impedance array (VIA) electrically coupling interlinked impedance columns (IIC) coupled to an array column driver (ACD), and interlinked impedance rows (IIR) coupled to an array row sensor (ARS). The ACD is configured to select the IIC based on a column switching register (CSR) and electrically drive the IIC using a column driving source (CDS). The VIA conveys current from the driven IIC to the IIC sensed by the ARS. The ARS selects the IIR within the TSA and electrically senses the IIR state based on a row switching register (RSR). Interpolation of ARS sensed current/voltage allows accurate detection of TSA PCP and/or spatial location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A touch sensor detector system comprising:
(a) touch sensor array (TSA);
(b) array column driver (ACD);
(c) column switching register (CSR);
(d) column driving source (CDS);
(e) array row sensor (ARS);
(f) row switching register (RSR);
(g) analog to digital converter (ADC); and
(h) computing control device (CCD);
wherein:
said TSA comprises a variable impedance array (VIA) comprising VIA columns and VIA rows;
said VIA is configured to electrically couple a plurality of interlinked impedance columns (IIC) within said TSA with a plurality of interlinked impedance rows (IIR) within said TSA;
said IIC further comprises a plurality of individual column impedance elements (ICIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA columns;
said IIR further comprises a plurality of individual row impedance elements (IRIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA rows;
said ACD is configured to select said IIC within said TSA based on said CSR;
said ACD is configured to electrically drive said selected IIC using said CDS;
said ARS is configured to select said IIR within said TSA based on said RSR;
said ADC is configured to sense the electrical state of said selected IIR and convert said electrical state to a sensed digital value (SDV);
said electrical state is determined by the sum of current contributions of variable impedance elements within said VIA, where the current contribution of each of said variable impedance elements is determined by a voltage divider formed between the columns of said VIA, a current divider formed between the rows of said VIA, and the state of said each of said variable impedance elements, to produce a sensed current for a given row-column intersection with said VIA; and
said CCD is configured to sample said SDV from said ADC at a plurality of positions within said TSA to form a touch sensor matrix (TSM) data structure.

2. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said IIC comprises variable resistors interconnecting columns of said VIA with the resistance of said variable resistors defined by said CSR.

3. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said IIR comprises variable resistors interconnecting rows of said VIA with the resistance of said variable resistors defined by said RSR.

4. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said IIC comprises a plurality of resistors electrically coupling adjacent columns of said VIA.

5. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said IIR comprises a plurality of resistors electrically coupling adjacent rows of said VIA.

6. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said IIC comprises a plurality of MOSFETs electrically coupling adjacent columns of said VIA.

7. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said IIR comprises a plurality of MOSFETs electrically coupling adjacent rows of said VIA.

8. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein impedances interconnecting said IIC are configured dynamically based on said CSR.

9. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein impedances interconnecting said IIR are configured dynamically based on said RSR.

10. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said CDS is varied based on the state of said CSR.

11. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said CDS is varied based on the state of said RSR.

12. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said VIA comprises an array of impedance elements configured to electrically couple a row of said array with a column of said array, wherein said VIA impedance elements each have an impedance magnitude greater than that of said ICIE.

13. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said VIA comprises an array of impedance elements configured to electrically couple a row of said array with a column of said array, wherein said VIA impedance elements each have an impedance magnitude greater than that of said IRIE.

14. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said VIA comprises an array of impedance elements configured to electrically couple a row of said array with a column of said array, wherein said VIA impedance elements each have an impedance magnitude greater than that of both said ICIE and said IRIE.

15. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said ADC comprises a dynamically adjustable threshold detector configured to activate based on a historical average value of said electrical state of said IIR.

16. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said CCD is configured to vary the rate at which said CSR and said RSR are modified and the rate at which said ADC is sampled.

17. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said TSM is sequentially stored in a three-dimensional matrix to provide temporal indication of time-based differential pressure applied to said TSA.

18. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said CDS comprises a plurality of AC electrical sources operating at different frequencies.

19. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said ADC is configured to discriminate a plurality of AC frequencies.

20. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein:
multiple columns of said VIA are driven under control of said CCD via activation of said CDS using a plurality of AC electrical sources operating at different frequencies; and
multiple rows of said VIA are sensed under control of said CCD via said ADC.

21. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said ADC is configured to discriminate a plurality of AC frequencies simultaneously within said selected IIR and generates said SDV for each said discriminated AC frequency.

22. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said VIA comprises an array of capacitance-sensitive elements configured to electrically couple a row of said array with a column of said array, wherein said electrical coupling varies based on capacitance sensed by said TSA.

23. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said VIA comprises an array of capacitance-sensitive elements and pressure-sensitive elements that are configured collectively to electrically couple a row of said array with a column of said array, wherein said electrical coupling varies based on capacitance and pressure sensed by said TSA at the intersection of said array row and said array column.

24. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said CCD is configured to collect and store VIA force pressure sensing data and VIA capacitive touch sensing data in said TSM.

25. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said system further comprises an active capacitance stylus (ACS) configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted from said IIC or said IIR.

26. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said system further comprises an active capacitance stylus (ACS) configured to emit a wireless signal for detection by said IIC and said IIR.

27. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said system further comprises an active capacitance stylus (ACS) configured to emit a wireless signal for detection by said IIC and said IIR wherein said wireless signal varies based on user input to said ACS.

28. The touch sensor detector system of claim 1 wherein said VIA comprises a non-rectangular array structure.

Assignees

• Sensel Inc

Inventors

• Rosenberg Ilya Daniel
• Zarraga John Aaron

Classifications

• G06F3/0414 Primary

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title

• G06F2203/04106

  Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection · CPC title

• G06F2203/04104

  Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger · CPC title

• G06F3/045

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

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title