Dynamic configuration of touch sensor electrode clusters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874980-B2
Application number	US-201314075412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2013
Priority date	Jul 31, 2013
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus of one embodiment includes a sensor having a plurality of electrodes and a controller having a processor and a memory. The memory includes logic operable to configure the electrodes to form a first cluster pattern having a plurality of first clusters of two or more electrodes, apply voltage to each first cluster, and determine a plurality of first values associated with a capacitance of a first cluster. The logic is further operable to configure the electrodes to form a second cluster pattern having a plurality of second clusters of two or more electrodes, apply voltage to each second cluster, and determine a plurality of second values associated with a capacitance of a second cluster. At least one second cluster is interleaved with an adjacent second cluster. The logic is further operable to determine a position of an object based at least on the second values.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory units collectively storing logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
configuring a plurality of electrodes of a sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a plurality of first clusters, each first cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, a first cluster being interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters such that an electrode of the first cluster is positioned between first and second electrodes of at least one of the adjacent first clusters;
applying voltage to each first cluster;
sensing each first cluster separately;
determining a plurality of first values, each first value associated with a capacitance of a respective first cluster;
configuring, in response to determining the plurality of first values, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a plurality of second clusters, each second cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of second clusters being non-interleaved;
applying voltage to each second cluster;
sensing each second cluster separately;
determining a plurality of second values, each second value associated with a capacitance of a respective second cluster; and
determining a position of an object relative to the sensor based at least on the plurality of second values.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a
plurality of switches, wherein:
configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the first cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each first cluster; and
configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the second cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each second cluster.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and
two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the at least one first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters are adjacent to one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the plurality of first values comprises measuring a first voltage associated with each first cluster after the application of voltage to the first cluster; and
determining the plurality of second values comprises measuring a second voltage associated with each second cluster after the application of voltage to the second cluster.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination the plurality of first and second values utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each second cluster comprises four or more electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each first cluster is at least partially interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of electrodes comprises one or more first electrodes, a second electrode adjacent to one or more of the first electrodes, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, and one or more fourth electrodes adjacent to the third electrode;
the first cluster comprises the first electrodes and the third electrode; and
one of the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises the second electrode and the fourth electrodes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the position of the object is based further on the plurality of first values.

10. A method comprising:
configuring a plurality of electrodes to form a first cluster pattern comprising a plurality of first clusters, each first cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, a first cluster being interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters such that an electrode of the first cluster is positioned between first and second electrodes of at least one of the adjacent first clusters;
applying voltage to each first cluster;
sensing each first cluster separately;
determining a plurality of first values, each first value associated with a capacitance of a respective first cluster;
configuring, in response to determining the plurality of first values, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a plurality of second clusters, each second cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of second clusters being non-interleaved;
applying voltage to each second cluster;
sensing each second cluster separately;
determining a plurality of second values, each second value associated with a capacitance of a respective second cluster; and
determining a position of an object relative to the touch sensor based at least on the plurality of second values.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
configuring the plurality of electrodes to foam the first cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of a plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each first cluster; and
configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the second cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each second cluster.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the at least one first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and
two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the at least one first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters are adjacent to one another.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
determining the plurality of first values comprises measuring a first voltage associated with each first cluster after the application of voltage to the first cluster; and
determining the plurality of second values comprises measuring a second voltage associated with each second cluster after the application of voltage to the second cluster.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determination the plurality of first and second values utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein each first cluster is at least partially interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the plurality of electrodes comprises one or more first electrodes, a second electrode adjacent to one or more of the first electrodes, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, and one or more fourth electrodes adjacent to the third electrodes;
the first cluster comprises the first electrodes and the third electrode; and
one of the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises the second electrode and the fourth electrodes.

17. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory units collectively storing logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
configuring a plurality of electrodes of a sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a plurality of first clusters, each first cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, a primary first cluster

Assignees

• Brunet Samuel
• Collins Richard Paul
• Hristov Luben Hristov
• Myren Steinar
• Pedersen Trond Jarle
• Stavely Paul
• Atmel Corp

Inventors

• Brunet Samuel
• Collins Richard Paul
• Hristov Luben Hristov
• Myren Steinar
• Pedersen Trond Jarle
• Stavely Paul

Classifications

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/04166 Primary

  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

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

• G06F3/0445

  using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer · CPC title