Source driver uplink as indicator of downlink status

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9898150-B2
Application number	US-201514751429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jan 5, 2015
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes one or more source drivers operable to drive a portion of a row or column of a display. The system also includes a timing controller coupled to each of the one or more source drivers and configured to control the one or more source drivers. The system further includes a downstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, configured to transfer data from the timing controller to one of the one or more source drivers. The system also includes an upstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, configured to transfer uplink data from one of the one or more source drivers to the timing controller, wherein the uplink data includes at least one of downlink lock status information and touch data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing system for operating an input device, comprising:
a timing controller, the timing controller coupled to one or more source drivers of a display and configured to control the one or more source drivers;
a downstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, each of the downstream links configured to transfer data from the timing controller to one of the one or more source drivers; and
an upstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, each of the upstream links configured to transfer uplink data from one of the one or more source drivers to the timing controller, wherein the uplink data includes downlink lock status information and touch data.

2. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein each upstream link couples to only a single source driver.

3. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein each upstream link is coupled directly from the one of the one or more source drivers to the timing controller.

4. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the timing controller is configured to determine which of the one or more source drivers has successful downlink lock based on the lock status information.

5. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the timing controller is configured to determine lock status based on a predetermined number of consecutive high or low values in the uplink data.

6. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the timing controller is configured to instruct a source driver of the one or more source drivers, via the downstream link, to initiate link training in response to the lock status information indicating a lack of lock.

7. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the timing controller is configured to determine presence of an input object in a sensing region in response to the touch data received over the upstream link.

8. A processing system for operating an input device, comprising:
one or more source drivers, each of the one or more source drivers operable to drive at least a portion of a row or column of a display;
a timing controller, the timing controller coupled to each of the one or more source drivers and configured to control the one or more source drivers;
a downstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, each of the downstream links configured to transfer data from the timing controller to one of the one or more source drivers; and
an upstream link for each of the one or more source drivers, each of the upstream links configured to transfer uplink data from one of the one or more source drivers to the timing controller, wherein the uplink data includes downlink lock status information and touch data.

9. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein each upstream link couples to only a single source driver.

10. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein each upstream link is coupled directly from the one of the one or more source drivers to the timing controller.

11. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein the timing controller is configured to determine which of the one or more source drivers has successful downlink lock based on the lock status information.

12. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein the timing controller is configured to determine lock status based on a predetermined number of consecutive high or low values in the uplink data.

13. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein the timing controller is configured to instruct a source driver of the one or more source drivers, via the downstream link, to initiate link training in response to the lock status information indicating a lack of lock.

14. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein the timing controller is configured to determine presence of an input object in a sensing region in response to the touch data received over the upstream link.

15. A method for operating an input device, comprising:
asserting a signal high on an upstream link after a power-on procedure, the upstream link configured to transfer uplink data from a single source driver of a display device to a timing controller, wherein the uplink data includes downlink lock status information and touch data;
locking the single source driver to a downstream link signal from the timing controller via link training on a downstream link;
after the single source driver is locked to the downstream link signal, pulling the upstream link signal low when no data transmission is occurring on the upstream link; and
asserting the upstream link signal high whenever lock is lost.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
performing link training for the downstream link after a predetermined number of high values are transmitted via the upstream link.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein link training is performed after more than seventeen consecutive high values are transmitted via the upstream link.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein N is the number of bits of data in a coding scheme, and link training is performed after more than 2N−2 consecutive high values are transmitted via the upstream link.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the touch data indicates presence of an input object in a sensing region.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining the lock status of a second source driver via a second upstream link.

Assignees

• Synaptics Inc

Inventors

• Morein Stephen L
• Shamarao Prashant
• Liu Zhibing

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · 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

• G06F3/04166

  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

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title