Burst-mode self-capacitance measurement with compensated capacitance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9921691-B2
Application number	US-201213475750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2012
Priority date	May 18, 2012
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes applying a supply voltage across a compensation capacitor; dividing charge between a capacitance of a touch sensor and the compensation capacitor; and performing the application of the supply voltage and the dividing of charge a pre-determined number of times. A first amount of charge of the compensation capacitor 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 difference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
incrementally modifying a first amount of charge a pre-determined number of times, each incremental modification of the first amount of charge comprising coupling a particular electrode of a plurality of electrodes in series with a compensation capacitor, wherein a first terminal of the compensation capacitor is configured to be connected to an input node and a second terminal of the compensation capacitor is configured to be connected to a power supply and, while the particular electrode is coupled to the compensation capacitor:
applying a supply voltage across the compensation capacitor, thereby dividing charge between the capacitance corresponding to the particular electrode and the compensation capacitor; and
coupling terminals of the compensation capacitor together, wherein the pre-determined number of times comprising more than one time and resulting in a first voltage of the particular electrode at the 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 of the particular electrode and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
determining a first difference between the first voltage of the particular electrode and the reference voltage based on the 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 of the integration capacitor;
applying ground across the compensation capacitor;
dividing charge between the capacitance of the touch sensor and the compensation capacitor;
performing the application of ground and the dividing of charge the pre-determined number of times, a third amount of charge of the compensation capacitor resulting in a second voltage of the particular electrode 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 of the particular electrode 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 , further comprising:
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 , further comprising grounding the capacitance of the touch sensor prior to the application of the supply voltage across the compensation capacitor.

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:
incrementally modify a first amount of charge a pre-determined number of times, each incremental modification of the first amount of charge comprising coupling a particular electrode of a plurality of electrodes in series with a compensation capacitor, wherein a first terminal of the compensation capacitor is configured to be connected to an input node and a second terminal of the compensation capacitor is configured to be connected to a power supply and, while the particular electrode is coupled to the compensation capacitor:
applying a supply voltage across the compensation capacitor, thereby dividing charge between the capacitance corresponding to the particular electrode and the compensation capacitor; and
coupling terminals of the compensation capacitor together, wherein the pre-determined number of times comprising more than one time and resulting in a first voltage of the particular electrode at the 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 of the particular electrode and the reference voltage on an integration capacitor;
determine a first difference between the first voltage of the particular electrode 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 of the integration capacitor;
apply ground across the compensation capacitor;
divide charge between the capacitance of the touch sensor and the compensation capacitor;
perform the application of ground and the dividing of charge the pre-determined number of times, a third amount of charge of the compensation capacitor resulting in a second voltage of the particular electrode 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 of the particular electrode 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 logic is further configured to ground the capacitance of the touch sensor prior to the application of the supply voltage across the compensation capacitor.

12. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
modify the capacitance of the compensation capacitor; and
minimize 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:
incrementally modify a first amount of charge a pre-determined number of times, each incremental modification of the first amount of charge comprising coupling a particular electrode of a plurality of electrodes in series with a compensation capacitor, wherein a first terminal of the compensation capacitor is configured to be connected to an input node and a second terminal of the compensation capacitor is configured to be connected to a power supply and, while the particular electrode is coupled to the compensation capacitor:
applying a supply voltage across the compensation capacitor, thereby dividing charge between the capacitance corresponding to the particular electrode and the compensation capacitor; and
coupling terminals of the compensation cap

Assignees

• Hanssen Ingar
• Whelan Rian
• Atmel Corp

Inventors

• Hanssen Ingar
• Whelan Rian

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0445 Primary

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

• G06F3/0443

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · CPC title