Channel scan logic

• US 10,031,609 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vu, Minh-Dieu Thi, Wilson, Thomas James, Krah, Christoph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ma, Calvin C
• Application Number:
  US14/730,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20150268791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345204, 178 1801- 1804, 710 14, 713 2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 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 Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 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 Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A device that can autonomously scan a sensor panel is disclosed. Autonomous scanning can be performed by implementing channel scan logic. In one embodiment, channel scan logic carries out many of the functions that a processor would normally undertake, including generating timing sequences and obtaining result data; comparing scan result data against a threshold value (e.g., in an auto-scan mode); generating row count; selecting one or more scanning frequency bands; power management control; and performing an auto-scan routine in a low power mode.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

channel scan logic capable of being coupled to an event-sensitive panel that provides one or more output signals indicative of an event condition on the panel, the channel scan logic configured to autonomously scan the panel with an alternating current (AC) signal that is periodic over one or more time intervals to detect an event condition substantially free of processor control.

2. The device of claim 1, the channel scan logic further configured to autonomously scan the panel by applying one or more AC signals to one or more electrodes of the event-sensitive panel.

3. The device of claim 2, the channel scan logic further configured for controlling timing sequences and sensor address information used to apply the one or more AC signals to the one or more electrodes.

4. The device of claim 1, the channel scan logic further configured to autonomously capture the output signals from one or more electrodes of the event-sensitive panel.

5. The device of claim 1, the channel scan logic further configured to wake up the processor upon the detection of the event condition.

6. The device of claim 5, the channel scan logic further configured for autonomously scanning the panel by repeatedly stimulating the panel with the AC signal until a request is received from the processor to stop scanning.

7. The device of claim 5, the channel scan logic further configured for autonomously scanning one row of the panel by stimulating the row with the AC signal and waiting to scan another row until a request is received from the processor to scan another row.

8. The device of claim 5, the channel scan logic further configured for autonomously scanning one frame of the panel with the AC signal and waiting to scan another frame until a request is received from the processor to scan another frame.

9. A method for scanning an event-sensitive panel, comprising:

autonomously scanning the event-sensitive panel for event or no-event conditions on the panel by applying an alternating current (AC) signal that is periodic over one or more time intervals, the autonomous scanning performed substantially free of processor control;

detecting an event condition on the panel; and

waking up a processor upon the detection of the event condition.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising autonomously scanning the panel by applying one or more AC signals to one or more electrodes of the event-sensitive panel.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling timing sequences and sensor address information used to apply the one or more AC signals to the one or more electrodes.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising autonomously capturing output signals from one or more electrodes of the event-sensitive panel.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising autonomously scanning the panel until a request is received from the processor to stop scanning.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising autonomously scanning one row of the panel and waiting to scan another row until a request is received from the processor to scan another row.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising autonomously scanning one frame of the panel and waiting to scan another frame until a request is received from the processor to scan another frame.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, if executed by a programmable electronic device, causes the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

autonomously scanning an event-sensitive panel for event or no-event conditions on the panel by applying an alernating current (AC) signal that is periodic over one or more time intervals, the autonomous scanning performed substantially free of processor control;

detecting an event condition on the panel; and

waking up a processor upon the detection of the event condition.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the method further comprising autonomously scanning the panel by applying one or more AC signals to one or more electrodes of the event-sensitive panel.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the method further comprising controlling timing sequences and sensor address information used to apply the one or more AC signals to the one or more electrodes.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the method further comprising autonomously capturing output signals from one or more electrodes of the event-sensitive panel.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the method further comprising autonomously scanning the panel until a request is received from the processor to stop scanning.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising autonomously scanning one row of the panel and waiting to scan another row until a request is received from the processor to scan another row.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the method further comprising autonomously scanning one frame of the panel and waiting to scan another frame until a request is received from the processor to scan another frame.