Dynamic configuration of touch sensor electrode clusters

• US 10,037,119 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brunet, Samuel, Collins, Richard Paul, Hristov, Luben Hristov, Myren, Steinar, Pedersen, Trond Jarle, Stavely, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adams, Carl
• Application Number:
  US15/875,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/0445 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

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 plurality of electrodes of the sensor to form a first cluster pattern including a first cluster and a second cluster. The first cluster and the second cluster each include two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes. The logic is further operable to determine a value associated with a capacitance of a first cluster and configure, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern. The second cluster pattern includes a third cluster and a fourth cluster. The third cluster and the fourth cluster each include two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes and the third cluster is interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes; and

a controller comprising;

a processor; and

a memory comprising logic operable, when executed by the processor, to;

configure the plurality of electrodes of the sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a first cluster and a second cluster, the first cluster and the second cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes;

determine a value associated with a capacitance of the first cluster; and

configure, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a third cluster and a fourth cluster, the third cluster and the fourth cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the third cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the second cluster pattern further comprising a fifth cluster, the fifth cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the fifth cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the fifth cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

3. 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 the first cluster pattern; 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 the second cluster pattern.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the third cluster comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the third cluster are adjacent to one another.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein determining the value comprises measuring a voltage associated with the first cluster after application of a voltage to the first cluster.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises a first electrode, a second electrode adjacent to first electrode, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode, and a fifth electrode adjacent to the fourth electrode;

the first cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;

the second cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode;

the third cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

the fourth cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the third electrode and the fifth electrode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination of the value utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

8. A method comprising:

configuring a plurality of electrodes of a sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a first cluster and a second cluster, the first cluster and the second cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes;

determining a value associated with a capacitance of the first cluster; and

configuring, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a third cluster and a fourth cluster, the third cluster and the fourth cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the third cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

9. The method of claim 8, the second cluster pattern further comprising a fifth cluster, the fifth cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality a electrodes, the fifth cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the fifth cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

10. The method of claim 8, 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 the first cluster pattern; 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 the second cluster pattern.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the third cluster comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the third cluster are adjacent to one another.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the value comprises measuring a voltage associated with the first cluster after application of a voltage to the first cluster.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises a first electrode, a second electrode adjacent to first electrode, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode, and a fifth electrode adjacent to the fourth electrode;

the first cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;

the second cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode;

the third cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

the fourth cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the third electrode and the fifth electrode.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the determination of the value utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising logic, the 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 first cluster and a second cluster, the first cluster and the second cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes;

determining a value associated with a capacitance of the first cluster; and

configuring, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a third cluster and a fourth cluster, the third cluster and the fourth cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the third cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

16. The medium of claim 15, the second cluster pattern further comprising a fifth cluster, the fifth cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the fifth cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the fifth cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

17. The medium of claim 15, 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 the first cluster pattern; 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 the second cluster pattern.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein:

the third cluster comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the third cluster are adjacent to one another.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein determining the value comprises measuring a voltage associated with the first cluster after application of a voltage to the first cluster.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises a first electrode, a second electrode adjacent to first electrode, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode, and a fifth electrode adjacent to the fourth electrode;

the first cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;

the second cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode;

the third cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

the fourth cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the third electrode and the fifth electrode.