Pin sharing circuit, pin sharing method, electronic device and electronic wire using the same

• US 10,261,687 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Yu-Han, Chen, Chien-An, Liao, Chi-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/651,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 341 33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/22 Means for limiting or controlling the pin/gate ratio
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96078 Sensor being a wire or a strip, e.g. used in automobile door handles or bumpers

Abstract

Provided herein are a pin sharing circuit, a pin sharing method and an electronic device, an electronic wire using the same. The pin sharing circuit enables at least one pin on an integrated circuit to be shared by a keyboard device and a touch panel and prevents signal interference between the keyboard device and the touch panel using an impedance element disposed on a wire for the pin, such that the pin can output or receive a stimulation signal and a sensor signal that contain both an AC component and a DC component so as to enhance the efficiency of the overall system and prevent the stimulation signal and the sensor signal from conflicts between the keyboard device and the touch panel.

Claims

1. A pin sharing circuit for use between a keyboard device and a touch panel, said pin sharing circuit comprising:

an integrated circuit comprising at least one first shared pin, wherein said first shared pin is configured to output a stimulation signal containing an alternating current (AC) component and a direct current (DC) component; and

a first wire configured to enable said at least one first shared pin on said integrated circuit to be coupled to an input terminal of said keyboard device and an input terminal of said touch panel, wherein said first wire comprises a first impedance element coupled between said input terminal of said keyboard device and said at least one first shared pin and configured to filter said stimulation signal so as to filter out said AC component of said stimulation signal such that said AC component flowing through said keyboard device is not affecting said touch panel.

2. The pin sharing circuit of claim 1, wherein said first impedance element comprises at least one passive element and/or at least one diode.

3. The pin sharing circuit of claim 2, wherein said pin sharing circuit further comprises:

at least one first input pin disposed on said integrated circuit and configured to receive a first sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said keyboard device; and

at least one second input pin disposed on said integrated circuit and configured to receive a second sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said touch panel.

4. The pin sharing circuit of claim 2, wherein when the time said stimulation signal contains said AC component and the time said stimulation signal contains said DC component are staggered from each other, said pin sharing circuit further comprises:

at least one second shared pin disposed on said integrated circuit and configured to receive a first sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said keyboard device and a second sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said touch panel; and

a second wire configured to enable said at least one second shared pin on said integrated circuit to be coupled to said output terminal of said keyboard device and said output terminal of said touch panel, wherein said second wire comprises a second impedance element coupled between said output terminal of said keyboard device and said at least one second shared pin and configured to filter said first sensor signal so as to filter out said AC component of said first sensor signal.

5. A pin sharing method for use between a keyboard device and a touch panel, said pin sharing method comprising:

outputting a stimulation signal containing an alternating current (AC) component and a direct current (DC) component from at least one first shared pin on an integrated circuit;

using a first wire to enable said at least one first shared pin on said integrated circuit to be coupled to an input terminal of said keyboard device and an input terminal of said touch panel, wherein said first wire comprises a first impedance element coupled between said input terminal of said keyboard device and said at least one first shared pin; and

using said first impedance element to filter said stimulation signal so as to filter out said AC component of said stimulation signal such that said AC component flowing through said keyboard device is not affecting said touch panel.

6. The pin sharing method of claim 5, wherein said first impedance element comprises at least one passive element and/or at least one diode.

7. The pin sharing method of claim 6, further comprising:

using at least one first input pin disposed on said integrated circuit to receive a first sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said keyboard device; and

using at least one second input pin disposed on said integrated circuit to receive a second sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said touch panel.

8. The pin sharing method of claim 6, wherein when the time said stimulation signal contains said AC component and the time said stimulation signal contains said DC component are staggered from each other, said pin sharing method further comprises:

using a second wire to enable at least one second shared pin on said integrated circuit to be coupled to an output terminal of said keyboard device and an output terminal of said touch panel; and

using said at least one second shared pin to receive a first sensor signal outputted by said output terminal of said keyboard device and a second sensor signal outputted by said output terminal of said touch panel;

wherein said at least one second wire comprises a second impedance element coupled between said output terminal of said keyboard device and said at least one second shared pin and configured to filter said first sensor signal so as to filter out said AC component of said first sensor signal.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a keyboard device;

a touch panel; and

a pin sharing circuit, comprising;

an integrated circuit comprising at least one first shared pin and at least one second shared pin configured to receive a first sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said keyboard device, wherein said first shared pin is configured to output a stimulation signal containing an alternating current (AC) component and a direct current (DC) component; and

a first wire configured to enable said at least one first shared pin on said integrated circuit to be coupled to an input terminal of said keyboard device and an input terminal of said touch panel, and a second wire configured to enable said at least one second shared pin on said integrated circuit to be coupled to said output terminal of said keyboard device and said output terminal of said touch panel, wherein said second wire comprises a first impedance element coupled between said output terminal of said keyboard device and said at least one second shared pin and configured to filter said stimulation signal so as to filter out said AC component of said stimulation signal so as to prevent said AC component from entering into said integrated circuit.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein said first impedance element comprises at least one passive element and/or at least one diode.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein said pin sharing circuit further comprising:

at least one first input pin disposed on said integrated circuit and configured to receive said first sensor signal outputted by said output terminal of said keyboard device; and

at least one second input pin disposed on said integrated circuit and configured to receive a second sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said touch panel.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein

said at least one second shared pin is configured to receive a second sensor signal outputted by an output terminal of said touch panel;

and

wherein said first wire comprises a second impedance element coupled between said input terminal of said keyboard device and said at least one first shared pin and configured to filter said first sensor signal so as to filter out said AC component of said first sensor signal.