Fast multi-touch stylus and sensor

• US 10,372,281 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
• Original Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
• Inventors: Leigh, Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph R
• Application Number:
  US15/807,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20180074616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04109 FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/04182 Filtering of noise external to the device and not generated by digitiser components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• 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 stylus and touch sensitive device are disclosed. The stylus includes a stylus transmitter for transmitting a stylus signal. The touch sensitive device includes row conductors, each of which is associated with a row transmitter and a row receiver. The row transmitter is adapted to simultaneously transmit row signals, each on its associated row conductor, each of the row signals being orthogonal to each other of the plurality of row signals transmitted on each other of the row conductors. The row receiver is adapted to detect the stylus signal. Column conductors are provided, each associated with a column receiver that is adapted to detect the presence of each of the row signals transmitted by the row transmitter and the stylus signal.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing stylus modulation with a signal received from a sensor, the sensor having a plurality of row conductors, each of the plurality of row conductors having a unique orthogonal row signal thereon and each unique orthogonal row signal being orthogonal to each other unique orthogonal row signal, a stylus comprising a stylus receiver adapted to receive signals present on row conductors, the method comprising:

a. receiving on a stylus receiver at least one of the unique orthogonal row signals; and

b. synchronizing a stylus modulation to at least one of the received unique orthogonal row signals;

c. generating a modulated stylus signal based on the stylus modulation; and

wherein the stylus further comprises a stylus transmitter adapted to transmit a stylus signal, the stylus signal being orthogonal to each of the unique orthogonal row signals, the method further comprising a step of transmitting the modulated stylus signal with the stylus transmitter.

2. A modulation synchronizing stylus, comprising:

a. a body having a tip;

b. a receiver configured to receive at least one signal present on at least one conductor in a sensor having a plurality of conductors;

c. a signal generator operatively connected to the receiver, the signal generator being adapted to synchronize a modulation to at least one of the at least one signal received by the receiver, and to generate a stylus signal based on the modulation; and

d. a transmitter located near the tip, the transmitter adapted to transmit the stylus signal, the stylus signal being orthogonal to each unique orthogonal signal present on each conductor in the sensor, the transmitter further adapted to transmit the stylus signal based on the modulation with the transmitter.