Dynamic proximity object detection

• US 10,379,672 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhong, Yuan, Srinivasan, Umha Mahesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Application Number:
  US15/649,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20190018539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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

A method of dynamically adjusting a sensitivity of sensor electrodes configured for capacitive sensing in a sensing region of an input device. The input device detects a first input in the sensing region, and acquires force information about the first input via one or more force sensors coupled to the sensing region. The input device dynamically adjusts a sensitivity of the sensor electrodes based at least in part on an amplitude and duration of the force. In some aspects, the input device may increase the sensitivity of the sensor electrodes when a force of the first input exceeds a force threshold for at least a first threshold duration. In some other aspects, the input device may restore the sensitivity of the sensor electrodes to a prior configuration when no input is detected in the sensing region for at least a second threshold duration.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes configured for capacitive sensing in a sensing region of the input device;

one or more force sensors coupled to the sensing region;

processing circuitry; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the input device to;

detect a first input in the sensing region;

determine a force of the first input based on force information received via the one or more force sensors; and

dynamically increase a sensitivity of the plurality of sensor electrodes in response to an amplitude of the force exceeding a force threshold for at least a first threshold duration.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the input device to:

detect that a trigger condition is satisfied, at least in part, when the amplitude of the force exceeds the force threshold for at least the first threshold duration.

3. The input device of claim 2, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the input device to:

acquire capacitive sensing information about the first input via the plurality of sensor electrodes; and

determine, based on the capacitive sensing information, that a capacitive property of the first input is below a capacitive threshold.

4. The input device of claim 3, wherein the capacitive threshold is associated with a capacitive property of a gloved finger.

5. The input device of claim 3, wherein the trigger condition is satisfied when the amplitude of the force exceeds the force threshold for at least the first threshold duration and the capacitive property of the first input is below the capacitive threshold.

6. The input device of claim 3, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the input device to:

determine a capacitive sensing baseline for one or more of the sensor electrodes, when the trigger condition is satisfied, based at least in part on the capacitive sensing information about the first input.

7. The input device of claim 2, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the input device to:

request a second input from a user of the input device when the trigger condition is satisfied; and

adjust the sensitivity of the plurality of sensor electrodes upon receiving the second input.

8. The input device of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the input device to:

acquire capacitive sensing information about the second input via the plurality of sensor electrodes; and

determine a capacitive sensing baseline for one or more of the sensor electrodes based at least in part on the capacitive sensing information about the second input.

9. The input device of claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions to dynamically adjust the sensitivity of the plurality of sensor electrodes further causes the input device to:

restore the sensitivity of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a prior configuration when no input is detected in the sensing region for at least a second threshold duration.

10. A method of operating an input device, comprising:

detecting a first input in a sensing region of the input device;

determining a force of the first input based on force information received via one or more force sensors; and

dynamically increasing a sensitivity of a plurality of sensor electrodes in response to an amplitude of the force exceeds a force threshold for at least a first threshold duration, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes is configured for capacitive sensing in the sensing region.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting that a trigger condition is satisfied, at least in part, when the amplitude of the force exceeds the force threshold for at least the first threshold duration.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

acquiring capacitive sensing information about the first input via the plurality of sensor electrodes; and

determining, based on the capacitive sensing information, that a capacitive property of the first input is below a capacitive threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the trigger condition is satisfied when the amplitude of the force exceeds the force threshold for at least the first threshold duration and the capacitive property of the first input is below the capacitive threshold.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a capacitive sensing baseline for one or more of the sensor electrodes, when the trigger condition is satisfied, based at least in part on the capacitive sensing information about the first input.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

requesting a second input from a user of the input device when the trigger condition is satisfied; and

adjusting the sensitivity of the plurality of sensor electrodes upon receiving the second input.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

acquiring capacitive sensing information about the second input via the plurality of sensor electrodes; and

determining a capacitive sensing baseline for one or more of the sensor electrodes based at least in part on the capacitive sensing information about the second input.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

restoring the sensitivity of the plurality of sensor electrodes to a prior configuration when no input is detected in the sensing region for at least a second threshold duration.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of an input device, cause the input device to perform operations comprising:

detecting a first input in a sensing region of the input device;

determining a force of the first input based on force information received via one or more force sensors; and

dynamically increasing a sensitivity of a plurality of sensor electrodes in response to an amplitude of the force exceeding a force threshold for at least a first threshold duration, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes is configured for capacitive sensing in the sensing region.