Capacitive touch control device, electricity charging controller, and electricity charged controller

• US 10,489,003 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Hsu, Che-Chia, Liao, Chi-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US16/022,903
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• 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 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94094 Wired transmission, e.g. via bus connection or similar

Abstract

A capacitive touch control device includes a plurality of switching assemblies for being respectively connected to transmitting wires that connect a capacitive electrode layer. Each of the switching assemblies includes a switch, a touch drive circuit, and an antenna circuit, the latter two of which are installed to the switch. Each of the switches is provided for being connected to the corresponding transmitting wire, and is configured to be in a touch mode by electrically coupling to the touch drive circuit or in an antenna mode by electrically coupling to the antenna circuit. When the switches are in the touch mode, the switching assemblies enable the capacitive electrode layer to provide a capacitive touch function. When at least one of the switches is in the antenna mode, the corresponding switching assembly enables the capacitive electrode layer to provide an antenna function.

Claims

1. A capacitive touch control device for being electrically coupled to a capacitive electrode layer through a plurality of transmitting wires, comprising:

a plurality of switching assemblies for being respectively connected to the transmitting wires, each of the switching assemblies including;

a switch for being connected to the corresponding transmitting wire; and

a touch drive circuit and an antenna circuit both installed to the switch, wherein the switch is configured to be in a touch mode by electrically coupling to the touch drive circuit or in an antenna mode by electrically coupling to the antenna circuit,

wherein when the switch of each of the switching assemblies is in the touch mode, the switching assemblies enable the capacitive electrode layer to provide a capacitive touch function through the transmitting wires; and

wherein when the switch of at least one of the switching assemblies is in the antenna mode, the at least one of the switching assemblies enables the capacitive electrode layer to provide an antenna function through the corresponding transmitting wire.

2. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the switch of at least one of the switching assemblies is in the antenna mode, at least two of the transmitting wires corresponding to the switch in the antenna mode are electrically coupled to each other to form one group.

3. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the switch of each of the switching assemblies is in the antenna mode, the transmitting wires are electrically coupled to each other to form more than one group.

4. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processor electrically coupled to the switching assemblies, wherein the processor is configured to control the switching assemblies to be in the touch mode and the antenna mode by turns.

5. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 1, for being electrically coupled to a display operable in time intervals each having a display time and a blank time, wherein the capacitive touch control device is configured to be operated in the blank time of each of the time intervals.

6. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the capacitive touch control device operates in a first segment of the blank time of each of the time intervals, the switch of each of the switching assemblies is in the touch mode;

when the capacitive touch control device operates in a second segment of the blank time of each of the time intervals, the switch of at least one of the switching assemblies is in the antenna mode.

7. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a touch transceiver electrically coupled to the touch drive circuits of the switching assemblies; and

an antenna transceiver electrically coupled to the antenna circuits of the switching assemblies.

8. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the switches of at least two of the switching assemblies are in the antenna mode, the antenna transceiver and the at least two of the switching assemblies are configured for electrically coupling at least one drive electrode of the capacitive electrode layer to at least one receive electrode of the capacitive electrode layer.

9. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the switch of each of the switching assemblies is in the antenna mode, the antenna transceiver and the switching assemblies are configured for electrically coupling a plurality of drive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer to a plurality of receive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer.

10. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch of each of the switching assemblies is configured to be in one of the touch mode, the antenna mode, and an open mode, and wherein when the switch of each of the switching assemblies is in the open mode, the switch does not electrically couple to the touch drive circuit and the antenna circuit.

11. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the switching assemblies include:

a plurality of first switching assemblies for being electrically coupled to a plurality of drive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer; and

a plurality of second switching assemblies for being electrically coupled to a plurality of receive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer,

wherein when the capacitive electrode layer provides the antenna function and the drive electrodes operate to transmit signal, the switch of each of the first switching assemblies is in the antenna mode, and the switch of each of the second switching assemblies is in the open mode, and

wherein when the capacitive electrode layer provides the antenna function and the receive electrodes operate to receive signal, the switch of each of the first switching assemblies is in the open mode, and the switch of each of the second switching assemblies is in the antenna mode.

12. A capacitive touch control device for being connected to a transmitting circuit being electrically coupled to a capacitive electrode layer, comprising:

a switching module for being electrically coupled to the capacitive electrode layer through the transmitting circuit; and

a touch transceiver and an antenna transceiver both connected to the switching module, wherein the switching module is configured for electrically coupling at least part of the capacitive electrode layer to the touch transceiver and the antenna transceiver by turns.

13. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 12, for being electrically coupled to a display operable in time intervals each having a display time and a blank time, wherein the capacitive touch control device is configured to be operated in the blank time of each of the time intervals.

14. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the capacitive touch control device operates in a first segment of the blank time of each of the time intervals, the touch transceiver is electrically coupled to the capacitive electrode layer by the switching module;

when the capacitive touch control device operates in a second segment of the blank time of each of the time intervals, the antenna transceiver is electrically coupled to at least part of the capacitive electrode layer by the switching module.

15. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the capacitive touch control device operates in the second segment of the blank time of each of the time intervals, the switching module and the antenna transceiver are configured for electrically coupling at least two capacitive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer to each other.

16. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the capacitive touch control device operates in the second segment of the blank time of each of the time intervals, the switching module and the antenna transceiver are configured for electrically coupling at least one drive electrode of the capacitive electrode layer to at least one receive electrode of the capacitive electrode layer.

17. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the switching module includes a plurality of switches each configured to be in one of a touch mode by electrically coupling to the touch transceiver, an antenna mode by electrically coupling to the antenna transceiver, and an open mode by not electrically coupling to the touch transceiver and the antenna transceiver.

18. The capacitive touch control device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the switches of the switching module are provided for being electrically coupled to a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of receive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer, respectively, wherein when the capacitive electrode layer provides an antenna function and the drive electrodes operate to transmit signal, a part of the switches electrically coupled to the drive electrodes are in the antenna mode, and the other switches electrically coupled to the receive electrodes are in the open mode, and wherein when the capacitive electrode layer provides an antenna function and the receive electrodes operate to receive signal, a part of the switches electrically coupled to the drive electrodes are in the open mode, and the other switches electrically coupled to the receive electrodes are in the antenna mode.

19. An electricity charging controller, comprising:

a plurality of first switching assemblies for being electrically coupled to a plurality of drive electrodes of a capacitive electrode layer, wherein each of the first switching assemblies includes a switch for being electrically coupled to the corresponding drive electrode, a touch drive circuit installed to the switch, and an antenna circuit installed to the switch, wherein in each of the first switching assemblies, the switch is configured to be in a touch mode by being electrically coupled to the touch drive circuit or in an antenna mode by being electrically coupled to the antenna circuit; and

a plurality of second switching assemblies for being electrically coupled to a plurality of receive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer, wherein each of the second switching assemblies includes a switch for being electrically coupled to the corresponding receive electrode and a touch drive circuit installed to the switch, wherein in each of the second switching assemblies, the switch is configured to be in a touch mode by being electrically coupled to the touch drive circuit or in an open mode by not being electrically coupled to the touch drive circuit,

wherein when the switch of each of the first switching assemblies is in the touch mode, the switch of each of the second switching assemblies is in the touch mode for enabling the capacitive electrode layer to provide a capacitive touch function; and

wherein when the switch of the first switching assemblies is in the antenna mode, the switch of each of the second switching assemblies is in the open mode for enabling the drive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer to provide a charging function.

20. An electricity charged controller, comprising:

a plurality of first switching assemblies for being electrically coupled to a plurality of drive electrodes of a capacitive electrode layer, wherein each of the first switching assemblies includes a switch for being electrically coupled to the corresponding drive electrode and a touch drive circuit installed to the switch, wherein in each of the first switching assemblies, the switch is configured to be in a touch mode by being electrically coupled to the touch drive circuit or in an open mode by not being electrically coupled to the touch drive circuit; and

a plurality of second switching assemblies for being electrically coupled to a plurality of receive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer, wherein each of the second switching assemblies includes a switch for being electrically coupled to the corresponding receive electrode, a touch drive circuit installed to the switch, and an antenna circuit installed to the switch, wherein in each of the second switching assemblies, the switch is configured to be in a touch mode by being electrically coupled to the touch drive circuit or in an antenna mode by being electrically coupled to the antenna circuit,

wherein when the switch of each of the second switching assemblies is in the touch mode, the switch of each of the first switching assemblies is in the touch mode for enabling the capacitive electrode layer to provide a capacitive touch function; and

wherein when the switch of the second switching assemblies is in the antenna mode, the switch of each of the first switching assemblies is in the open mode for enabling the receive electrodes of the capacitive electrode layer to provide a charged function.