Detection of non-touch inputs using a signature

• US 10,585,522 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sentons, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sentons, Inc.
• Inventors: Lynn, Lapoe E., Altekar, Shirish A., Maximov, Stanislav
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa-Gibson, Gloryvid
• Application Number:
  US15/811,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20180246612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

A propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium is received where a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided. It is determined whether the detected disturbance matches a signature and in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, it is determined that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

receive a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes;

determining an amount of phase change based at least in part on a phase associated with the propagating signal and a phase reference;

determining an amount of amplitude attenuation based at least in part on an amplitude associated with the propagating signal and an amplitude reference;

determining if the amplitude attenuation does not exceed an amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does not exceed the amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation exceeds the amplitude related threshold or the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determine that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes:

determining if the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the amount of phase change results from one or more of the following:

a time shift or a propagation delay.

4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance to the propagating signal does not match the signature, update reference data associated with a transmitter-receiver pair using the received propagating signal, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair exchanged the propagating signal.

5. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

receive a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes;

determining an amount of phase change based at least in part on a phase associated with the propagating signal and a phase reference;

determining an amount of amplitude attenuation based at least in part on;

(1) a first amplitude associated with a first propagating signal exchanged between a first transmitter-receiver pair, (2) a first amplitude reference associated with the first transmitter-receiver pair, (3) a second amplitude associated with a second propagating signal exchanged between a second transmitter-receiver pair, (4) a second amplitude reference associated with the second transmitter-receiver pair;

determining if the amplitude attenuation does not exceed an amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does not exceed the amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does exceed the amplitude related threshold or the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determine that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input.

6. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

receive a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes;

determining an amount of phase change based at least in part on;

(1) a first phase associated with a first propagating signal exchanged between a first transmitter-receiver pair, (2) a first phase reference associated with the first transmitter-receiver pair, (3) a second phase associated with a second propagating signal exchanged between a second transmitter-receiver pair, (4) a second phase reference associated with the second transmitter-receiver pair;

determining an amount of amplitude attenuation based at least in part on an amplitude associated with the propagating signal and an amplitude reference;

determining if the amplitude attenuation does not exceed an amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does not exceed the amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does exceed the amplitude related threshold or the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determine that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input.

7. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

receive a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature;

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determine that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input;

update reference data associated with a transmitter-receiver pair using the propagating signal, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair exchanged the propagating signal and the update of the reference data occurred while the detected disturbance to the propagating signal matched the signature;

after receiving the propagating signal, receive a second propagating signal exchanged by the transmitter-receiver pair;

determine whether a detected disturbance to the second propagating signal matches the signature; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance to the second propagating signal does not match the signature, update the reference data associated with the transmitter-receiver pair using the received second propagating signal.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

using a processor to determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes;

determining an amount of phase change based at least in part on a phase associated with the propagating signal and a phase reference;

determining an amount of amplitude attenuation based at least in part on an amplitude associated with the propagating signal and an amplitude reference;

determining if the amplitude attenuation does not exceed an amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does not exceed the amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation exceeds the amplitude related threshold or the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determining that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes:

determining if the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched.

10. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the amount of phase change results from one or more of the following:

a time shift or a propagation delay.

11. The method recited in claim 8 further comprising:

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance to the propagating signal does not match the signature, updating reference data associated with a transmitter-receiver pair using the received propagating signal, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair exchanged the propagating signal.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

using a processor to determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes;

determining an amount of phase change based at least in part on a phase associated with the propagating signal and a phase reference;

determining an amount of amplitude attenuation based at least in part on;

(1) a first amplitude associated with a first propagating signal exchanged between a first transmitter-receiver pair, (2) a first amplitude reference associated with the first transmitter-receiver pair, (3) a second amplitude associated with a second propagating signal exchanged between a second transmitter-receiver pair, (4) a second amplitude reference associated with the second transmitter-receiver pair;

determining if the amplitude attenuation does not exceed an amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does not exceed the amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does exceed the amplitude related threshold or the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determining that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

using a processor to determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature, wherein determining whether the signature is matched includes;

determining an amount of phase change based at least in part on;

(1) a first phase associated with a first propagating signal exchanged between a first transmitter-receiver pair, (2) a first phase reference associated with the first transmitter-receiver pair, (3) a second phase associated with a second propagating signal exchanged between a second transmitter-receiver pair, (4) a second phase reference associated with the second transmitter-receiver pair;

determining an amount of amplitude attenuation based at least in part on an amplitude associated with the propagating signal and an amplitude reference;

determining if the amplitude attenuation does not exceed an amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds a phase related threshold;

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does not exceed the amplitude related threshold and the phase change exceeds the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the amplitude attenuation does exceed the amplitude related threshold or the phase change does not exceed the phase related threshold, declaring that the signature has not been matched; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determining that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

using a processor to determine whether the detected disturbance matches a signature;

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determining that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input;

updating reference data associated with a transmitter-receiver pair using the propagating signal, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair exchanged the propagating signal and the update of the reference data occurred while the detected disturbance to the propagating signal matched the signature;

after receiving the propagating signal, receiving a second propagating signal exchanged by the transmitter-receiver pair;

determining whether a detected disturbance to the second propagating signal matches the signature; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance to the second propagating signal does not match the signature, updating the reference data associated with the transmitter-receiver pair using the received second propagating signal.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a propagating signal transmitted through a propagating medium, wherein a detected disturbance to a signal property of the propagating signal is analyzed to detect whether a touch input has been provided;

determining whether the detected disturbance matches a signature;

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance matches the signature, determining that the detected disturbance does not correspond to the touch input;

updating reference data associated with a transmitter-receiver pair using the propagating signal, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair exchanged the propagating signal and the update of the reference data occurred while the detected disturbance to the propagating signal matched the signature;

after receiving the propagating signal, receiving a second propagating signal exchanged by the transmitter-receiver pair;

determining whether a detected disturbance to the second propagating signal matches the signature; and

in the event it is determined that the detected disturbance to the second propagating signal does not match the signature, updating the reference data associated with the transmitter-receiver pair using the received second propagating signal.