Fast multi-touch stylus and sensor

• US 10,613,693 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• 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:
  US16/008,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20180299993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 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 stylus and touch sensitive device comprising:

a. the stylus comprising a stylus transmitter for transmitting a stylus signal comprising a plurality of frequencies;

b. the touch sensitive device comprising

i. a plurality of row conductors, each of the plurality of row conductors associated with a row transmitter and a row receiver, the row transmitter adapted to simultaneously transmit a plurality of row signals, each on its associated row conductor, each of the row signals being orthogonal to each of the other plurality of row signals transmitted on each other of the plurality of row conductors, the row receiver being adapted to detect the stylus signal to the extent present on the row conductors;

ii. a plurality of column conductors, each of the plurality of column conductors associated with a column receiver, the column receiver being adapted to detect the presence of each of the row signals transmitted by the row transmitter associated with each of the row conductors and the stylus signal to the extent that such stylus and row signals are present on the column conductors;

iii. a processor for determining a location of the at least one transmitter with respect to the touch sensitive device based upon the stylus and row signals received by the row receivers and the column receivers;

c. wherein the stylus signal comprising a plurality of frequencies is orthogonal to each of the plurality of row signals.

4. The stylus and touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the row signals are frequency orthogonal to each of the other plurality of row signals.

5. The stylus and touch sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the stylus signal comprising a plurality of frequencies is frequency orthogonal to each of the plurality of row signals.

2. A method for detecting a position of a stylus with respect to a touch sensitive device, the touch sensitive device comprising a plurality of row conductors and a plurality of column conductors, the method comprising:

simultaneously transmitting each of a plurality of orthogonal row signals on a respective one of at least some of the plurality of row conductors;

transmitting a plurality of frequency orthogonal stylus signals from a stylus in proximity to the touch sensitive device, the plurality of frequency orthogonal stylus signals being orthogonal to each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals;

detecting an amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals and each of the plurality of frequency orthogonal stylus signals present on each of the plurality of column conductors;

using at least the detected amount of the plurality of frequency orthogonal stylus signals to detect a position of the stylus with respect to the touch sensitive device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals are frequency orthogonal.

3. A stylus and touch sensitive device comprising:

a touch surface having a first plurality of conductors and a second plurality of conductors, each of the first plurality of conductors being associated with a transmitter adapted to transmit one of a plurality of first signals thereon, each of the plurality of second conductors being associated with a receiver adapted to receive signals on the respective ones of the plurality of second conductors, and the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors being oriented such that a touch event proximate to the touch surface causes a change in coupling between at least one of the first plurality of conductors and at least one of the second plurality of conductors, each of the plurality of first signals being orthogonal to each other of the plurality of first signals; and

a stylus body having a signal transmitter near its tip from which stylus signals are transmitted, wherein the stylus signals comprise multiple frequencies simultaneously, and wherein the stylus signals are orthogonal to each of the plurality of first signals.

7. The stylus and touch sensitive device of claim 3, wherein the stylus signals are frequency orthogonal to each of the plurality of first signals.

8. A sensing system comprising:

first signal generator adapted to generate a first source signal comprising at least one frequency from a plurality of orthogonal frequencies, each of the plurality of orthogonal frequencies being a different frequency from and orthogonal to each other of the plurality of orthogonal frequencies;

the first signal generator configured to be operatively connected to a conductive source for transmission;

second signal generator adapted to generate a second source signal comprising at least one other frequency from the plurality of orthogonal frequencies, the at least one other frequency being different frequency from and orthogonal to the at least one frequency;

sensor receiver comprising a plurality of conductors operatively connected to a receiver, the plurality of conductors each being adapted to conduct each of the plurality of orthogonal frequencies;

a signal processor operatively connected to the receiver, the processor adapted to determine an amount associated with each of the plurality of frequencies for each of the conductors, and to determine a position associated with the first signal source relative to the sensor receiver based upon the determined amounts; and

wherein the second signal generator is configured to be operatively connected to a plurality of sensor transmitters, each sensor transmitter being capacitively coupled with at least one of the plurality of conductors operatively connected to the receiver.

9. The sensing system of claim 8, wherein the second signal generator is configured to be operatively connected to another conductive source for transmission.

10. The sensing system of claim 8, wherein the second signal generator is configured to generate a separate orthogonal second source signal on each of the plurality of sensor transmitters, wherein each of the separate orthogonal second source signals are different from and orthogonal to each other of the separate orthogonal second source signals.