Touch location determination involving multiple touch location processes

• US 20060279548A1
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Geaghan, Bernard O.
• Granted Patent: US 9,019,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-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 and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

Touch location determination approaches involving a plurality of touch location techniques are described. Each touch location technique is capable of independently determining a location of a touch within a touch area of the touch sensitive device. The touch location determination made by at least one touch location technique is enhanced using touch location information associated with the touch acquired from one or more other touch location techniques. One touch location technique may use a different type of sensor, signal, and/or algorithm from the one or more other touch location techniques.

Claims

1. A method for use with a touch sensitive device, comprising:

providing a plurality of touch location techniques, each touch location technique capable of independently determining a location of a touch within a touch area of the touch sensitive device; and

enhancing a touch location determination made by at least one touch location technique of the plurality of touch location techniques using touch location information associated with the touch acquired from one or more other of the plurality of touch location techniques.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one touch location technique determines the touch location with a first degree of precision and the one or more other touch location techniques determine the touch location with a second degree of precision.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one touch location technique determines the touch location with first degree of accuracy and the one or more other touch location techniques determine the touch location with a second degree of accuracy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein enhancing the touch location determination comprises adjusting data acquired by the at least one touch location technique using the touch information acquired by the one or more other touch location techniques.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch location information comprises a pre-touch location of the touch prior to touch down.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one touch location technique uses a different type of sensor from the one or more other touch location techniques.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one touch location technique uses a different type of signal from the one or more other touch location techniques.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one touch location technique uses a different type of algorithm from the one or more other touch location techniques.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein enhancing the touch location determination comprises correcting errors associated with the at least one touch location technique using the touch location information acquired from the one or more other touch location techniques.

10. A touch sensitive device, comprising:

a plurality of touch detectors, comprising;

at least one touch detector configured to determine a location of a touch on a touch panel; and

one or more other touch detectors configured to acquire touch location information; and

processing circuitry coupled to the plurality of touch detectors, the processing circuitry configured to enhance a touch location determination made by at the least one touch detector using the touch location information associated with the touch acquired using the one or more other touch detectors.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one touch detector is configured to determine the touch location with a first degree of precision and the one or more other touch detectors are configured to determine the touch location with a second degree of precision.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one touch detector is configured to determine the touch location with a first degree of accuracy and the one or more other touch detectors are configured to determine the touch location with a second degree of accuracy.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to adjust data acquired by the at least one touch detector using the touch location information acquired by the one or more other touch detectors.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one touch detector comprises a first type of touch sensor and the one or more other touch detectors comprise one or more other types of touch sensors.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one touch detector uses a first type of touch detection algorithm and the one or more other touch detectors use one or more other types of touch detection algorithms.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of touch detectors comprises the same type of touch sensor and the at least one touch detector uses a first type of touch detection algorithm and the one or more other touch detectors use one or more other types of touch detection algorithms.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry uses the touch location information acquired by the one or more other touch detectors to correct for errors in the touch location determination made by the at least one touch detector.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the touch location information acquired by the one or more other touch detectors comprises pre-touch location information.

19. A touch sensitive system, comprising:

a plurality of touch detectors, each touch detector capable of independently determining a location of a touch on a touch panel; and

means for enhancing a touch location determination within the touch area made by at least one touch detector of the plurality of touch detectors using touch location information associated with the touch acquired from one or more other touch detectors of the plurality of touch detectors.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for adjusting a signal acquired by the at least one touch detector using the touch location information acquired from the one or more other touch detectors.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of touch detectors comprises the same type of sensor.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one touch detector uses a different type of touch determination methodology from the one or more other touch detectors.