Capacitive touch sensor button activation

• US 20070176903A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Nemecek, Craig, Page, Andrew, Dahlin, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US11/343,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176903A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96058 Fail-safe touch switches, where switching takes place only after repeated touch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch

Abstract

A first touch is sensed at a first button on a capacitive touch sensor. A second button on the capacitive touch sensor is activated using one of a search-and-tap technique or a search-and-lift technique.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sensing a first touch at a first button on a capacitive touch sensor; and

activating a second button on the capacitive touch sensor using one of a search-and-tap technique or a search-and-lift technique.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the search-and-tap technique includes:

sensing a lift at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor;

sensing a second touch at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor; and

activating the second button in response to the second touch.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether a time between the first touch and the second touch exceeds a timeout threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the search-and-lift technique includes:

sensing a lift at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor; and

activating the second button in response to the lift.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a drag from the first button to the second button without activating any buttons on the capacitive touch sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first button and the second button are a same button.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a physical locating element to enable a user to find the first button without looking at the capacitive touch sensor.

8. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium including instructions that, if executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising;

sensing a first touch at a first button on a capacitive touch sensor; and

activating a second button on the capacitive touch sensor using one of a search-and-tap technique or a search-and-lift technique.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the search-and-tap technique includes:

sensing a lift at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor;

sensing a second touch at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor; and

activating the second button in response to the second touch.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions that, if executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a time between the first touch and the second touch exceeds a timeout threshold.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the search-and-lift technique includes:

sensing a lift at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor; and

activating the second button in response to the lift.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions that, if executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

sensing a drag from the first button to the second button without activating any buttons on the capacitive touch sensor.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the first button and the second button are a same button.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a physical locating element to enable a user to find the first button without looking at the capacitive touch sensor.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a capacitive touch sensor coupled to the processor;

a storage unit coupled to the processor, wherein the storage unit including instructions that, if executed by the processor, will cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

sensing a first touch at a first button on the capacitive touch sensor; and

activating a second button on the capacitive touch sensor using one of a search-and-tap technique or a search-and-lift technique.

16. The mobile device of claim 15 wherein the search-and-tap technique includes:

sensing a lift at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor;

sensing a second touch at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor; and

activating the second button in response to the second touch.

17. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions that, if executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a time between the first touch and the second touch exceeds a timeout threshold.

18. The mobile device of claim 15 wherein the search-and-lift technique includes:

sensing a lift at the second button on the capacitive touch sensor; and

activating the second button in response to the lift.

19. The mobile device of claim 15 wherein the first button and the second button are a same button.

20. The mobile device of claim 15 wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a physical locating element to enable a user to find the first button without looking at the capacitive touch sensor.