Apparatus and method for detecting a touch-sensor pad gesture

• US 20070291009A1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Grivna, Edward L., Sartore, Ronald H., Wright, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,169,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through 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 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus and method for distinguishing a particular gesture from among multiple gestures, performed by a conductive object on the sensing device, using fewer than three time intervals. The apparatus may include a sensing device to detect a presence of a conductive object, and a processing device, coupled to the sensing device, to distinguish the multiple gestures. The method may include distinguishing between a tap gesture, a double tap gesture, a drag gesture, and a motion gesture.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a presence of a conductive object on a sensing device; and

distinguishing a particular gesture from among a plurality of gestures, performed by the conductive object on the sensing device, using fewer than three time intervals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a tap gesture if the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is not detected by an end of a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a double tap gesture if the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is detected during a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, but is no longer detected by an end of the second time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a drag gesture if the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is detected during a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals and remains detected by an end of the second time interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a motion gesture if the presence of the conductive object remains detected at an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals.

6. A method, comprising:

starting a time interval when a presence of a conductive object is detected on a sensing device; and

at an end of the time interval, distinguishing a particular gesture from among a plurality of gestures, performed by the conductive object on the sensing device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein distinguishing the particular gesture at the end of the time interval comprises distinguishing the particular gesture regardless of a time between a subsequent presence and the presence of the conductive object.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device before the end of the time interval; and

determining a number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device before the end of the time interval.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a tap gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to one, and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a double tap gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to two and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to two.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a drag gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to one, and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to two.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a motion gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to zero and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the time interval comprises a first time period and a second time period, and wherein distinguishing the particular gesture comprises:

determining a number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device during each of the first and second time periods; and

determining a number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device during each of the first and second time periods.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a tap gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to one during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to zero during the second time period, and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to zero during the second time period.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a double tap gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to one during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to one during the second time period, and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one during the second time period.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a drag gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to one during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to zero during the second time period, and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one during the second time period.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein distinguishing comprises distinguishing that the particular gesture is a motion gesture when the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to zero during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one during the first time period, the number of times the conductive object moves away from the sensing device is equal to zero during the second time period, and the number of times the conductive object is detected on the sensing device is equal to one during the second time period.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a tap gesture if the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is not detected by an end of a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a double tap gesture if the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is detected during a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, but is no longer detected by an end of the second time interval.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a drag gesture if the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is detected during a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals and remains detected by an end of the second time interval.

21. The method of claim 6, wherein distinguishing comprises determining that the particular gesture is a motion gesture if the presence of the conductive object remains detected at an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensing device to detect a presence of a conductive object; and

a processing device coupled to the sensing device, the processing device to distinguish a particular gesture from among a plurality of gestures, performed by the conductive object on the sensing device, using fewer than three time intervals.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processing device is configured to determine that the particular gesture is a tap gesture when the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is not detected by an end of a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processing device is configured to determine that the particular gesture is a double tap gesture when the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is detected during a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, but is no longer detected by an end of the second time interval.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processing device is configured to determine that the particular gesture is a drag gesture when the presence of the conductive object is no longer detected before an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals, and a subsequent presence is detected during a second time interval of the fewer than three time intervals and remains detected by an end of the second time interval.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processing device is configured to determine that the particular gesture is a motion gesture when the presence of the conductive object remains detected at an end of a first time interval of the fewer than three time intervals.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processing device comprises one or more capacitance sensors coupled to the sensing device, the one or more capacitance sensors to measure a capacitance on the sensing device.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensing device comprise one or more sensor elements, wherein the one or more capacitance sensors comprise a relaxation oscillator coupled to the one or more sensor elements, and wherein the relaxation oscillator comprises:

a current source to provide a charge current to the one or more sensor elements;

a selection circuit coupled to the sensing device and the current source, the selection circuit to sequentially select a sensor element of the one or more sensor elements to provide the charge current and to measure the capacitance of each sensor element of the one or more sensor elements;

a comparator coupled to the current source and the selection circuit, the comparator to compare a voltage on the selected sensor element and a threshold voltage; and

a reset switch coupled to the comparator, current source, and selection circuit, the reset switch to reset the charge current on the selected sensor element, and wherein the capacitance sensor further comprises a digital counter coupled to the relaxation oscillator, the digital counter to count at least one of a frequency or a period of a relaxation oscillator output received from the relaxation oscillator.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a component external to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to send data to the component when the particular gesture is recognized.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the component external to the processing device is at least one of a processor, a driver of a processor, or an embedded controller.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the data is at least one of a command or a signal.

32. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the conductive object is at least one of a finger or a stylus.

33. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the sensing device is at least one of a touch-sensor pad, a touch-sensor slider, or a touch-sensor button.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensing device to detect a presence of a conductive object; and

means for distinguishing a particular gesture from among a plurality of gestures, performed by the conductive object on the sensing device, using fewer than three time intervals.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for starting at time interval when a presence of a conductive object is detected on a sensing device, wherein the means for distinguishing comprises means for distinguishing the particular gesture at an end of the time interval.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the particular gesture is at least one of a tap gesture, a double tap gesture, a drag gesture, or a motion gesture.