Periodic sensor panel baseline adjustment

• US 20080158182A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Westerman, Wayne Carl
• Granted Patent: US 8,026,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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

Abstract

A periodic baseline adjustment algorithm is disclosed that can increment or decrement individual baseline sensor output values by one count to provide periodic fine-tuning of the baseline to track temperature drift. A scan of the sensor panel is performed after a dynamic adjustment time interval has passed. Previously computed offset values are subtracted from the sensor output values to normalize them. For any normalized sensor values that are positive, the offset values are incremented by one count. For any normalized sensor values that are negative, the offset values are decremented by one count. The algorithm waits the duration of a dynamic adjustment period before scanning the panel again. Dynamic adjustment intervals allow quick recovery for slight baseline inversions without adapting out far-field or touch objects very quickly. Adjustment intervals can depend on an average of background (non-patch) sensor output values.

Claims

1. A method for periodically evaluating baseline sensor output values for sensors in a multi-event sensor panel and performing baseline drift compensation, the method comprising:

performing a scan of the sensor panel to obtain new sensor output values;

normalizing each new sensor output value by subtracting a stored offset value for that sensor from the new sensor output value;

computing a background average of sensor output values not considered to be part of a patch of sensor output values presumed to be due to a touch or hover event;

choosing an adjustment interval for the baseline drift compensation as a function of the computed background average; and

performing baseline drift compensation at the chosen adjustment interval.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing baseline drift compensation by:

identifying normalized sensor output values that are positive and those that are negative;

for each positive normalized sensor output value, incrementing the stored offset value for the associated sensor by a first fixed amount; and

for each negative normalized sensor output value, decrementing the stored offset value for the associated sensor by a second fixed amount.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the adjustment value to a first interval if the background average is negative.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if the background average took more than a second interval to drift positive, setting the adjustment interval to a second interval longer than the first interval; and

if the background average is neutral or took less than the second interval to drift positive, then

if a small hover was detected in a previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a fourth interval longer than the second interval,

if a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a fifth interval longer than the fourth interval, and

if neither a small hover nor a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a third interval, the third interval between the second and fourth intervals in duration.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining that the background average is negative when the background average is about one standard deviation of background noise below neutral.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining that the background average is positive when the background average is about two standard deviation of background noise above neutral.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising

setting the adjustment interval to a first interval if the background average indicates that the sensor panel is warming up quickly.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

setting the adjustment interval to a second interval longer than the first interval if the background average indicates that the sensor panel is cooling down quickly; and

if the background average is neutral or took less than the second interval to drift positive, then

setting the adjustment interval to a fourth interval longer than the second interval if a previous sensor scan indicates an occurrence of a hover event,

setting the adjustment interval to a fifth interval longer than the fourth interval if the previous sensor scan indicates an occurrence of a touch event, and

if neither a small hover nor a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a third interval, the third interval between the second and fourth intervals in duration.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the panel processor further programmed for determining that the background average is negative when the background average is about one standard deviation of background noise below neutral.

9. An apparatus for periodically evaluating baseline sensor output values for sensors in a multi-event sensor panel and performing baseline drift compensation, comprising:

a panel processor programmed for

performing a scan of the sensor panel to obtain new sensor output values;

normalizing each new sensor output value by subtracting a stored offset value for that sensor from the new sensor output value;

computing a background average of sensor output values not considered to be part of a patch of sensor output values presumed to be due to a touch or hover event;

choosing an adjustment interval for the baseline drift compensation as a function of the computed background average; and

performing baseline drift compensation at the chosen adjustment interval.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the panel processor further programmed for performing baseline drift compensation by:

identifying normalized sensor output values that are positive and those that are negative;

for each positive normalized sensor output value, incrementing the stored offset value for the associated sensor by a first fixed amount; and

for each negative normalized sensor output value, decrementing the stored offset value for the associated sensor by a second fixed amount.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, the panel processor further programmed for setting the adjustment value to a first interval if the background average is negative.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the panel processor further programmed for:

if the background average took more than a second interval to drift positive, setting the adjustment interval to a second interval longer than the first interval; and

if the background average is neutral or took less than the second interval to drift positive, then

if a small hover was detected in a previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a fourth interval longer than the second interval,

if a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a fifth interval longer than the fourth interval, and

if neither a small hover nor a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a third interval, the third interval between the second and fourth intervals in duration.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, the panel processor further configured for determining that the background average is positive when the background average is about two standard deviation of background noise above neutral.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, the multi-event sensor panel comprising a multi-touch sensor panel.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, the multi-event sensor panel comprising a multi-hover sensor panel.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a computing system that incorporates the apparatus, the computing system comprising:

a panel subsystem coupled to the panel processor and including the one or more event detection and demodulation circuits; and

a host processor coupled to the panel processor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a mobile telephone that incorporates the computing system.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a digital audio player that incorporates the computing system.

20. The apparatus of claim 9, the panel processor further programmed for:

setting the adjustment interval to a first interval if the background average indicates that the sensor panel is warming up quickly.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, the panel processor further configured for:

setting the adjustment interval to a second interval longer than the first interval if the background average indicates that the sensor panel is cooling down quickly; and

if the background average is neutral or took less than the second interval to drift positive, then

setting the adjustment interval to a fourth interval longer than the second interval if a previous sensor scan indicates an occurrence of a hover event,

setting the adjustment interval to a fifth interval longer than the fourth interval if the previous sensor scan indicates an occurrence of a touch event, and

if neither a small hover nor a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a third interval, the third interval between the second and fourth intervals in duration.

22. An apparatus for periodically evaluating baseline sensor output values for sensors in a multi-event sensor panel every adjustment interval, comprising:

means for performing a scan of the sensor panel to obtain new sensor output values;

means for normalizing each new sensor output value by subtracting a stored offset value for that sensor from the new sensor output value;

means for computing a background average of sensor output values not considered to be part of a patch of sensor output values presumed to be due to a touch or hover event;

means for choosing an adjustment interval for the baseline drift compensation as a function of the computed background average; and

means for performing baseline drift compensation at the chosen adjustment interval.

23. A computer-readable medium comprising program code for periodically evaluating baseline sensor output values for sensors in a multi-event sensor panel and performing baseline drift compensation, the program code for causing performance of a method comprising:

performing a scan of the sensor panel to obtain new sensor output values;

normalizing each new sensor output value by subtracting a stored offset value for that sensor from the new sensor output value;

computing a background average of sensor output values not considered to be part of a patch of sensor output values presumed to be due to a touch or hover event;

choosing an adjustment interval for the baseline drift compensation as a function of the computed background average; and

performing baseline drift compensation at the chosen adjustment interval.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, the method further comprising:

identifying normalized sensor output values that are positive and those that are negative;

for each positive normalized sensor output value, incrementing the stored offset value for the associated sensor by a first fixed amount; and

for each negative normalized sensor output value, decrementing the stored offset value for the associated sensor by a second fixed amount.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, the method further comprising setting the adjustment value to a first interval if the background average is negative.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, the method further comprising:

if the background average took more than a second interval to drift positive, setting the adjustment interval to a second interval longer than the first interval; and

if the background average is neutral or took less than the second interval to drift positive, then

if a small hover was detected in a previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a fourth interval longer than the second interval,

if a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a fifth interval longer than the fourth interval, and

if neither a small hover nor a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a third interval, the third interval between the second and fourth intervals in duration.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, the method further comprising determining that the background average is negative when the background average is about one standard deviation of background noise below neutral.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, the method further comprising determining that the background average is positive when the background average is about two standard deviation of background noise above neutral.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, the method further comprising:

setting the adjustment interval to a first interval if the background average indicates that the sensor panel is warming up quickly.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, the method further comprising:

setting the adjustment interval to a second interval longer than the first interval if the background average indicates that the sensor panel is cooling down quickly; and

if the background average is neutral or took less than the second interval to drift positive, then

setting the adjustment interval to a fourth interval longer than the second interval if a previous sensor scan indicates an occurrence of a hover event,

setting the adjustment interval to a fifth interval longer than the fourth interval if the previous sensor scan indicates an occurrence of a touch event, and

if neither a small hover nor a touch event was detected in the previous sensor panel scan, setting the adjustment interval to a third interval, the third interval between the second and fourth intervals in duration.

31. A mobile telephone including an apparatus for periodically evaluating baseline sensor output values for sensors in a multi-event sensor panel every adjustment interval, the apparatus comprising:

a panel processor programmed for

performing a scan of the sensor panel to obtain new sensor output values;

normalizing each new sensor output value by subtracting a stored offset value for that sensor from the new sensor output value;

computing a background average of sensor output values not considered to be part of a patch of sensor output values presumed to be due to a touch or hover event;

choosing an adjustment interval for the baseline drift compensation as a function of the computed background average; and

performing baseline drift compensation at the chosen adjustment interval.

32. A digital audio player including an apparatus for periodically evaluating baseline sensor output values for sensors in a multi-event sensor panel every adjustment interval, the apparatus comprising:

a panel processor programmed for

performing a scan of the sensor panel to obtain new sensor output values;

normalizing each new sensor output value by subtracting a stored offset value for that sensor from the new sensor output value;

computing a background average of sensor output values not considered to be part of a patch of sensor output values presumed to be due to a touch or hover event;

choosing an adjustment interval for the baseline drift compensation as a function of the computed background average; and

performing baseline drift compensation at the chosen adjustment interval.