SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSESSING LOCATIONS OF MULTIPLE TOUCH INPUTS
First Claim
1. For use in a matrix capacitive touch screen system that includes a sensor having a plurality of x-electrodes for providing x-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of x-coordinates of touch inputs, and a plurality of y-electrodes for providing y-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of y-coordinates of touch inputs, a method for assessing touch locations of two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs, the method comprising:
- responsive to capacitance-to-ground x-signals, determining valid x-coordinates of the two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs;
responsive to capacitance-to-ground y-signals, determining valid y-coordinates of the two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs; and
forming valid x-y pairs from the determined x- and y-coordinates, the valid x-y pairs being indicative of the touch locations.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Matrix-based touch input systems assess touch locations of two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs by forming valid x-y coordinate pairs from independently determined x- and y-coordinates. Valid x-y pairs are formed based on comparing one or more signal parameters such as signal magnitude, signal strength, signal width, and signal rates of change. In matrix capacitive systems where capacitance-to-ground signals are used to determine the x- and y-coordinates, the determined coordinates may be formed into valid x-y pairs using mutual capacitance measurements. When resolving more than two temporally overlapping touches, information gained by resolving a valid x-y coordinate pair of at least one of the touches may be used to resolve the remaining touches.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. For use in a matrix capacitive touch screen system that includes a sensor having a plurality of x-electrodes for providing x-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of x-coordinates of touch inputs, and a plurality of y-electrodes for providing y-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of y-coordinates of touch inputs, a method for assessing touch locations of two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs, the method comprising:
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responsive to capacitance-to-ground x-signals, determining valid x-coordinates of the two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs; responsive to capacitance-to-ground y-signals, determining valid y-coordinates of the two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs; and forming valid x-y pairs from the determined x- and y-coordinates, the valid x-y pairs being indicative of the touch locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A matrix capacitive touch screen system comprising:
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a sensor including a plurality of x-electrodes for providing x-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of x-coordinates of touch input locations, and a plurality of y-electrodes for providing y-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of y-coordinates of touch input locations; a controller including logic circuitry and coupled to the x-electrodes to receive the x-signals and coupled to the y-electrodes to receive the y-signals, the controller configured to determine one or more x-coordinates from the x-signals and one or more y-coordinates from the y-signals, and responsive to two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs applied to the touch sensor to form valid x-y pairs from the determined x-coordinates and determined y-coordinates, the valid x-y pairs being indicative of locations of the two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. For use in a matrix touch screen system that includes a sensor providing x-signals indicative of x-coordinates of touch inputs and y-signals indicative of y-coordinates of touch inputs, a method for assessing touch locations of three or more temporally overlapping touch inputs comprising:
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determining valid x-coordinates of the three or more temporally overlapping touch inputs from received x-signals; determining valid y-coordinates of the three or more temporally overlapping touch inputs from received y-signals; forming a first valid x-y pair from the determined x-coordinates and determined y-coordinates, the first valid x-y pair being indicative of touch location of a first one of the three or more temporally overlapping touch inputs, the remaining touch inputs being unresolved; and responsive to the first valid x-y pair, forming additional valid x-y pairs for one or more of the remaining unresolved touch inputs. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. For use in a matrix capacitive touch screen system that includes a sensor and a display, the sensor having a plurality of x-electrodes for providing x-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of x-coordinates of touch inputs, and a plurality of y-electrodes for providing y-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of y-coordinates of touch inputs, a method comprising:
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detecting two temporally overlapping touch inputs to the sensor; responsive to capacitance-to-ground x-signals, determining valid x-coordinates of the two temporally overlapping touch inputs; responsive to capacitance-to-ground y-signals, determining valid y-coordinates of the two temporally overlapping touch inputs; defining a bounding box having vertices at intersections of the determined x- and y-coordinates, the bounding box associated with an area indicated on the display; and adjusting the area indicated on the display in response to detecting relative motion of the two overlapping touch inputs.
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24. A matrix capacitive touch screen system comprising:
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a display; a sensor including a plurality of x-electrodes for providing x-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of x-coordinates of touch input locations, and a plurality of y-electrodes for providing y-signals based on capacitance-to-ground measurements and indicative of y-coordinates of touch input locations; a controller including logic circuitry and coupled to the x-electrodes to receive the x-signals and coupled to the y-electrodes to receive the y-signals, the controller configured to determine valid x-coordinates of touch inputs from received x-signals and to determine valid y-coordinates of touch inputs from received y-signals, wherein in response to detecting two temporally overlapping touch inputs the controller defines a bounding box having vertices at intersections of the determined x- and y-coordinates, adjusts the bounding box based on detecting subsequent relative motion between the two touch inputs, and transmits information related to the bounding box for indication on the display.
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25. For use in a matrix touch screen having a plurality of nodes at the intersections of x- and y-sensor bars, each node being driven by electronics such that it yields a signal strength, a method for assessing touch locations of two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs comprising:
for nodes having signal strength above a defined touch-event threshold; (1) associating the node having the highest signal strength with a first touch; (2) associating nodes adjacent the node with the highest signal strength with the first touch; (3) among nodes not associated with the first touch, associating the node having the highest signal strength with a second touch; and
,(4) associating nodes adjacent to the node associated with the second touch with the second touch. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
Specification