COORDINATE POSITION DETECTING DEVICE

• US 20100073317A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: HASEGAWA, Takao
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A coordinate detection device according to the present invention includes: a conductor for locating a point of contact; multiple terminals that are connected to the conductor at mutually different points; a signal output section, which includes a charge storage section to store electrical charge there and which outputs a signal with a voltage value representing the quantity of charge stored in the charge storage section; a setting section for setting a voltage for the charge storage section equal to a predetermined value; and a switching section for selectively connecting or disconnecting a particular one of the terminals to/from not only the charge storage section but also a predetermined power supply.

Claims

1. A coordinate detection device comprising:

a conductor for locating a point of contact;

multiple terminals that are connected to the conductor at mutually different points;

a signal output section, which includes a charge storage section to store electrical charge there and which outputs a signal with a voltage value representing the quantity of charge stored in the charge storage section;

a setting section for setting a voltage for the charge storage section to a predetermined value; and

a first switching section for selectively connecting or disconnecting a particular one of the terminals to/from not only the charge storage section but also a first predetermined power supply.

2. The coordinate detection device of claim 1, further comprising a control section for controlling the operation of the first switching section,

wherein the control section turns the first switching section to change states from a first state in which the particular terminal is connected to the charge storage section but disconnected from the first predetermined power supply into a second state in which the particular terminal is connected to the first predetermined power supply but disconnected from the charge storage section, and vice versa, a predetermined number of times, and

wherein after the states have been changed the predetermined number of times, the signal output section outputs the signal.

3. The coordinate detection device of claim 2, wherein the charge storage section is a first capacitor, and

wherein before the states are changed the predetermined number of times, the setting section sets potential levels at two terminals of the first capacitor equal to each other.

4. The coordinate detection device of claim 1, further comprising a circuit that includes:

a second capacitor, one of two terminals of which is grounded; and

a second switching section for selectively connecting or disconnecting the signal output section to/from the other terminal of the second capacitor.

8. The coordinate detection device of claim 1, farther comprising a sensing section for locating a point of contact, which has been made either directly or indirectly on the conductor, by the signal supplied from the signal output section.

13. The coordinate detection device of claim 1, further comprising a compensator for supplying current, which compensates for current flowing through a parasitic capacitance between the conductor and the first switching section, to the particular terminal.

14. The coordinate detection device of claim 13, wherein the compensator includes:

a second capacitor, one of two terminals of which is grounded; and

a second switching section for selectively connecting or disconnecting not only the charge storage section but also a second power supply to/from the other terminal of the second capacitor.

15. The coordinate detection device of claim 14, wherein the control section turns the second switching section to connect the other terminal of the second capacitor to the charge storage section but disconnect the other terminal from the second power supply during the first state and to connect the other terminal of the second capacitor to the second power supply but disconnect the other terminal from the charge storage section during the second state.

5. The coordinate detection device of clam 1, further comprising a compensator for supplying current, which compensates for current flowing through a parasitic capacitance between the conductor and the first switching section, to the particular terminal.

6. The coordinate detection device of claim 5, wherein the compensator includes:

a third capacitor, one of two terminals of which is grounded; and

a third switching section for selectively connecting or disconnecting not only the charge storage section but also a second predetermined power supply to/from the other terminal of the third capacitor.

7. The coordinate detection device of claim 6, wherein the control section turns the third switching section to connect the other terminal of the third capacitor to the charge storage section but disconnect the other terminal from the second predetermined power supply during the first state and to connect the other terminal of the third capacitor to the second predetermined power supply but disconnect the other terminal from the charge storage section during the second state.

9. A coordinate detection device comprising:

a conductor for locating a point of contact;

multiple terminals that are connected to the conductor at mutually different points;

a signal output section, which includes a charge storage section to store electrical charge there and which outputs a signal with a voltage value representing the quantity of charge stored in the charge storage section;

a setting section for setting a voltage for the charge storage section to a predetermined value;

a first switching section for selectively connecting or disconnecting a particular one of the terminals to/from not only the charge storage section but also a first power supply; and

a control section for controlling the operation of the first switching section,

wherein the control section turns the first switching section to change states from a first state in which the particular terminal is connected to the charge storage section but disconnected from the first power supply into a second state in which the particular terminal is connected to the first power supply but disconnected from the charge storage section, and vice versa, a predetermined number of times, and

wherein after the states have been changed the predetermined number of times, the signal output section outputs the signal, and

wherein the control section changes the numbers of times of state transition between the first and second states according to the voltage value of the signal.

10. The coordinate detection device of claim 9, wherein the control section changes the numbers of times such that the voltage value of the signal falls within a prescribed range.

11. The coordinate detection device of claim 9, wherein the signal output section includes multiple signal output sections and the first switching section includes multiple switching sections of a first type, and

wherein each of the multiple terminals is connected to an associated one of the signal output sections by way of an associated one of the switching sections of the first type, and

wherein the control section performs a predetermined type of calculation based on the voltage values of the signals supplied from the signal output sections and changes the numbers of times such that a value obtained by the predetermined type of calculation falls within a prescribed range.

12. The coordinate detection device of claim 9, wherein the charge storage section is a first capacitor, and

wherein before the states are changed the predetermined number of times, the setting section sets potential levels at two terminals of the first capacitor equal to each other.

16. The coordinate detection device of claim 9, further comprising a sensing section for locating a point of contact, which has been made either directly or indirectly on the conductor, by the signal supplied from the signal output section.

17. A coordinate detection device comprising:

a conductor for locating a point of contact;

multiple terminals that are connected to the conductor at mutually different points;

a signal output section, which includes a variable capacitance element to store electrical charge there and which outputs a signal with a voltage value representing the quantity of charge stored in the variable capacitance element;

a setting section for setting a voltage for the variable capacitance element to a predetermined value;

a switching section for selectively connecting or disconnecting a particular one of the terminals to/from not only the variable capacitance element but also a predetermined power supply; and

a control section for adjusting the capacitance of the variable capacitance element according to the voltage value of the signal.

18. The coordinate detection device of claim 17, wherein the control section adjusts the capacitance of the variable capacitance element such that the voltage value of the signal falls within a prescribed range.

19. The coordinate detection device of claim 17, wherein the signal output section includes multiple signal output sections and the switching section includes multiple switching sections, and

wherein each of the multiple terminals is connected to an associated one of the signal output sections by way of an associated one of the switching sections, and

wherein the control section performs a predetermined type of calculation based on the voltage values of the signals supplied from the signal output sections and adjusts the capacitance of the variable capacitance element such that a value obtained by the predetermined type of calculation falls within a prescribed range.