INPUT DEVICE

• US 20100224424A1
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: KASAJIMA, Yasushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

An input device includes a plurality of detectors for respectively detecting a close approach of an approaching object, and a controller including a plurality of input channels. The plurality of detectors is aligned in a direction. Each of the detectors belongs to one of a plurality of groups each of which two or more detectors belong to. The plurality of detectors in each of the groups is connected in common to one of the input channels associated therewith in the controller. A permutation of the groups which at least three detectors, continuously aligned thus forming a set and arbitrarily selected from the plurality of detectors, respectively belong to is different by each set of at least three detectors.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a plurality of detectors aligned in one direction for respectively detecting a close approach of an approaching object; and

a controller including a plurality of input channels;

wherein

each of the detectors belongs to one of a plurality of groups each of which two or more detectors belong to,

the plurality of detectors in each of the groups is connected in common to one of the input channels associated therewith in the controller, and

a permutation of the groups which at least three detectors, continuously aligned thus forming a set and arbitrarily selected from the plurality of detectors, respectively belong to is different by each set of at least three detectors.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a permutation of two groups which two detectors, continuously aligned at an end portion of the plurality of detectors aligned in the one direction, respectively belong to is different from an inverse permutation of two groups which two detectors, continuously aligned at the other end portion of the plurality of detectors aligned in the one direction, respectively belong to.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the controller decides a position in the one direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on all of a plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of input channels.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the controller decides the position in the one direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on a part of the plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of input channels.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the controller identifies the position in the one direction closely approached by the approaching object and the set of detectors located close to that position, based on the plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of input channels, and calculates a weighted average with respect to a plurality of positions of the set of detectors in the one direction, utilizing the detected values as the weight.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of detectors is constituted of a plurality of electrodes each extending in parallel in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the plurality of detectors is aligned;

the approaching object is electrically conductive;

the controller is capable of detecting fluctuation in static capacitance between the detector belonging to each group and the approaching object caused by the close approach of the approaching object to the detector, with respect to each group; and

the controller decides the position in the one direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on the fluctuation in static capacitance detected with respect to each group.

7. The input device according to claim 6, wherein the controller identifies the position in the one direction closely approached by the approaching object and the set of detectors located close to that position, based on the fluctuation in static capacitance detected with respect to each group, and calculates a weighted average with respect to a plurality of positions of the set of detectors in a direction, utilizing the fluctuation in static capacitance as the weight.

8. An input device comprising:

a plurality of first detectors for respectively detecting a close approach of an approaching object, and a plurality of second detectors for respectively detecting a close approach of the approaching object, the first detector being aligned in a first direction and plurality of second detectors being aligned in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and

a controller including a plurality of first input channels for position detection in the first direction, and a plurality of second input channels for position detection in the second direction;

wherein

each of the first detectors belongs to one of a plurality of first groups each of which two or more of the first detectors belong to;

the plurality of first detectors in each of the first groups is connected in common to one of the first input channels associated therewith in the controller;

a permutation of the first groups which at least three of the first detectors, continuously aligned thus forming a set and arbitrarily selected from the plurality of first detectors, respectively belong to is different by each set of at least three of the first detectors;

each of the second detectors belongs to one of a plurality of second groups each of which two or more of the second detectors belong to;

the plurality of second detectors in each of the second groups is connected in common to one of the second input channels associated therewith in the controller; and

a permutation of the second groups which at least three of the second detectors, continuously aligned thus forming a set and arbitrarily selected from the plurality of second detectors, respectively belong to is different by each set of at least three of the second detectors.

9. The input device according to claim 8, wherein a permutation of two groups which two of the first detectors, continuously aligned at an end portion of the plurality of first detectors aligned in the first direction, respectively belong to is different from an inverse permutation of two groups which two of the first detectors, continuously aligned at the other end portion of the plurality of first detectors aligned in the first direction, respectively belong to.

10. The input device according to claim 8, wherein a permutation of two groups which two of the second detectors, continuously aligned at an end portion of the plurality of first detectors aligned in the second direction, respectively belong to is different from an inverse permutation of two groups which two of the second detectors, continuously aligned at the other end portion of the plurality of second detectors aligned in the second direction, respectively belong to.

11. The input device according to claim 8, wherein the controller decides a position in the first direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on all of a plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of first input channels, and a position in the second direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on all of a plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of second input channels.

12. The input device according to claim 8, wherein the controller decides the position in the first direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on a part of the plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of first input channels, and the position in the second direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on a part of the plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of second input channels.

13. The input device according to claim 8, wherein the controller identifies the position in the first direction closely approached by the approaching object and the set of first detectors located close to that position, based on the plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of first input channels, and calculates a weighted average with respect to a plurality of positions of the set of first detectors in the first direction, utilizing the detected values as the weight.

14. The input device according to claim 8, wherein the controller identifies the position in the second direction closely approached by the approaching object and the set of second detectors located close to that position, based on the plurality of detected values obtained through the plurality of second input channels, and calculates a weighted average with respect to a plurality of positions of the set of second detectors in the second direction, utilizing the detected values as the weight.

15. The input device according to claim 8, wherein:

the plurality of first detectors is constituted of a plurality of electrodes each extending in parallel in a direction intersecting with the first direction;

the approaching object is electrically conductive;

the controller is capable of detecting fluctuation in static capacitance between the first detector belonging to each of the first groups and the approaching object caused by the close approach of the approaching object to the first detector, with respect to each of the first groups; and

the controller decides the position in the first direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on the fluctuation in static capacitance detected with respect to each of the first groups.

16. The input device according to claim 15, wherein the controller identifies the position in a direction closely approached by the approaching object and the set of first detectors located close to that position, based on the fluctuation in static capacitance detected with respect to each of the first groups, and calculates a weighted average with respect to a plurality of positions of the set of first detectors in the first direction, utilizing the fluctuation in static capacitance as the weight.

17. The input device according to claim 8, wherein:

the plurality of second detectors is constituted of a plurality of electrodes each extending in parallel in a direction intersecting with the second direction;

the approaching object is electrically conductive;

the controller is capable of detecting fluctuation in static capacitance between the second detector belonging to each of the second groups and the approaching object caused by the close approach of the approaching object to the second detector, with respect to each of the second groups; and

the controller decides the position in the second direction closely approached by the approaching object, based on the fluctuation in static capacitance detected with respect to each of the second groups.

18. The input device according to claim 17, wherein the controller identifies the position in a direction closely approached by the approaching object and the set of second detectors located close to that position, based on the fluctuation in static capacitance detected with respect to each of the second groups, and calculates a weighted average with respect to a plurality of positions of the set of second detectors in the second direction, utilizing the fluctuation in static capacitance as the weight.