METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRACKING INPUT POSITIONS VIA ELECTRIC FIELD COMMUNICATION

• US 20100295809A1
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Kyung Mo, Lee, Jong Rim, Heo, Chang Ryong, Kim, Chul Jin, Kim, Sae Rome, Song, Seong Jun
• Granted Patent: US 9,921,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A method and apparatus for tracking input positions via Electric Field Communication (EFC) are provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of receiving electrodes for EFC and a receiver unit. The receiving electrodes detect strengths of input electric fields. The receiver unit compares the strengths of the input electric fields with each other and generates position information regarding the input electric fields.

Claims

1. An apparatus for tracking input positions via Electric Field Communication (EFC), comprising:

a plurality of receiving electrodes for EFC for detecting strengths of input electric fields; and

a receiver unit for comparing the strengths of the input electric fields with each other and generating position information regarding the input electric fields.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver unit forms information regarding the input positions, generated during a preset time period, into one piece of image data, and determines a movement direction and a movement distance of the input positions, using the preset time period and the image data.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of receiving electrodes for EFC are attached to a touch screen.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of receiving electrodes for EFC are arrayed at each edge of the touch screen.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of receiving electrodes for EFC are arrayed, in a grid, in the touch screen excluding edges of the touch screen.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity sensor panel for measuring a degree of proximity of a system and transmitting the degree of proximity to the receiver unit,

wherein the receiver unit compensates a magnitude of the input electric fields according to the degree of proximity output from the proximity sensor panel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver unit comprises a receiver Integrated Circuit (IC).

8. A method for tracking input positions via Electric Field Communication (EFC), comprising the steps of:

measuring strengths of electric fields that are received by receiving electrodes for EFC;

comparing the measured strengths of the electric fields with each other; and

generating position information regarding the input positions, based on a result of comparing the measured strengths.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

forming information regarding the input positions, generated during a preset time period, into one piece of image data; and

determining a movement direction and a movement distance of the input positions, using the preset time period and the image data.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

measuring a degree of proximity regarding a system that tracks the input positions via EFC; and

compensating a magnitude of the electric fields according to the degree of proximity.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving electrodes for EFC are attached to a touch screen.