Touch Sensor System with Memory

• US 20100315267A1
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc. (Stoneridge Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc. (Stoneridge Incorporated)
• Inventors: Babington, Thomas E., Lamborghini, Louis R., Yuen, Benjamin K., Chung, Kenny
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96031 Combination of touch switch and LC display
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960705 Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

A touch sensor system. The touch sensor system may include a touch sensor configured to provide an output in response to contact with a touch area, a controller coupled to the touch sensor and configured to provide a code representative of the output and a memory coupled to the controller. The memory may be configured to receive and store the code in a first time interval and to provide the code in a second time interval wherein the second time interval begins after the first time interval ends. Adjacent key suppression algorithms are also provided.

Claims

1. A touch sensor system comprising:

a touch sensor configured to provide an output in response to contact with a touch area;

a controller coupled to said touch sensor and configured to provide a code representative of said output; and

a memory coupled to said controller, said memory configured to receive and store said code in a first time interval and to provide said code in a second time interval wherein said second time interval begins after said first time interval ends.

2. The touch sensor system of claim 1 further comprising a visual indicator wherein said controller is configured to activate said visual indicator in response to said contact with said touch area.

3. The touch sensor system of claim 1 wherein said memory is a cache.

4. The touch sensor system of claim 1 wherein said memory is configured to be first in, first out.

5. The touch sensor system of claim 2 wherein said visual indicator is a light emitting diode (LED).

6. A touch sensor system comprising:

a touch sensor assembly comprising;

a first touch sensor configured to provide a first output in response to contact with a first touch area;

a second touch sensor configured to provide a second output in response to contact with a second touch area; and

an anti-swipe touch sensor configured to provide an anti-swipe output in response to contact with an anti-swipe touch area; and

a controller coupled to said touch sensor assembly wherein said controller is configured to receive said outputs and to provide a code representative of said first output and said second output if said anti-swipe output is not present.

7. The touch sensor assembly of claim 6 further comprising a visual indicator wherein said controller is configured to activate said visual indicator in response to said contact with said first touch area and said second touch area.

8. The touch sensor system of claim 6 further comprising a memory coupled to said controller, said memory configured to receive and store said code in a first time interval and to provide said code in a second time interval wherein said second time interval begins after said first time interval ends.

9. A method of monitoring a plurality of touch areas of a touch sensor assembly, said method comprising:

identifying a first signal of a plurality of signals that exceeds a threshold level for a first time interval, each one of said plurality of signals corresponding to a different one of said plurality of touch areas, said first signal corresponding to a first touch area of said plurality of touch areas; and

determining whether said first touch area corresponds to a first multifunction key.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying a second signal of said plurality of signals that also exceeds said threshold level for at least a portion of said first time interval, said second signal corresponding to a second touch area of said plurality of touch areas; and

determining whether said second touch area corresponds to a second multifunction key.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a code representative of said first signal based on a result of said determination.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising starting a single key timer based on a result of said determination.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a code representative of said first signal when said single key timer expires or when said first signal no longer exceeds said threshold level.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a code based on a result of said determinations.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising starting a dual key timer based on a result of said determinations.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a code representative of said first signal and said second signal when said dual key timer expires.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising identifying an anti-swipe signal that exceeds a threshold level, said anti-swipe signal corresponding to an anti-swipe touch area wherein said anti-swipe signal is configured to prevent providing a code when said dual key timer expires.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing said code to memory wherein said memory is configured to receive and store said code and to provide said code for an interval wherein said interval corresponds to an output hold time.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing said code to memory wherein said memory is configured to receive and store said code and to provide said code at an interval wherein said interval corresponds to an output hold time.

20. A method of monitoring a plurality of touch areas of a touch sensor assembly, said method comprising:

identifying a first signal of a plurality of signals that exceeds a threshold level for a first time interval, each one of said plurality of signals corresponding to a different one of said plurality of touch areas, said first signal corresponding to a first touch area of said plurality of touch areas;

starting a single key (SK) timer if said first touch area corresponds to a first multifunction key or providing a first code representative of said first signal if said first touch area does not correspond to said first multifunction key;

identifying a second signal of said plurality of signals that also exceeds said threshold level for a portion of said first time interval, said second signal corresponding to a second touch area of said plurality of touch areas;

starting a dual key (DK) timer if said second touch area corresponds to a second multifunction key; and

providing a second code representative of said second signal if said first signal no longer exceeds said threshold and said second touch area does not correspond to said second multifunction key or said SK timer expires.