TOUCH SENSING SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC TOUCH APPARATUS, AND TOUCH SENSING METHOD

• US 20110234523A1
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Inventors: Chen, Hsien-Lung, Tang, Wing-Kai, Lin, Ching-Chun, Chang, Tsen-Wei, Hung, Ching-Ho, Tsai, Jiun-Jie
• Granted Patent: US 8,913,017 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 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• 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

A touch sensing system including a touch interface, at least one sensing unit, and a switching unit is provided. The sensing unit is coupled to the touch interface. The touch sensing system is switched to a first sensing mode or a second sensing mode by the switching unit according to a control signal. When the touch sensing system is in the first sensing mode, the sensing unit senses a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal of the touch interface. On the other hand, when the touch sensing system is in the second sensing mode, the sensing unit senses the first sensing signal according to a driving signal. An electronic touch apparatus and a touch sensing method are also provided.

Claims

1. A touch sensing system, comprising:

a touch interface;

at least one sensing unit, coupled to the touch interface; and

a switching unit, switching the touch sensing system to a first sensing mode or a second sensing mode according to a control signal,

wherein when the touch sensing system is in the first sensing mode, the sensing unit senses a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal of the touch interface, and when the touch sensing system is in the second sensing mode, the sensing unit senses the first sensing signal according to a driving signal.

2. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing unit is coupled to the switching unit, and senses the second sensing signal during the first sensing mode.

3. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing unit comprises:

a first sensing unit, coupled to the touch interface, and sensing the first sensing signal; and

a second sensing unit, coupled to the switching unit, and sensing the second sensing signal during the first sensing mode.

4. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a driving unit coupled to the switching unit, and outputting the driving signal to the touch interface according to the control signal during the second sensing mode.

5. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated according to touch information of the touch interface.

6. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the touch information is at least one of the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal.

7. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated according to an external instruction.

8. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching unit comprises at least one of a microprocessor, a switching device and a logic operation unit.

9. An electronic touch apparatus, comprising:

a touch sensing system, comprising;

a touch interface;

at least one sensing unit, coupled to the touch interface; and

a switching unit, switching the touch sensing system to a first sensing mode or a second sensing mode according to a control signal,

wherein when the touch sensing system is in the first sensing mode, the sensing unit senses a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal of the touch interface, and when the touch sensing system is in the second sensing mode, the sensing unit senses the first sensing signal according to a driving signal; and

a processing unit, coupled to the sensing unit and the switching unit, generating the control signal, and determining at least one touch position on the touch interface according to at least one of the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal.

10. The electronic touch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing unit generates the control signal according to touch information of the touch interface.

11. The electronic touch apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the touch information is at least one of the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal.

12. The electronic touch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing unit generates the control signal according to an external instruction.

13. The electronic touch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one sensing unit is coupled to the switching unit, and senses the second sensing signal during the first sensing mode.

14. The electronic touch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one sensing unit comprises:

a first sensing unit, coupled to the touch interface, and sensing the first sensing signal; and

a second sensing unit, coupled to the switching unit, and sensing the second sensing signal during the first sensing mode.

15. The electronic touch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a driving unit coupled to the switching unit and the processing unit, and outputting the driving signal to the touch interface according to the control signal during the second sensing mode.

16. The electronic touch apparatus as claimed in claim 9, the switching unit comprises at least one of a microprocessor, a switching device and a logic operation unit.

17. A touch sensing method, adapted to a touch sensing system, comprising:

switching the touch sensing system to a first sensing mode or a second sensing mode according to a control signal;

sensing a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal of the touch interface when the touch sensing system is in the first sensing mode; and

sensing the first sensing signal according to a driving signal when the touch sensing system is in the second sensing mode.

18. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising generating the control signal according to touch information of the touch interface.

19. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the touch information is at least one of the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal.

20. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising generating the control signal according to an external instruction.