MASTER/SLAVE CONTROL OF TOUCH SENSING
First Claim
1. A method of synchronizing touch sensing operations of a master controller and a slave controller for joint operation of a touch sensing surface, the method comprising:
- transmitting a first clock signal from the master controller to the slave controller;
transmitting a first command from the master controller to the slave controller, the first command including phase alignment information;
generating a slave clock signal in the slave controller based on the first clock signal and the phase alignment information, wherein the slave clock signal is generated in a known phase relationship with a master clock signal of the master controller; and
performing touch sensing to detect touch on or near the touch sensing surface based on the master and slave clock signals, wherein the master controller operates a first portion of the touch sensing surface, and the slave controller operates a second portion of the touch sensing surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Touch sensing can be accomplished using master/slave touch controllers that transmit drive signals to a touch surface and process sense signals including superpositions resulting from master/slave drive signals. The master/slave can drive and sense different sets of lines, respectively, of the touch surface. A communication link between master/slave can be established by transmitting a clock signal between master/slave, transmitting a command including sequence information to the slave, and initiating a communication sequence from the clock signal and sequence information. The slave can receive/transmit communications from/to the master during first/second portions of the communication sequence, respectively. Touch sensing operations can be synchronized between master/slave by transmitting a command including phase alignment information from master to slave, and generating slave clock signals based on the clock signal and the phase alignment information, such that sense signal processing by master clock signals are in-phase with sense signal processing by slave clock signals.
52 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of synchronizing touch sensing operations of a master controller and a slave controller for joint operation of a touch sensing surface, the method comprising:
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transmitting a first clock signal from the master controller to the slave controller; transmitting a first command from the master controller to the slave controller, the first command including phase alignment information; generating a slave clock signal in the slave controller based on the first clock signal and the phase alignment information, wherein the slave clock signal is generated in a known phase relationship with a master clock signal of the master controller; and performing touch sensing to detect touch on or near the touch sensing surface based on the master and slave clock signals, wherein the master controller operates a first portion of the touch sensing surface, and the slave controller operates a second portion of the touch sensing surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A touch sensing system comprising:
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a touch sensing surface including first and second drive lines, and first and second sense lines; a master controller that applies one or more drive signals to the first drive lines and receives one or more sense signals from the first sense lines; a slave controller that applies one or more drive signals to the second drive lines and receives one or more sense signals from the second sense lines, wherein the sense signals received by the master controller and slave controller include one or more sense signals that include a superposition of signals resulting from drive signals applied by the master and slave controllers; a communication link between the master controller and the slave controller; and one or more processors that process touch information of the sense signals to sense a touch on or near the touch sensing surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A mobile computing device comprising:
a touch sensing system, including a touch sensing surface including first and second drive lines, and first and second sense lines, a master controller that applies one or more drive signals to the first drive lines and receives one or more sense signals from the first sense lines, a slave controller that applies one or more drive signals to the second drive lines and receives one or more sense signals from the second sense lines, wherein the sense signals received by the master controller and slave controller include one or more sense signals that include a superposition of signals resulting from drive signals applied by the master and slave controllers, a communication link between the master controller and the slave controller, and one or more processors that process touch information of the sense signals to sense a touch on or near the touch sensing surface.
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24. A method of training communication between a master controller and a slave controller for joint operation of a touch sensing surface, the method comprising:
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transmitting a first clock signal from the master controller to the slave controller; transmitting a first command from the master controller to the slave controller, the first command including sequence information; and initiating a communication sequence in the slave controller, the communication sequence based on the first clock signal and the sequence information, wherein the receives communications from the master during a first portion of the communication sequence, and the slave controller transmits communications to the master during a second portion of the communication sequence. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification