Techniques for Disambiguating Touch Data Using User Devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for detecting touch and disambiguating touch data using a capacitive touch sensor system, the capacitive touch sensor system including:
- a capacitive touch sensor having a two-dimensional matrix of conductors configured as a first array of conductors arranged in rows and a second array of conductors arranged in columns, a first user device that is associated with a first user and that includes first active components and a first electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, and a second user device that is associated with a second user and that includes second active components and a second electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, the method comprising;
receiving at least one first signal in the first user device from one or more columns in the matrix;
measuring a signal strength of the at least one first signal received by the first user device;
using the measured first signal strengths to generate column touch data for the first user, the first user column touch data indicating one or more columns in the matrix that are touched by the first user;
transmitting the first user column touch data;
transmitting a second signal from the first electrode of the first user device to one or more rows in the matrix, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to generate row touch data for the first user based on the received second signal, the first user row touch data indicating one or more rows in the matrix that are touched by the first user, the first electrode being located within the first user device and being configured to electrostatically couple with the capacitive touch sensor through a body of the first user;
receiving at least one third signal in the second user device from one or more of the columns in the matrix;
measuring a signal strength of the at least one third signal received by the second user device;
using the measured third signal strengths to generate column touch data for the second user, the second user column touch data indicating one or more columns in the matrix that are touched by the second user;
transmitting the second user column touch data;
transmitting a fourth signal from the second electrode of the second user device to one or more rows in the matrix, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to generate row touch data for the second user based on the received fourth signal, the second user row touch data indicating one or more rows in the matrix that are touched by the second user, the second electrode being located within the second user device and being configured to electrostatically couple with the capacitive touch sensor through a body of the second user;
receiving fifth signals in the rows of the matrix from the columns of the matrix;
measuring a signal strength of each fifth signal received by the rows from the columns;
using the measured fifth signal strengths to generate touch point location data that indicate two-dimensional locations of multiple touch points on the matrix, the touch point location data indicating the two-dimensional location of each of the multiple touch points as a pairing of a row of the matrix and a column of the matrix;
identifying at least one touch point of the multiple touch points as corresponding to a touch made by the first user by applying the generated touch point location data to the generated first user row touch data, the generated first user column touch data, the generated second user row touch data and the generated second user column touch data; and
transmitting the identification.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for disambiguating touch data and determining user assignment of touch points detected by a touch sensor are described. The techniques leverage both user-specific touch data projected onto axes and non-user-specific touch data captured over a complete area.
-
Citations
56 Claims
-
1. A method for detecting touch and disambiguating touch data using a capacitive touch sensor system, the capacitive touch sensor system including:
- a capacitive touch sensor having a two-dimensional matrix of conductors configured as a first array of conductors arranged in rows and a second array of conductors arranged in columns, a first user device that is associated with a first user and that includes first active components and a first electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, and a second user device that is associated with a second user and that includes second active components and a second electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, the method comprising;
receiving at least one first signal in the first user device from one or more columns in the matrix; measuring a signal strength of the at least one first signal received by the first user device; using the measured first signal strengths to generate column touch data for the first user, the first user column touch data indicating one or more columns in the matrix that are touched by the first user; transmitting the first user column touch data; transmitting a second signal from the first electrode of the first user device to one or more rows in the matrix, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to generate row touch data for the first user based on the received second signal, the first user row touch data indicating one or more rows in the matrix that are touched by the first user, the first electrode being located within the first user device and being configured to electrostatically couple with the capacitive touch sensor through a body of the first user; receiving at least one third signal in the second user device from one or more of the columns in the matrix; measuring a signal strength of the at least one third signal received by the second user device; using the measured third signal strengths to generate column touch data for the second user, the second user column touch data indicating one or more columns in the matrix that are touched by the second user; transmitting the second user column touch data; transmitting a fourth signal from the second electrode of the second user device to one or more rows in the matrix, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to generate row touch data for the second user based on the received fourth signal, the second user row touch data indicating one or more rows in the matrix that are touched by the second user, the second electrode being located within the second user device and being configured to electrostatically couple with the capacitive touch sensor through a body of the second user; receiving fifth signals in the rows of the matrix from the columns of the matrix; measuring a signal strength of each fifth signal received by the rows from the columns; using the measured fifth signal strengths to generate touch point location data that indicate two-dimensional locations of multiple touch points on the matrix, the touch point location data indicating the two-dimensional location of each of the multiple touch points as a pairing of a row of the matrix and a column of the matrix; identifying at least one touch point of the multiple touch points as corresponding to a touch made by the first user by applying the generated touch point location data to the generated first user row touch data, the generated first user column touch data, the generated second user row touch data and the generated second user column touch data; and transmitting the identification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- a capacitive touch sensor having a two-dimensional matrix of conductors configured as a first array of conductors arranged in rows and a second array of conductors arranged in columns, a first user device that is associated with a first user and that includes first active components and a first electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, and a second user device that is associated with a second user and that includes second active components and a second electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, the method comprising;
-
17. A system configured to operate with a capacitive touch sensor, the capacitive touch sensor having a two-dimensional matrix of conductors configured as a first array of conductors arranged in rows and a second array of conductors arranged in columns, the system comprising:
-
a first user device that is associated with a first user and that includes first active components and a first electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, the first user device being configured to; receive at least one first signal in the first user device from one or more columns in the matrix, measure a signal strength of the at least one first signal received by the first user device, use the measured first signal strengths to generate column touch data for the first user, the first user column touch data indicating one or more columns in the matrix that are touched by the first user, transmit the first user column touch data, and transmit a second signal from the first electrode of the first user device to one or more rows in the matrix, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to generate row touch data for the first user based on the received second signal, the first user row touch data indicating one or more rows in the matrix that are touched by the first user, the first electrode being located within the first user device and being configured to electrostatically couple with the capacitive touch sensor through a body of the first user; a second user device that is associated with a second user and that includes second active components and a second electrode configured to both transmit and receive signals, the second user device being configured to; receive at least one third signal in the second user device from one or more of the columns in the matrix, measure a signal strength of the at least one third signal received by the second user device, use the measured third signal strengths to generate column touch data for the second user, the second user column touch data indicating one or more columns in the matrix that are touched by the second user, transmit the second user column touch data, transmit a fourth signal from the second electrode of the second user device to one or more rows in the matrix, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is configured to generate row touch data for the second user based on the received fourth signal, the second user row touch data indicating one or more rows in the matrix that are touched by the second user, the second electrode being located within the second user device and being configured to electrostatically couple with the capacitive touch sensor through a body of the second user; and one or more processors configured to; receive fifth signals in the rows of the matrix from the columns of the matrix; measure a signal strength of each fifth signal received by the rows from the columns; use the measured fifth signal strengths to generate touch point location data that indicate two-dimensional locations of multiple touch points on the matrix, the touch point location data indicating the two-dimensional location of each of the multiple touch points as a pairing of a row of the matrix and a column of the matrix; identify at least one touch point of the multiple touch points as corresponding to a touch made by the first user by applying the generated touch point location data to the generated first user row touch data, the generated first user column touch data, the generated second user row touch data and the generated second user column touch data; and transmit the identification. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method for using user devices to capture touch data for multiple users touching a capacitive touch sensor, where the capacitive touch sensor includes a two-dimensional matrix of conductors configured as a first array of conductors arranged in rows and a second array of conductors arranged in columns, and where each of the multiple users is associated with a different user device that includes an electrode and active components, the method comprising:
-
energizing a first column of the matrix; receiving a first signal in each row of the matrix as a result of the energizing of the first column; measuring a signal strength of each first signal received in each row of the matrix; using the measured first signal strengths to identify locations of touch points on the first column; updating touch point location data to indicate the locations of touch points on the first column; and at each of the multiple user devices; detecting whether the energizing of the first column results in a particular signal change at the user device, based on whether the energizing of the first column results in the particular signal change at the user device, updating column touch data for the user associated with the user device to indicate that the first column is touched by the user associated with the user device, and based on whether the energizing of the first column does not result in the particular signal change at the user device, not updating the column touch data for the user associated with the user device to indicate that the first column is touched by the user associated with the user device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A system for capturing touch data for multiple users touching a capacitive touch sensor, where the capacitive touch sensor includes a two-dimensional matrix of conductors configured as a first array of conductors arranged in rows and a second array of conductors arranged in columns, and where each of the multiple users is associated with a different user device that includes an electrode and active components, the system comprising:
-
one or more circuit elements configured to; energize a first column of the matrix; receive a first signal in each row of the matrix as a result of the energizing of the first column; measure a signal strength of each first signal received in each row of the matrix; use the measured first signal strengths to identify locations of touch points on the first column; update touch point location data to indicate the locations of touch points on the first column; and multiple user devices, each user device being configured to; detect whether the energizing of the first column results in a particular signal change at the user device, based on whether the energizing of the first column results in the particular signal change at the user device, update column touch data for the user associated with the user device to indicate that the first column is touched by the user associated with the user device, and based on whether the energizing of the first column does not result in the particular signal change at the user device, not update the column touch data for the user associated with the user device to indicate that the first column is touched by the user associated with the user device. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
Specification