Integrated Test System for a Touch Sensor

• US 20130063167A1
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jonsson, Carl Olof Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 8,847,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/686
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes restricting current flow between a node of a touch sensor and each of a drive system of the touch sensor, a sense system of the touch sensor, and a test system of the touch sensor. The method further includes capacitively coupling the drive system to the sense system through the test system. The method further includes using at least the drive system and the test system, inducing a charge on the sense system. The method further includes measuring the induced charge on the sense system. The method further includes making a pass or fail determination for at least a portion of the touch sensor based at least in part on the measured induced charge.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

restricting current flow between a node of a touch sensor and each of a drive system of the touch sensor, a sense system of the touch sensor, and a test system of the touch sensor;

capacitively coupling the drive system to the sense system through the test system;

using at least the drive system and the test system, inducing a charge on the sense system;

measuring the induced charge on the sense system; and

making a pass or fail determination for at least a portion of the touch sensor based at least in part on the measured induced charge.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises an array of drive electrodes, each drive electrode capacitively coupled to a respective sense electrode of an array of sense electrodes of the sense system, and each drive electrode configured to induce a charge to the respective sense electrode in response to a voltage applied to the drive electrode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein restricting current flow comprises using at least one switch to create an electrical open in a conductive path between the drive system and the node of the touch sensor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one switch comprises a transistor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the test system comprises a capacitor coupled in series in a conductive path capacitively coupling the drive system to the sense system through the test system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a touch screen of the touch sensor comprises the node of the touch sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the touch sensor comprises one or more of the drive system and the sense system.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a test system configured to emulate a node of the apparatus;

a drive system comprising a plurality of drive electrodes, each drive electrode configured to transfer a charge in response to a voltage applied to the drive electrode;

a sense system capacitively coupled to the drive system through each of first and second conductive paths, the first conductive path comprising the test system, the second conductive path comprising the node, the sense system comprising a plurality of sense electrodes, each sense electrode configured to receive the charge transferred by a respective one of the plurality of drive electrodes; and

a switch system configured to selectively open and close each of the first and second conductive paths such that when the first conductive path is closed and the second conductive path is open the test system emulates the node of the apparatus, and when the first conductive path is open and the second conductive path is closed the test system is electrically decoupled from each of the drive system, the sense system, and the node of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test system comprises a capacitor coupled in series with respect to the first conductive path.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a controller configured to output an indication of whether the apparatus has either passed or failed a test implemented using the test system.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, by emulating the node of the apparatus, the test system enables a test of a respective function of either the drive system or the sense system.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, by emulating the node of the apparatus, the test system enables a test of a respective function of each of the drive system and the sense system.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the switch system comprises a transistor.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the apparatus is one of a plurality of die formed on a surface of a substrate; and

the test system is configured to emulate the node of the apparatus before the apparatus is singulated from the plurality of die formed on the surface of the substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a touch screen of the apparatus comprises the node of the second conductive path.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a sense electrode configured to sense a change in capacitance at a node of the apparatus;

a drive electrode configured to induce a charge in the sense electrode in response to a voltage applied to the drive electrode;

a test system configured when enabled to modify the charge by a predetermined amount;

a switch system configured to selectively enable and disable the test system.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the test system is further configured to emulate the operation of a touch screen of the apparatus by modifying the charge by the predetermined amount.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to output an indication of whether the apparatus has either passed or failed a test implemented using the test system.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an interface configured to output an indication of whether the apparatus has either passed or failed a test implemented using the test system.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the drive electrode is capacitively coupled to the sense electrode through a touch screen when the test system is disabled, but not when the test system is enabled.