Touch Sensing Using Motion Information

• US 20130141383A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Woolley, Adrian
• Application Number:
  US13/310,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141383A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes a touch sensor, a motion module, and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic. The logic is operable, when executed, to receive information from the touch sensor and receive information from the motion module. The logic is further operable to determine whether a touch input to the system has occurred based on the information from the motion module. The logic is further operable to determine coordinates associated with the touch input based on the information received from the touch sensor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a touch sensor;

a motion module; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to;

receive information from the touch sensor;

receive information from the motion module;

determine whether a touch input to the system has occurred based on the information from the motion module; and

determine coordinates associated with the touch input based on the information received from the touch sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion module comprises an accelerometer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is operable to determine that the touch input occurred based on the information from the motion module by determining that the information from the motion module is greater than a threshold.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the logic is operable to receive the information from the touch sensor by causing a scan of the touch sensor in response to determining that the information from the motion module is greater than the threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is operable to determine that the touch input occurred based on the information from the motion module by:

determining a first confidence level based on the information from the touch sensor and the information from the motion module;

determining that the first confidence level is below a threshold;

in response to determining that the first confidence level is below the threshold, receiving a second set of information from the touch sensor;

determining a second confidence level based on the second set of information from the touch sensor; and

determining that the second confidence level is greater than the threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the touch sensor comprises a second set of electrodes;

the first set of electrodes are arranged along a first axis; and

the second set of electrodes are arranged along a second axis, the first and second axes being substantially perpendicular to each other.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more portions of the first set of electrodes comprises indium tin oxide (ITO).

8. A method, performed by executing logic embodied by one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media, comprising:

receiving information from a touch sensor;

receiving information from a motion module;

determining whether a touch input to a device comprising the touch sensor and comprising the motion module has occurred based on the information from the motion module; and

determining coordinates associated with the touch input based on the information received from the touch sensor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the motion module comprises an accelerometer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the touch input occurred based on the information from the motion module comprises determining that the information from the motion module is greater than a threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the information from the touch sensor comprises causing a scan of the touch sensor in response to determining that the information from the motion module is greater than the threshold.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the touch input occurred based on the information from the motion module comprises:

determining a first confidence level based on the information from the touch sensor and the information from the motion module;

determining that the first confidence level is below a threshold;

in response to determining that the first confidence level is below the threshold, receiving a second set of information from the touch sensor;

determining a second confidence level based on the second set of information from the touch sensor; and

determining that the second confidence level is greater than the threshold.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the information from the motion module comprises;

information corresponding to a first axis;

information corresponding to a second axis; and

information corresponding to a third axis; and

determining whether the touch input has occurred based on the information from the motion module comprises comparing the information corresponding to the first axis to a threshold.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the information from the motion module comprises;

information corresponding to a first axis;

information corresponding to a second axis; and

information corresponding to a third axis; and

determining whether the touch input has occurred based on the information from the motion module comprises;

determining a magnitude based on the information corresponding to the first axis, the information corresponding to the second axis, and the information corresponding to the third axis; and

comparing the magnitude to a threshold.

15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to:

receive information from a touch sensor;

receive information from a motion module;

determine whether a touch input to a device comprising the touch sensor and comprising the motion module has occurred based on the information from the motion module; and

determine coordinates associated with the touch input based on the information received from the touch sensor.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the logic operable to receive information from the motion module comprises logic operable to receive information from an accelerometer.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein the logic is operable to determine that the touch input occurred based on the information from the motion module by determining that the information from the motion module is greater than a threshold.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the logic is operable to receive the information from the touch sensor by causing a scan of the touch sensor in response to determining that the information from the motion module is greater than the threshold.

19. The media of claim 15, wherein the logic is operable to determine that the touch input occurred based on the information from the motion module by:

determining a first confidence level based on the information from the touch sensor and the information from the motion module;

determining that the first confidence level is below a threshold;

in response to determining that the first confidence level is below the threshold, receiving a second set of information from the touch sensor;

determining a second confidence level based on the second set of information from the touch sensor; and

determining that the second confidence level is greater than the threshold.

20. The media of claim 15, wherein:

the information from the motion module comprises;

information corresponding to a first axis;

information corresponding to a second axis; and

information corresponding to a third axis; and

the logic is operable to determine whether the touch input has occurred based on the information from the motion module by comparing the information corresponding to the first axis to a threshold.

21. The media of claim 15, wherein:

the information from the motion module comprises;

information corresponding to a first axis;

information corresponding to a second axis; and

information corresponding to a third axis; and

the logic is operable to determine whether the touch input has occurred based on the information from the motion module by;

determining a magnitude based on the information corresponding to the first axis, the information corresponding to the second axis, and the information corresponding to the third axis; and

comparing the magnitude to a threshold.