TECHNIQUES FOR DISAMBIGUATING TOUCH DATA USING USER DEVICES

• US 20140168160A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Perceptive Pixel Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Westhues, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,018,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

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.

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal at the first electrode of the first user device through the body of the first user when the first user is touching the matrix with at least one finger, and wherein the column touch data for the first user indicates columns touched by the at least one finger of the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the at least one second signal from the first electrode of the first user device comprises transmitting the at least one second signal through the body of the first user when the first user is touching the matrix with at least one finger, and wherein the row touch data for the first user indicates rows touched by the at least one finger of the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a portable device configured to be physically carried by the first user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a coat that includes an outer lining of conductive material that acts as a grounding plate and an inner lining of conductive material that acts as the first electrode.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a shoe that includes an inner plate configured to contact a foot of the first user, the inner plate acting as the first electrode, and also includes an outer plate configured to couple to a floor on which the first user is standing, the outer plate acting as a grounding plate.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a wireless device, and

wherein transmitting the column touch data for the first user comprises wirelessly transmitting the column touch data for the first user to a remote computer.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a wired device, and

wherein transmitting the first user column touch data comprises transmitting the first user column touch data to a remote computer over a wire.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a controller circuit, and

wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a device that includes a grounding plate carried by the first user that is configured to capacitively couple to a ground of the controller circuit.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a controller circuit, and

wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a device that is configured to be directly connected to a ground of the controller circuit by a wire.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first active components and the second active components correspond to a same circuit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a device that includes:

a switch coupled with the first electrode that is configured for multiplexing a relatively large voltage and a relatively small current, wherein the switch is configured for transmitting a voltage onto the first electrode in a transmission mode, and for receiving a current from the first electrode in a receiving mode;

a receiver circuit for the current that is coupled to the switch to receive at least part of the current through the switch, from the first electrode;

a transmitter circuit for the voltage that is coupled to the switch to transmit at least part of the voltage through the switch, onto the first electrode;

a microcontroller coupled to the receiver and the transmitter circuits; and

an internal power source to provide power to at least the microcontroller.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the microcontroller generating the first user column touch data and reporting at least some of the first user column touch data from the first user device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the first user column touch data comprises the transmitter transmitting the first user column touch data over a wireless, an ultrasonic channel or an optical channel.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in a device that includes a battery or a supercapacitor as the internal power source.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises receiving the at least one first signal in the device that includes the switch coupled with the first electrode that is configured for multiplexing a voltage on the order of one hundred volts and a current on the order of one microamp.

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.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first user device being configured to receive the at least one first signal in the first user device comprises the first user device being configured to receive the at least one first signal at the first electrode of the first user device through the body of the first user when the first user is touching the matrix with at least one finger, and wherein the column touch data for the first user indicates columns touched by the at least one finger of the first user.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first user device being configured to transmit the at least one second signal from the first electrode of the first user device comprises the first user device being configured to transmit the at least one second signal through the body of the first user when the first user is touching the matrix with at least one finger, and wherein the row touch data for the first user indicates rows touched by the at least one finger of the first user.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first user device comprises a portable device configured to be physically carried by the first user.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein the first user device includes a grounding plate,

wherein the first user device comprises a coat,

wherein the first electrode comprises an inner lining of conductive material of the coat, and

wherein the grounding plate comprises an outer lining of conductive material of the coat.

22. The system of claim 20,

wherein the first user device includes a grounding plate,

wherein the first user device comprises a shoe;

wherein the first electrode comprises an inner plate of the shoe configured to contact a foot of the first user, and

wherein the grounding plate comprises an outer plate of the shoe configured to couple to a floor on which the first user is standing.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the first user device comprises a wireless device and communicating the column touch data for the first user comprises wirelessly communicating the column touch data for the first user to a remote computer.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the first user device comprises a wired device and transmitting the first user column touch data comprises transmitting the first user column touch data to a remote computer over a wire.

25. The system of claim 17,

wherein the system further includes the capacitive touch sensor,

wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a controller circuit, and

wherein the first user device includes a grounding plate carried by the first user that is configured to capacitively couple to a ground of the controller circuit.

26. The system of claim 17,

wherein the system further includes the capacitive touch sensor,

wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a controller circuit, and

wherein the first user device is configured to be directly connected to a ground of the controller circuit by a wire.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the first active components and the second active components correspond to a same circuit.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the first user device comprises:

a switch coupled with the first electrode that is configured for multiplexing a relatively large voltage and a relatively small current, wherein the switch is configured for transmitting a voltage onto the first electrode in a transmission mode, and for receiving a current from the first electrode in a receiving mode;

a receiver circuit for the current that is coupled to the switch to receive at least part of the current through the switch, from the first electrode;

a transmitter circuit for the voltage that is coupled to the switch to transmit at least part of the voltage through the switch, onto the first electrode;

a microcontroller coupled to the receiver and the transmitter circuits; and

an internal power source to provide power to at least the microcontroller.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the microcontroller is configured to:

generate the first user column touch data, and

report at least some of the first user column touch data from the first user device.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the first user device further comprises a communication channel, wherein the communication channel comprises a wireless channel, an ultrasonic channel, or an optical channel.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the internal power source comprises a battery or a supercapacitor.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the current is on the order of one microamp, and wherein the voltage is on the order of one hundred volts.

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.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein each of the multiple users being associated with a different user device comprises each of the multiple users physically carrying a different user device.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the capacitive touch sensor includes a controller circuit and energizing the first column comprises applying a time-varying voltage between the first column and a ground of the controller circuit.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein detecting whether the energizing of the first column results in a particular signal change at the user device comprises:

measuring a current at the user device that is indicative of a capacitance from the first column to a body of the user associated with the user device, and

comparing results of the measurement to a baseline.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the energizing of the first column of the matrix occurs in a single time slot of a frame, the single time slot being allocated to the first column.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising sequentially energizing each remaining column of the matrix in sequential time slots in the frame to thereby update the touch point location data to indicate two dimensional locations of all touch points on the matrix, and to thereby update the column touch data for the multiple users to indicate a set of columns touched by each of the multiple users.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

energizing a selected user device of a selected one of the multiple users;

at each row of the matrix;

detecting whether the energizing of the selected user device results in a particular signal change at the row,

based on whether the energizing of the selected user device results in the particular signal change at the row, updating row touch data for the selected user to indicate that the row is touched by the selected user, and

based on whether the energizing of the selected user device does not result in the particular signal change at the row, not updating the row touch data for the selected user to indicate that the row is touched by the selected user.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein energizing the selected user device comprises transmitting a time-varying voltage through the electrode of the selected user device.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein detecting whether the energizing of the selected user device results in a particular signal change at the row comprises:

measuring a current at the row that is indicative of a capacitance from the row to a body of the selected user, and

comparing results of the measurement to a baseline.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the energizing of the first column of the matrix occurs in a first time slot of a frame, the first time slot being allocated to the first column, and the energizing of the selected user device of the selected user occurs in a second and different time slot of the frame, the second time slot being allocated to the selected user device.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising sequentially energizing each remaining user device of the multiple users in sequential time slots in the frame to thereby update the row touch data for each of the multiple users to indicate a set of rows touched by each user.

44. The method of claim 42,

wherein the frame includes a time slot allocated to each of the columns of the matrix, and a time slot allocated to each of the multiple user devices,

further comprising sequentially energizing each remaining column of the matrix during its allocated time slot in the frame to thereby update the touch point location data to indicate two dimensional locations of all touch points on the matrix, and to thereby update the column touch data for the multiple users to indicate a set of columns touched by each user, and

further comprising sequentially energizing each remaining user device of the multiple users in its allocated time slot in the frame to thereby update the row touch data for each of the multiple users to indicate a set of rows touched by each user.

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.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein each of the multiple users being associated with a different user device comprises each of the multiple users physically carrying a different user device.

47. The system of claim 45,

wherein the one or more circuit elements are included in a controller circuit of the capacitive touch sensor, and

wherein the one or more circuit elements being configured to energize the first column comprises the one or more circuit elements being configured to apply a time-varying voltage between the first column and a ground of the controller circuit.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein each user device being configured to detect whether the energizing of the first column results in a particular signal change at the user device comprises each user device being configured to:

measure a current at the user device that is indicative of a capacitance from the first column to a body of the user associated with the user device, and

compare results of the measurement to a baseline.

49. The system of claim 45, wherein the one or more circuit elements being configured to energize the first column of the matrix comprises the one or more circuit elements being configured to energize the first column of the matrix in a single time slot of a frame, the single time slot being allocated to the first column.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the one or more circuit elements are further configured to sequentially energize each remaining column of the matrix in sequential time slots in the frame to thereby update the touch point location data to indicate two dimensional locations of all touch points on the matrix, and to thereby update the column touch data for the multiple users to indicate a set of columns touched by each of the multiple users.

51. The system of claim 45,

wherein a selected user device of the multiple user devices is configured to be energized, and

wherein the one or more circuit elements are configured to, at each row of the matrix:

detect whether the energizing of the selected user device results in a particular signal change at the row,

based on whether the energizing of the selected user device results in the particular signal change at the row, update row touch data for the selected user to indicate that the row is touched by the selected user, and

based on whether the energizing of the selected user device does not result in the particular signal change at the row, not update the row touch data for the selected user to indicate that the row is touched by the selected user.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the selected user device is configured to be energized by being configured to transmit a time-varying voltage through the electrode of the selected user device.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the one or more circuit elements being configured to detect whether the energizing of the selected user device results in a particular signal change at the row comprises the one or more circuit elements being configured to:

measure a current at the row that is indicative of a capacitance from the row to a body of the selected user, and

compare results of the measurement to a baseline.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein the one or more circuit elements being configured to energize the first column of the matrix comprises the one or more circuit elements being configured to energize the first column of the matrix in a first time slot of a frame, the first time slot being allocated to the first column, and the selected user device being configured to be energized comprises the selected user device being configured to be energized in a second and different time slot of the frame, the second time slot being allocated to the selected user device.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein each remaining user device of the multiple users is configured to be sequentially energized in sequential time slots in the frame to thereby update the row touch data for each of the multiple users to indicate a set of rows touched by each user.

56. The system of claim 54,

wherein the frame includes a time slot allocated to each of the columns of the matrix, and a time slot allocated to each of the multiple user devices,

wherein the one or more circuit elements are further configured to sequentially energize each remaining column of the matrix during its allocated time slot in the frame to thereby update the touch point location data to indicate two dimensional locations of all touch points on the matrix, and to thereby update the column touch data for the multiple users to indicate a set of columns touched by each user, and

wherein each remaining user device of the multiple users is configured to be sequentially energized in its allocated time slot in the frame to thereby update the row touch data for each of the multiple users to indicate a set of rows touched by each user.