TOUCH-SENSITIVE PANEL APPARATUS, CONTROL CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR SCANNING TOUCH EVENT

• US 20150022485A1
• Filed: 10/19/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Waltop International Corp.
• Inventors: CHEN, CHANG-HSIEN, Huang, Chih-Hung
• Granted Patent: US 9,798,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• 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 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

Disclosure is related to a touch-sensitive panel apparatus, a control circuit, and a method for scanning touch event. The method is generally adapted to sensing a touch event when a touch object is used to contact a touch-sensitive panel device. The method in the beginning includes performing a time-division scanning process for separately scanning a first sensing region and a second sensing region according to a scanning timing scenario. After that, a triggering zone may be sensed when the scanning process finds a touch event. A full-time scanning process is then performed to the triggering zone. A touching position may be determined according to the scanning process. In one further embodiment, the method then verifies an operating frequency for the touch event so as to confirm a triggering event.

Claims

1. A method for scanning touch event, adapted to obtaining a touching position of a touch-sensitive apparatus, comprising:

in accordance with a scan timing scenario, scanning a first sensing region and a second sensing region by a time-division scheme, wherein the scan timing scenario includes allocation of a ratio of scanning the first sensing region and the second sensing region within a scan period;

acquiring a triggering zone according to a scanning result;

performing a full-time scanning upon the triggering zone; and

determining a position with respect to a touch event according to the scanning result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of scanning the first sensing region and the second sensing region is performed by charging sensing lines within the first sensing region and the second sensing region according to the scan timing scenario.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first sensing region is a function instruction zone of the touch-sensitive apparatus;

the second sensing region is a work zone of the touch-sensitive apparatus, or a zone including both the function instruction zone and the work zone.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first sensing region, the second sensing region, or the triggering zone is formed within a zone surrounded by all or part of the sensing lines over a first axial direction and a second axial direction;

the time-division scanning or the full-time scanning is performed by sequentially charging the all or part of sensing lines over the first axial direction and the second axial direction.

5. A method for scanning a touch event, adapted to obtaining a touching position and a triggering event by sensing a touch object touching a touch-sensitive apparatus, comprising:

in accordance with a scan timing scenario, scanning a first sensing region and a second sensing region by a time-division scheme;

wherein the scan timing scenario includes allocation of a ratio of scanning the first sensing region and the second sensing region within a scan period;

acquiring a triggering zone according to a scanning result;

performing a full-time scanning upon the triggering zone;

determining the touching position where the touch object touches the touch-sensitive apparatus according to the scanning result;

confirming an operating frequency as acquiring the touching position, and the operating frequency corresponding to the triggering event; and

confirming the triggering event according to the operating frequency.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of scanning the first sensing region and the second sensing region is performed by charging sensing lines within the first sensing region and the second sensing region of the touch-sensitive apparatus according to the scan timing scenario.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first sensing region is a function instruction zone of the touch-sensitive apparatus;

the second sensing region is a work zone of the touch-sensitive apparatus, or a zone including both the function instruction zone and the work zone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first sensing region, the second sensing region, or the triggering zone is formed within a zone surrounded by all or part of the sensing lines over a first axial direction and a second axial direction;

the time-division scanning or the full-time scanning is performed by sequentially charging the all or part of sensing lines over the first axial direction and the second axial direction.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the operating frequency includes a first frequency and a second frequency;

the touch-sensitive apparatus is operated with the first frequency and the second frequency simultaneously.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of confirming the triggering event according to the operating frequency comprises:

acquiring touching signals with the first frequency by scanning the touch-sensitive apparatus with a gain;

acquiring touching signals with the second frequency by scanning the apparatus with the same gain;

comparing the touching signals with the first frequency and the second frequency; and

confirming the triggering event made by the touch object is with the first frequency or the second frequency according to the comparison.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the triggering event indicates a moving position or a triggering instruction with respect to the touch object;

wherein the triggering event is the moving position of the touch object while the trigger event is confirmed with the first frequency;

the triggering event is the triggering instruction made by the touch object while the triggering event is confirmed with the second frequency.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the gain is generated by an automatic gain control mechanism for scan signals of the touch-sensitive apparatus.

13. A touch-sensitive apparatus, comprising:

a touch-sensitive panel, including sensing lines over a first axial direction, and sensing lines over a second axial direction;

a control circuit, electrically connected with the touch-sensitive panel, used to control charging timing for the sensing lines over the first axial direction and the second axial direction, so as to perform time-division scanning and full-time scanning; and

a switch-selection circuit, electrically connected with the control circuit, the sensing lines over the first axial direction, and the sensing lines over the second axial direction, used to turn on or turn off part or all of the sensing lines over the first axial direction and the second axial direction according to a control signal made by the control circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control circuit includes a driving circuit used for driving sensing lines of the touch-sensitive panel to be turned on or turned off.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control circuit includes a power management unit used to manage power supplied to the sensing lines of the touch-sensitive panel, and the driving circuit is selectively used to supply power to the sensing lines through the switch-selection circuit.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control circuit includes a signal processing unit used to determine a triggering zone or position of a touch event according to sensing signals generated respectively by the sensing lines over the first axial direction and over the second axial direction.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, when the signal processing unit determines the position of touch event, confirming an operating frequency for the touch event, so as to determine a triggering event.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, when the signal processing unit determines the triggering zone, the driving circuit drives the sensing lines over the first axial direction and over the second axial direction to perform full-time scanning over the triggering zone.