Interaction Sensing

• US 20150049055A1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Post, Ernest Rehmi, Bau, Olivier, Tsekov, Iliya, Sadi, Sajid, Digman, Mike, Attarian, Vatche, Consul, Sergi
• Granted Patent: US 10,318,090 B2
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08

Abstract

In particular embodiments, an apparatus includes a single electrode configured to passively receive a charge displacement and a change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in an environment. The apparatus further includes a touch sensor, coupled to the single electrode, configured to detect a first input based on the charge displacement, and a second input based on the change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in the environment.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a single electrode configured to passively receive a charge displacement, and a change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in an environment; and

a touch sensor, coupled to the single electrode, configured to detect a first input based on the charge displacement, and a second input based on the change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in the environment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processing unit, coupled to the touch sensor, configured to activate an application program that is optimized for the context that is detected, wherein the application program detects contact from any type of material based on the charge displacement.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a processing unit, coupled to the touch sensor, configured to;

detect a pose of a hand using the hover;

detect contact from an object that is non-conductive;

or

detect a shape and a texture of the object;

wherein the pose of the hand, and the shape and the texture of the object are used to provide increased precision of the contact and reject an inadvertent contact.

4. A method comprising:

by a single electrode, passively receiving a charge displacement, and a change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in an environment; and

by a touch sensor, coupled to the single electrode, detecting a first input based on the charge displacement, and a second input based on the change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in the environment.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, by a processing unit, coupled to the touch sensor, activating an application program that is optimized for the context that is detected, wherein the application program detects contact from any type of material based on the charge displacement.

6. The method of claim 5:

wherein the method further comprises, by a processing unit, coupled to the touch sensor;

detecting a pose of a hand using the hover;

detecting contact from an object that is non-conductive;

or

detecting a shape and a texture of the object; and

the pose of the hand, and the shape and the texture of the object are used to provide increased precision of the contact and reject an inadvertent contact.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for passively receiving a charge displacement, and a change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in an environment; and

means for detecting a first input based on the charge displacement, and a second input based on the change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in the environment.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for activating an application program that is optimized for the context that is detected, wherein the application program detects contact from any type of material based on the charge displacement.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises means for;

detecting a pose of a hand using the hover;

detecting contact from an object that is non-conductive;

or

detecting a shape and a texture of the object; and

the pose of the hand, and the shape and the texture of the object are used to provide increased precision of the contact and reject an inadvertent contact.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal from an electrode of a triboelectric and noise touch sensor;

detecting a first contact, separation, or motion input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor;

receiving a second signal from the electrode of the triboelectric and noise touch sensor a second electromagnetic signal; and

detecting a second contact or proximity input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first signal is the second signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second signal is received after the first signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

analyzing the first signal; and

when a contact input to the touch sensor is detected based on the analysis of the first signal, analyzing the second signal.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second signals are received concurrently.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising analyzing the first signal, wherein analyzing the first signal comprises classifying the first detected input as a contact, separation, or motion event based at least in part on a waveform of the first signal.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising analyzing the second signal, wherein the analysis of the second signal comprises:

characterizing the second signal into one or more frequency bands; and

determining a current context by comparing the characterization of the second signal to one or more stored noise profiles associated with one or more pre-determined contexts.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the second electromagnetic signal comprises a change in capacitance at a capacitive node comprising the electrode.

18. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic that is operable when executed to:

receive a first signal from an electrode of a triboelectric and noise touch sensor;

detect a first contact, separation, or motion input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor;

receive a second signal from the electrode of the triboelectric and noise touch sensor a second electromagnetic signal; and

detect a second contact or proximity input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the first signal is the second signal.

20. The medium of claim 18, wherein the second signal is received after the first signal.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to:

analyze the first signal; and

when a contact input to the touch sensor is detected based on the analysis of the first signal, analyze the second signal.

22. The medium of claim 18, wherein the first and second signals are received concurrently.

23. The medium of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to analyze the first signal, wherein analyzing the first signal comprises classifying the first detected input as a contact, separation, or motion event based at least in part on a waveform of the first signal.

24. The medium of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to analyze the second signal, wherein the analysis of the second signal comprises:

characterizing the second signal into one or more frequency bands; and

determining a current context by comparing the characterization of the second signal to one or more stored noise profiles associated with one or more pre-determined contexts.

25. The medium of claim 18, wherein the second electromagnetic signal comprises a change in capacitance at a capacitive node comprising the electrode.

26. An apparatus comprising:

an electrode of a triboelectric and noise touch sensor; and

a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic that is operable when executed to;

receive a first signal from the electrode;

detect a first contact, separation, or motion input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor;

receive a second signal from the electrode of the triboelectric and noise touch sensor a second electromagnetic signal; and

detect a second contact or proximity input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first signal is the second signal.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second signal is received after the first signal.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to:

analyze the first signal; and

when a contact input to the touch sensor is detected based on the analysis of the first signal, analyze the second signal.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first and second signals are received concurrently.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to analyze the first signal, wherein analyzing the first signal comprises classifying the first detected input as a contact, separation, or motion event based at least in part on a waveform of the first signal.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to analyze the second signal, wherein the analysis of the second signal comprises:

characterizing the second signal into one or more frequency bands; and

determining a current context by comparing the characterization of the second signal to one or more stored noise profiles associated with one or more pre-determined contexts.

33. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second electromagnetic signal comprises a change in capacitance at a capacitive node comprising the electrode.

34. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first signal from an electrode of a triboelectric and noise touch sensor;

means for detecting a first contact, separation, or motion input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor;

means for receiving a second signal from the electrode of the triboelectric and noise touch sensor a second electromagnetic signal; and

means for detecting a second contact or proximity input to the triboelectric and noise touch sensor.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first signal is the second signal.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the second signal is received after the first signal.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

means for analyzing the first signal; and

means for ,when a contact input to the touch sensor is detected based on the analysis of the first signal, analyzing the second signal.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the first and second signals are received concurrently.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising means for analyzing the first signal, wherein analyzing the first signal comprises classifying the first detected input as a contact, separation, or motion event based at least in part on a waveform of the first signal.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising means for analyzing the second signal, wherein the analysis of the second signal comprises:

characterizing the second signal into one or more frequency bands; and

determining a current context by comparing the characterization of the second signal to one or more stored noise profiles associated with one or more pre-determined contexts.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein the second electromagnetic signal comprises a change in capacitance at a capacitive node comprising the electrode.