Capacitive Touch Sensor System and Method
First Claim
1. A capacitive touch sensor system comprising:
- (a) touch sensor array (TSA);
(b) array column driver (ACD);
(c) column switching register (CSR);
(d) column driving source (CDS);
(e) array row sensor (ARS);
(f) row switching register (RSR);
(g) analog to digital converter (ADC); and
(h) computing control device (CCD);
whereinsaid TSA comprises a variable impedance array (VIA) comprising VIA columns and VIA rows;
said VIA comprises capacitance elements interlinking said VIA columns and said VIA rows;
said VIA is configured to electrically couple a plurality of interlinked impedance columns (IIC) within said TSA with a plurality of interlinked impedance rows (IIR) within said TSA;
said IIC further comprises a plurality of individual column impedance elements (ICIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA columns;
said IIR further comprises a plurality of individual row impedance elements (IRIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA rows;
said ACD is configured to select said IIC within said TSA based on said CSR;
said ACD is configured to electrically drive said selected IIC using said CDS;
said ARS is configured to select said IIR within said TSA based on said RSR;
said ADC is configured to sense the electrical state of said selected IIR and convert said electrical state to a sensed digital value (SDV);
said electrical state is determined by the sum of current contributions of variable impedance elements within said VIA, where the current contribution of each element is determined by a voltage divider formed between the columns of said VIA, a current divider formed between the rows of said via, and the state of the impedance element, to produce a sensed current for a given row-column intersection with said VIA; and
said CCD is configured to sample said SDV from said ADC at a plurality of positions within said TSA to form a touch sensor matrix (TSM) data structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive touch sensor system and method incorporating an interpolated sensor array is disclosed. The system and method utilize a touch sensor array (TSA) configured to detect proximity/contact/pressure (PCP) via a variable impedance array (VIA) electrically coupling interlinked impedance columns (IIC) coupled to an array column driver (ACD), and interlinked impedance rows (IIR) coupled to an array row sensor (ARS). The ACD is configured to select the IIC based on a column switching register (CSR) and electrically drive the IIC using a column driving source (CDS). The VIA conveys current from the driven IIC to the IIC sensed by the ARS. The ARS selects the IIR within the TSA and electrically senses the IIR state based on a row switching register (RSR). Interpolation of ARS sensed current/voltage allows accurate detection of TSA PCP and/or spatial location.
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Citations
132 Claims
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1. A capacitive touch sensor system comprising:
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(a) touch sensor array (TSA); (b) array column driver (ACD); (c) column switching register (CSR); (d) column driving source (CDS); (e) array row sensor (ARS); (f) row switching register (RSR); (g) analog to digital converter (ADC); and (h) computing control device (CCD); wherein said TSA comprises a variable impedance array (VIA) comprising VIA columns and VIA rows; said VIA comprises capacitance elements interlinking said VIA columns and said VIA rows; said VIA is configured to electrically couple a plurality of interlinked impedance columns (IIC) within said TSA with a plurality of interlinked impedance rows (IIR) within said TSA; said IIC further comprises a plurality of individual column impedance elements (ICIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA columns; said IIR further comprises a plurality of individual row impedance elements (IRIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA rows; said ACD is configured to select said IIC within said TSA based on said CSR; said ACD is configured to electrically drive said selected IIC using said CDS; said ARS is configured to select said IIR within said TSA based on said RSR; said ADC is configured to sense the electrical state of said selected IIR and convert said electrical state to a sensed digital value (SDV); said electrical state is determined by the sum of current contributions of variable impedance elements within said VIA, where the current contribution of each element is determined by a voltage divider formed between the columns of said VIA, a current divider formed between the rows of said via, and the state of the impedance element, to produce a sensed current for a given row-column intersection with said VIA; and said CCD is configured to sample said SDV from said ADC at a plurality of positions within said TSA to form a touch sensor matrix (TSM) data structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A capacitive touch sensor method configured to operate on a capacitive touch sensor system comprising:
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(a) touch sensor array (TSA); (b) array column driver (ACD); (c) column switching register (CSR); (d) column driving source (CDS); (e) array row sensor (ARS); (f) row switching register (RSR); (g) analog to digital converter (ADC); and (h) computing control device (CCD); wherein said TSA comprises a variable impedance array (VIA) comprising VIA columns and VIA rows; said VIA comprises capacitance elements interlinking said VIA columns and said VIA rows; said VIA is configured to electrically couple a plurality of interlinked impedance columns (IIC) within said TSA with a plurality of interlinked impedance rows (IIR) within said TSA; said IIC further comprises a plurality of individual column impedance elements (ICIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA columns; said IIR further comprises a plurality of individual row impedance elements (IRIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA rows; said ACD is configured to select said IIC within said TSA based on said CSR; said ACD is configured to electrically drive said selected IIC using said CDS; said ARS is configured to select said IIR within said TSA based on said RSR; said ADC is configured to sense the electrical state of said selected IIR and convert said electrical state to a sensed digital value (SDV); said electrical state is determined by the sum of current contributions of variable impedance elements within said VIA, where the current contribution of each element is determined by a voltage divider formed between the columns of said VIA, a current divider formed between the rows of said via, and the state of the impedance element, to produce a sensed current for a given row-column intersection with said VIA; and said CCD is configured to sample said SDV from said ADC at a plurality of positions within said TSA to form a touch sensor matrix (TSM) data structure; wherein said method comprises the steps of; (1) under control of said CCD, configuring said IIC within said VIA; (2) under control of said CCD, configuring said IIR within said VIA; (3) under control of said CCD, electrically stimulating said IIC with said CDS; (4) under control of said CCD, sensing said electrical state in said IIR with said ADC as a sensed current for a given row-column intersection within said VIA and converting said electrical state to digital data; (5) under control of said CCD, storing said digital data in said TSM; (6) under control of said CCD, determining if predetermined variations in said CDR, said IIC, and said IIR have been logged to said TSM, and if so, proceeding to step (8); (7) under control of said CCD, reconfiguring said CDS, said IIC, and said IIR for a new VIA sensing variant and proceeding to step (3); (8) under control of said CCD, interpolating said TSM values to determine focal points of activity within said VIA; (9) under control of said CCD, converting said focal point activity information into a user interface input command sequence; and (10) under control of said CCD, transmitting said user interface input command sequence to a computer system for action and proceeding to step (1). - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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89. A tangible non-transitory computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means comprising a capacitive touch sensor method configured to operate on capacitive touch sensor system comprising:
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(a) touch sensor array (TSA); (b) array column driver (ACD); (c) column switching register (CSR); (d) column driving source (CDS); (e) array row sensor (ARS); (f) row switching register (RSR); (g) analog to digital converter (ADC); and (h) computing control device (CCD); wherein said TSA comprises a variable impedance array (VIA) comprising VIA columns and VIA rows; said VIA comprises capacitance elements interlinking said VIA columns and said VIA rows; said VIA is configured to electrically couple a plurality of interlinked impedance columns (IIC) within said TSA with a plurality of interlinked impedance rows (IIR) within said TSA; said IIC further comprises a plurality of individual column impedance elements (ICIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA columns; said IIR further comprises a plurality of individual row impedance elements (IRIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA rows; said ACD is configured to select said IIC within said TSA based on said CSR; said ACD is configured to electrically drive said selected IIC using said CDS; said ARS is configured to select said IIR within said TSA based on said RSR; said ADC is configured to sense the electrical state of said selected IIR and convert said electrical state to a sensed digital value (SDV); said electrical state is determined by the sum of current contributions of variable impedance elements within said VIA, where the current contribution of each element is determined by a voltage divider formed between the columns of said VIA, a current divider formed between the rows of said via, and the state of the impedance element, to produce a sensed current for a given row-column intersection with said VIA; and said CCD is configured to sample said SDV from said ADC at a plurality of positions within said TSA to form a touch sensor matrix (TSM) data structure; wherein said method comprises the steps of; (1) under control of said CCD, configuring said IIC within said VIA; (2) under control of said CCD, configuring said IIR within said VIA; (3) under control of said CCD, electrically stimulating said IIC with said CDS; (4) under control of said CCD, sensing said electrical state in said IIR with said ADC as a sensed current for a given row-column intersection within said VIA and converting said electrical state to digital data; (5) under control of said CCD, storing said digital data in said TSM; (6) under control of said CCD, determining if predetermined variations in said CDR, said IIC, and said IIR have been logged to said TSM, and if so, proceeding to step (8); (7) under control of said CCD, reconfiguring said CDS, said IIC, and said IIR for a new VIA sensing variant and proceeding to step (3); (8) under control of said CCD, interpolating said TSM values to determine focal points of activity within said VIA; (9) under control of said CCD, converting said focal point activity information into a user interface input command sequence; and (10) under control of said CCD, transmitting said user interface input command sequence to a computer system for action and proceeding to step (1). - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132)
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Specification