CAPACITIVE TOUCH SYSTEM USING BOTH SELF AND MUTUAL CAPACITANCE

• US 20150103047A1
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Hanauer, Jerry, O'Connor, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,310,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining multiple touch events in a multi-touch sensor system are provided. The system may have a touch sensor including nodes defined by a plurality of electrodes, which may comprise a first and second set. The method may include measuring self capacitance for at least two electrodes, detecting a touched electrode, and measuring the mutual capacitance for only a subset of the nodes (e.g., fewer than all of the nodes and including at least the nodes corresponding to the touched electrodes) resulting in the detection of two or more touched nodes. The self capacitance measurements may be performed on each of the electrodes, and the touched electrodes may comprise electrodes from both the first and second sets. Alternatively, the self capacitance measurements may be performed only on electrodes in the first set, and the touched electrodes may comprise electrodes from only the first set.

Claims

1. A method for determining multiple touch events in a multi-touch sensor system having a touch sensor including a plurality of nodes defined by a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a first layer and second electrodes arranged in a second layer, the method comprising:

performing self capacitance measurements for at least two of the plurality of second electrodes using a capacitance detector;

detecting one or more touch events as a result of the performed self capacitance measurements;

performing a plurality of mutual capacitance measurements for only a subset of the nodes, wherein the subset is fewer than all of the nodes and includes at least the nodes corresponding to the touch events and wherein a mutual capacitance measurement is performed between first and second electrodes, wherein a pulse drive circuit is connected with one of said first electrodes and the capacitance detector is connected with one of said second electrodes and wherein the pulse drive circuit is synchronized with the capacitance detector, wherein a mutual capacitance measurement is based on charging and/or discharging of a measured capacitance and the pulse drive circuit is synchronized to influence the charging and/or discharging of the measured capacitance; and

detecting two or more touch events as a result of the plurality of mutual capacitance measurements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more touch events are detected using only one electrode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged in a matrix.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of nodes comprises only the nodes corresponding to the touch events.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subset of nodes comprises nodes that are adjacent to the electrodes associated with the touch events.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacitance measurement circuit comprises a relaxation oscillator circuit generating a capacitance dependent output frequency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch events are detected by a process of elimination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacitance measurement circuit comprises a charge time measurement circuit measuring a capacitance dependent charging voltage or a capacitance dependent charging time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-touch sensor system supports a maximum of two simultaneous touches and wherein exactly one mutual capacitance measurement is performed and, based on that measurement, two touch events are detected.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor comprises a substrate onto which the plurality of first electrodes are arranged in the first layer, a first insulating layer arranged above the first layer, and wherein the plurality of second electrodes are arranged on the insulating layer in the second layer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch events are detected when an object is in proximity to, but not directly contacting, the touch sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor comprises an insulating layer forming a touch surface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a second insulating layer is arranged on top of the second layer.

14-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A system for detecting one or more touch events on a touch sensor, comprising:

a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes defined by a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a first layer and a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a second layer;

a pulse drive circuit operable to be coupled with one of said first electrodes;

a capacitance detector unit operable to connected with one of said second electrodes and configured to perform a capacitance measurement dependent on charging and/or discharging properties of a capacitance;

wherein the system is configured to only use the capacitance detector for measuring a self capacitance of each of the plurality of second electrodes;

and wherein the system is further configured to use the capacitance detector unit synchronized with said pulse drive circuit for measuring the mutual capacitance between said first and second electrodes, wherein the pulse drive circuit is driven to influence the charging and/or discharging of a measured capacitance.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged in a matrix.

21. The system according to claim 19,

wherein the pulse drive circuit and the capacitance detector unit are part of a touch controller, wherein the touch controller is operable to:

perform said self capacitance measurements for at least two of the plurality of second electrodes;

detect one or more touch events as a result of the performed self capacitance measurements;

perform a plurality of said mutual capacitance measurements for only a subset of the nodes, wherein the subset is fewer than all of the nodes and includes at least the nodes corresponding to the touch events; and

detect two or more touch events as a result of the plurality of mutual capacitance measurements.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein the capacitance detector unit comprises a relaxation oscillator.

23. The system according to claim 19, wherein the capacitance detector unit comprises a charge time measurement unit.

24. A method for determining multiple touch events in a multi-touch sensor system having a touch sensor including a plurality of nodes defined by a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a first layer and second electrodes arranged in a second layer, wherein first and second layer are separated by an insulating layer, the method comprising:

performing self capacitance measurements for at least two of the plurality of second electrodes using a capacitance detector;

detecting one or more touch events as a result of the performed self capacitance measurements;

performing a plurality of mutual capacitance measurements for only a subset of the nodes, wherein the subset is fewer than all of the nodes and includes at least the nodes corresponding to the touch events and wherein a mutual capacitance measurement is performed between first and second electrodes, wherein a pulse drive circuit is connected with one of said first electrodes and the capacitance detector is connected with one of said second electrodes and wherein the pulse drive circuit is synchronized with the capacitance detector, wherein a mutual capacitance measurement is based on charging and/or discharging of a measured capacitance and the pulse drive circuit is synchronized to influence the charging and/or discharging of the measured capacitance; and

detecting two or more touch events as a result of the plurality of mutual capacitance measurements.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the one or more touch events are detected using only one electrode.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged in a matrix.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the subset of nodes comprises only the nodes corresponding to the touch events.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the subset of nodes comprises nodes that are adjacent to the touched electrodes.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the capacitance measurement circuit comprises a relaxation oscillator circuit generating a capacitance dependent output frequency.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the touched nodes are detected by a process of elimination.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the multi-touch sensor system supports a maximum of two simultaneous touches and wherein exactly one mutual capacitance measurement is performed and, based on that measurement, two touch events are detected.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the touch sensor comprises a substrate onto which the plurality of first electrodes are arranged in the first layer and wherein the plurality of second electrodes are arranged on the insulating layer in the second layer.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the touch events are detected when an object is in proximity to, but not directly contacting, the touch sensor.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the touch sensor comprises a top insulating layer forming a touch surface.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the capacitance measurement circuit comprises a charge time measurement circuit measuring a capacitance dependent charging voltage or a capacitance dependent charging time.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the multi-touch sensor system supports a maximum of two simultaneous touches and wherein exactly one mutual capacitance measurement is performed and, based on that measurement, two touch events are detected.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the touch sensor comprises a substrate onto which the plurality of first electrodes are arranged in the first layer and wherein the plurality of second electrodes are arranged on the insulating layer in the second layer.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the touch events are detected when an object is in proximity to, but not directly contacting, the touch sensor.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the touch sensor comprises a top insulating layer forming a touch surface.