SIDE SENSING FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20150346850A1
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Vandermeijden, Tom, Dayan, Fabrice
• Granted Patent: US 9,798,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer

Abstract

Side sensing for electronic devices. An input device has a first sensing region including a first plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense objects in the first sensing region that are ohmically coupled to the first plurality of sensor electrodes. A second sensing region is positioned adjacent to the first sensing region and includes a second plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense objects in the second sensing region that are ohmically isolated from a second plurality of sensor electrodes but are capacitively coupled to the second plurality of sensor electrodes.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a first sensing region substantially overlapping a user input area, the first sensing region including;

a first plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense objects in the first sensing region;

a first plurality of routing traces ohmically coupled to the first plurality of sensor electrodes;

and

a second sensing region adjacent to the first sensing region, the second sensing region including;

a second plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense objects in the second sensing region;

a second plurality of routing traces ohmically isolated from the second plurality of sensor electrodes and capacitively coupled to the second plurality of sensor electrodes.

2. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a processing system communicatively coupled to the first plurality of sensing electrodes via the first plurality of routing traces and operably coupled to the second plurality of sensor electrodes via the second plurality of routing traces.

3. The input device of claim 2, wherein the processing system is configured to:

operate the first plurality of sensor electrodes in a trans-capacitive mode; and

operate the second plurality of sensor electrodes in an absolute capacitive mode.

4. The input device of claim 2, wherein the processing system is configured to:

operate the first plurality of sensor electrodes in an absolute capacitive mode; and

operate the second plurality of sensor electrodes in an absolute capacitive mode.

5. The input device of claim 2, wherein the processing system is configured to processes input from at least the second plurality of sensor electrodes to determine whether the input device is being held in a left hand or a right hand of a user.

6. The input device of claim 2, wherein the processing system is configured to processes input from at least the second plurality of sensor electrodes to determine the orientation of the input device.

7. The input device of claim 2, wherein the second plurality of sensor electrodes are configured to provide a slide control input to the processing system.

8. The input device of claim 2, wherein the processing system is configure to selectively operate the second plurality of routing traces as guard traces to provide shielding to the first plurality of sensor electrodes.

9. The input device of claim 2, wherein the second plurality of routing traces comprise a subset of the first plurality of routing traces and the processing system is configured to multiplex the subset of the first plurality of routing traces to receive capacitively coupled input from the first and second sensing region.

10. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a switch coupled to a reference potential and a respective sensor electrode of the second plurality of sensor electrodes, whereby when the switch is pressed, the electrode is brought to the reference potential resulting in a measurable change in capacitive coupling between the respective sensor electrode and a respective routing trace of the second plurality of routing traces.

11. The input device of claim 1, wherein the user input area at least partially overlaps a display.

12. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third sensing region adjacent to the first sensing region, the third sensing region including;

a third plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense objects in the third sensing region; and

a third plurality of routing traces ohmically isolated from the third plurality of sensor electrodes and capacitively coupled to the third plurality of sensor electrodes.

13. A processing system for an input device, comprising;

a memory for storing instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory for executing the instructions, the processor including;

a first input for receiving signals from a first plurality of sensor electrodes via a first plurality of routing traces ohmically coupled to the first plurality of sensor electrodes, the first plurality of sensor electrodes positioned in first plane to form a first sensing region; and

a second input for receiving signals from a second plurality of sensor electrodes via a second plurality of routing traces being ohmically isolated and capacitively coupled to the second plurality of sensor electrodes, the second plurality of sensor electrodes positioned in second plane that is non-parallel to the first plane to form a second sensing region.

14. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to:

operate the first plurality of sensor electrodes in a trans-capacitive mode; and

operate the second plurality of sensor electrodes in an absolute capacitive mode.

15. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to:

operate the first plurality of sensor electrodes in an absolute capacitive mode; and

operate the second plurality of sensor electrodes in an absolute capacitive mode.

16. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the processor operates the second plurality of sensor electrodes to provide a slide control input to the processor.

17. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the memory contains instruction for the processor to selectively operate the second plurality of routing traces as guard traces to provide shielding to the first plurality of sensor electrodes.

18. The processing system of claim 13, wherein the second plurality of routing traces comprise a subset of the first plurality of routing traces and the memory contains instructions for the processor to multiplex the subset of the first plurality of routing traces to receive capacitively coupled input from the second sensor electrodes.

19. The processing system of claim 13, further comprising a switch coupled to a reference potential and a respective sensor electrode of the second plurality of sensor electrodes, whereby when the switch is pressed, the electrode is brought to the reference potential resulting in the processor can detect a measurable change in capacitive coupling between the respective sensor electrode and a respective routing trace of the second plurality of routing traces.

20. A device, comprising:

a housing having a top surface and an edge surface;

a display positioned to be viewed on the top surface;

a first plurality of sensor electrodes and a first plurality of routing traces ohmically coupled to the first plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense objects in the a first sensing region, the first sensing region substantially overlapping the top surface; and

a second plurality of sensor electrodes and a second plurality of routing traces ohmically isolated from the second plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense objects in the a second sensing region, the second sensing region at least partly overlapping the side surface.