SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING USER INPUT FROM OCCLUDED OBJECTS

• US 20160253008A1
• Filed: 05/12/2016
• Published: 09/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Worfolk, Patrick, Jordan, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 10,168,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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

Devices and method are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the systems and methods are configured to identify a portion of an image of sensor values as corresponding to at least one sensed object in the sensing region, determine a polygon corresponding to the identified portion of the image, and determine a contact characterization of the at least one sensed object based on the polygon. The determination of a polygon corresponding to a sensed object facilitates improved contact characterization of the sensed object. For example, the determined polygon may be used to determine if the sensed object is actually more than one object. As a second example, the determined polygon may be used to determine the orientation of the sensed object. In addition, determined polygons may be used to more accurately track changes in the position of the sensed object.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A processing system for use with a capacitive input device that senses objects in a sensing region, comprising:

sensor circuitry configured to operate a plurality of sensor electrodes to acquire resulting signals; and

a determination unit comprising circuitry, the determination unit configured to;

determine an image of sensor values based on the resulting signals;

identify a portion of the image corresponding to a sensed object in the sensing region;

determine a first vertex of a polygon based on a comparison of a first sensor value in the image and a second sensor value in the image,

wherein the first sensor value is within the portion of the image and the second sensor value is external to the portion of the image and adjacent to the first sensor value;

track the sensed object based on the polygon; and

perform a graphical user interface action based on a characteristic of the polygon.

27. The processing system of claim 26, wherein the determination unit is further configured to determine additional vertices of the polygon based on the image.

28. The processing system of claim 26, wherein the determination unit tracks the sensed object based on the polygon by determining at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of a centroid of the polygon, an area of the polygon, an orientation of the polygon, an eccentricity of the polygon, a width of the polygon, and an edge of the polygon.

29. The processing system of claim 26, wherein the graphical user interface action comprises at least one action selected from a group consisting of cursor movement and menu navigation.

30. The processing system of claim 26, wherein the determination unit determines the first vertex of the polygon by interpolating between the first sensor value and the second sensor value.

31. The processing system of claim 26, wherein the determination unit is further configured to track the sensed object after the sensed object has moved partially out of the sensing region.

32. The processing system of claim 31, wherein the determination unit tracks the sensed object after the sensed object has moved partially out of the sensing region by calculating a centroid of the polygon or an edge of the polygon before the sensed object has moved partially outside of the sensing region.

33. The processing system of claim 26, further comprising display circuitry that operates a display of the capacitive input device.

34. The processing system of claim 33, wherein the sensor circuitry and the display circuitry share an electrical component, and the electrical component is utilized for display and sensing with the input device.

35. An input device comprising:

a plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes configured to sense in a sensing region;

sensor circuitry configured to operate the plurality of sensor electrodes;

a display; and

a processing system coupled to the plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, the processing system configured to;

determine an image of sensor values based on resulting signals acquired by the plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes;

identify a portion of the image corresponding to a sensed object in the sensing region;

determine a first vertex of a polygon based on a comparison of a first sensor value in the image and a second sensor value in the image,

wherein the first sensor value is within the portion of the image and the second sensor value is external to the portion of the image and adjacent to the first sensor value;

track the sensed object based on the polygon; and

perform a graphical user interface action based on a characteristic of the polygon.

36. The input device of claim 35, wherein the processing system is further configured to determine additional vertices of the polygon based on the image.

37. The input device of claim 35, wherein the processing system tracks the sensed object based on the polygon by determining an edge of the polygon.

38. The input device of claim 35, wherein the processing system determines the first vertex of the polygon by interpolating between the first sensor value and the second sensor value.

39. The input device of claim 35, wherein the processing system is further configured to track the sensed object after the sensed object has moved partially out of the sensing region.

40. The input device of claim 39, wherein the processing system is further configured to track the sensed object after the sensed object has moved partially out of the sensing region by calculating a centroid or edge of the polygon before the sensed object has moved partially outside of the sensing region.

41. The input device of claim 35, wherein the processing system is configured to perform the graphical user interface action by updating the display.

42. The input device of claim 41, wherein the display is updated using display circuitry, and wherein the sensor circuitry and the display circuitry share an electrical component, and the electrical component is utilized for display and sensing with the input device.

43. An non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) storing instructions for performing graphical user interface actions in response to sensing objects in a sensing region, the instructions comprising functionality to:

determine an image of sensor values based on resulting signals acquired by a plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes;

identify a portion of the image corresponding to a sensed object in the sensing region;

determine a first vertex of a polygon based on a comparison of a first sensor value in the image and a second sensor value in the image,

wherein the first sensor value is within the portion of the image and the second sensor value is external to the portion of the image and adjacent to the first sensor value;

track the sensed object based on the polygon; and

perform a graphical user interface action based on a characteristic of the polygon.

44. The non-transitory CRM of claim 43, wherein the instructions further comprise functionality to track the sensed object based on the polygon by determining at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of an edge of the polygon and a centroid of the polygon.

45. The non-transitory CRM of claim 43, wherein the instructions further comprise functionality to:

track the sensed object after the sensed object has moved partially out of the sensing region by calculating a centroid or edge of the polygon before the sensed object has moved partially outside of the sensing region.