CHANGING THE DETECTION RANGE OF A TOUCH SENSOR

• US 20170097735A1
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Inventors: Brunet, Samuel, Collins, Richard P., Hristov, Luben H., Myren, Steinar, Pedersen, Trond J., Stavely, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,838,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

In one embodiment, a controller includes a storage unit and a processor unit. The processor unit is coupled to the storage unit and configured to receive a signal associated with an operation of a device that includes a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first plurality of electrodes oriented in a first direction in a first portion of the touch sensor, a second plurality of electrodes oriented in the first direction in a second portion of the touch sensor, and a third plurality of electrodes intersecting the first and second plurality of electrodes. The processor unit is further configured to determine, in response to the signal, that a detection mode of the touch sensor is to be changed and in response to the determination, couple the second plurality of electrodes to a fixed voltage source to decrease a detection range in the second portion of the touch sensor.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A controller comprising:

a storage unit; and

a processor unit coupled to the storage unit and configured to;

receive a signal associated with an operation of a device comprising a touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a first plurality of electrodes oriented in a first direction in a first portion of the touch sensor, a second plurality of electrodes oriented in the first direction in a second portion of the touch sensor, and a third plurality of electrodes intersecting the first and second plurality of electrodes;

determine, in response to the signal, that a detection mode of the touch sensor is to be changed; and

couple, in response to determining that a detection mode of the touch sensor is to be changed, the second plurality of electrodes to a fixed voltage source to decrease a detection range in the second portion of the touch sensor.

22. The controller of claim 21, wherein the operation is a call.

23. The controller of claim 21, wherein the touch-sensor controller is further configured-to:

receive a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance of the touch sensor; and

initiate, in response to the second signal, an action of the device.

24. The controller of claim 23, wherein the action comprises disabling a light on the device.

25. The controller of claim 23, wherein the action comprises changing the device to a locked state.

26. The controller of claim 21, wherein the second portion comprises a first area along a first edge of the touch sensor and a second area along a second edge of the touch sensor.

27. A controller comprising:

a storage unit; and

a processor unit coupled to the storage unit and configured to;

receive a signal associated with an operation of a device comprising a touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a first plurality of electrodes oriented in a first direction in a first portion of the touch sensor, a second plurality of electrodes oriented in the first direction in a second portion of the touch sensor, and a third plurality of electrodes intersecting the first and second plurality of electrodes;

determine, in response to the signal, that a detection mode of the touch sensor is to be changed; and

drive, in response to determining that a detection mode of the touch sensor is to be changed, the first and the third plurality of electrodes to a first voltage to increase a detection range in the first portion of the touch sensor.

28. The controller of claim 27, wherein the operation is a call.

29. The controller of claim 27, wherein the touch-sensor controller is further configured-to:

receive a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance of the touch sensor; and

initiate, in response to the second signal, an action of the device.

30. The controller of claim 29, wherein the action comprises disabling a light on the device.

31. The controller of claim 29, wherein the action comprises changing the device to an locked state.

32. The controller of claim 27, wherein the second portion comprises a first area along a first edge of the touch sensor and a second area along a second edge of the touch sensor.

33. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to:

receive a signal associated with an operation of a device comprising a touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a first plurality of electrodes oriented in a first direction in a first portion of the touch sensor, a second plurality of electrodes oriented in the first direction in a second portion of the touch sensor, and a third plurality of electrodes intersecting the first and second plurality of electrodes;

determine, in response to the signal, that a detection mode is to be changed;

couple, in response to the determining that a detection mode is to be changed, the second plurality of electrodes to a ground connector to decrease a detection range in the second portion of the touch sensor.

34. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 33, wherein the operation is a call.

35. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 33, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to:

receive a signal indicative of a change in capacitance of the touch sensor; and

initiate, in response to the signal, an action of the device.

36. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 35, wherein the action comprises changing the device to a locked state.

37. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 35, wherein the action comprises disabling a light on the device.

38. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 34, wherein the call comprises:

an incoming call;

or

an outgoing call.

39. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 33, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to drive, in response to determining that a detection mode is to be changed, the first and the third plurality of electrodes to a first voltage to increase a detection range in the first portion of the touch sensor.

40. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 39, wherein the first and the third plurality of electrodes are driven to the first voltage simultaneously with the coupling of the second plurality of electrodes to a fixed voltage source.