TOUCH SURFACES USING STYLUS AND TOUCH

• US 20190317615A1
• Filed: 04/15/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
• Original Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
• Inventors: Forlines, Clifton
• Granted Patent: US 10,845,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2203/04114 Touch screens adapted for alternating or simultaneous interaction with active pens and passive pointing devices like fingers or passive pens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A touch display has conductors that are able to determine measurements of signals received due to touch events with a user'"'"'s hand. The touch display is also able to determine measurements of signals received due to interaction with a stylus. Additionally the touch display is able to discriminate interactions between the hand holding the stylus and the free hand. Interactions with the touch display between all three may be measured and discriminated simultaneously.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a touch display comprising a plurality of first conductors and a plurality of second conductors, wherein the plurality of first conductors are operably connected to a signal generator, wherein the plurality of first conductors have a plurality of first signals transmitted thereon, wherein each of the plurality of first signals is frequency orthogonal to each other of the plurality of first signals, wherein each of the plurality of second conductors is operably connected to a signal processor;

a stylus adapted to transmit a second signal that is frequency orthogonal to each of the plurality of first signals transmitted on the plurality of first conductors, wherein the stylus further comprises a conductive portion adapted to be electrically connected to a user when using the stylus; and

wherein the signal processor is adapted to process signals received by the plurality of second conductors and determine measurements corresponding to touch events and interaction of the stylus with the touch display, wherein the determined measurements permit the touch display to distinguish touch events from a hand of the user holding the stylus from a free hand interacting with the touch display, wherein touch events from the hand of the user holding the stylus and the free hand interacting with the touch display can be distinguished when both occur simultaneously.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal transmitted from the stylus and each of the plurality of first signals transmitted on each of the plurality of first conductors are transmitted simultaneously.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal is one of a plurality of second signals transmitted from the stylus, wherein each of the plurality of second signals is frequency orthogonal to each other of the plurality of second signals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a third signal is transmitted via the conductive portion of the stylus to the user when using the stylus.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the third signal is frequency orthogonal to the second signal and each of the plurality of first signals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the determined measurements from the hand of the user using the stylus are used to negate touch events made by the hand of the user using the stylus while holding the stylus.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the determined measurements from the hand of the user using the stylus are used to provide additional interactions with the touch display by the hand of the user using the stylus while holding the stylus.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame rate per second of the touch display during a simultaneous touch event and stylus interaction is greater than 300 frames per second.

9. The system of claim 1, the touch display is adapted to process touch events from the hand of the user holding the stylus, the free hand touching the touch display and the stylus simultaneously.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive portion of the stylus provides a source of ground when being held by a user.

12. The touch display of claim 1, wherein the second signal transmitted from the stylus and each of the plurality of first signals transmitted on each of the plurality of first conductors are transmitted simultaneously.

13. The touch display of claim 1, wherein the second signal is one of a plurality of second signals transmitted from the stylus, wherein each of the plurality of second signals is frequency orthogonal to each other of the plurality of second signals.

14. The touch display of claim 1, wherein a third signal is transmitted via the conductive portion of the stylus to user when using the stylus and the signal process is adapted to process the third signal when received.

15. The touch display of claim 14, wherein the third signal is frequency orthogonal to the second signal and each of the plurality of first signals.

16. The touch display of claim 1, wherein the determined measurements from the hand of the user using the stylus are used to negate touch events made by the hand of the user using the stylus while holding the stylus.

17. The touch display of claim 1, wherein the determined measurements from the hand of the user using the stylus are used to provide additional interactions with the touch display by the hand of the user using the stylus while holding the stylus.

18. The touch display of claim 1, wherein the frame rate per second of the touch display during a simultaneous touch event and stylus interaction is greater than 300 frames per second.

19. The touch display of claim 1, the touch display is adapted to process touch events from the hand of the user holding the stylus, the free hand touching the touch display and the stylus simultaneously.

20. The touch display of claim 1, wherein the conductive portion of the stylus provides a source of ground when being held by a user.

11. A touch display comprising:

a plurality of first conductors, wherein the plurality of first conductors are operably connected to a signal generator, wherein the plurality of first conductors have a plurality of first signals transmitted thereon, wherein each of the plurality of first signals is frequency orthogonal to each other of the plurality of first signals,

a plurality of second conductors, wherein each of the plurality of second conductors is operably connected to a signal processor; and

a signal processor adapted to process signals received by the plurality of second conductors and determine measurements corresponding to touch events and interaction with a stylus, wherein the stylus is adapted to transmit a second signal that is frequency orthogonal to each of the plurality of first signals transmitted on the plurality of first conductors, wherein the stylus further comprises a conductive portion adapted to be electrically connected to a user when using the stylus with the touch display, wherein the determined measurements permit the touch display to distinguish touch events from a hand of the user holding the stylus from a free hand interacting with the touch display, wherein touches from the hand of the user holding the stylus and the free hand interacting with the touch display can be distinguished when both occur simultaneously.