Digitizer controller

• US 6,043,810 A
• Filed: 12/12/1997
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Do-youn, An, Byoung-kwon
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US08/981,177
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/179, 345/180
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A digitizer controller includes a panel drive signal generator (10), a reference voltage generator (12), a first multiplexer (14) for selectively outputting either a panel drive signal or a reference voltage signal, a 4-channel driving portion (16) for generating a channel driving signal which is provided to each corner of a panel, a third multiplexer (26) for selectively outputting one of the finger touch signals and a stylus signal output from a stylus, a band pass filter, a rectifier (30) for rectifying the output of the band pass filter, a low pass filter (38) for detecting a substantial direct current component from the output of the rectifier (30), an analog-to-digital converter (44) for outputting the output of the low pass filter in synchronization with a panel driving control signal as a coordinates signal, and an interface (46). Therefore, the digitizer controller can be adopted to each of the stylus, finger touch and touch panel type digitizers, and in implementing a semiconductor integrated circuit, reliability is provided and power consumption is lowered.

Claims

1. A digitizer controller (100) for applying a 4-channel driving signal for driving the four corners of a panel (200) in response to a panel driving control signal befitting a stylus type and a touch panel type digitizer and outputting coordinate data by recognizing a contact position by a stylus or a finger, said digitizer controller comprising:

a panel drive signal generator (10) for receiving a clock signal having a predetermined first frequency and generating a panel drive signal having a predetermined second frequency and required in stylus and finger touch modes;

a 4-channel driving portion (16) for receiving said panel drive signal provided from said panel drive signal generator (10) and generating a channel driving signal which is provided to each corner of said panel (200) in response to said panel driving control signal according to an operation mode;

a current-voltage converter (18) for detecting a change in current in or out of each corner of said panel (200);

a differential amplifier (20) for generating a differential signal of four channels corresponding to a differential component between the output of said current-voltage converter (18) and the channel driving signal provided from said 4-channel driving portion (16) in said finger touch mode;

a second multiplexer (22) for sequentially selecting the four-channel differential signal of the output from said differential amplifier (20) to output the selected signal as a finger touch signal;

a third multiplexer (26) for selectively outputting one of the finger touch signal output from said second multiplexer (22) and a stylus signal output from a stylus in response to a mode selection signal indicating the stylus or the finger touch mode;

a fourth multiplexer (34) for selectively outputting one of a predetermined second reference voltage and the touch panel signal output from said panel (200) in response to the mode selection signal;

a band pass filter (28) for filtering the frequency component of the panel drive signal from the output of said third multiplexer (26);

a rectifier (30) for rectifying the output of said band pass filter (28);

a fifth multiplexer (36) for selectively outputting one of the outputs of said rectifier 30 and said fourth multiplexer (34) in response to the mode selection signal;

a low pass filter (38) for detecting a substantial direct current component from the output of said fifth multiplexer (36);

an analog-to-digital converter (44) for converting the output of said low pass filter (38) into a digital signal in synchronization with the panel driving control signal to output as a coordinates signal; and

an interface (46) for receiving control commands provided from a microprocessor, generating the mode selection signal indicating the stylus, the finger touch or the touch panel mode by interpreting the received control command and the panel driving control signal corresponding to the selected mode, and transmitting the coordinates signal provided from said analog-to-digital converter 44 to the microprocessor.

2. The digitizer controller of claim 1, wherein said differential amplifier (20) is provided with four channel driving blocks (20a-20b), each amplifying the difference of one of the channel driving signals and one of the current-voltage converted channel driving signals.

3. The digitizer controller of claim 1, further comprising a preamplifier (24) for amplifying the finger touch and the stylus signals by a predetermined gain, respectively, to provide to one of said third multiplexer (26) and said fourth multiplexer (34).

4. The digitizer controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a direct current amplifier (40) having at least two direct current amplifiers (40b and 40c) for amplifying the output of said low pass filter (38) by a separate gain according to the operation mode; and

a sixth multiplexer (42) for selecting one of the outputs of said direct current amplifiers (40b and 40c) in response to the mode selection signal to provide the selected output to said analog-to-digital converter (44).

5. The digitizer controller of claim 1, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter (32) for digital-to-analog converting the control signal provided from said microprocessor to apply the converted control signal as a frequency characteristic control signal of said band pass filter (28).

6. The digitizer controller of claim 1, wherein said panel drive signal generator (10) further generates a pilot signal having a substantially same frequency as that of the panel drive signal which is provided to said band pass filter (28) during automatic frequency characteristic control.

7. The digitizer controller of claim 1, wherein said current-voltage converter (18) is configured with variable resistors so that sensitivity of the current-voltage conversion can be adjusted.

8. The digitizer controller of claim 1, wherein in said low pas filter (38) removal of noise components and conversion to direct current is easily achieved since the bandwidth thereof is narrow.

9. The digitizer controller of claim 1, wherein said interface (46) comprises:

a data latch (46b) for latching the control command provided from said microprocessor;

a data buffer (46d) for inputting a digitally converted coordinates value provided from said analog-to-digital converter (44) and outputting the input coordinates value to said microprocessor;

a command decoder (46a) for receiving the control command provided from said data latch (46b) and generating the mode selection signal, the panel driving control signal, the channel selection signal and the frequency characteristic control signal necessary for control of said digitizer controller; and

an address decoder (46c) for receiving an address signal provided from said microprocessor and generating signals for activating said data latch (46b) and the data buffer (46d).

10. The digitizer controller of claim 1, wherein said panel driving signal generator (10) comprises:

a D-flip flop (120) for receiving a clock signal and generating a (n-1)th signal divided by n, wherein n is an integer, wherein the (n-1) divided signal is generated, each being synchronized from the first clock signal to the (n-1)th clock signal in a sequential clock signal string of the corresponding number to division ratio n;

a ladder portion (124) for generating a pseudo sinusoidal signal by weight-calculating the (n-1) division signals according to a predetermined resistance value; and

a band pass filter (28) for generating the panel drive signal which is a substantial sine wave by band-pass-filtering the pseudo sinusoidal signal provided from said ladder portion (124).

11. The digitizer controller of claim 1, wherein said panel driving control signal generator (74) comprises:

a first counter (740) for generating a first count signal by counting the clock signal at a predetermined first counting ratio;

a second counter (742) for binary-counting the first count signal provided from said first counter (740) to output the binary-counted signal as a second signal;

an inverting portion (744) having two inverters (744a and 744b) for respectively inverting the first and second count signals each provided from said first and second counters (740 and

     742);

an OR gate (746) for OR-ing the first and second count signals; and

a signal selecting portion (748) for receiving the first and second count signals respectively provided from said first and second counters (740 and

     742), the inverted first and second count signals provided from said inverting portion (744) and a signal output from said OR gate (746) and generating a panel driving control signal corresponding to each mode in response to the mode selection signal,

wherein said signal selecting portion (748) outputs the first and second count signals respectively provided from said first and second counters (740 and

     742), the inverted first and second count signals provided from said inverting portion (744) and a signal output from said OR gate (746) in the stylus and the touch panel modes and the signal provided from said OR gate (746) in the finger touch mode.

12. The digitizer controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a counting portion (720) for counting the clock signal having a predetermined period at a predetermined first count ratio to output a first pulse signal;

a counter (722b) for counting the first pulse signal output from said counting portion at a predetermined second count ratio, by starting the counting operation according to a tip signal of the stylus; and

a power slip signal generator (722) for determining whether the idle status of the stylus continues over a predetermined time by AND-ing a second pulse signal output from said counter (722b) and the tip signal of the stylus and generating a power slip signal for controlling power consumption if the idle status continues over the predetermined time period,

wherein said interface (46) enters a power saving mode in response to the power slip signal provided from said power slip signal generator (722).

13. An integrated semiconductor circuit comprising the digitizer controller claimed in claim 1.

14. A digitizer controller which applies a 4-channel driving signal for 1driving the four corners of a panel (200) in response to a panel driving control signal befitting a stylus type, a touch panel type and a finger touch type and outputs coordinated data by recognizing a contact position by a stylus, a pen or a finger, said digitizer controller comprising:

a panel drive signal generator (10) for receiving a clock signal having a predetermined a first frequency and generating a panel drive signal having a predetermined second frequency and required in stylus and finger touch modes;

a reference voltage generator (12) for generating a reference voltage signal having a predetermined reference level required in a touch panel mode;

a first multiplexer (14) for selectively outputting one of the reference voltage signal provided from said reference voltage generator (12) and the panel drive signal provided from said panel drive signal generator (10) in response to a mode selection signal indicating the stylus, finger touch or touch panel mode;

a 4-channel driving portion (16) for receiving the output of said first multiplexer (14) and generating a channel driving signal which is provided to each corner of said panel (200) in response to said panel drive control signal according to an operation mode;

a current-voltage converter (18) for detecting change of current in or out of each corner of said panel (200);

a differential amplifier (20) for generating a differential signal of four channels corresponding to differential component between the output of said current-voltage converter (18) and the channel driving signal provided from said 4-channel driving portion (16) in said finger touch mode;

a second multiplexer (22) for sequentially selecting the four-channel differential signal of output from said differential amplifier (20) to output the selected signal as a finger touch signal;

a third multiplexer (26) for selectively outputting one of the finger touch signal output from said second multiplexer (22) and a stylus signal output from a stylus in response to the mode selection signal;

a fourth multiplexer (34) for selectively outputting one of a predetermined reference voltage and the touch panel signal output from said panel (200) in response to the mode selection signal;

a band pass filter (28) for filtering the frequency component of the panel drive signal from the output of said third multiplexer (26);

a rectifier (30) for rectifying the output of said band pass filter (28);

a fifth multiplexer (36) for selectively outputting one of the outputs of said rectifier 30 and said fourth multiplexer (34) in response to the mode selection signal;

a low pass filter (38) for detecting substantial direct current component from the output of said fifth multiplexer (36);

an analog-to-digital converter (44) for digital-converting the output of said low pass filter (38) into a digital signal in synchronization with the panel driving control signal to output as a coordinates signal; and

an interface (46) for receiving a control command provided from a microprocessor, generating the mode selection signal indicating the stylus, the finger touch or the touch panel mode by interpreting the received control command and the panel driving control signal corresponding to the selected mode, and transmitting the coordinates signal provided from said analog-to-digital converter 44 to the microprocessor.

15. The digitizer controller of claim 14, wherein said differential amplifier (20) is provided with a plurality of channel driving blocks corresponding to the number of the channel driving signals, each amplifying the difference of one of the channel driving signals and one of the current-voltage converted channel driving signals.

16. The digitizer controller of claim 14, further comprising pre-amplifier (24) for amplifying the finger touch signal, the stylus signal and the touch panel signal at a predetermined amplification rate, respectively, to provide to wither said third multiplexer (26) and said fourth multiplexer (34).

17. The digitizer controller of claim 14, further comprising:

a direct current amplifier (40) having three direct current amplifiers for amplifying the output of said low pass filter (38) at separate gains according to the operation mode, and

a sixth multiplexer (42) for selecting one of outputs of said direct current amplifiers in response to the mode selection to provided the selected output to said analog-to-digital converter (44).

18. The digitizer controller of claim 14, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter (32) for converting the digital control signal provided from said microprocessor into an analog signal to apply the converted control signal as a frequency characteristic control signal of said band pass filter (28).

19. The digitizer controller of claim 14, wherein said panel drive signal generator (74) further generates a pilot signal having the substantially same frequency as that of the panel drive signal which is provided to said band pass filter (28) during automatic frequency characteristic control.

20. The digitizer controller of claim 14, wherein said current-voltage converter (18) is configured with variable resistors so that sensitivity of the current-voltage conversion can be adjusted.

21. The digitizer controller of claim 14, wherein in said low pass filter (38) removal of noise components and conversion to direct current is easily achieved since bandwidth thereof is narrow.

22. The digitizer controller of claim 14, wherein said panel drive signal generator (74) comprises:

a D-flip flop (120) for receiving a clock signa and generating a (n-1)th signal divided by n, wherein n is an integer, wherein the (n-1) divided signal is generated, each being synchronized from the first clock signal to the (n-1)th clock signal in a sequential clock signal string of the corresponding number to division ratio n;

a ladder portion (124) for generating pseudo sinusoidal signal by weight-calculating the (n-1) division signals according to a predetermined resistance value; and

a band pass filter (28) for generating the panel drive signal which is a substantial sine wave by band-pass-filtering the pseudo sinusoidal signal provided from said ladder portion (124).

23. An integrated semiconductor circuit comprising the digital controller claimed in claim 14.

24. A method for driving a panel befitting a finger touch type digitizer comprising the steps of:

applying channel driving signals having the same potential to each corner of said panel (200);

detecting the change in current generated by the contact of a finger on said panel (200) in or out of each corner of said panel (200), and converting the detected change in current changing into a change in voltage;

detecting differential signals corresponding to the difference of the current-to-voltage converted signal and the channel driving signal;

sequentially selecting the differential signals at a predetermined period and time-division multiplexing the selected differential signals; and

determining the contact position of the finger according to the size of the multiplex differential signal.

25. A driving apparatus of a finger touch type digitizer comprising:

a panel drive signal generator (10) for generating a panel drive signal required in a finger touch mode;

a 4-channel driving portion (16) for receiving the panel drive signal and generating a 4-channel driving signal of substantially the same electric potential which is provided to the four corners of a panel (200);

a current-to-voltage converter (18), interposed between said 4-channel panel driving portion (16) and said panel (200), for detecting a change in current in or out of each corner of said panel (200) when the finger contacts said panel (200);

a differential amplifier (20) for generating a difference of the 4-channel driving signal and the current-to-voltage conversion value from said current-to-voltage converter (18);

a multiplexer (22) for sequentially selecting the four-channel differential signal of the output from said differential amplifier (20) at a predetermined period to output the selected signal;

a band pass filter (28) for detecting a frequency component of the panel drive signal from the output of said multiplexer (22);

a low pass filter (38) for extracting a substantial direct current component from the output of said band pass filter (28); and

an analog-to-digital converter (44) for converting the output of said low pass filter (38) into a digitizer signal in synchronization with the selected period of said multiplexer (22).

26. A method of adjusting the frequency characteristic of a band pass filter (28) for band-pass-filtering a frequency component of a panel drive signal from a finger touch signal provided from a panel (200) or a stylus signal provided from a stylus in a digitizer controller befitting a stylus type and a finger touch type, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting a pilot signal having substantially the same frequency as the panel drive signal to said band pass filter (28) and continuously converting within a predetermined range an adjusting signal for adjusting the frequency characteristic of said band pass filter (28);

comparing the signal from said band pass filter (28) and determining a value of the adjustment signal having the maximum amplitude of the detected signal; and

setting a frequency characteristic of said band pass filter (28) according to the determined adjustment signal.

27. An apparatus for adjusting the frequency characteristic of a band pass filter (28) for band-pass-filtering a frequency component of a panel drive signal from a finger touch signal provided from a panel (200) or a stylus signal provided from a stylus in a digitizer controller befitting a stylus type and a finger touch type digitizer, said apparatus comprising:

a panel drive signal generator (10) for generating a pilot signal having substantially the same frequency as that of a panel drive signal to provide to said band pass filter (28);

a digital-to-analog converter (32) for converting an analog adjustment signal applied from a microprocessor into an digitizer signal and applying the converted signal as a signal for adjusting the frequency characteristic of said band pass filter (28);

an analog-to-digital converter (44) for detecting the amplitude of a signal from said band pass filter (28);

a microprocessor for generating the adjustment signal changing within a predetermined range to change the frequency characteristic of said band pass filter (28) to provide the generated adjustment signal to said digital-to-analog converter (32), determining an adjustment signal corresponding to a signal having the maximum amplitude among the band-pass-filtered signals from the changing adjustment signal within the predetermined range, and providing the determined adjustment signal as a frequency characteristic adjustment signal of said band pass filter (28).

28. An interface (46) for transmitting control commands generated from a microprocessor to peripheral devices and controlling the transmission of the data provided from the peripheral devices to said microprocessor, said interface comprising:

a data latch (46b) for latching the control command provided from said microprocessor;

a data buffer (46d) for inputting the data provided from said peripheral devices and outputting the input data to said microprocessor;

a command decoder (46a) for receiving the control command provided from said data latch (46b) and generating various control signals necessary for control of said peripheral devices; and

an address decoder (46c) for receiving an address signal provided from said microprocessor and generating signals for activating said data latch (46b) and the data buffer (46d).

29. An apparatus for generating a sinusoidal signal comprising:

a D flip-flop (120) for receiving a clock signal and generating a (n-1)th signal divided by n, wherein n is an integer, and wherein the (n-1) divided signal is generated, each being synchronized from the first clock signal to the (n-1)th clock signal in a sequential clock signal string of the corresponding number to division ratio n;

a ladder portion (124) for generating a pseudo sinusoidal signal by weight-calculating the (n-1) division signals according to a predetermined resistance value; and

a band pass filter (28) for generating the panel drive signal which is a substantial sine wave by band-pass-filtering the pseudo sinusoidal signal provided from said ladder portion (124).

30. A panel driving control signal generator for controlling the generation of a 4-channel driving signal for driving the four corners of a panel (200) befitting a stylus type, a touch panel type and a finger touch type digitizer, said generator comprising:

a first counter (740) for generating a first count signal made by dividing a clock signal at a predetermined first count ratio;

a first counter (740) for generating a first count signal by counting the clock signal at a predetermined first counting ratio;

a second counter (742) for binary-counting the first count signal provided from said first counter (740) to output the binary-counted signal as a second signal;

an inverting portion (744) having two inverters (744a and 744b) for respectively inverting the first and second count signals each provided from said first and second counters (740 and

     742);

an OR gate (746) for OR-ing the first and second count signals; and

a signal selecting portion (748) for receiving the first and second count signals respectively provided from said first and second counters (740 and

     742), the inverted first and second count signals provided from said inverting portion (744) and a signal output from said OR gate (746) and generating a panel driving control signal corresponding to each mode in response to the mode selection signal,

wherein said signal selecting portion (748) outputs the first and second count signals respectively provided from said first and second counters (740 and

     742), the inverted first and second count signals provided from said inverting portion (744) and a signal output from said OR gate (746) in the stylus and the touch panel modes and the signal provided from said OR gate (746) in the finger touch mode.

31. A power saving apparatus which prevents power consumption of a digitizer controller in a state when a stylus is not used in a stylus type digitizer, said apparatus comprising:

a counting portion (720) for counting the clock signal having a predetermined period at a predetermined first count ratio to output a first pulse signal;

a counter (722b) for counting the first pulse signal output from said counting portion at a predetermined second count ratio, by starting counting operation according to a tip signal of the stylus; and

a power slip signal generator (722) for determining whether the idle status of the stylus continues over a predetermined time period by AND-ing a second pulse signal output from said counter (722b) and the tip signal of the stylus and generating a power slip signal for controlling power consumption if the idle status continues over the predetermined time period,

wherein said interface (46) enters a power saving mode in response to the power slip signal provided from said power slip signal generator (722).