Two-pin buttons

• US 8,004,497 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: XiaoPing, Jiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ketema, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US11/437,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20070268265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,923 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• 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
• 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

An apparatus and method for detecting a presence of a conductive object on a sensing device, and recognizing three or more button operations performed by the conductive object using two sensing areas of the sensing device. The sensing device may include first, second, and third sensor elements. The third sensor element may include two electrically isolated portions coupled to the first and second sensor elements.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a presence of a conductive object on a capacitance sensing device, the sensing device comprising at least two sensing areas each coupled to a capacitance measurement input; and

recognizing activation of at least three button performed by the detected presence of the conductive object, wherein the number of buttons is equal to at least the number of sensing areas plus one and wherein a combination of the at least two sensing areas is used to recognize at least one of the activated buttons.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing the plurality of button activations comprises:

recognizing a first activated button when the presence of the conductive object is detected on a first sensing area of the at least two sensing areas of the sensing device;

recognizing a second activated button when the presence of the conductive object is detected on a second sensing area of the at least two sensing areas of the sensing device; and

recognizing a third activated button when the presence of the conductive object is detected on the first and second sensing areas.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a capacitance of the conductive object on the sensing device over time, wherein measuring the capacitance further comprises measuring a capacitance of the at least two sensing areas of the sensing device, and wherein recognizing the activated buttons is based on the measured capacitance of the at least two sensing areas.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning the at least two sensing areas of the sensing device, and wherein recognizing the a plurality of activated buttons comprises:

recognizing a first activated button when a first sensing area of the at least two sensing areas detects the presence of the conductive object during the scanning of the at least two sensing areas;

recognizing a second activated button when a second sensing area of the two sensing areas detects the presence of the conductive object during the scanning of the at least two sensing areas; and

recognizing a third activated button when the first and second sensing areas detect the presence of the conductive object during the scanning of the at least two sensing areas.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensing device comprising;

a first sensor element;

a second sensor element; and

a third sensor element comprising a first portion coupled to the first sensor element and a second portion coupled to the second sensor element, wherein the first and second portions of the third sensor element are electrically isolated.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a surface area of the first portion and a surface area of the second portion of the third sensor element are substantially equal.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a fourth sensor element comprising a third portion coupled to the first sensor element and a fourth portion coupled to the second sensor element, wherein the third and fourth portions of the fourth sensor element are electrically isolated.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a surface area ratio of the third sensor element is approximately 25% of the first portion to approximately 75% of the second portion, and wherein a surface area ratio of the fourth sensor element is approximately 75% of the third portion to approximately 25% of the fourth portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a fifth sensor element comprising a fifth portion coupled to the first sensor element and a sixth portion coupled to the second sensor element, wherein the fifth and sixth portions of the fifth sensor element are electrically isolated.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a surface area ratio of the third sensor element is approximately 33% of the first portion to approximately 67% of the second portion, wherein a surface area ratio of the fourth sensor element is approximately 50% of the third portion to approximately 50% of the fourth portion, and wherein a surface area ratio of the fifth sensor element is approximately 67% of the fifth portion to approximately 33% of the sixth portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first portion comprises a first conductive trace having one or more sub-traces, and the second portion comprises a second conductive trace having one or more sub-traces, and wherein at least one sub-trace of the first conductive trace is interleaved with at least one sub-trace of the second conductive trace.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first, second, and third sensor elements are substantially circular shaped.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first, second, and third sensor elements are substantially rectangular shaped.

14. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a processing device coupled to the sensing device, wherein the processing device comprises one or more capacitance sensors coupled to the first and second sensor elements, and wherein the one or more capacitance sensors are operable to measure capacitance on the first, second, and third sensor elements.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processing device comprises a first pin and a second pin, wherein the first pin is coupled to the first sensor element, and wherein the second pin is coupled to the second sensor element.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing device is operable to recognize a first button operation on the first sensor element, a second button operation on the second sensor element, and a third button operation on the first and second portions of the third sensor element.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the one or more capacitance sensors comprises a relaxation oscillator coupled to one of the first sensor element and the first portion, and the second sensor element and the second portion, wherein the relaxation oscillator comprises:

a current source to provide a charge current to first sensor element and the first portion, and to the second sensor element and the second portion;

a selection circuit coupled to the first sensor element and the first portion, the second sensor element and the second portion, and the current source, wherein the selection circuit is configured to sequentially select a sensor element of the first sensor element and the second sensor elements to provide the charge current and to measure the capacitance of each sensor element of the sensing device;

a comparator coupled to the current source and the selection, circuit, wherein the comparator is configured to compare a voltage on the selected sensor element and a threshold voltage; and

a reset switch coupled to the comparator, current source, and selection circuit, wherein the reset switch is configured to reset the charge current on the selected sensor element, and wherein each of the one or more capacitance sensors further comprises a digital counter coupled to the relaxation oscillator, and wherein the digital counter is operable to count at least one of a frequency or a period of a relaxation oscillator output received from the relaxation oscillator.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a first sensing area configured to detect a presence of a conductive object on a sensing device;

a second sensing area configured to detect the presence of the conductive object on the sensing device; and

means for recognizing three or more activated buttons performed by the conductive object using the first and second sensing areas on the sensing device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for reducing a pin count of the sensing device.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for reducing scan time of the sensing device.