Contact-sensing device, mobile information terminal, and capacitance calibration program and method
First Claim
1. A contact-sensing device, comprising:
- a capacitance contact-sensing unit including a plurality of contact-sensing areas configured to at least detect contact with an external object;
a calibration-value setting unit configured to set a calibration value to be used to calibrate capacitances of the contact-sensing areas based on capacitance values of each of the contact-sensing areas excluding a contact-sensing area, of the plurality of contact-sensing areas, that has been detected by the capacitance contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object;
a calibration determining unit configured to determine whether or not calibration of the capacitances of the contact-sensing areas is to be carried out based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area that has been detected by the contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; and
a capacitance calibrating unit configured to calibrate capacitances of all of the contact-sensing areas using the calibration value set by the calibration-value setting unit when the calibration determining unit determines that calibration is to be carried out,wherein the capacitance contact-sensing unit detects whether or not a contact-sensing state continues for a predetermined amount of time in the contact-sensing area detected to be in contact with the external object; and
the calibration-value setting unit sets the calibration value and the calibration determining unit determines whether or not calibration is to be carried out, when the capacitance contact-sensing unit detects that the contact-sensing state is continued for the predetermined amount of time.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A contact-sensing device includes a capacitance contact-sensing unit including contact-sensing areas configured to at least detect contact with an external object; a calibration-value setting unit configured to set a calibration value to be used to calibrate capacitances of the contact-sensing areas based on capacitances of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area detected by the contact-sensing unit; a calibration determining unit configured to determine whether calibration of the capacitances of the contact-sensing areas is to be carried out based on capacitances of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area detected by the contact-sensing unit; and a capacitance calibrating unit configured to calibrate capacitances of all of the contact-sensing areas using the calibration value set by the calibration-value setting unit when the calibration determining unit determines that calibration is to be carried out.
18 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A contact-sensing device, comprising:
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a capacitance contact-sensing unit including a plurality of contact-sensing areas configured to at least detect contact with an external object; a calibration-value setting unit configured to set a calibration value to be used to calibrate capacitances of the contact-sensing areas based on capacitance values of each of the contact-sensing areas excluding a contact-sensing area, of the plurality of contact-sensing areas, that has been detected by the capacitance contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; a calibration determining unit configured to determine whether or not calibration of the capacitances of the contact-sensing areas is to be carried out based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area that has been detected by the contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; and a capacitance calibrating unit configured to calibrate capacitances of all of the contact-sensing areas using the calibration value set by the calibration-value setting unit when the calibration determining unit determines that calibration is to be carried out, wherein the capacitance contact-sensing unit detects whether or not a contact-sensing state continues for a predetermined amount of time in the contact-sensing area detected to be in contact with the external object; and the calibration-value setting unit sets the calibration value and the calibration determining unit determines whether or not calibration is to be carried out, when the capacitance contact-sensing unit detects that the contact-sensing state is continued for the predetermined amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A mobile information terminal, comprising:
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a capacitance contact-sensing unit including a plurality of contact-sensing areas configured to at least detect contact with an external object; a terminal casing having the plurality of contact-sensing areas of the contact-sensing unit disposed on the outer surface; a signal processing unit configured to process a signal corresponding to a contact-sensing area, of the plurality of contact-sensing areas, that has been detected by the contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; a calibration-value setting unit configured to set a calibration value used to calibrate capacitances of the contact-sensing areas based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area detected by the contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; a calibration determining unit configured to determine whether or not calibration of the capacitances of the contact-sensing areas is to be carried out based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area detected by the contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; and a capacitance calibrating unit configured to calibrate capacitances of all of the contact-sensing areas using the calibration value set by the calibration-value setting unit when the calibration determining unit determines that calibration is to be carried out, wherein the capacitance contact-sensing unit detects whether or not a contact-sensing state continues for a predetermined amount of time in the contact-sensing area detected to be in contact with the external object; and the calibration-value setting unit sets the calibration value and the calibration determining unit determines whether or not calibration is to be carried out, when the capacitance contact-sensing unit detects that the contact-sensing state is continued for the predetermined amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a capacitance calibration program, that when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of:
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setting, by a calibration-value setting unit, a calibration value to be used to calibrate capacitances of a plurality of contact-sensing areas based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding a contact-sensing area, of the plurality of contact-sensing areas, that has been detected to be in contact with an external object by a capacitance contact-sensing sensor having the plurality of contact-sensing areas and configured to detect at least the contact of the external object; determining, by a calibration determining unit, whether or not calibration of the capacitances of the contact-sensing areas is to be carried out based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area that has been detected by the contact-sensing sensor to be in contact with the external object; and calibrating capacitances of all of the contact-sensing areas using the calibration value set by the calibration-value setting unit when the calibration determining unit determines that calibration is to be carried out, wherein the contact-sensing sensor detects whether or not a contact-sensing state continues for a predetermined amount of time in the contact-sensing area detected to be in contact with the external object; and the calibration-value setting unit sets the calibration value and the calibration determining unit determines whether or not calibration is to be carried out, when the contact-sensing sensor detects that the contact-sensing state is continued for the predetermined amount of time.
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8. A method of calibrating capacitance, comprising:
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setting a calibration value to be used to calibrate capacitances of a plurality of contact-sensing areas by a calibration-value setting unit based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding a contact-sensing area, of the plurality of contact-sensing areas, that has been detected by a contact-sensing sensor having the plurality of contact-sensing areas and configured to detect at least the contact with an external object; determining, by a calibration determining unit, whether or not calibration of the capacitances of the contact-sensing areas is to be carried out based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area that has been detected by the contact-sensing sensor to be in contact with the external object; and calibrating capacitances of all of the contact-sensing areas by a capacitance calibrating unit using the calibration value set by the calibration-value setting unit, when the calibration determining unit determines that calibration is to be carried out, wherein the contact-sensing sensor detects whether or not a contact-sensing state continues for a predetermined amount of time in the contact-sensing area detected to be in contact with the external object; and the calibration-value setting unit sets the calibration value and the calibration determining unit determines whether or not calibration is to be carried out, when the contact-sensing sensor detects that the contact-sensing state is continued for the predetermined amount of time.
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9. A contact-sensing device, comprising:
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a capacitance contact-sensing unit including a plurality of contact-sensing areas configured to at least detect contact with an external object; a calibration-value setting unit configured to set a calibration value to be used to calibrate capacitances of the contact-sensing areas based on capacitance values of each of the contact-sensing areas excluding a contact-sensing area, of the plurality of contact-sensing areas, that has been detected by the capacitance contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; a calibration determining unit configured to determine whether or not calibration of the capacitances of the contact-sensing areas is to be carried out based on capacitance values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area that has been detected by the contact-sensing unit to be in contact with the external object; and a capacitance calibrating unit configured to calibrate capacitances of all of the contact-sensing areas using the calibration value set by the calibration-value setting unit when the calibration determining unit determines that calibration is to be carried out, wherein the calibration-value setting unit sets a measurement value having a largest difference with a predetermined capacitance threshold among capacitance measurement values of the contact-sensing areas excluding the contact-sensing area detected to be in contact with the external object as the calibration value.
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Specification