Device and method for detecting position of object and image display system having such device

• US 8,305,361 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Chi Mei Innolux Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Kai-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): Sniezek, Andrew L
• Application Number:
  US12/566,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

An object position detecting device includes a touch film, a first electrode set, a second electrode set, and a sensing and computing circuit. An object position detecting method includes the following steps. Firstly, an object is provided on the touch film. Then, first equivalent capacitance values of multiple first electrode groups of a first electrode set under the touch film are sensed, wherein each first electrode group includes n adjacent first electrodes that are parallel with and connected with each other. Then, second equivalent capacitance values of multiple second electrode groups of a second electrode set under the touch film are sensed, wherein each second electrode group includes m adjacent second electrodes that are parallel with and connected with each other. According to the first equivalent capacitance values and the second equivalent capacitance values, first position information of the object is calculated.

Claims

1. An object position detecting device for detecting a position of an object, the object position detecting device comprising:

a touch film;

a first electrode set disposed under the touch film and including multiple first electrodes that are parallel with each other and run in a first direction, wherein at least one of the first electrodes is subject to a capacitance change when the object approaches the touch film, the first electrodes of the first electrode set are divided into multiple first electrode groups, and each first electrode group includes more than one of the first electrodes that are parallel with and connected with each other;

a second electrode set disposed under the touch film and including multiple second electrodes that are parallel with each other and run in a second direction, wherein at least one of the second electrodes is subject to a capacitance change when the object approaches the touch film, the second electrodes of the second electrode set are divided into multiple second electrode groups, and each second electrode group includes more than one of the second electrodes that are parallel with and connected with each other; and

a sensing and computing circuit sensing first equivalent capacitance values of the first electrode groups and second equivalent capacitance values of the second electrode groups, wherein the sensing and computing circuit comprises;

an electrode switching and controlling module electrically connected to the first electrode set and the second electrode set, successively connecting the first electrodes of the first electrode groups in parallel so as to output the first equivalent capacitance values through a first sensing line, and successively connecting the second electrodes of the second electrode groups in parallel so as to output the second equivalent capacitance values through a second sensing line; and

a computing circuit electrically connected to the first sensing line and the second sensing line, calculating the position information of the object on the touch film according to the first equivalent capacitance values and the second equivalent capacitance values that are respectively outputted through the first sensing line and the second sensing line.

2. The object position detecting device according to claim 1 wherein the first electrodes and the second electrodes are made of transparent conductive material or other conductive material, the touch film is made of insulating material, and the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other.

3. The object position detecting device according to claim 1 wherein the electrode switching and controlling module includes:

a first switch set including the same number of first switches as the first electrodes of the first electrode set, wherein the first switches have first terminals respectively connected to corresponding first electrodes of the first electrode set and second terminals collectively connected to the first sensing line, and the first terminal and the second terminal of each first switch are controlled to be in either a connecting status or a disconnecting status;

a second switch set including the same number of second switches as the second electrodes of the second electrode set, wherein the second switches have first terminals respectively connected to corresponding second electrodes of the second electrode set and second terminals collectively connected to the second sensing line, and the first terminal and the second terminal of each second switch are controlled to be in either a connecting status or a disconnecting status; and

a controlling circuit electrically connected to the first switch set and the second switch set, controlling the connecting or disconnecting status of the first switches and the second switches, wherein under control of the controlling circuit, the first switches corresponding to the same first electrode group are simultaneously conducted to generate a corresponding first equivalent capacitance value, and the second switches corresponding to the same second electrode group are simultaneously conducted to generate a corresponding second equivalent capacitance value.

4. The object position detecting device according to claim 1 wherein the electrode switching and controlling module includes:

a first switch set including the same number of first switches as the first electrodes of the first electrode set, wherein the first switches have first terminals respectively connected to corresponding first electrodes of the first electrode set and second terminals collectively connected to the first sensing line, and the first terminal and the second terminal of each first switch are controlled to be in either a connecting status or a disconnecting status;

a second switch set including the same number of second switches as the second electrodes of the second electrode set, wherein the second switches have first terminals respectively connected to corresponding second electrodes of the second electrode set and second terminals collectively connected to the second sensing line, and the first terminal and the second terminal of each second switch are controlled to be in either a connecting status or a disconnecting status; and

a controlling circuit electrically connected to the first switch set and the second switch set, controlling the connecting or disconnecting status of the first switches and the second switches,

wherein when the object position detecting device is operated in a first operating mode, under control of the controlling circuit, the first switches corresponding to the same first electrode group are simultaneously conducted to generate a corresponding first equivalent capacitance value in the first sensing line, and the second switches corresponding to the same second electrode group are simultaneously conducted to generate a corresponding second equivalent capacitance value in the second sensing line,

wherein when the object position detecting device is operated in a second operating mode, under control of the controlling circuit, the first switches corresponding to the first electrodes having the same ordinal position of every first electrode group are simultaneously conducted to generate a corresponding third equivalent capacitance value in the first sensing line, and the second switches corresponding to the second electrodes having the same ordinal position of every second electrode group are simultaneously conducted to generate a corresponding fourth equivalent capacitance value in the second sensing line.

5. The object position detecting device according to claim 4 wherein the computing circuit implements steps of:

comparing a first total capacitance value of the first equivalent capacitance values and the second equivalent capacitance values with a first threshold value;

determining the object as a large-area object if the first total capacitance value is greater than the first threshold value, so that the first position information indicates a touched position of the large-area object on the touch film; and

determining the object as a small-area object if the first total capacitance value is less than the first threshold value, so that third position information obtained by performing an intersection operation on the first position information and the second position information, which is calculated according to the third equivalent capacitance values and the fourth equivalent capacitance values, indicates a touched position of the small-area object on the touch film.

6. The object position detecting device according to claim 4 wherein the computing circuit further implements steps of:

comparing a second total capacitance value of the third equivalent capacitance values and the fourth equivalent capacitance values with a second threshold value;

determining the object as a small-area object if the second total capacitance value is less than the second threshold value, so that third position information obtained by performing an intersection operation on the first position information and the second position information, which is calculated according to the third equivalent capacitance values and the fourth equivalent capacitance values, indicates a touched position of the small-area object on the touch film; and

determining the object as a large-area object if the second total capacitance value is greater than the second threshold value, so that the first position information indicates a touched position of the large-area object on the touch film.

7. An image display system comprising:

a display device having an object position detecting device according to claim 1; and

a power supply electrically connected to the display device, providing electric energy to power the display device.

8. The image display system according to claim 7 wherein the image display system is a mobile phone, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a TV set, a global positioning system, an automotive display system, a flight display system, a digital photo frame or a portable DVD player.

9. The image display system according to claim 7 wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device or an organic light emitting diode device.

10. An object position detecting method for use with an object position detecting device, the object position detecting device including a touch film, a first electrode set and a second electrode set, the object position detecting method comprising steps of:

sensing first equivalent capacitance values of multiple first electrode groups of a first electrode set under the touch film when an object is provided on the touch film, wherein each first electrode group includes more than one of the first electrodes that are parallel with and connected with each other;

sensing second equivalent capacitance values of multiple second electrode groups of a second electrode set under the touch film, wherein each second electrode group includes more than one of the second electrodes that are parallel with and connected with each other;

calculating first position information of the object according to the first equivalent capacitance values and the second equivalent capacitance values;

sensing third equivalent capacitance values of multiple third electrode groups of the first electrode set under the touch film, wherein each third electrode group includes first electrodes having the same ordinal position of every first electrode group;

sensing fourth equivalent capacitance values of multiple fourth electrode groups of the second electrode set under the touch film, wherein each fourth electrode group includes second electrodes having the same ordinal position of every second electrode group;

calculating second position information of the object according to the third equivalent capacitance values and the fourth equivalent capacitance values; and

calculating third position information of the object according to the first position information and the second position information.

11. The object position detecting method according to claim 10 further comprising steps of:

comparing a first total capacitance of the first equivalent capacitance values and the second equivalent capacitance values with a first threshold value;

determining the object as a large-area object if the first total capacitance is greater than the first threshold value, so that the first position information indicates a touched position of the large-area object on the touch film; and

determining the object as a small-area object if the first total capacitance is less than the first threshold value, so that third position information obtained by performing an intersection operation on the first position information and the second position information indicates a touched position of the small-area object on the touch film.

12. The object position detecting method according to claim 10 further comprising steps of:

comparing a second total capacitance value of the third equivalent capacitance values and the fourth equivalent capacitance values with a second threshold value;

determining the object as a small-area object if the second total capacitance value is less than the second threshold value, so that third position information obtained by performing an intersection operation on the first position information and the second position information indicates a touched position of the small-area object on the touch film; and

determining the object as a large-area object if the second total capacitance value is greater than the second threshold value, so that the first position information indicates a touched position of the large-area object on the touch film.