Capacitive sensor panel having dynamically reconfigurable sensor size and shape

• US 8,390,597 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Jeffrey Traer
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US13/290,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

This relates to a capacitive sensor panel that is able to dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape for proximity and/or distance to enable hover and gesture detection. Thus, the size and/or shape of the sensors in the panel can differ according to present needs. The sensor panel may dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape based on an object'"'"'s proximity to the panel. The sensor panel may dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape based on a gesture detected by the panel. The sensor panel may dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape based on an application executing on a device in communication with the panel.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically reconfiguring at least one of the sensor size or shape in a sensor panel, the sensor panel including a plurality of sensing pixels placed along the panel at a predetermined initial size and shape, the method comprising:

determining that proximity of an object to the panel is below a predetermined distance; and

dynamically reconfiguring at least one of the size or shape of the pixels according to a predetermined factor based on the determined proximity to form a plurality of subgroups of pixels,

wherein reconfiguring the size or shape of the pixels includes coupling two or more rows or two or more columns of the sensor panel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

based on signals from the pixels, estimating the proximity of the object to the panel; and

comparing the estimated proximity to the predetermined distance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recursively, until a predetermined condition is met,

resetting the predetermined distance to a predetermined distance closer to the panel;

determining that the proximity of the object to the panel is below the reset predetermined distance; and

dynamically decreasing the size of the previously formed plurality of subgroups of pixels by the predetermined factor to form a new plurality of subgroups of pixels.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined condition is that the predetermined distance to the panel is at a minimum defined distance or that the size of the pixels has reached a minimum defined size.

5. A capacitive sensing device, comprising:

a plurality of capacitive sensing pixels; and

a processor configured to;

set at least one of a size or shape of the pixels,

in response to signals from the pixels, determine a parameter of an object detected by the signals,

select a portion of the pixels that require at least one of a different size or shape based on the determined parameter, the portion including all the pixels or any portion thereof, and

dynamically reconfigure the at least one of the size or shape of the selected portion of pixels to the at least one of the respective different size or shape based on the determined parameter,

wherein reconfiguring the size or shape of the pixels includes coupling two or more rows or two or more columns of the sensor panel.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the determined parameter includes at least one of a distance of the object from the device, a velocity of the object perpendicular to the device, a velocity of the object parallel to the device, and a direction of motion of the object with respect to the device.

7. A multi-touch sensor panel comprising:

a plurality of touch pixels; and

a region having at least one of a dynamically reconfigurable size or shape of touch pixels, the at least one of the size or shape being correlated with at least one characteristic of an object detectable by the panel,

wherein reconfiguring the size or shape of the pixels includes coupling two or more rows or two or more columns of the sensor panel.

8. The panel of claim 7, the panel further comprising:

a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of sense lines, an intersection of a drive line and a sense line defining a touch pixel.

9. The panel of claim 8, wherein the plurality of drive lines are laid in rows on the panel and the plurality of sense lines are laid in columns on the panel,

a group of the drive lines being interconnected,

a group of the sense lines being interconnected, and

the touch pixels defined by the groups being capacitively coupled to form a composite touch pixel, the composite touch pixel providing the region having the at least one of the size or shape.

10. The panel of claim 8, wherein the plurality of drive lines are laid in rows on the panel and the plurality of sense lines are laid in columns on the panel,

a first group of the sense lines being interconnected, and

a second group of the sense lines being interconnected,

the touch pixels defined by each of the groups being capacitively coupled to the drive lines to form a composite touch pixel, the composite touch pixel providing the region having the at least one of the size or shape.

11. The panel of claim 7, the panel further comprising:

a plurality of electrodes, an electrode defining a touch pixel.

12. The panel of claim 11, wherein the plurality of electrodes are laid in an array, the electrodes in the region being interconnected column-wise to form a composite electrode defining a composite touch pixel.

13. The panel of claim 11, wherein the plurality of electrodes are laid in an array, the electrodes in the region being interconnected row-wise to form a composite electrode defining a composite touch pixel.

14. The panel of claim 11, wherein the plurality of electrodes are laid in an array, the electrodes in the region being interconnected both column-wise and row-wise to form a composite loop electrode defining a composite touch pixel.

15. A computer, comprising:

a capacitive sensing panel comprising a plurality of capacitive sensing pixels placed along the panel at a predetermined initial size and shape;

a CPU connected to the panel; and

a memory comprising a software executable at the CPU, the software being configured to cause the CPU to

responsive to an object sensed by the panel, identify the portion of the panel that sensed the object, the portion including the entire panel or any portion thereof,

calculate a parameter associated with the object, and

dynamically reconfigure at least one of the size or shape of the pixels in at least the identified portion of the panel based on the calculated parameter,

wherein reconfiguring the size or shape of the pixels includes coupling two or more rows or two or more columns of the sensor panel.