Integrated contact switch and touch sensor elements

• US 8,395,590 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fisher, Joseph, Kocalar, Erturk, Rathnam, Lakshman
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US12/475,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20100149127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/174, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

Abstract

An input device providing integrated contact switch and touch sensor elements is disclosed. A contact switch and touch sensor can be integrated so that they share a common sensor line, achieving space, cost and manufacturing savings over input devices that utilize distinct sensor lines for each of its sensor elements. By configuring a contact switch and touch sensor to share a common sensor line, a controller can use a single pin to scan both the contact switch and touch sensor elements, rather than using distinct pins to scan distinct sensor lines associated with each sensor element. By using fewer pins to scan the same number of sensor elements, a smaller controller can be used which can reduce the size and cost of the input device, and increase manufacturing throughput time associated with the input device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a common sensor line connected to a touch sensor element arranged on a first surface of a substrate and a contact switch element arranged on a second surface of the substrate,

capturing scan data based on a scan of the common sensor line for push button input, and

estimating scan data for the touch sensor element if the captured scan data indicates push button input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated scan data is based on scan data associated with the touch sensor element from one or more previous scan cycles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated scan data is based on captured scan data associated with neighboring touch sensor elements.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the estimated scan data is based on an average of the captured scan data associated with the neighboring touch sensor elements.

5. A method comprising:

capturing scan data from a sensor line common to a touch sensor element arranged on a first surface of a substrate and a contact switch element arranged on a second surface of the substrate,

determining that a touch input has occurred if the scan data lies between a first threshold level and a second threshold level, and

disregarding the scan data if the scan data exceeds the second threshold level.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the scan data indicates a level of capacitance associated with the touch sensor element.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein scan data exceeding the second threshold indicates that the contact switch element is being pressed.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising

disregarding the scan data if the scan data falls below a third threshold level.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third threshold level indicates a noise threshold.

10. An input device comprising:

a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface,

a touch sensor element arranged on the first surface of the substrate,

a contact switch element arranged on the second surface of the substrate,

a common sensor line connected to the touch sensor element and the contact switch element, and

a controller configured to

capture scan data based on a scan of the common sensor line for push button input, and

estimate scan data for the touch sensor element if the captured scan data indicates push button input.

11. The input device of claim 10, wherein the estimated scan data is based on scan data associated with the touch sensor element from one or more previous scan cycles.

12. The input device of claim 10, wherein the estimated scan data is based on captured scan data associated with neighboring touch sensor elements.

13. The input device of claim 12, wherein the estimated scan data is based on an average of the captured scan data associated with the neighboring touch sensor elements.

14. An input device comprising:

a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface,

a touch sensor element arranged on the first surface of the substrate,

a contact switch element arranged on the second surface of the substrate,

a sensor line common to the touch sensor element and the contact switch element, and

a controller configured to

capture scan data from the sensor line,

determine that a touch input has occurred if the scan data lies between a first threshold level and a second threshold level, and

disregard the scan data if the scan data exceeds the second threshold level.

15. The input device of claim 14, wherein the scan data indicates a level of capacitance associated with the touch sensor element.

16. The input device of claim 14, wherein scan data exceeding the second threshold indicates that the contact switch element is being pressed.

17. The input device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to disregard the scan data if the scan data falls below a third threshold level.

18. The input device of claim 17, wherein the third threshold level indicates a noise threshold.