Capacitive sensor and sensing method

• US 8,410,797 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Shyue, Sheng-Wehn
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q
• Application Number:
  US12/977,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20110221452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 324/658, 324/678
• US Class Current: 324/678
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960725 Charge-transfer

Abstract

A capacitive sensing method is provided. The capacitive sensing method includes the step of alternately charging/discharging a capacitive sensing electrode of a capacitive sensor for predetermined times under an active mode and charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode during a fixed period under a standby mode while an object is not coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode, in which the capacitive sensing electrode has a first capacitance while the object is not coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode. The capacitive sensing method also includes the step of generating a switch signal while the object is coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode under the standby mode such that the capacitive sensing electrode has a second capacitance larger than the first capacitance and the step of switching the standby mode to the active mode according to the switch signal.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensing method, comprising:

alternately charging/discharging a capacitive sensing electrode of a capacitive sensor for predetermined times under an active mode and charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode during a fixed period under a standby mode while an object is not coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode, wherein the capacitive sensing electrode has a first capacitance while the object is not coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode;

generating a switch signal while the object is coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode under the standby mode such that the capacitive sensing electrode has a second capacitance larger than the first capacitance; and

switching the standby mode to the active mode according to the switch signal.

2. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode for the predetermined times under the active mode after the standby mode being switched to the active mode according to the switch signal;

comparing charging duration of the capacitive sensing electrode having the first capacitance with charging duration of the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance under the active mode; and

generating a sensing signal in accordance with the comparison of the charging durations.

3. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode under the active mode further comprises:

charging the capacitive sensing electrode to a preset voltage level;

discharging the capacitive sensing electrode to a zero voltage level while the capacitive sensing electrode is charged to the preset voltage level; and

waiting for a predetermined duration while the capacitive sensing electrode is discharged to the zero voltage level and re-charging and re-discharging the capacitive sensing electrode.

4. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining the charging duration of the capacitive sensing electrode having the first capacitance in accordance with the charging of the capacitive sensing electrode having the first capacitance for the predetermined times while the object is not coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode under the active mode.

5. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance for the predetermined times while the object is coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode under the active mode such that the capacitive sensing electrode has the second capacitance; and

obtaining the charging duration of the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance in accordance with the charging of the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance for the predetermined times.

6. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode under the active mode while the object is coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode further comprises:

charging the capacitive sensing electrode to a preset voltage level;

discharging the capacitive sensing electrode to a zero voltage level while the capacitive sensing electrode is charged to the preset voltage level; and

waiting for a predetermined duration while the capacitive sensing electrode is discharged to the zero voltage level and re-charging and re-discharging the capacitive sensing electrode.

7. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance during the fixed period while the object is coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode under the standby mode such that the capacitive sensing electrode has the second capacitance.

8. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 7, wherein under the standby mode within the fixed period, times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode not coupled to the object are larger than times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode coupled to the object.

9. The capacitive sensing method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

under the standby mode within the fixed period, comparing times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode not coupled to the object with times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode coupled to the object; and

generating the switch signal in accordance with the comparison of the times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode during the fixed period in the condition of the object being coupled and not coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode.

10. A capacitive sensor, comprising:

at least one capacitive sensing electrode, the capacitive sensing electrode having a first capacitance while an object is not coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode, the capacitive sensing electrode having a second capacitance larger than the first capacitance while an object is coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode;

a current source for charging the capacitive sensing electrode;

a multiplexer for conducting the capacitive sensing electrode and the current source or conducting the capacitive sensing electrode and a ground, such that the capacitive sensing electrode is charged by the current source or discharged to the ground;

a first charging/discharging control module for controlling the multiplexer under an active mode so as to charge/discharge the capacitive sensing electrode for predetermined times;

a second charging/discharging control module for controlling the multiplexer under a standby mode so as to charge/discharge the capacitive sensing electrode during a fixed period; and

a controller for alternately controlling the first charging/discharging control module and the second charging/discharging control module under the active mode and the standby mode, such that capacitive sensing electrode is alternately charged/discharged under the active mode and the standby mode.

11. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 10, wherein while the object is coupled to the capacitive sensing electrode under the standby mode such that the capacitive sensing electrode has the second capacitance, the second charging/discharging control module generates a switch signal, the controller deactivates the second charging/discharging control module and activates the first charging/discharging control module in accordance with the switch signal such that the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance is charged/discharged for the predetermined times under the active mode.

12. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a charging/discharging control unit for controlling the multiplexer to conduct the capacitive sensing electrode and the current source or to conduct the capacitive sensing electrode and the ground; and

a preset voltage detector for detecting a voltage of the capacitive sensing electrode and driving the charging/discharging control unit while the voltage of the capacitive sensing electrode is charged to a preset level so as to control the multiplexer to conduct the capacitive sensing electrode and the ground.

13. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a high frequency oscillator for generating a high frequency oscillation signal as an operation clock for the charging/discharging control unit, the charging/discharging control unit receiving the high frequency oscillation signal and controlling the multiplexer in accordance with the high frequency oscillation signal to determine a duration of discharging the capacitive sensing electrode.

14. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a first timer for receiving the high frequency oscillation signal and activated by the charging/discharging control unit while the capacitive sensing electrode is charged so as to obtain a duration required for charging the capacitive sensing electrode having the first capacitance or the second capacitance within a measuring cycle in accordance with the high frequency oscillation signal.

15. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a timer value comparator for comparing the duration required for charging the capacitive sensing electrode having the first capacitance with the duration required for charging the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance within the measuring cycle to output a sensing signal.

16. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a logic control unit for outputting a logic control signal to control the multiplexer to conduct the capacitive sensing electrode and the current source or to conduct the capacitive sensing electrode and the ground; and

a voltage level detector for detecting a voltage level of the capacitive sensing electrode, the voltage level detector driving the logic control unit while the capacitive sensing electrode has a high voltage level to control the multiplexer to conduct the capacitive sensing electrode and the ground and driving the logic control unit while the capacitive sensing electrode has a low voltage level to control the multiplexer to conduct the capacitive sensing electrode and the current source.

17. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 16, wherein the second charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a counter for receiving the logic control signal and counting times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode having the first capacitance and the second capacitance respectively in accordance with the logic control signal within the fixed period.

18. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a counter value comparator for comparing the times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode having the first capacitance with the times of charging/discharging the capacitive sensing electrode having the second capacitance to output the switch signal.

19. The capacitive sensor as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second charging/discharging control module further comprises:

a low frequency oscillator for generating a low frequency oscillation signal; and

a second timer for receiving the low frequency oscillation signal and counting out the fixed period in accordance with the low frequency oscillation signal, the second timer resetting the counter at the end of the fixed period.

20. A capacitive sensor, comprising:

a plurality of capacitive sensing electrodes, wherein while an object is not coupled to any of the capacitive sensing electrodes, each of the capacitive sensing electrodes has a first capacitance, and while the object is coupled to one of the capacitive sensing electrodes, the coupled capacitive sensing electrode has a second capacitance larger than the first capacitance;

a current source for sequentially charging the capacitive sensing electrodes;

a multiplexer for sequentially conducting the capacitive sensing electrodes and the current source or conducting the capacitive sensing electrodes and a ground, such that the capacitive sensing electrodes are charged by the current source or discharged to the ground;

a first charging/discharging control module for controlling the multiplexer under an active mode so as to sequentially charge/discharge the capacitive sensing electrodes for predetermined times;

a second charging/discharging control module for controlling the multiplexer under a standby mode so as to sequentially charge/discharge the capacitive sensing electrodes during a fixed period; and

a controller for alternately controlling the first charging/discharging control module and the second charging/discharging control module under the active mode and the standby mode, such that capacitive sensing electrodes are sequentially and alternately charged/discharged under the active mode and the standby mode.