Combination touch and transducer input system and method

• US 8,482,545 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: King-Smith, Oliver P., Smit, Bernardus H., Hadizad, Peyman
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US12/568,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174, 345/179, 345/173, 382/187
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• 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 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• 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 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique.

Claims

1. An input system composed of a position indicator and a sensor configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator,

wherein said sensor comprises:

(a) an array of electrodes that includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction; and

(b) a controller coupled to the array of electrodes and is configured to control

a touch mode operation, which determines a position of a proximate object on the array of electrodes by sensing the object proximate to the array based on capacitive coupling using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in at least one of said first direction and second direction, and to control a position indicator mode operation, which determines a position of the position indicator on the array of electrodes using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in both of said first direction and second direction;

wherein said position indicator comprises;

(i) a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and

(ii) a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value;

wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.

2. The input system of claim 1, wherein the position indicator generates an electric field, and a position of the position indicator on the array of electrodes is determined based on said electric field generated by the position indicator.

3. The input system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is capable of transmitting said digital data in a defined frequency channel selected from a plurality of frequency channels.

4. The input system of claim 3, wherein said sensor includes a filter capable of detecting nearby noise, and said sensor is configured to instruct the position indicator which frequency channel should be selected, based on an output from the filter.

5. The input system of claim 4, further comprising a display including a sensing surface configured to sense a position indicated by the position indicator, wherein said filter detects noise from said display to cause said sensor to instruct the position indicator which frequency channel should be selected.

6. The input system of claim 1, wherein the digital data in the data frame format further includes data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and said data type bit(s) indicate that data transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor is pressure data.

7. The input system of claim 1, wherein, in response to the pressure applied to the tip of the position indicator as detected by said pressure sensor exceeding a defined threshold value, said digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor represented in the value bit(s), together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, are transmitted as the digital data in the data frame format, via said transmitter, to said sensor.

8. The input system of claim 1, wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to a defined transmission method.

9. The input system of claim 8, wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to an RF wireless communication method.

10. The input system of claim 8, wherein the digital data in the data frame format is received by said sensor via said array of electrodes.

11. An input system composed of a position indicator and a sensor configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator,

wherein said sensor comprises:

(a) an array of electrodes that includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction; and

(b) a position determination controller coupled to the array of electrodes and is configured to determine a position of a proximate object on the array of electrodes by sensing the object proximate to the array based on capacitive coupling using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in at least one of said first direction and second direction, and is further configured to determine a position of the position indicator on the array of electrodes using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in both of said first direction and second direction;

wherein said position indicator comprises;

(i) a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and

(ii) a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value;

wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.

12. An input system composed of a position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction,

wherein said position indicator is capable of detecting at least one of pressure information on pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator, side switch status information on a status of a side switch provided on the position indicator, identification information of the position indicator, tilt information of the position indicator, and rotation information of the position indicator, said position indicator including a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format;

wherein said data frame format includes start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and value bit(s) indicative of a value; and

wherein the data type bit(s) indicative of a data type of the information detected by the position indicator, the value bit(s) indicative of a digital value corresponding to the information detected by the position indicator, and the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame form the digital data in the data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor.

13. The input system of claim 12, wherein said position indicator is capable of detecting at least two of said pressure information, said side switch status information, said identification information, said tilt information and said rotation information, and the digital data is formed in data frame formats corresponding to respective ones of the information to be transmitted to said sensor.

14. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, the position indicator comprising:

a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and

a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value;

wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.

15. The position indicator of claim 14, wherein the digital data in the data frame format further includes data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and said data type bit(s) indicate that data transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor is pressure data.

16. The position indicator of claim 14 which, in response to the pressure applied to the tip of the position indicator as detected by said pressure sensor exceeding a defined threshold value, transmits the digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor represented in the value bit(s), together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, as the digital data in the data frame format, via said transmitter to said sensor.

17. The position indicator of claim 14, wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to a defined transmission method.

18. The position indicator of claim 17, wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to an RF wireless communication method.

19. The position indicator of claim 17, wherein the digital data in the data frame format is received by said sensor via said array of electrodes.

20. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, the position indicator comprising:

a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and

a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value, in a defined frequency channel selected from a plurality of frequency channels;

wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.

21. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction,

wherein said position indicator is capable of detecting at least one of pressure information on pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator, side switch status information on a status of a side switch provided on the position indicator, identification information of the position indicator, tilt information of the position indicator, and rotation information of the position indicator;

said position indicator including a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format;

wherein said data frame format includes start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and value bit(s) indicative of a value; and

wherein the data type bit(s) indicative of a data type of the information detected by the position indicator, the value bit(s) indicative of a digital value corresponding to the information detected by the position indicator, and the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame form the digital data in the data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor.

22. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, the position indicator comprising:

a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator;

a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value; and

a power source configured to drive the position indicator;

wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.

23. The position indicator of claim 22, wherein said power source includes a power storage device.

24. The position indicator of claim 23, wherein said power storage device includes a capacitor or a battery.

25. The position indicator of claim 23, wherein the power storage device is configured to cordlessly receive drive power.

26. The position indicator of claim 23, wherein drive power is transmitted from a transmitter arranged on or near said array of electrodes and is stored in said power storage device.

27. The position indicator of claim 23 further comprising a charging connector, wherein the power storage device is charged via said charging connector.