Mutual capacitance measurement in a multi-touch input device

• US 8,542,215 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Hanauer, Jerry, O'Connor, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said, Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US13/089,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20110267309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 178/18.01, 178/18.06
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining multiple touch events in a multi-touch sensor system are provided. The system may include a capacitance measurement unit, a pulse drive unit, and a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of electrodes comprising at least two sets of electrodes. The method may include connecting a first electrode in a first set to the capacitance measurement unit, the pulse drive unit driving a voltage or current pulse onto a second electrode in a second set of electrodes. The method may further include the capacitance measurement unit measuring the mutual capacitance at a node corresponding to the first and second electrodes. The method may include comparing the measured mutual capacitance at the node with a previously measured mutual capacitance for the node, and reporting that the node has been touched if there has been a deviation from the previously measured mutual capacitance.

Claims

1. A method for determining multiple touch events in a multi-touch sensor system having a capacitance measurement unit comprising a relaxation oscillator circuit, a pulse drive unit, and a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of electrodes comprising at least two sets of electrodes, the method comprising:

connecting a first electrode in a first set of electrodes to the relaxation oscillator circuit within the capacitance measurement unit;

driving, with the pulse drive unit, a voltage or current pulse onto a second electrode in a second set of electrodes each time the relaxation oscillator circuit transitions from a charging state to a discharging state;

measuring, with the capacitance measurement unit, the mutual capacitance at a node corresponding to the first and second electrodes by measuring a frequency of the relaxation oscillator circuit; and

comparing the measured mutual capacitance at the node with a previously measured mutual capacitance corresponding to the node by comparing the frequency to a previously measured frequency corresponding to the node and determining whether the frequency deviates from the previously measured frequency;

reporting that the node has been touched if there has been a deviation from the previously measured frequency.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring a frequency of the relaxation oscillator circuit is according to a period measurement method.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the system further comprises a counter register, and wherein the step of determining whether the frequency deviates from the previously measured frequency comprises determining whether a time period necessary for a counter register overflow condition has changed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining whether the frequency deviates from the previously measured frequency comprises determining whether the frequency deviates by more than a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring a frequency of the relaxation oscillator circuit is according to a frequency measurement method.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of electrodes corresponds to electrodes on a first layer of the touch sensor, and the second set of electrodes corresponds to electrodes on a second layer of the touch sensor.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrodes in the first and second set of electrodes are on the same layer of the touch sensor.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the voltage or current pulse corresponds to one of:

a negative edge transition of the voltage or current pulse, and a positive edge transition of the voltage or current pulse.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein an opposite voltage or current pulse is driven onto the second electrode each time the relaxation oscillator circuit transitions from a discharging state to a charging state.

10. A method for determining multiple touch events in a multi-touch sensor system having a capacitance measurement unit, a pulse drive unit, a timer and a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of electrodes comprising at least two sets of electrodes, wherein the capacitance measurement unit comprises a voltage or current source, the method comprising:

connecting a first electrode in a first set of electrodes to the voltage or current source of the capacitance measurement unit;

driving, with the pulse drive unit, a voltage or current pulse onto a second electrode in a second set of electrodes while the voltage or current source is connected to the first electrode;

starting the timer and measuring the voltage of the first electrode as a measured voltage when the timer reaches a pre-determined time;

comparing the measured voltage to a previously measured voltage corresponding to the node; and

reporting that the node has been touched if the measured voltage deviates from the previously measured voltage.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first set of electrodes corresponds to electrodes on a first layer of the touch sensor, and the second set of electrodes corresponds to electrodes on a second layer of the touch sensor.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the electrodes in the first and second set of electrodes are on the same layer of the touch sensor.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the voltage or current pulse corresponds to one of:

a negative edge transition of the voltage or current pulse, and a positive edge transition of the voltage or current pulse.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein an opposite voltage or current pulse is driven onto the second electrode each time the relaxation oscillator circuit transitions from a discharging state to a charging state.

15. A method for determining multiple touch events in a multi-touch sensor system having a capacitance measurement unit, a pulse drive unit, a timer and a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of electrodes comprising at least two sets of electrodes, wherein the capacitance measurement unit comprises a voltage or current source, the method comprising:

connecting a first electrode in a first set of electrodes to the voltage or current source;

driving, with the pulse drive unit, a voltage or current pulse onto a second electrode in a second set of electrodes while the voltage or current source is connected to the first electrode;

starting the timer, measuring the voltage of the first electrode as a measured voltage, and storing the time value of the timer when the measured voltage reaches a pre-determined voltage level;

comparing the stored time value to a previously stored value corresponding to the node; and

reporting that a node corresponding to the first and second electrodes has been touched if the stored time value deviates from the previously stored value.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first set of electrodes corresponds to electrodes on a first layer of the touch sensor, and the second set of electrodes corresponds to electrodes on a second layer of the touch sensor.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the electrodes in the first and second set of electrodes are on the same layer of the touch sensor.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the voltage or current pulse corresponds to one of:

a negative edge transition of the voltage or current pulse, and a positive edge transition of the voltage or current pulse.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein an opposite voltage or current pulse is driven onto the second electrode each time the relaxation oscillator circuit transitions from a discharging state to a charging state.

20. A system for detecting one or more touch events on a touch sensor, comprising:

a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of electrodes comprising at least a first and second set of electrodes;

a touch controller having a pulse drive circuit selectably coupled to the plurality of electrodes, a timer circuit, a capacitance measurement unit comprising a charge time measurement circuit selectably coupled to the plurality of electrodes and coupled with the timer circuit; and

a storage element coupled to the charge time measurement, circuit;

wherein the touch controller is operable to;

measure the mutual capacitance at a node corresponding to a first electrode in the first set of electrodes and a second electrode in the second set of electrodes by;

coupling a voltage or current source in the charge time measurement circuit to the first electrode;

starting the timer circuit;

coupling the second electrode to the pulse drive circuit; and

measuring the voltage of the first electrode as a measured voltage when the timer circuit reaches a predetermined time;

compare the mutual capacitance at the node with a previously measured mutual capacitance corresponding to the node by comparing the measured voltage to a previously measured voltage corresponding to the node; and

report that the node has been touched if there has been a deviation from the previously measured voltage.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the capacitance measurement unit further comprises a relaxation oscillator-based measurement circuit; and

wherein the touch controller is operable to measure the mutual capacitance at the node by utilizing the relaxation oscillator-based measurement circuit and the charge time measurement circuit.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the touch controller is operable to report that the node has been touched if both the relaxation oscillator-based measurement circuit and the charge time measurement circuit indicate that there has been a deviation from the previously measured mutual capacitance.

23. A system for detecting one or more touch events on a touch sensor, comprising:

a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of electrodes comprising at least a first and second set of electrodes;

a touch controller having a pulse drive circuit selectably coupled to the plurality of electrodes, a timer circuit, a capacitance measurement unit comprising a charge time measurement circuit selectably coupled to the plurality of electrodes and coupled with the timer circuit; and

a storage element coupled to the charge time measurement circuit;

wherein the touch controller is operable to measure the mutual capacitance at a node by;

coupling a voltage or current source in the charge time measurement circuit to the first electrode;

starting the timer circuit;

coupling the second electrode to the pulse drive circuit;

measuring the voltage of the first electrode as a measured voltage; and

storing, in the storage element, the time value of the timer circuit when the measured voltage reaches a predetermined voltage level;

wherein the touch controller compares the mutual capacitance at the node by comparing the stored time value to a previously stored time value corresponding to the node; and

wherein the touch controller reports that the node corresponding has been touched if the stored time value deviates from the previously stored time value.

24. A system for detecting one or more touch events on a touch sensor, comprising:

a touch sensor having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of electrodes comprising at least a first and second set of electrodes;

a touch controller having a pulse drive circuit, and a relaxation oscillator-based measurement circuit;

wherein the touch controller is operable to measure the mutual capacitance at a node by;

coupling the relaxation oscillator-based measurement circuit to a first electrode in the first set of electrodes;

coupling a second electrode in the second set of electrodes to the pulse drive circuit; and

measuring the frequency of the relaxation oscillator-based measurement circuit;

wherein the touch controller compares the mutual capacitance at the node by comparing the frequency to a previously measured frequency corresponding to the node and determines whether the frequency deviates from the previously measured frequency; and

wherein the touch controller reports that the node has been touched if there has been a deviation from the previously measured frequency.