Method and device for capacitive sensing

• US 8,553,011 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2009
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Chin-Fu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Hong
• Application Number:
  US12/499,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174, 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 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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

The disclosed capacitive sensing device has first conductive lines, second conductive lines and electrical conductors. The first conductive lines are electrically isolated from each other, the second conductive lines are electrically isolated from each other and electrically isolated from and stacked with the first conductive lines to form numerous intersecting points, and the electrical conductors are electrically isolated from each other and correspondingly crossing the first and the second conductive lines and being around the intersecting points. Herein, the electrical conductors are electrically isolated from the first and second conductive lines. When an electrical signal is driven to a first conductive line, the first conductive line is capacitive coupled to the second conductive lines which intersecting mutually, and the electrical conductors crossing the first conductive line are respectively capacitive coupled to the first conductive line and the mutually intersecting second conductive lines to provide a higher compound capacitance.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensing method, comprising:

sensing signals or signal changes of a plurality of intersecting points on a touch panel through three mutual capacitances of the touch panel, wherein for each of the plurality of intersecting points the three mutual capacitances includes a first mutual capacitance between one of a plurality of first conductive lines and one of a plurality of second conductive lines, a second mutual capacitance between at least one of a plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of first conductive lines, and a third mutual capacitance between the at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of second conductive lines, wherein a predetermined range is determined based on the electrical conductors;

identifying the location of an object touching or getting near the touch panel based on the signals or signal changes of the intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range; and

continuously identifying the locations of the object to determine whether it is a command gesture;

wherein the touch panel includes the plurality of first conductive lines isolated from each other and the plurality of second conductive lines isolated from each other, wherein the first and second plurality of conductive lines are electrically isolated from and stacked on one another forming the plurality of intersecting points, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors respectively crossing the intersecting points.

2. The capacitive sensing method of claim 1, wherein the location of the object is identified from an image which is constituted based on the signals or signal changes of the intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range.

3. The capacitive sensing method of claim 1, wherein the location of the object is identified based on intersecting points fall within the predetermined range in an image, which is constituted based on the signals or signal changes of the intersecting points.

4. The capacitive sensing method of claim 1, wherein any two touched locations constitute a pair of diagonal real vertices on a virtual parallelogram, and the dimension of the electrical conductors determines signal differences between intersecting points around the real vertices and another pair of pseudo vertices on the virtual parallelogram, wherein signals or signal changes of the intersecting points around the pair of pseudo vertices fall outside the predetermined range.

5. The capacitive sensing method of claim 1, wherein the command gesture is one a plurality of preset gestures selected from the group consisting of movement of an object in one direction;

single object rotation, relative movements between a plurality of objects, relative rotations between a plurality of objects, rotation of one object around another and movement of a plurality of objects in the same direction.

6. The capacitive sensing method of claim 1, wherein a command is executed based on the command gesture identified, wherein the command is one selected from the group consisting of zoom-in, zoom-out, rotate, translate, scroll, cut, paste and delete.

7. A capacitive sensing method, comprising:

sensing signals or signal changes of a plurality of intersecting points on a touch panel through three mutual capacitances of the touch panel to form an image, wherein for each of the plurality of intersecting points the three mutual capacitances includes a first mutual capacitance between one of a plurality of first conductive lines and one of a plurality of second conductive lines, a second mutual capacitance between at least one of a plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of first conductive lines, and a third mutual capacitance between the at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of second conductive lines, wherein a predetermined range is determined based on the electrical conductors;

identifying the location of an object touching or getting near the touch panel based on the signals or signal changes of the intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range in the image; and

continuously identifying the locations of the object to determine whether it is a command gesture;

wherein the touch panel includes the plurality of first conductive lines isolated from each other and the plurality of second conductive lines isolated from each other, wherein the first and second plurality of conductive lines are electrically isolated from and stacked on one another forming the plurality of intersecting points, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors respectively crossing the intersecting points.

8. The capacitive sensing method of claim 7, wherein any two touched locations constitute a pair of diagonal real vertices on a virtual parallelogram, and the dimension of the electrical conductors determines signal differences between intersecting points around the real vertices and another pair of pseudo vertices on the virtual parallelogram, wherein signals or signal changes of the intersecting points around the pair of pseudo vertices fall outside the predetermined range.

9. The capacitive sensing method of claim 7, wherein the command gesture is one a plurality of preset gestures selected from the group consisting of movement of an object in one direction;

single object rotation, relative movements between a plurality of objects, relative rotations between a plurality of objects, rotation of one object around another and movement of a plurality of objects in the same direction.

10. The capacitive sensing method of claim 7, wherein a command is executed based on the command gesture identified, wherein the command is one selected from the group consisting of zoom-in, zoom-out, rotate, translate, scroll, cut, paste and delete.

11. A capacitive sensing device, comprising:

a touch panel including a plurality of first conductive lines isolated from each other, a plurality of second conductive lines isolated from each other and a plurality of electrical conductors respectively crossing a plurality of intersecting points where the first and second plurality of conductive lines are electrically isolated from and stacked on one another, wherein a predetermined range is determined based on the electrical conductors;

a sensing unit for sensing signals or signal changes of the intersecting points through three mutual capacitances of the intersecting points, and identifying the location of an object touching or getting near the touch panel based on the signals or signal changes of the intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range, wherein for each of the plurality of intersecting points the three mutual capacitances includes a first mutual capacitance between one of a plurality of first conductive lines and one of a plurality of second conductive lines, a second mutual capacitance between at least one of a plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of first conductive lines, and a third mutual capacitance between the at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of second conductive lines; and

an identifying unit for continuously identifying the locations of the object to determine whether it is a command gesture.

12. The capacitive sensing device of claim 11, wherein the sensing unit forms an image based on the signals or signal changes of the intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range, wherein the location of the object is identified based on the image.

13. The capacitive sensing device of claim 11, wherein the sensing unit forms an image based on the signals or signal changes of the intersecting points, wherein the location of the object is identified based on the intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range in the image.

14. The capacitive sensing device of claim 11, wherein the identifying unit generates object trajectory continuously based on the locations of the object, and compares the object trajectory with a plurality of preset gestures to determine whether it is a command gesture.

15. The capacitive sensing device of claim 11, wherein any two touched locations constitute a pair of diagonal real vertices on a virtual parallelogram, and the dimension of the electrical conductors determines signal differences between intersecting points around the real vertices and another pair of pseudo vertices on the virtual parallelogram, wherein signals or signal changes of the intersecting points around the pair of pseudo vertices fall outside the predetermined range.

16. The capacitive sensing device of claim 11, wherein the command gesture is one a plurality of preset gestures selected from the group consisting of movement of an object in one direction;

single object rotation, relative movements between a plurality of objects, relative rotations between a plurality of objects, rotation of one object around another and movement of a plurality of objects in the same direction.

17. The capacitive sensing device of claim 11, wherein a command is executed based on the command gesture identified, wherein the command is one selected from the group consisting of zoom-in, zoom-out, rotate, translate, scroll, cut, paste and delete.

18. A capacitive sensing device, comprising:

a touch panel including a plurality of first conductive lines isolated from each other, a plurality of second conductive lines isolated from each other and a plurality of electrical conductors respectively crossing a plurality of intersecting points where the first and second plurality of conductive lines are electrically isolated from and stacked on one another, wherein a predetermined range is determined based on the electrical conductors;

a sensing unit for sensing signals or signal changes of the intersecting points through three mutual capacitances of the intersecting points, and forming an image based on the signals or signal changes of intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range, wherein for each of the plurality of intersecting points the three mutual capacitances includes a first mutual capacitance between one of a plurality of first conductive lines and one of a plurality of second conductive lines, a second mutual capacitance between at least one of a plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of first conductive lines, and a third mutual capacitance between the at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of second conductive lines; and

an identifying unit for identifying the trajectory of the object touching or getting near the touch panel based on a plurality of images, and determining whether the object trajectory is a command gesture.

19. The capacitive sensing device of claim 18, wherein any two touched locations constitute a pair of diagonal real vertices on a virtual parallelogram, and the dimension of the electrical conductors determines signal differences between intersecting points around the real vertices and another pair of pseudo vertices on the virtual parallelogram, wherein signals or signal changes of the intersecting points around the pair of pseudo vertices fall outside the predetermined range.

20. The capacitive sensing device of claim 18, wherein the command gesture is one a plurality of preset gestures selected from the group consisting of movement of an object in one direction;

single object rotation, relative movements between a plurality of objects, relative rotations between a plurality of objects, rotation of one object around another and movement of a plurality of objects in the same direction.

21. The capacitive sensing device of claim 18, wherein a command is executed based on the command gesture identified, wherein the command is one selected from the group consisting of zoom-in, zoom-out, rotate, translate, scroll, cut, paste and delete.

22. A capacitive sensing device, comprising:

a touch panel including a plurality of first conductive lines isolated from each other, a plurality of second conductive lines isolated from each other and a plurality of electrical conductors respectively crossing a plurality of intersecting points where the first and second plurality of conductive lines are electrically isolated from and stacked on one another, wherein a predetermined range is determined based on the electrical conductors;

a sensing unit for sensing an image formed from signals or signal changes of the intersecting points through three mutual capacitances of the intersecting points, wherein for each of the plurality of intersecting points the three mutual capacitances includes a first mutual capacitance between one of a plurality of first conductive lines and one of a plurality of second conductive lines, a second mutual capacitance between at least one of a plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of first conductive lines, and a third mutual capacitance between the at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors and the one of the plurality of second conductive lines; and

an identifying unit for identifying the trajectory of the object touching or getting near the touch panel based on intersecting points that fall within the predetermined range in a plurality of images, and determining whether the object trajectory is a command gesture.

23. The capacitive sensing device of claim 22, wherein any two touched locations constitute a pair of diagonal real vertices on a virtual parallelogram, and the dimension of the electrical conductors determines signal differences between intersecting points around the real vertices and another pair of pseudo vertices on the virtual parallelogram, wherein signals or signal changes of the intersecting points around the pair of pseudo vertices fall outside the predetermined range.

24. The capacitive sensing device of claim 22, wherein the command gesture is one a plurality of preset gestures selected from the group consisting of movement of an object in one direction;

single object rotation, relative movements between a plurality of objects, relative rotations between a plurality of objects, rotation of one object around another and movement of a plurality of objects in the same direction.

25. The capacitive sensing device of claim 22, wherein a command is executed based on the command gesture identified, wherein the command is one selected from the group consisting of zoom-in, zoom-out, rotate, translate, scroll, cut, paste and delete.