Method and system for detecting one or more objects

• US 8,692,785 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Cai, Tiejun, He, Bangjun, Yang, Yun, Yi, Lianfang
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US12/979,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1811
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• 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

Abstract

A method for detecting one or more objects is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: receiving one or more induction signals caused by at least one object along one or more directions; comparing each received induction signal with a reference to detect at least one upward trend and/or at least one downward trend in the induction signal; and determining the number of objects based on the number of upward trend and/or downward trend in each received induction signal. A device for detecting one or more objects on a touch device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for detecting one or more objects, comprising:

receiving one or more induction signals caused by at least one object along one or more directions in space;

identifying two or more values of the induction signal in one or more directions in space;

comparing each of the two or more values with a reference;

determining at least one upward trend and/or at least one downward trend in space if one of the two or more values is greater than the reference and another one of the two or more values is no greater than the reference; and

determining the number of objects based on the number of upward trends and/or downward trends in space in each received induction signal;

wherein the reference is obtained by measuring, averaging and evaluating an induction caliber of induction lines in one or more directions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing further comprises the steps of:

comparing a present value of the induction signal with the reference to determine whether the present value of the induction signal is greater than the reference;

determining the induction signal includes a upward trend if the present value of the induction signal is greater than the reference and a previous value of the induction signal is no greater than the reference;

or

determining the induction signal includes a downward trend if the present value of the induction signal is no greater than the reference and the previous value of the induction signal is greater than the reference.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

setting a first induction value for a received induction signal;

comparing the reference with the first induction value; and

detecting an upward trend and/or a downward trend based on the comparison result of the reference and the first induction value.

4. The method of claim 2 or 3, further comprising:

setting a second induction value for a received induction signal;

comparing the reference with the second induction value; and

determining whether the induction signal includes an upward trend and/or a downward trend based on the comparison result of the reference and the second induction value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the crossing points where an upward or downward trend crosses the reference;

determining if the distance between two adjacent crossing points is greater than a threshold value;

designating the signal portion between the two adjacent crossing points as a valid signal portion, if the distance is greater than the threshold value; and

determining the number of objects based on the number of valid signal portions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each induction signal is generated by a plurality of induction lines.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step further comprises:

receiving a first induction signal along a first direction; and

receiving a second induction signal along a second direction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining step further comprises:

determining the number of objects based on the largest number of upward or downward trends in the first and second induction signals.

9. A method for detecting one or more objects on a touch device, comprising:

receiving one or more induction signals caused by at least one object along one or more directions in space on the touch panel of the touch device;

identifying two or more values of the induction signal in one or more directions in space;

comparing each of the two or more values with a reference;

determining at least one upward trend and/or at least one downward trend in space if one of the two or more values is greater than the reference and another one of the two or more values is no greater than the reference; and

determining the number of objects based on the number of upward trends and/or downward trends in space in each received induction signal;

wherein the reference is obtained by measuring, averaging and evaluating an induction caliber of induction lines in one or more directions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of comparing further comprises the steps of:

comparing a present value of the induction signal with the reference to determine whether the present value of the induction signal is greater than the reference;

determining the induction signal includes a upward trend if the present value of the induction signal is greater than the reference and a previous value of the induction signal is no greater than the reference;

or

determining the induction signal includes a downward trend if the present value of the induction signal is no greater than the reference and the previous value of the induction signal is greater than the reference.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

setting a first induction value for a received induction signal;

comparing the reference with the first induction value; and

detecting an upward trend and/or a downward trend based on the comparison result of the reference and the first induction value.

12. The method of claim 10 or 11, further comprising:

setting a second induction value for a received induction signal;

comparing the reference with the second induction value; and

determining whether the induction signal includes an upward trend and/or a downward trend based on the comparison result of the reference and the second induction value.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying the crossing points where an upward or downward trend crosses the reference;

determining if the distance between two adjacent crossing points is greater than a threshold value;

designating the signal portion between the two adjacent crossing points as a valid signal portion, if the distance is greater than the threshold value; and

determining the number of objects touched upon the touch device based on the number of valid signal portions.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein each induction signal is generated by a plurality of induction lines.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein each induction signal is generated by an acoustic receiver capable of converting acoustic signals to electric signals.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving step further comprises:

receiving a first induction signal along a first direction; and

receiving a second induction signal along a second direction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining step further comprises:

determining the number of objects based on the largest number of upward or downward trends in the first and second induction signals.

18. A device for detecting one or more objects on a touch device, comprising:

a detecting module, configured to detect one or more induction signals caused by at least one object along one or more directions in space on the touch panel of the touch device; and

a calculating module, configured to receive the induction signal, identify two or more values of the induction signal in space, comparing each of the two or more values with a reference, determining at least one upward trend and/or at least one downward trend in space if one of the two or more values is greater than the reference and another one of the two or more values is no greater than the reference, and determine the number of objects based on the number of upward trends and/or downward trend in each received induction signal;

wherein the reference is obtained by measuring, averaging and evaluating an induction caliber of induction lines in one or more directions.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising an output module configured to output information of the number of objects.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the calculating module is further configured to identify the crossing points where an upward or downward trend crosses the reference;

determine if the distance between two adjacent crossing points is greater than a threshold value;

designate the signal portion between the two adjacent crossing points as a valid signal portion, if the distance is greater than the threshold value; and

determine the number of objects touched upon the touch device based on the number of valid signal portions.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the detecting module comprises a plurality of induction lines configured to generate the induction signal.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein the detecting module further comprises:

a transmitter, configured to transmit an acoustic signal; and

a receiver, configured to receive the acoustic signal transmitted by the transmitter;

wherein the receiver generates an induction signal based on the acoustic signal after the touch device is touched upon by an object.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein the detecting module is further configured to receive a first induction signal in a first direction and receive a second induction signal in a second direction.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the calculating module is further configured to determine the number of objects based on the largest number of upward or downward trends in the first and second induction signals.

25. The device of claim 18, wherein the calculating module further comprises a comparing unit configured to compare values of the induction signal with the reference, determine if the induction signal includes an upward trend if the present value of the induction signal is greater than the reference and the previous value of the induction signal is no greater than the reference and determine if the induction signal includes a downward trend if the present value of the induction signal is no greater than the reference and the previous value of the induction signal is greater than the reference.