Sensor apparatus with different proximity sensors and sensing method thereof

• US 8,723,838 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vishay Capella Microsystems (Taiwan) Limited (Vishay Intertechnology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Capella Microsystems, Inc. (Vishay Intertechnology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huang, Cheng-Chieh, Kuo, Jinn-Ann, Chang, Chi-Huang, Kao, Yu-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Johny
• Application Number:
  US13/329,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/173, 345/175, 345/169, 345/207, 250/221, 455/566, 178/18.09, 178/19.05
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-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 and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

The present invention discloses a proximity sensing apparatus and a method thereof. A sensor apparatus comprises a panel, an emitting device, and a proximity sensor module. The panel includes a first transparent area and a second transparent area; an emitting device is located under the panel and the emitting device emitting a light passing through the first transparent area. The proximity sensor module is located under the panel and the proximity sensor module includes at least one proximity sensor with high sensitivity which is a second proximity sensor and at least one proximity sensor with low sensitivity which is a first proximity sensor, and the proximity sensor module receives the light passing through the second transparent area. The light passing through the first transparent area and then reflecting from an object to passing through the second transparent area, and the panel is able to provide a touch function.

Claims

1. A sensor apparatus, comprising:

a panel including a first transparent area and a second transparent area;

an emitting device located under the panel and the emitting device emitting a light passing through the first transparent area; and

a proximity sensor module located under the panel and the proximity sensor module including at least one proximity sensor which is a second proximity sensor and at least one proximity sensor which is a first proximity sensor, wherein a sensitivity of the second proximity sensor is higher than that of the first proximity sensor, and the proximity sensor module receiving the light passing through the second transparent area,

wherein the light passing through the first transparent area and then reflecting from an object to passing through the second transparent area, and the panel is able to provide a touch function, wherein a maximum distance the second proximity sensor can measure the object is farther than that of the first proximity sensor, and a minimum distance the second proximity sensor can measure the object is nearer than that of the first proximity sensor;

the minimum distance the first proximity sensor can measure the object is zero distance L0, the second proximity sensor is still able to detect the object even though the object passes through the zero distance L0;

wherein the touch function can be turned on or turned off depending on whether the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor detect the object.

2. The sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus connects with a process module in order to get information from the proximity sensor module.

3. The sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor detect a distance to the object and transmit information to a process module to determine when to turn off the touch function.

4. The sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first proximity sensor is unable to detect the object when the object is at a zero distance and the second proximity sensor detects the object when the object is at the zero distance.

5. The sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the process module creates a first interruption when both of the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor detect the distance to the object.

6. The sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein creating the first interruption is happened before the object passes through zero distance.

7. The sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second proximity sensor is partially under the second transparent area.

8. The sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the touch function is turned on when the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor are not able to detect a distance to the object and transmit information to a process module.

9. A method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities comprises the following steps:

providing a panel including a first transparent area and a second transparent area;

providing an emitting device located under the panel and the emitting device emitting a light passing through the first transparent area; and

providing a proximity sensor module located under the panel and the proximity sensor module including at least one proximity sensor which is a second proximity sensor and at least one proximity sensor which is a first proximity sensor, wherein a sensitivity of the second proximity sensor is higher than that of the first proximity sensor, and the proximity sensor module receiving the light passing through the second transparent area,

wherein the light passing through the first transparent area and then reflecting from a object to passing through the second transparent area, and the panel is able to provide a touch function,

wherein a maximum distance the second proximity sensor can measure the object is farther than that of the first proximity sensor, and a minimum distance the second proximity sensor can measure the object is nearer than that of the first proximity sensor;

the minimum distance the first proximity sensor can measure the object is zero distance L0, the second proximity sensor is still able to detect the object even though the object passes through the zero distance L0;

wherein the touch function can be turned on or turned off depending on whether the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor detect the object.

10. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the following step:

detecting whether the object passes through a maximum distance the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor are able to detect.

11. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the following steps:

creating a first interruption and turning off the touch function when the object detecting by both of the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor.

12. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the following step:

continuing detecting the distance by the first proximity sensor, and adopting a distance information detected by the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor by the process module.

13. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the following step:

detecting whether the object passes through the minimum distance the first proximity sensor is able to detect by the first proximity sensor.

14. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the following step:

determining the object at a zero distance by the first proximity sensor, adopting a distance detected by the second proximity sensor by the process module.

15. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the following step:

detecting whether the object passes through a minimum distance the first proximity sensor is able to detect by the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor.

16. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 15, wherein determining the object is not at zero distance by the process module, adopting the distance detected by the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor by the process module.

17. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the following step:

continuing detecting the distance by the first proximity sensor, and adopting the distance information detected by the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor by the process module.

18. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the following step:

detecting whether the object passes through the maximum distance the first proximity sensor is able to detect by the first proximity sensor.

19. The method of the sensor apparatus with at least two proximity sensors with different sensitivities as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the following step:

creating a second interruption and turning on the touch function when the object being not detected by the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor.