Touch sensing method and electronic apparatus using the same

• US 8,810,544 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liu, Jui-Ming, Chang, Chung-Wen, Tai, Shen-Feng, Yang, Feng-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ritchie, Darlene M
• Application Number:
  US13/272,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20130093711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1811, 200/512, 340/407.1, 327/517, 324/686
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• 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 touch sensing method adapted for an electronic apparatus including a touch panel is provided. A touch sensing method includes the following steps: obtaining a mutual-mode data by sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel in a mutual capacitance mode during a first period of a sensing frame; obtaining a self-mode data by sensing the gesture applied on the touch panel in a self capacitance mode during a second period of the sensing frame; and determining a touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on the self-mode data or the mutual-mode data. Furthermore, an electronic apparatus to which the foregoing touch sensing method is applied is also provided.

Claims

1. A touch sensing method, adapted for an electronic apparatus comprising a touch panel, the touch sensing method comprising:

obtaining a mutual-mode data by sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel in a mutual capacitance mode during a first period of a sensing frame;

obtaining a self-mode data by sensing the gesture applied on the touch panel in a self capacitance mode during a second period of the sensing frame; and

after receiving the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data during the sensing frame, determining a touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel by comparing the self-mode data with the mutual-mode data,

determining whether the electronic apparatus is connected to an alternating-current (AC) power supply,

wherein if the electronic apparatus is connected to the AC power supply, the touch sensing method further comprising;

determining whether the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are equivalent,

wherein if the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are not equivalent, then determining the touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel is based on the self-mode data.

2. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first period is longer that the second period in the sensing frame.

3. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

wherein if the electronic apparatus is not connected to the AC power supply, determining the touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel is based on the mutual-mode data.

4. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

wherein if the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are equivalent, then determining the touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel is based on the mutual-mode data.

5. An electronic apparatus, comprising

a touch panel comprising a plurality of sensing blocks, sensing a gesture applied thereon based on capacitive variations of the sensing blocks,

wherein the touch panel senses the gesture applied on the touch panel in a mutual capacitance mode during a first period of a sensing frame and senses the gesture applied on the touch panel in a self capacitance mode during a second period of the sensing frame;

and

a touch sensing controller connected to the touch panel and determining a touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel by comparing the self-mode data with the mutual-mode data after receiving the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data during the sensing frame,

wherein the touch sensing controller further determines whether the electronic apparatus is connected to an alternating-current (AC) power supply,

wherein if the electronic apparatus is connected to the AC power supply, the touch sensing controller determines whether the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are equivalent, and

wherein if the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are not equivalent, the touch sensing controller determines the touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on the self-mode data.

6. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first period is longer than the second period in the sensing frame.

7. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein if the electronic apparatus is not connected to the AC power supply, the touch sensing controller determines the touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on the mutual-mode data.

8. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein if the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are equivalent, the touch sensing controller determines the touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on the mutual-mode data.