Signal-to-noise ratio in touch sensors

• US 8,847,898 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brunet, Samuel, Goh, Yen, Collins, Richard Paul, Bakken, Vemund Kval
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, VIET DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/226,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20130057480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-176
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes driving at least two of multiple drive lines of a touch sensor at a time, each with one or more electrical pulses.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor comprising;

a plurality of drive lines; and

a plurality of sense lines each adapted to capacitively couple to one or more of the plurality of drive lines; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the touch sensor and embodying logic that is configured when executed to;

drive, at a first time, first and second drive lines of the plurality of drive lines, each with one or more electrical pulses, the first and second drive lines being adjacent to one another; and

drive, at a second time and without driving the first drive line with one or more electrical pulses, the second drive line and a third drive line of the plurality of drive lines, each with one or more electrical pulses, the second and third drive lines being adjacent to one another.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to drive two of the drive lines at a time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to drive three of the drive lines at a time.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to drive four of the drive lines at a time.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

the logic is configured to drive, for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

1, lines i and i+1 at a same time.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

the logic is configured to drive, for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

2, lines i and i+1 and i+2 at a same time.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

the logic is configured to drive, for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

3, lines i and i+1 and i+2 and i+3 at a same time.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to drive each drive line with a set of four electrical pulses at a time.

9. A method comprising:

driving, at a first time, first and second drive lines of a plurality of drive lines of a touch sensor, each with one or more electrical pulses, the first and second drive lines being adjacent to one another, the touch sensor comprising;

the plurality of drive lines; and

a plurality of sense lines each adapted to capacitively couple to one or more of the plurality of drive lines; and

driving, at a second time and without driving the first drive line with one or more electrical pulses, the second drive line and a third drive line of the plurality of drive lines, each with one or more electrical pulses, the second and third drive lines being adjacent to one another.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein two of the drive lines are driven at a time.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein three of the drive lines are driven at a time.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein four of the drive lines are driven at a time.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

1, lines i and i+1 are driven at a time.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

2, lines i and i+1 and i+2 are driven at a time.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

3, lines i and i+1 and i+2 and i+3 are driven at a time.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the drive lines is driven with a set of four electrical pulses at a time.

17. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is configured when executed to:

drive, at a first time, first and second drive lines of a plurality of drive lines of a touch sensor, each with one or more electrical pulses, the first and second drive lines being adjacent to one another, the touch sensor comprising;

the plurality of drive lines; and

a plurality of sense lines each adapted to capacitively couple to one or more of the plurality of drive lines; and

drive, at a second time and without driving the first drive line with one or more electrical pulses, the second drive line and a third drive line of the plurality of drive lines, each with one or more electrical pulses, the second and third drive lines being adjacent to one another.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the logic is configured to drive two of the drive lines at a time.

19. The media of claim 17, wherein the logic is configured to drive three of the drive lines at a time.

20. The media of claim 17, wherein the logic is configured to drive four of the drive lines at a time.

21. The media of claim 17, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

the logic is configured to drive, for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

1, lines i and i+1 at a same time.

22. The media of claim 17, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

the logic is configured to drive, for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

2, lines i and i+1 and i+2 at a same time.

23. The media of claim 17, wherein:

the drive lines comprise lines 0 to n; and

the logic is configured to drive, for each line i, where 0≦

i≦

n−

3, lines i and i+1 and i+2 and i+3 at a same time.

24. The media of claim 17, wherein the logic is configured to drive each drive line with a set of four electrical pulses at a time.