Hybrid sensor module

• US 8,896,553 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Xu, Yansun, Mu, Jinghui
• Primary Examiner(s): Bibbins, Latanya
• Application Number:
  US13/307,350
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• 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 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A hybrid sensor module and methods of operating the same are provided. In one embodiment, the hybrid sensor module includes: (i) a touch sensor configured to sense motion of an object in proximity to a surface of the touch sensor; (ii) an optical navigation sensor (ONS) configured to illuminate the object through the surface of the touch sensor and to sense motion of the object based on light returned from the object; and (iii) a controller electrically coupled to the touch sensor and the ONS to process the sensed motion of the object and to generate an output signal in response to the sensed motion, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically adjust a tracking resolution of the hybrid sensor module based on a characteristic of the sensed motion. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A hybrid sensor module comprising:

a touch sensor configured to sense motion of a first object in proximity to a surface of the touch sensor;

an optical navigation sensor (ONS) configured to illuminate the first object through the surface of the touch sensor and to sense motion of the first object based on light returned from the first object; and

a controller electrically coupled to the touch sensor and ONS to process sensed motion of the first object and to generate an output signal in response to the sensed motion, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically adjust a tracking resolution of the hybrid sensor module based on a characteristic of the sensed motion, and to generate the output signal in response to a weighted combination of the sensed motion from the ONS and from the touch sensor, and to give greater weight to the sensed motion from the ONS when a speed of the sensed motion from the ONS is more than a specified speed, and to give greater weight to the sensed motion from the touch sensor when the speed of the sensed motion from the touch sensor is less than the specified speed.

6. The hybrid sensor module of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to give greater weight to the sensed motion from the ONS when strength of a signal from the touch sensor is less than a specified amount.

7. The hybrid sensor module of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor extends over a display of a device comprising the hybrid sensor module, and wherein the touch sensor is configured to sense motion of the first object illuminated by the ONS and to sense motion of a second object over the display.

8. The hybrid sensor module of claim 7, wherein the touch sensor is further configured to sense gestures of at least one of the first object or second object.

9. The hybrid sensor module of claim 7, wherein controller is configured to use the sensed motion from the ONS to provide data to control movement of a cursor in the display.

10. The hybrid sensor module of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises an integrated circuit (IC) and the ONS comprises a photo-detector array (PDA) on a substrate with the IC.

11. The hybrid sensor module of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive sensing array.

12. The hybrid sensor module of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor comprises a resistive sensing array.

2. A hybrid sensor module comprising:

a touch sensor configured to sense motion of a first object in proximity to a surface of the touch sensor;

an optical navigation sensor (ONS) configured to illuminate the first object through the surface of the touch sensor and to sense motion of the first object based on light returned from the first object; and

a controller electrically coupled to the touch sensor and ONS to process sensed motion of the first object and to generate an output signal in response to the sensed motion, the controller configured to dynamically adjust a tracking resolution of the hybrid sensor module based on a characteristic of the sensed motion, and to generate the output signal in response to a weighted combination of the sensed motion from the ONS and from the touch sensor,

wherein the touch sensor is configured to detect a lift height between the first object and the surface, and wherein the controller is configured to give less weight to the sensed motion from the ONS when the lift height exceeds a maximum lift height.

3. The hybrid sensor module of claim 2, wherein the touch sensor extends over a display of a device comprising the hybrid sensor module, and wherein the touch sensor is configured to sense motion of the first object illuminated by the ONS and to sense motion of a second object over the display.

4. The hybrid sensor module of claim 3, wherein the touch sensor is further configured to sense gestures of at least one of the first object or second object.

5. The hybrid sensor module of claim 2, wherein the controller comprises an integrated circuit (IC) and the ONS comprises a photo-detector array (PDA) on a substrate with the IC.

13. A method of operating a hybrid sensor module comprising:

sensing motion of a first object in proximity to a surface of a touch sensor;

illuminating the first object through the surface of the touch sensor with a light source in an optical navigation sensor (ONS) and sensing motion of the first object based on light returned from the first object;

processing with a controller electrically coupled to the touch sensor and the ONS motion of the first object sensed by the touch sensor and by the ONS to generate an output signal in response to the sensed motion; and

adjusting a tracking resolution of the hybrid sensor module based on a characteristic of the sensed motion, wherein adjusting the tracking resolution comprises weighting and combining with the controller the sensed motion from the ONS and from the touch sensor,

wherein weighting the sensed motion from the ONS and from the touch sensor comprises giving greater weight to the sensed motion from the ONS when a speed of the sensed motion from the ONS is more than a specified speed, and giving greater weight to the sensed motion from the touch sensor when the speed of the sensed motion from the touch sensor is less than the specified speed.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the touch sensor extends over a display of a device comprising the hybrid sensor module, and further comprising sensing with the touch sensor motion of a second object over the display.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising sensing gestures of at least one of the first object or second object with the touch sensor.

14. A method of operating a hybrid sensor module comprising:

sensing motion of a first object in proximity to a surface of a touch sensor;

illuminating the first object through the surface of the touch sensor with a light source in an optical navigation sensor (ONS) and sensing motion of the first object based on light returned from the first object;

processing with a controller electrically coupled to the touch sensor and the ONS motion of the first object sensed by the touch sensor and by the ONS to generate an output signal in response to the sensed motion;

adjusting a tracking resolution of the hybrid sensor module based on a characteristic of the sensed motion; and

detecting with the touch sensor a lift height between the first object and the surface of the hybrid sensor module, and when the lift height exceeds a maximum lift height giving less weight to the sensed motion from the ONS,

wherein adjusting the tracking resolution comprises weighting and combining with the controller the sensed motion from the ONS and from the touch sensor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the touch sensor extends over a display of a device comprising the hybrid sensor module, and further comprising sensing with the touch sensor motion of a second object over the display.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising sensing gestures of at least one of the first object or second object with the touch sensor.