Touch detection for a digitizer

• US 8,952,930 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Perski, Haim, Morag, Meir
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US14/076,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178 1801- 1809, 178 1901- 1906, 178 2001- 2004
• 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 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04182 Filtering of noise external to the device and not generated by digitiser components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.

Claims

1. A detector for providing position detection on an electronic display surface, the detector comprising:

a sensor extending over an electronic display, the sensor formed with a patterned arrangement of conductors, wherein the patterned arrangement of conductors is operable to sense both finger touch interaction and stylus interaction on same conductors of the sensor, wherein the stylus interaction with the sensor is with stylus signals emitted by the stylus; and

circuitry associated with the sensor operative for;

detecting sensor signals from the patterned arrangement; and

determining position of both the finger and stylus interaction on the electronic display surface responsive to the sensor signals detected.

2. The detector of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is operable to interrogate the conductors of the patterned arrangement with oscillating electrical energy and to detect sensor signals from the patterned arrangement responsive to the interrogation.

3. The detector of claim 2, wherein the patterned arrangement of conductors includes a matrix formed with a first set of conductive lines aligned in a first direction and second set of conductive lines aligned in a second direction, the second direction orthogonal to the first direction and wherein the first set and the second set cross to form junctions therebetween.

4. The detector of claim 3, wherein the circuitry is operable to apply the oscillating electrical energy to each one of a plurality of conductive lines in the first set of conductive lines, one line at a time.

5. The detector of claim 3, wherein the circuitry is operable to apply the oscillating electrical energy to each one of a plurality of conductive lines in the first set of conductive lines, one line at a time, or to each one of a plurality of conductive lines in the second set of conductive lines, one line at a time.

6. The detector of claim 4, wherein the circuitry is operable to detect sensor signals from the second set of conductive lines, in response to the oscillating electrical energy applied to the plurality of conductive lines in the first set of conductive lines.

7. The detector of claim 3, wherein the circuitry is operable to detect sensor signals from the first and second set of conductive lines simultaneously.

8. The detector of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is operative to distinguish between positions of multiple fingers present over the sensor at the same time.

9. The detector of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is operative to distinguish between positions of multiple styluses present over the sensor at the same time.

10. The detector of claim 1, comprising an excitation circuitry for providing an oscillating excitation signal capable of trigerring the stylus to provide the stylus signal.

11. The detector of claim 1, wherein the patterned arrangement of conductors is arranged within at least one layer.

12. The detector of claim 1, wherein the patterned arrangement of conductors is substantially transparent and suitable for mounting over the electronic display.

13. The detector of claim 12, wherein the patterned arrangement of conductors is formed with indium tin oxide (ITO).

14. A method for providing position detection on an electronic display surface, the method comprising:

providing a sensor including a patterned arrangement of conductors extending over an electronic display, wherein the sensor is operable to sense both finger touch interaction and stylus interaction on same conductors of the patterned arrangement, and wherein the stylus interaction is with stylus signals emitted by the stylus;

detecting sensor signals from the patterned arrangement; and

determining position of both the finger and stylus interaction on the electronic display surface responsive to the sensor signals detected.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

interrogating a first portion of the conductors of the patterned arrangement with oscillating electrical energy;

detecting sensor signals from a second portion of the conductors of the patterned arrangement responsive to the interrogating; and

determining position of the finger interaction on the electronic display surface from the sensor signals detected responsive to the interrogation.

16. The method of claim 14 comprising providing an oscillating excitation signal capable of triggering the stylus to provide the stylus signal.

17. The method of claim 14, comprising detecting simultaneous interaction of the stylus and one or more fingers on the electronic display surface.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein determining position of the finger interaction is with capacitive-based touch detection.

19. The method of claim 14 comprising distinguishing between positions of multiple styluses present over the electronic display surface at the same time.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein position of the stylus and position of the finger are detected independently.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein position of the stylus and position of the finger are detected at different times.