Systems and methods for providing enhanced touch sensing

• US 8,988,367 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Lukas, Robert, Sobel, David, Ranganathan, Sumant, Li, Tianhao
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDULSELAM, ABBAS I
• Application Number:
  US13/020,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20110193809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 178/18.01, 178 1805- 1806
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

Provided are systems and methods for providing enhanced touch sensing. One system providing enhanced touch sensing includes a multi-mode touch screen and a processor configured to apply at least one test signal to a sense element of the multi-mode touch screen, detect at least one return signal from the sense element, and then determine a relative position of an object corresponding to the at least one return signal, the multi-mode touch screen being capable of sensing the first object using first and second detection modes. One multi-mode touch screen comprises a multi-mode multi-touch touch screen. One processor is configured to apply an adaptive test signal to a sense element of a touch screen.

Claims

1. An electronic system providing enhanced touch sensing, the electronic system comprising:

a multi-mode touch screen including first and second resistive layers separated by an insulator; and

a processor configured to;

apply at least one test signal to a sense element of the multi-mode touch screen;

detect at least one return signal from the sense element based on interaction of between the first and second resistive layers; and

determine a relative position of a first object corresponding to the at least one return signal;

the multi-mode touch screen using multiple detection mode to sense the first object, the multiple detection modes including at least a resistive touch detection mode and a capacitive touch detection mode.

2. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the resistive touch detection mode includes a pressure sensitive resistive touch detection mode configured to distinguish between a soft touch position and a hard touch position that applies more pressure than the soft touch position.

3. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the multiple detection modes include a mutual-capacitance capacitive detection mode and the multi-mode touch screen is further configured to sense the first object using a self- capacitance capacitive detection mode.

4. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the multi-mode touch screen is configured to distinguish between a hover touch position, a soft touch position, and a hard touch position.

5. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the sense element is configured to enable at least one of the multiple detection modes.

6. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the multi-mode touch screen comprises a multi-touch multi-mode touch screen configured to sense the first object and at least one additional object substantially concurrently using at least one of the multiple detection modes.

7. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the multi-mode touch screen comprises a multi-touch multi-mode touch screen, and wherein the processor is configured to apply at least one test signal to a plurality of sense elements of the multitouch multi-mode touch screen substantially concurrently.

8. An electronic system providing enhanced touch sensing, the electronic system comprising:

a multi-touch touch screen including first and second resistive layers separates by an insulator; and

a processor configured to;

apply at least first and second test signals to respective first and second sense elements of the multi-touch touch screen, the first and second test signal being differentiated test signal;

detect at least first and second return signals from the respective first and second sense elements based on interaction of between the first and second resistive layers; and

determine first and second relative positions of first and second objects corresponding to the at least first and second return signals;

the multi-touch touch screen sensing the first and second objects substantially concurrently using multiple detection modes which include at least a resistive touch detection mode and a capacitive touch detection mode.

9. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the multiple detection modes include a pressure sensitive resistive touch detection mode configured to distinguish between a soft touch position and a hard touch position, the hard touch position exerting more pressure than the soft touch position.

10. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the first and second test signals comprise respective first and second current levels.

11. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the first and second test signals comprise respective first and second frequencies.

12. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the first and second test signals comprise respective first and second voltages.

13. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the application of first and second test signals further comprises application of respective first and second loads to the first and second sense elements.

14. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the multi-touch touch screen comprises a multi-touch multi-mode touch screen configured to sense the first and second objects using the multiple detection modes.

15. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the multi-touch touch screen comprises a multi-touch multi-mode touch screen configured to sense the first and second objects using at least one of a pressure sensitive resistive detection mode and a capacitive detection mode.

16. The electronic system of claim 8, wherein the multi-touch touch screen comprises a multi-touch multi-mode touch screen configured to sense the first and second objects using at least one of a mutual-capacitance capacitive detection mode and a self-capacitance capacitive detection mode.

17. An electronic system providing enhanced touch sensing, the electronic system comprising:

a touch screen including first and second resistive layers separated by an insulator; and

a processor configured to;

apply one or more frequency-diverse adaptable test signals to at least one sense element of the touch screen;

detect at least one return signal from the at least one sense element;

detect interference in the at least one return signal based on interaction of between the first and second resistive layers;

adapt the one or more frequency-diverse adaptable test signals to reduce the interference; and

sense an object on the touch screen based on the at least one return signal using multiple detection modes including a resistive touch detection mode and a capacitive touch detection mode.

18. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein the touch screen comprises a multi-mode touch screen.

19. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein the touch screen comprises a multi-touch touch screen.

20. A method of providing enhanced touch sensing using a processor in an electronic system having a multi-mode touch screen, the method comprising:

applying at least one test signal by the processor to a sense element of the multimode touch screen, the multi-mode touch screen being configured to sense a first object using multiple detection modes including a resistive touch detection mode and a capacitive touch detection mode, the multi-mode touch screen including first and second resistive layers separated by an insulator;

detecting at least one return signal from the sense element based on interaction of between the first and second resistive layers; and

determining a relative position of the first object corresponding to the at least one return signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the resistive touch detection mode includes a pressure sensitive resistive touch detection mode configured to distinguish between a soft touch position and a hard touch position in which exerted pressure is higher that a pressure exerted in the soft touch position.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising distinguishing between a hover touch position, a soft touch position, and a hard touch position.

23. An electronic system providing enhanced touch sensing, the electronic system comprising:

a multi-touch touch screen including first and second resistive layers separated by an insulator; and

a processor configured to;

apply at least one test signal to first and second sense elements of the multi-touch touch screen;

detect at least first and second return signals from the respective first and

second sense elements based on interaction of between the first and second resistive layers; and

determine first and second relative positions of first and second objects corresponding to the at least first and second return signals;

the multi-touch touch screen being capable of sensing the first and second objects substantially concurrently,

wherein the multi-touch screen senses at least one of the first and second objects using multiple detection modes including a resistive touch detection mode and a capacitive touch detection mode.

24. The electronic system of claim 23, wherein the multi-touch touch screen senses both of the first and second objects using a resistive touch detection mode.

25. The electronic system of claim 23, wherein the multi-touch touch screen senses at least one of the first and second objects using a pressure sensitive resistive touch detection mode capable of distinguishing between a soft touch position and a hard touch position.

26. The electronic system of claim 23, wherein the application of the at least one test signal further comprises application of first and second loads to the first and second sense elements.

27. The electronic system of claim 23, wherein the multi-touch touch screen comprises a multi-touch multi-mode touch screen;

the multi-touch multi-mode touch screen being capable of sensing the first and second objects using at least one of first and second detection modes.

28. The electronic system of claim 23, wherein the multi-touch touch screen comprises a multi-touch multi-mode touch screen;

the multi-touch multi-mode touch screen being capable of sensing the first and second objects using at least one of a pressure sensitive resistive touch detection mode and a capacitive detection mode.