Method and apparatus for data transmission via capacitance sensing device

• US 9,013,425 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Peterson, Jon, Wright, David G., Fuller, Thomas, Wilson, Cole
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US13/435,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20130225072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 455/41.1, 324/658, 324/679, 324/686, 178 1801- 1806
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• 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 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems for a touch sensor or a capacitive sensing device to interact with external objects. One method utilizes a capacitive profile on the external object. Another method involves the further use of a capacitive sensor array for wireless communication with the external object.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a capacitive profile of an object with a capacitance sensing device, the object placed proximate to the capacitance sensing device, the capacitive profile comprises first capacitance portions and second capacitance portions, wherein a capacitance value of the first capacitance portions being distinguishably greater than a capacitance value of the second capacitance portions, the first capacitance portions and the second capacitance portions disposed adjacent to each other and at least one of the second capacitance portions is between two of the first capacitance portions to define a capacitance signature of the capacitive profile of the object, wherein the capacitance signature includes encoded data associated with an identity of the object;

determining data associated with the object based on the capacitance signature of the capacitive profile; and

recognizing and identifying the object based on the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacitance sensing device comprises an array of capacitive sensors, and the detecting of the capacitive profile of the object comprises scanning the array of capacitive sensors.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the scanning of the array of capacitance sensors comprises:

performing a first scan of the array of capacitive sensors at a first resolution; and

performing a second scan of the array of capacitive sensors at a second resolution.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the performing of the first scan of the array of capacitive sensors comprises scanning a first portion of the array of capacitive sensors, and the performing of the second scan of the array of capacitive sensors comprises scanning a second portion of the array of capacitive sensors.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second portion of the array of capacitive sensors is smaller than the first portion of the array of capacitive sensors.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the detecting of the capacitive profile of the object comprises:

detecting the capacitance value of one of the two first capacitance portions of the capacitive profile with a first portion of the capacitance sensing array;

detecting the capacitance value of the other of the two first capacitance portions of the capacitive profile with a second portion of the capacitance sensing array; and

detecting the capacitance value of the at least one of the second capacitance portions of the capacitive profile with a third portion of the capacitance sensing array, wherein the third portion of the capacitance sensing array is between the first and second portions of the capacitance sensing array.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a first of the second capacitance portions is positioned between two of the first capacitance portions along a first axis, and a second of the second capacitance portions is positioned between two of the first capacitance portions along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first capacitance portions have varying capacitance values.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the object comprises a plurality of bits of data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first capacitance portions of the capacitive profile are each in the shape of a symbol or a geometric form, jointly form a pattern, or a combination thereof.

11. A capacitance sensing device comprising:

an array of capacitive sensor elements; and

a processing device coupled to the array of capacitive sensor elements, wherein the processing device is configured to;

detect a capacitive profile of an object proximate to the array of capacitive sensor elements, the capacitive profile comprises first capacitance portions and second capacitance portions, wherein a capacitance value of the first capacitance portions being distinguishably greater than a capacitance value of the second capacitance portions, the first capacitance portions and the second capacitance portions disposed adjacent to each other and at least one of the second capacitance portions is between two of the first capacitance portions to define a capacitance signature of the capacitive profile, wherein the capacitance signature includes encoded data associated with an identity of the object,

determine data associated with the object based on the capacitance signature of the capacitive profile, and

recognize and identify the object based on the data.

12. The capacitance sensing device of claim 11, wherein the processing device is configured such that the detecting of the capacitive profile of the object comprises scanning an array of capacitive sensors, and wherein the scanning of the array of capacitance sensors comprises:

performing a first scan of the array of capacitive sensors at a first resolution; and

performing a second scan of the array of capacitive sensors at a second resolution.

13. The capacitance sensing device of claim 12, wherein the performing of the first scan of the array of capacitive sensors comprises scanning a first portion of the array of capacitive sensors, and the performing of the second scan of the array of capacitive sensors comprises scanning a second portion of the array of capacitive sensors.

14. The capacitance sensing device of claim 13, wherein the second portion of the array of capacitive sensors is smaller than the first portion of the array of capacitive sensors, and wherein the second portion of the array of capacitive sensors at least partially overlaps the first portion of the array of capacitive sensors.

15. The capacitance sensing device of claim 11, wherein the capacitance sensing device comprises a memory, and wherein the determining of the data associated with the object comprises retrieving the data from the memory based on the capacitive profile of the object.

16. A capacitance sensing device comprising:

an array of capacitive sensor elements; and

a controller coupled to the array of a capacitive sensor elements, the controller being configured to;

detect a capacitive profile of an object proximate to the array of capacitive sensor elements, the capacitive profile comprises first capacitance portions and second capacitance portions, wherein a capacitance value of the first capacitance portions being distinguishably greater than a capacitance value of the second capacitance portions, the first capacitance portions and the second capacitance portions disposed adjacent to each other and at least one of the second capacitance portions is between two of the first capacitance portions to define a capacitance signature of the capacitive profile of the object, wherein the capacitance signature includes encoded data associated with an identity of the object,

determine data associated with the object based on the capacitance signature of the capacitive profile, and

recognize and identify the object based on the data,

wherein the controller is further configured to at least one of;

provide signals to the array of capacitive sensor elements such that the array of capacitive sensor elements transmit modulated signals, and

demodulate modulated signals received from the array of capacitive sensor elements.

17. The capacitance sensing device of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of transmit and receive Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) serial data through the array of capacitive sensor elements.

18. The capacitance sensing device of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to provide the signals to the array of capacitance sensor elements in response to detecting and identifying a predetermined capacitance profile of the object.

19. The capacitance sensing device of claim 16, wherein the array of capacitive sensor elements are at least partially transparent.

20. The capacitance sensing device of claim 16, further comprising a display device coupled to the array of capacitive sensor elements.