Touch location determination involving multiple touch location processes

• US 9,019,209 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Geaghan, Bernard O.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/148,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,611 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/159, 345/162, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/178, 345/179, 345/180, 345/181, 345/182, 345/183, 345/184, 178/18.01, 178/18.02, 178/18.03, 178/18.04, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07, 178/18.08, 178/18.09, 178/18.11, 178/19.01, 178/19.02, 178/19.03, 178/19.04, 178/19.05, 178/19.06, 178/19.07, 178/20.01, 178/20.02, 178/20.03, 178/20.04, 341/20, 200/512
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

Touch location determination approaches involving a plurality of touch location techniques are described. Each touch location technique is capable of independently determining a location of a touch within a touch area of the touch sensitive device. The touch location determination made by at least one touch location technique is enhanced using touch location information associated with the touch acquired from one or more other touch location techniques. One touch location technique may use a different type of sensor, signal, and/or algorithm from the one or more other touch location techniques.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive device, comprising:

a plurality of touch detectors, comprising;

one or more first touch detectors configured to determine a touch location of a touch on a touch panel using one or more first touch location techniques; and

one or more second touch detectors configured to acquire touch location information using one or more second touch location techniques; and

processing circuitry coupled to the one or more first touch detectors and the one or more second touch detectors, the processing circuitry configured to provide an enhanced accuracy touch location determination based on a combination of the touch location determined by the one or more first touch detectors and the touch location information acquired using the one or more second touch detectors.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first touch detectors are configured to determine the touch location with a first degree of precision and the one or more second touch detectors are configured to determine the touch location with a second degree of precision.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first touch detectors are configured to determine the touch location with a first degree of accuracy and the one or more second touch detectors are configured to determine the touch location with a second degree of accuracy.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust data acquired by the one or more first touch detectors using the touch location information acquired by the one or more second touch detectors.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first touch detectors comprise a touch sensor having one or more first characteristics and the one or more second touch detectors comprise one or more touch sensors having one or more second characteristics different from the one or more first characteristics.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first touch detectors use a first touch detection algorithm having one or more first characteristics and the one or more second touch detectors use one or more second touch detection algorithms having one or more second characteristics different from the one or more first characteristics.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first touch detectors each comprise a first touch sensor having one or more characteristics and the one or more second touch detectors each comprise a second touch sensor having the one or more characteristics and the one or more first touch detectors use a touch detection algorithm having one or more first characteristics and the one or more second touch detectors use one or more second touch detection algorithms having one or more second characteristics different from the one or more first characteristics.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry uses the touch location information acquired by the one or more second touch detectors to correct for one or more errors in the touch location determined by the one or more first touch detectors in order to provide the enhanced accuracy touch location determination.