Touchscreen controller with adjustable parameters

• US 9,030,421 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tseng, Ryan, Mudrick, Adam A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US13/357,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1804
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for adjusting characteristics of a touch sensing device in the presence of a wireless power field are disclosed. According to one aspect, the presence of a wireless power field may be detected, and a characteristic of a touch sensing device may be adjusted to reduce interference of the wireless power field with the touch sensing device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a touch sensor;

a detector configured to detect a presence of a wireless power field for charging or supplying power to the device; and

a controller configured to adjust at least one characteristic of the touch sensor based at least in part on the detected presence of the wireless power field.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is configured to sense a touch based on the detected presence of the wireless power field.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to increase the at least one characteristic of the touch sensor.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the touch sensor includes a signal-to-noise ratio.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the touch sensor includes a sensitivity threshold of the touch sensor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the touch sensor includes a driving frequency of the touch sensor.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to receive information including a frequency of the wireless power field, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the driving frequency of the touch sensor based on the frequency of the wireless power field.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the touch sensor includes a post-processing method.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor includes a plurality of sensing elements, and wherein the detector is configured to detect the presence of the wireless power field based on a change in at least one of the plurality of sensing elements.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sensing circuit and a lookup table, the lookup table being stored in one or more storage devices coupled to the sensing circuit, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one addressing characteristic and at least one sensing characteristic, wherein the lookup table includes the at least one addressing characteristic and the at least one sensing characteristic.

11. A method of operating a touch sensor, the method comprising:

detecting a presence of a wireless power field for charging or supplying power to a device that includes the touch sensor; and

adjusting at least one sensing characteristic of the touch sensor based on the detection.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting comprises increasing a drive strength of a driving waveform.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting comprises increasing a detection threshold.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting includes adjusting a driving frequency of the touch sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a frequency of the wireless power field;

and adjusting the driving frequency of the touch sensor based on the frequency of the wireless power field.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensing characteristic includes a post-processing method.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor includes a plurality of sensing elements, and wherein detecting the presence of the wireless power field includes detecting based on a change in at least one of the plurality of sensing elements.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting includes correlating information regarding the wireless power field with a sensing characteristic based on information stored in a lookup table.

19. A device for operating a touch sensor, the device comprising:

means for detecting a presence of a wireless power field for charging or supplying power to the device; and

means for adjusting at least one sensing characteristic of the touch sensor based on the detection.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the detecting means comprises a detecting circuit, and wherein the adjusting means comprises a controller.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the adjusting means includes means for increasing a drive strength of a driving waveform.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the adjusting means includes means for increasing a detection threshold.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the means for adjusting a sensing characteristic includes means for adjusting a driving frequency of the touch sensor.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising means for determining a frequency of the wireless power field;

and means for adjusting the driving frequency of the touch sensor based on the frequency of the wireless power field.

25. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one sensing characteristic includes a post-processing method.

26. The device of claim 19, wherein the touch sensor includes a plurality of sensing elements, and wherein the means for detecting the presence of the wireless power field includes means for detecting based on a change in at least one of the sensing elements.

27. The device of claim 19, wherein the adjusting means includes means for correlating information regarding the wireless power field with a sensing characteristic based on information stored in a lookup table.

28. A computer program product for processing data for a program configured to operate a touch sensor, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon code for causing processing circuitry to;

detect a presence of a wireless power field for charging or supplying power to a device; and

adjust at least one sensing characteristic of the touch sensor based on the detected presence of the wireless power field.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising code for causing the processing circuitry to:

determine a frequency of the wireless power field; and

adjust a driving frequency of the touch sensor based on the determined frequency of the wireless power field.