System and method for sensing multiple input objects with gradient sensor devices

• US 9,188,675 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bulea, Mihai
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/429,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20130253863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 702/65
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• 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 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch

Abstract

A processing system for an input device includes a transmitter module including transmitter circuitry, a receiver module, and a determination module. The transmitter module is configured to drive the transmitter electrode with a first drive signal to produce a first voltage gradient across the transmitter electrode, wherein the first voltage gradient is non-linear. The receiver module is configured to receive a first resulting signal with a receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects of the first voltage gradient. The determination module is configured to determine positional information for a plurality input objects located simultaneously within a sensing region along the transmitter electrode based on the first resulting signal.

Claims

1. A gradient sensor device comprising:

a transmitter electrode;

a receiver electrode; and

a processing system communicatively coupled to the transmitter electrode and the receiver electrode, the processing system configured to;

drive the transmitter electrode with a first drive signal to produce a first voltage gradient across the transmitter electrode, wherein the first voltage gradient is non-linear;

drive the transmitter electrode with a second drive signal to produce a second voltage gradient;

drive the transmitter electrode with a third drive signal to produce a third voltage gradient;

drive the transmitter electrode with a fourth drive signal to produce a fourth voltage gradient;

receive a resulting signal with the receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects of the first voltage gradient, the second voltage gradient, the third voltage gradient, and the fourth voltage gradient; and

determine positional information for a plurality of input objects located simultaneously within a sensing region along the transmitter electrode based on the resulting signal,

wherein the first voltage gradient, the second voltage gradient, the third voltage gradient, and the fourth voltage gradient each have a shape corresponding to a respective polynomial of degree greater than or equal to one, and

wherein at least two of the degrees of the respective polynomials are different.

2. The gradient sensor device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter electrode comprises a first electrode element and a second electrode element.

3. The gradient sensor device of claim 2, wherein the receiver electrode is located between the first electrode element and the second electrode element.

4. The gradient sensor device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage gradient has a shape corresponding to the shape of the transmitter electrode.

5. The gradient sensor device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage gradient has a shape corresponding to a material property of the transmitter electrode.

6. The gradient sensor device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage gradient is a cubic polynomial, and the second voltage gradient is selected from the group consisting of a linear polynomial and a quadratic polynomial.

7. A processing system for an input device, the processing system comprising:

a transmitter module including transmitter circuitry, the transmitter module configured to;

drive a transmitter electrode with a first drive signal to produce a first voltage gradient across the transmitter electrode, wherein the first voltage gradient is non-linear,

drive the transmitter electrode with a second drive signal to produce a second voltage gradient,

drive the transmitter electrode with a third drive signal to produce a third voltage gradient, and

drive the transmitter electrode with a fourth drive signal to produce a fourth voltage gradient,

wherein the first voltage gradient, the second voltage gradient, the third voltage gradient, and the fourth voltage gradient each have a shape corresponding to a respective polynomial of degree greater than or equal to one, and

wherein at least two of the degrees of the respective polynomials are different;

a receiver module, the receiver module configured to receive a resulting signal with a receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects of the first voltage gradient, the second voltage gradient, the third voltage gradient, and the fourth voltage gradient; and

a determination module determining positional information for a plurality input objects located simultaneously within a sensing region along the transmitter electrode based on the resulting signal.

8. The processing system of claim 7, wherein the first voltage gradient is a cubic polynomial, and the second voltage gradient is selected from the group consisting of a linear polynomial and a quadratic polynomial.

9. The processing system of claim 7, wherein the third voltage gradient is linear and has a slope m, and the fourth voltage gradient is linear and has a slope −

m.

10. A method of capacitive sensing, the method comprising:

driving a transmitter electrode with a first drive signal to produce a first voltage gradient across the transmitter electrode, wherein the first voltage gradient is non-linear;

driving the transmitter electrode with a second drive signal to produce a second voltage gradient;

driving the transmitter electrode with a third drive signal to produce a third voltage gradient;

driving the transmitter electrode with a fourth drive signal to produce a fourth voltage gradient;

receiving a resulting signal with a receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects of the first voltage gradient, the second voltage gradient, the third voltage gradient, and the fourth voltage gradient; and

determining positional information for a plurality input objects located simultaneously within a sensing region along the transmitter electrode based on the resulting signal,

wherein the first voltage gradient, the second voltage gradient, the third voltage gradient, and the fourth voltage gradient each have a shape corresponding to a respective polynomial of degree greater than or equal to one, and

wherein at least two of the degrees of the respective polynomials are different.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first voltage gradient is a cubic polynomial, and the second voltage gradient is selected from the group consisting of a linear polynomial and a quadratic polynomial.