Sensing and driving apparatus, touch sensing system, and sensing and driving method

• US 9,189,110 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Inventors: Lin, Ching-Chun, Tang, Wing-Kai, Hung, Ching-Ho, Chang, Tsen-Wei, Lin, Yi-Liang, Tsai, Jiun-Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDULSELAM, ABBAS I
• Application Number:
  US13/037,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20110210930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,722 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 178/18.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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

Abstract

A sensing and driving apparatus suitable for a sensing interface is provided. The sensing and driving apparatus includes a driving module and a sensing unit. The driving module outputs a first reference signal and a second reference signal which have different polarities with each other, and respectively transmits the first reference signal and the second reference signal to a first driving line and a second driving line of the sensing interface so as to generate a first sensing signal during a first period. The sensing unit receives the first sensing signal and detects a change of the first signal so as to generate a sensing result. A sensing and driving method, a touch sensing system and a device using the same are also provided herein.

Claims

1. A sensing and driving apparatus suitable for a sensing interface, the sensing and driving apparatus comprising:

a driving module, outputting a first reference signal and a second reference signal which have different polarities with each other, and respectively transmitting the first reference signal and the second reference signal to a first driving line and a second driving line of the sensing interface so as to accordingly generate a first sensing signal during a first period, wherein the first driving line and the second driving line are extended along the same direction of the sensing interface; and

a sensing unit, receiving the first sensing signal and detecting a change of the first sensing signal so as to generate a sensing result accordingly,

wherein the first driving line receiving the first reference signal and the second driving line receiving the second reference signal are two adjacent driving lines of the sensing interface extended along the same direction of the sensing interface.

2. The sensing and driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving module comprising:

a driving unit, generating the first reference signal and the second reference signal which have different polarities with each other; and

a multiplexing unit, receiving the first reference signal and the second reference signal, and selectively transmitting the first reference signal to the first driving line and the second reference signal to the second driving line.

3. The sensing and driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving module further inverses the polarity of the second reference signal and transmits the inversed second reference signal to the second driving line during a second period, and outputs a third reference signal to a third driving line during the second period, wherein the third driving line is another driving line adjacent to the second driving line, and a polarity of the third reference signal is opposite to the polarity of the second reference signal.

4. The sensing and driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal respectively comprise a plurality of pulses.

5. The sensing and driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing interface has a plurality of first driving lines and a plurality of second driving lines, and the driving module further transmits the first reference signal to a first set of driving lines of the first driving lines and transmits the second reference signal to a second set of driving lines of the first driving lines according to the change of the first sensing signal so as to generate a second sensing signal during a second period, and the sensing unit is suitable for detecting a change of the second sensing signal and generating the sensing result accordingly.

6. The sensing and driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are square wave or sawtooth wave.

7. A touch sensing system, comprising:

a sensing interface, comprising a first driving line and a second driving line which are extended along the same direction of the sensing interface;

a sensing and driving apparatus, coupled to the sensing interface and comprising;

a driving module, outputting a first reference signal and a second reference signal which have different polarities with each other, and respectively transmitting the first reference signal and the second reference signal to a first driving line and a second driving line so as to accordingly generate a first sensing signal during a first period; and

a sensing unit, receiving the first sensing signal and detecting a change of the first sensing signal so as to generate a sensing result accordingly; and

a processing unit, determining a touch position of the sensing interface according to the sensing result,

wherein the first driving line receiving the first reference signal and the second driving line receiving the second reference signal are two adjacent driving lines of the sensing interface extended along the same direction of the sensing interface.

8. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the driving module comprising:

a driving unit, generating the first reference signal and the second reference signal which have different polarities with each other; and

a multiplexing unit, receiving the first reference signal and the second reference signal, and selectively transmitting the first reference signal to the first driving line and the second reference signal to the second driving line.

9. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the driving module further inverses the polarity of the second reference signal and transmits the inversed second reference signal to the second driving line during a second period, and outputs a third reference signal to a third driving line during the second period, wherein the third driving line is another driving line adjacent to the second driving line, and a polarity of the third reference signal is opposite to the polarity of the second reference signal.

10. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal respectively comprise a plurality of pulses.

11. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sensing interface has a plurality of first driving lines and a plurality of second driving lines, and the driving module further transmits the first reference signal to a first set of driving lines of the first driving lines and transmits the second reference signal to a second set of driving lines of the first driving lines according to the change of the first sensing signal so as to generate a second sensing signal during a second period, and the sensing unit is suitable for detecting a change of the second sensing signal and generating the sensing result accordingly.

12. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the processing unit further determining the touch position of the sensing interface according to the change of the second sensing signal.

13. The touch sensing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are square wave or sawtooth wave.

14. A touch display apparatus comprising the touch sensing system as claimed in claim 7.

15. A portable electronic apparatus comprising the touch sensing system as claimed in claim 7.

16. A sensing and driving method suitable for a sensing interface, the sensing and driving method comprising:

outputting a first reference signal and a second reference signal which have different polarities with each other, and respectively transmitting the first reference signal and the second reference signal to a first driving line and a second driving line extended along the same direction of the sensing interface so as to accordingly generate a first sensing signal during a first period; and

receiving the first sensing signal and detecting a change of the first sensing signal so as to generate a sensing result accordingly,

wherein the first driving line receiving the first reference signal and the second driving line receiving the second reference signal are two adjacent driving lines of the sensing interface extended along the same direction of the sensing interface.

17. The sensing and driving method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

inversing the polarity of the second reference signal and transmitting the inversed second reference signal to the second driving line during a second period; and

outputting a third reference signal to a third driving line during the second period,

wherein the third driving line is another driving line adjacent to the second driving line, and a polarity of the third reference signal is opposite to the polarity of the second reference signal.

18. The sensing and driving method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal respectively comprise a plurality of pulses.

19. The sensing and driving method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting the first reference signal to a first set of driving lines of the first driving lines and the second reference signal to a second set of driving lines of the first driving lines according to the change of the first sensing signal so as to generate a second sensing signal during a second period; and

receiving the second sensing signal and detecting a change of the second sensing signal so as to generate the sensing result accordingly.