Touch-sensitive surface

• US 9,223,446 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kauko, Jarmo
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIYABU, KARIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/036,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20120218218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A body part of a user touching a touch sensitive surface is determined based on a measured electrostatic signal. The electrostatic signal is transmitted by a transmitter and received by a receiver using a capacitively coupled human body as a communication channel. A touch signal is provided by the touch sensitive surface being touched by the user. The received electrostatic signal is measured in response to the touch signal and the body part of the user touching the touch sensitive surface is determined.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to send an electrical signal;

a receiver configured to receive the electrical signal using a capacitively coupled human body as a communication channel, wherein the received electrical signal is received by the receiver from the transmitter through the capacitively coupled human body;

a touch sensitive surface configured to provide a touch signal, wherein the touch signal is a different signal than the received electrical signal;

wherein the apparatus is configured at least to;

measure the received electrical signal in response to the touch signal; and

determine a body part of a user touching the touch sensitive surface based on the measured electrical signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

define a physical circuit length for the received electrical signal; and

determine the body part of the user touching the touch sensitive surface based on the physical circuit length for the received electrical signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

define circuit impedance based on the received electrical signal; and

define the physical circuit length for the received electrical signal using the circuit impedance.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the circuit impedance depends on at least capacitance and resistance of the communication channel between the transmitter and the receiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the capacitance of the communication channel comprises at least first capacitance between the transmitter of the apparatus and a first body part of the user, and second capacitance between a second body part of the user and the touch sensitive surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the physical circuit length for the received electrical signal is defined using at least one of the following:

a strength of the received electrical signal and a timing of the received electrical signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a ground configured to provide a return path for the electrical signal, wherein the ground is at least one of the following;

an air ground and an earth ground.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a conductive sheet located in an insulating cover part of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the conductive sheet is in the cover part next to the user'"'"'s first palm when the user is operating the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

determine the body part of the user touching the touch sensitive surface, wherein the body part is one of a first hand and a second hand.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

in response to determining that the body part is the first hand, initiate a first function; and

in response to determining that the body part is the second hand, initiate a second function.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first function comprises at least one of the following:

selecting an item on the touch sensitive surface, activating a function, and opening a first context menu for the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second function comprises at least opening a second context menu for the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second context menu is configured to be displayed as a round-shaped rendered object on the touch sensitive surface next to a touch position of the user touching the touch sensitive surface.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator configured to provide a signal path for the electrical signal between the body part of the user touching the touch-sensitive surface and the touch sensitive surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

measure the received electrical signal in response to the touch signal; and

determine a body part of a user touching the touch sensitive surface based on the measured electrical signal.

17. A method comprising:

transmitting an electrical signal;

receiving the electrical signal using a capacitively coupled human body as a communication channel, wherein the received electrical signal is received by a receiver from a transmitter through the capacitively coupled human body;

providing a touch signal by a touch sensitive surface being touched by a user, wherein the touch signal is a different signal than the received electrical signal;

measuring the received electrical signal in response to the touch signal; and

determining a body part of the user touching the touch sensitive surface based on the measured electrical signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

defining a physical circuit length for the received electrical signal; and

determining the body part of the user touching the touch sensitive surface based on the defined physical circuit length for the received electrical signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

defining circuit impedance based on the received electrical signal; and

defining the physical circuit length for the received electrical signal using the circuit impedance.

20. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable program code which, when executed by at least one processor of an apparatus, causes the apparatus to:

transmit an electrical signal;

receive the electrical signal using a capacitively coupled human body as a communication channel, wherein the received electrical signal is received by a receiver of the apparatus from a transmitter of the apparatus through the capacitively coupled human body;

provide a touch signal by a touch sensitive surface being touched by a user, wherein the touch signal is a different signal than the received electrical signal;

measure the received electrical signal in response to the touch signal; and

determine a body part of the user touching the touch sensitive surface based on the measured electrical signal.