Touch input sensing device and touch input sensing method

• US 9,256,328 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kwon, Yong Il, Lee, Sang Ho, Hong, Gyung Hee, Park, Tah Joon
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOX, JOSEPH PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US13/332,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20130063390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

There are a touch input sensing device and a touch input sensing method. The touch input sensing device includes: a plurality of sensing electrodes; and a controller obtaining sensing signals generated from the plurality of sensing electrodes through a plurality of sensing channels electrically connected to the plurality of sensing electrodes, wherein the controller calculates a difference value between the sensing signals obtained from the plurality of sensing channels connected to the mutually adjacent sensing electrodes among the plurality of sensing electrodes to determine a touch input. A weighting value is assigned to a difference value between sensing signals obtained from mutually adjacent sensing electrodes, based on which the coordinates, or the like, of a touch input are determined, thus significantly reducing the influence of noise and accurately determining a touch input.

Claims

1. A touch input sensing device comprising:

a plurality of sensing electrodes; and

a controller configured to obtain sensing signals generated from the plurality of sensing electrodes through a plurality of sensing channels electrically connected to the plurality of sensing electrodes,

the controller configured to calculate a plurality of difference values between the sensing signals obtained from the plurality of sensing channels connected to mutually adjacent sensing electrodes among the plurality of sensing electrodes to thus determine a touch input,

the controller including a driving circuit unit configured to apply a driving signal to at least some of the plurality of sensing electrodes,

the driving circuit unit configured to apply the driving signal to a plurality of first electrodes which apply the driving signal to the at least some of the plurality of sensing electrodes, and

each one of the plurality of first electrodes crossing each one of a plurality of second electrodes of the plurality of sensing electrodes,

the controller configured to determine weighting values, index the plurality of difference values, and apply the weighting values to difference values of sensing signals of mutually adjacent sensing electrodes

wherein the weighting values corresponding to the plurality of difference values increases with a distance from the index corresponding to a sign change of a difference value.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes:

a first circuit unit obtaining the sensing signals; and

a second circuit unit determining the touch input.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit includes an arithmetic operation circuit calculating the difference value between the sensing signals obtained from the plurality of sensing channels connected to the mutually adjacent sensing electrodes.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller obtains a change in capacitance generated between a sensing electrode of the at least some of the plurality of sensing electrodes to which the driving signal is applied and a sensing electrode adjacent to the sensing electrode of the at least some of the plurality of sensing electrodes to which the driving signal is applied, as the sensing signal.

5. A touch input sensing method comprising:

obtaining sensing signals generated from a plurality of sensing electrodes;

calculating a difference value between the sensing signals obtained from mutually adjacent sensing electrodes among the plurality of sensing electrodes;

determining a touch input based on the difference value between the sensing signals;

applying a driving signal to at least some of the plurality of sensing electrodes,

the applied driving signal being applied to a plurality of first electrodes which apply the driving signal to the at least some of the plurality of sensing electrodes, and

each one of the plurality of first electrodes crossing each one of a plurality of second electrodes of the plurality of sensing electrodes; and

determining weighting values and applying the weighting values to difference values, of sensing signals of mutually adjacent sensing electrodes,

wherein the weighting values corresponding to the plurality of difference values increase with a distance from an index corresponding to a sign change of a difference value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the obtaining of the sensing signals comprises obtaining a change in capacitance, generated by the plurality of sensing electrodes due to the touch input, as a sensing signal of the sensing signals.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the obtaining of the sensing signals comprises obtaining a change in capacitance generated between a sensing electrode of the plurality of sensing electrodes to which the driving signal is applied and a sensing electrode adjacent to the sensing electrode of the plurality of sensing electrodes to which the driving signal is applied, as a sensing signal of the sensing signals.

8. A touch input sensing device comprising:

sensing electrodes configured to generate sensing signals; and

a controller configured to;

receive sensing signals through adjacent sensing channels,

determine signal values for the sensing channels,

calculate difference values between the sensing channels,

index the difference values into corresponding indexes,

determine a sign change index as the index closest to a change in sign of one of the difference values,

determine weighting values for the difference values according to the indexes,

wherein the weighting values increase with distance from the sign change index, and

apply the weighting values to the corresponding difference values.

9. The device of claim 8,

wherein the controller is configured to determine that the weighting value applied to the difference value corresponding to the sign change index is a smaller weighting value than the weighting value to a difference value corresponding to a next or previous index.

10. A touch input sensing method comprising:

generating sensing signals through sensing electrodes;

receiving sensing signals through adjacent sensing channels;

determining signal values for sensing channels;

calculating difference values between the sensing channels;

indexing the difference values into corresponding indexes;

determining a sign change index as the index closest to a change in sign of one of the difference values;

determining weighting values for the difference values according to the indexes,

wherein the weighting values increase with distance from the sign change index; and

applying the weighting values to the corresponding difference values.

11. The method of claim 10,

wherein the determining of the weighting value applied to the difference value corresponding to the sign change index is a smaller weighting value than the weighting value applied to a difference value corresponding to a next or previous index.