Detecting presence of an object in the vicinity of a touch interface of a device

• US 9,342,182 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hermes, Bernard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US14/268,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 178 1801- 1806, 341/22, 341/23
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A system includes a controller situated on a circuit board and a touch sensor coupled to the controller. The touch sensor includes a plurality of electrodes configured to capacitively coupled to a surface. The system also includes a drive element that is coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to send a drive signal to the drive element and, after sending the drive signal to the drive element, receive a set of sense signals from the touch sensor. The controller is further configured to determine whether an object that is not contact with the surface is in a vicinity of the surface the set of sense signals.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged adjacent to a surface, the touch sensor arranged in a first region, the first region consisting of a first area that includes the touch sensor and a second area between the touch sensor and a circuit board;

a drive element situated external to the first area and the second area;

a controller disposed on the circuit board and coupled to the touch sensor using a first set of conductors and to the drive element using a second set of conductors, the controller being configured to;

send a drive signal to the drive element using the second set of conductors;

after sending the drive signal to the drive element, receive a set of sense signals from the touch sensor; and

using the set of sense signals, determine whether an object that is not in contact with the surface is in a vicinity of the surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a distance between the object and the surface using the set of sense signals.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect a direction of movement of the object while the object is in the vicinity of the surface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the surface is a touch screen;

the drive element comprises metallic foil; and

the second area spans along an entire edge of the touch sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a position associated with the object while the object is in the vicinity of the surface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes are arranged along at least one axis; and

the drive element situated external to the first region comprises a substantial portion of the drive element situated external to the first region and another portion of the drive element situated in the first region.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first region is adjacent to a first side of the circuit board;

the drive element is situated in a second region adjacent to a second side of the circuit board, the first side of the circuit board being different than the second side of the circuit board; and

the circuit board is situated between the touch sensor and the drive element.

8. A method, comprising:

sending, using a controller, a drive signal to a drive element using a second set of conductors, the controller disposed on a circuit board and coupled to a touch sensor using a first set of tracks and to the drive element using the second set of tracks;

after sending the drive signal to the drive element, receiving, at the controller, a set of sense signals from the touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged adjacent to a surface, the touch sensor arranged in a first region, the first region consisting of a first area that includes the touch sensor and a second area between the touch sensor and the circuit board, the drive element situated external to the first-region first area and the second area; and

determining, using the controller, whether an object that is not in contact with the surface is in a vicinity of the surface using the set of sense signals.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, using the controller, a distance between the object and the surface using the set of sense signals.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting, using the controller, a direction of movement of the object while the object is in the vicinity of the surface.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, using the controller, a position associated with the object while the object is in the vicinity of the surface.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes are arranged along at least one axis;

the second area spans along an entire edge of the touch sensor; and

the drive element situated external to the first region comprises a substantial portion of the drive element situated external to the first region and another portion of the drive element situated in the first region.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the first region is adjacent to a first side of the circuit board;

the drive element is situated in a second region adjacent to a second side of the circuit board, the first side of the circuit board being different than the second side of the circuit board; and

the circuit board is situated between the touch sensor and the drive element.

14. One or more computer-readable, non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is configured, when executed, to:

send, using a controller, a drive signal to a drive element using a second set of conductors, the controller disposed on a circuit board and coupled to a touch sensor using a first set of conductors and to the drive element using the second set of conductors;

after sending the drive signal to the drive element, receive a set of sense signals from the touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged adjacent to a surface, the touch sensor arranged in a first region, the first region consisting of a first area that includes the touch sensor and a second area between the touch sensor and the circuit board, the drive element situated external to the first area and the second area; and

determine, using the controller, whether an object that is not in contact with the surface is in a vicinity of the surface using the set of sense signals.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein the logic is further configured to determine a distance between the object and the surface using the set of sense signals.

16. The media of claim 14, wherein the logic is further configured to detect a direction of movement of the object while the object is in the vicinity of the surface.

17. The media of claim 14, wherein:

the surface is a touch screen;

the drive element comprises metallic foil; and

the second area spans along an entire edge of the touch sensor.

18. The media of claim 14, wherein the logic is further configured to determine a position associated with the object while the object is in the vicinity of the surface.

19. The media of claim 14, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes are arranged along at least one axis; and

the drive element situated external to the first region comprises a substantial portion of the drive element situated external to the first region and another portion of the drive element situated in the first region.

20. The media of claim 14, wherein:

the first region is adjacent to a first side of the circuit board;

the drive element is situated in a second region adjacent to a second side of the circuit board, the first side of the circuit board being different than the second side of the circuit board; and

the circuit board is situated between the touch sensor and the drive element.