Mitigating electrode interference in an integrated input device

• US 9,372,584 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Shepelev, Petr
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLoone, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/180,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20150193041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• 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

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an integrated input device. The integrated input device includes a plurality of sensor electrode sets including a plurality of common electrode sets, a plurality of gate electrodes, and a gate selector. A processing system is configured to drive the sensor electrode sets for capacitive sensing during a plurality of sensing periods and update display lines by driving the common electrode sets during display update periods. A sensor electrode of a first sensor electrode set that is driven last during a first sensing period and a sensor electrode of a second sensor electrode set that is driven first during a second sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes. The first display update period, second display update period, and third display update period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping with the first sensing period, the second sensing period, and the third display update period, respectively.

Claims

1. An input device comprising a display device having an integrated capacitive sensing device, the input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes comprising;

a first sensor electrode set including a first common electrode set of a plurality of common electrodes;

a second sensor electrode set including a second common electrode set of the plurality of common electrodes; and

a third sensor electrode set including a third common electrode set of the plurality of common electrodes;

a plurality of gate electrodes;

a gate selector coupled to the plurality of gate electrodes and configured to select each gate electrode to update a corresponding display line of the display device, wherein a first gate electrode corresponds to a first display line, a second gate electrode corresponds to a second display line, and a third gate electrode corresponds to a third display line; and

a processing system coupled to the plurality of common electrodes, the processing system configured to;

drive the first sensor electrode set for capacitive sensing during a first sensor electrode set sensing period;

drive the second sensor electrode set for capacitive sensing during a second sensor electrode set sensing period;

drive the third sensor electrode set for capacitive sensing during a third sensor electrode set sensing period;

update the first display line during a first display update period of a display frame by driving a common electrode of the first common electrode set when the gate selector selects the first gate electrode;

update the second display line during a second display update period of the display frame by driving a common electrode of the second common electrode set when the gate selector selects the second gate electrode; and

update the third display line during a third display update period of the display frame by driving a common electrode of the third common electrode set when the gate selector selects the third gate electrode,

wherein a sensor electrode of the first sensor electrode set that is driven last during the first sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven first during the second sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes, the first display update period and the first sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, the second display update period and the second sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, and the third display update period and the third sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, and

wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period occurs twice during the display frame and the first display update period, the second display update period, and the third display update period occur once during the display frame.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein a sensor electrode of the first sensor electrode set that is driven first during the first sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven last during the second sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially sequential sensor electrodes.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven last during the second sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven first during the third sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes, and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven first during the second sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven last during the third sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially sequential sensor electrodes.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period at least partially overlaps with one of the second display update period and the third display update period.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period, the second sensor electrode set sensing period, and the third sensor electrode set sensing period correspond to non-display update periods of the display device, wherein each of the non-display update periods occurs between display update periods of a display frame of the display device.

6. The input device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a plurality of receiver electrodes, and the processing system is coupled to the plurality of receiver electrodes and configured to:

receive resulting signals with the plurality of receiver electrodes while driving the first sensor electrode set for capacitive sensing; and

determine positional information for an input object based on the resulting signals.

7. The input device of claim 1, wherein driving the first sensor electrode set for capacitive sensing comprises driving at least one sensor electrode of the first sensor electrode set while receiving resulting signals with the at least one sensor electrode, and the processing system is further configured to determine positional information for an input object based on the resulting signals.

8. The input device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to vary the order in which the first sensor electrode set sensing period, the second sensor electrode set sensing period, and the third sensor electrode set sensing period occur.

9. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a fourth sensor electrode set comprising a fourth common electrode set of the plurality of common electrodes, and wherein the processing system is further configured to drive the fourth sensor electrode set for capacitive sensing during a fourth sensor electrode set sensing period, wherein a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven last during the third sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the fourth sensor electrode set that is driven first during the fourth sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes, and a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven first during the third sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the fourth sensor electrode set that is driven last during the fourth sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially sequential sensor electrodes.

10. The input device of claim 1, wherein driving the first sensor electrode set for capacitive sensing comprises driving at least one sensor electrode of the first sensor set while receiving resulting signals with the least one sensor electrode, and wherein the processing system further comprises a determination module configured to determine positional information for an input object based on the resulting signals.

11. A method of input sensing with a display device having an integrated capacitive sensing device and including a plurality of sensor electrodes and a plurality of gate electrodes, the method comprising:

driving a first sensor electrode set of the plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing during a first sensor electrode set sensing period, the first sensor electrode set including a first common electrode set of a plurality of common electrodes;

driving a second sensor electrode set of the plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing during a second sensor electrode set sensing period, the second sensor electrode set including a second common electrode set of the plurality of common electrodes;

driving a third sensor electrode set of the plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing during a third sensor electrode set sensing period, the third sensor electrode set including a third common electrode set of the plurality of common electrodes;

driving a first gate electrode of the plurality of gate electrodes to select a first display line during a first display update period of a display frame;

updating the first display line by driving a common electrode of the first common electrode set during the first display update period;

driving a second gate electrode of the plurality of gate electrodes to select a second display line during a second display update period of the display frame;

updating the second display line by driving a common electrode of the second common electrode set during the second display update period;

driving a third gate electrode of the plurality of gate electrodes to select a third display line during a third display update period of the display frame; and

updating the third display line by driving a common electrode of the third common electrode set during the third display update period,

wherein a sensor electrode of the first sensor electrode set that is driven last during the first sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven first during the second sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes, the first display update period and the first sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, the second display update period and the second sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, and the third display update period and the third sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, and

wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period occurs twice during the display frame and the first display update period, the second display update period, and the third display update period occur only once during the display frame.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a sensor electrode of the first sensor electrode set that is driven first during the first sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven last during the second sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially sequential sensor electrodes.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven last during the second sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven first during the third sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes, and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven first during the second sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven last during the third sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially sequential sensor electrodes.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period overlaps at least one of the second display update period and the third display update period.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period, the second sensor electrode set sensing period, and the third sensor electrode set sensing period correspond to non-display update periods of the display device, wherein each of the non-display update periods occurs between display update periods of a display frame of the display device.

16. A processing system for a display device having an integrated sensing device, the processing system comprising:

a driver module comprising driver circuitry, the driver module having outputs configured for coupling to a plurality of sensor electrodes and a plurality of gate electrodes, the driver module configured for;

driving a first sensor electrode set of the plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing during a first sensor electrode set sensing period, the first sensor electrode set including a first common electrode set of a plurality of common electrodes;

driving a second sensor electrode set of the plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing during a second sensor electrode set sensing period, the second sensor electrode set including a second common electrode set of the plurality of common electrodes;

driving a third sensor electrode set of the plurality of sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing during a third sensor electrode set sensing period, the third sensor electrode set including a third common electrode set of the plurality of common electrodes;

driving a first gate electrode of the plurality of gate electrodes to select a first display line during a first display update period of a display frame;

updating the first display line by driving a common electrode of the first common electrode set during the first display update period;

driving a second gate electrode of the plurality of gate electrodes to select a second display line during a second display update period of the display frame;

updating the second display line by driving a common electrode of the second common electrode set during the second display update period;

driving a third gate electrode of the plurality of gate electrodes to select a third display line during a third display update period of the display frame; and

updating the third display line by driving a common electrode of the third common electrode set during the third display update period; and

a receiver module configured for coupling to a plurality of receiver electrodes and configured for receiving resulting signals with the plurality of receiver electrodes when the plurality of sensor electrodes are driven for capacitive sensing,

wherein a sensor electrode of the first sensor electrode set that is driven last during the first sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven first during the second sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes, the first display update period and the first sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, the second display update period and the second sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping, and the third display update period and the third sensor electrode set sensing period are non-consecutive and non-overlapping,

wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period, the second sensor electrode set sensing period, and the third sensor electrode set sensing period correspond to non-display update periods of the display device, wherein each of the non-display update periods occurs between display update periods of a display frame of the display device, and wherein no display updating occurs for the display frame during the non-display update periods, and

wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period occurs twice during the display frame and the first display update period, the second display update period, and the third display update period occur once during the display frame.

17. The processing system of claim 16, wherein a sensor electrode of the first sensor electrode set that is driven first during the first sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven last during the second sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially sequential sensor electrodes.

18. The processing system of claim 16, wherein a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven last during the second sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven first during the third sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially non-sequential sensor electrodes, and a sensor electrode of the second sensor electrode set that is driven first during the second sensor electrode set sensing period and a sensor electrode of the third sensor electrode set that is driven last during the third sensor electrode set sensing period are spatially sequential sensor electrodes.

19. The processing system of claim 16, wherein the first sensor electrode set sensing period overlaps at least one of the second display update period and the third display update period.

20. The processing system of claim 16, further comprising an integrated controller coupled to the driver module and configured to operate the driver module to perform capacitive sensing and display updating.

21. The processing system of claim 16, further comprising a first integrated controller coupled to the driver module and configured to operate the driver module to perform capacitive sensing, and a second integrated controller coupled to the driver module and configured to operate the driver module to perform display updating.

22. The processing system of claim 16, further comprising a determination module configured to determine positional information for an input object based on the resulting signals.