Active matrix capacitive touch sensor

• US 9,436,338 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Keller, Sean Jason, Trutna, Tristan Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US14/579,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20160179244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96015 Constructional details for touch switches for capacitive touch switches see H03K2217/9607
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96023 Details of electro-mechanic connections between different elements, e.g.: sensing plate and integrated circuit containing electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96027 Piezoelectric snap spring
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0315 Ring oscillators

Abstract

Examples of the disclosure provide an active matrix capacitive touch sensor. In some examples, a sensor includes a plurality of primary ring oscillators, a plurality of reference ring oscillators, wherein each reference ring oscillator is associated with a respective primary ring oscillator, at least one row trace, wherein each row trace is coupled to at least one primary ring oscillator and a reference ring oscillator for each primary ring oscillator, at least one sensor column trace coupled to one primary ring oscillator for each row trace, and at least one reference column trace coupled to one reference ring oscillator for each row trace. Examples of the disclosure enable touch-screen technology to provide increased pad sensitivity and multi-touch capability in a cost-effective and scalable manner.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a capacitive sensor comprising;

a plurality of capacitive sense pads;

a plurality of primary ring oscillators, each primary ring oscillator coupled to a respective capacitive sense pad;

a plurality of reference ring oscillators, each reference ring oscillator associated with a respective primary ring oscillator;

a plurality of row traces, each row trace coupled to at least one primary ring oscillator and a reference ring oscillator for each primary ring oscillator of the at least one primary ring oscillator;

at least one sensor column trace coupled to one primary ring oscillator for each row trace of the plurality of row traces; and

at least one reference column trace coupled to one reference ring oscillator for each row trace of the plurality of row traces; and

a controller configured to receive a parameter associated with the plurality of primary ring oscillators and the plurality of reference ring oscillators, and determine an operation associated with the received parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each capacitive sense pad includes a contact and a ground circumscribing the contact, such that a susceptibility of the contact to noise is reduced.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary ring oscillators comprises a first plurality of primary ring oscillators and a second plurality of primary ring oscillators, and the plurality of row traces includes a first row trace and a second row trace, the first plurality of primary ring oscillators coupled to the first row trace, the second plurality of primary ring oscillators coupled to the second row trace.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reference ring oscillators comprises a first plurality of reference ring oscillators and a second plurality of reference ring oscillators, and the plurality of row traces includes a first row trace and a second row trace, the first plurality of reference ring oscillators coupled to the first row trace, the second plurality of reference ring oscillators coupled to the second row trace.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each primary ring oscillator and each reference ring oscillator comprises an odd number of inverters coupled in a first configuration.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each reference ring oscillator is adjacent the primary ring oscillator with which the reference ring oscillator is associated.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a first parameter for at least one primary ring oscillator and a second parameter for at least one reference ring oscillator, and determine the operation based on a comparison between the first parameter and the second parameter.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a driver coupled to the plurality of row traces, the driver configured to drive the plurality of primary ring oscillators and the plurality of reference ring oscillators.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the driver is configured to drive the at least one primary ring oscillator and the reference ring oscillator based on a row trace to which the at least one primary ring oscillator and the reference ring oscillator are coupled.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reader coupled to the at least one sensor column trace, the at least one reference column trace, and the controller, the reader configured to detect an oscillation frequency associated with the plurality of primary ring oscillators and the plurality of reference ring oscillators, and transmit the parameter to the controller.

11. A sensor comprising:

a plurality of first oscillators;

a plurality of second oscillators, each second oscillator of the plurality of second oscillators associated with a respective first oscillator of the plurality of first oscillators;

at least one row trace, each row trace of the at least one row trace coupled to at least one first oscillator of the plurality of first oscillators and a second oscillator of the plurality of second oscillator for each first oscillator of the at least one first oscillator;

at least one first column trace coupled to one first oscillator of the plurality of first oscillators for each row trace of the at least one row trace; and

at least one second column trace coupled to one second oscillator of the plurality of second oscillators for each row trace of the at least one row trace.

12. The sensor of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of capacitive sense pads, each capacitive sense pad of the plurality of capacitive sense pads coupled to a respective first oscillator of the plurality of first oscillators.

13. The sensor of claim 12, wherein each capacitive sense pad of the plurality of capacitive sense pads includes a contact and a ground circumscribing the contact.

14. The sensor of claim 11, wherein the plurality of first oscillators comprises a first plurality of first oscillators and a second plurality of first oscillators, and the at least one row trace includes a first row trace and a second row trace, the first plurality of first oscillators coupled to the first row trace, the second plurality of first oscillators coupled to the second row trace.

15. The sensor of claim 11, wherein the plurality of second oscillators comprises a first plurality of second oscillators and a second plurality of second oscillators, and the at least one row trace includes a first row trace and a second row trace, the first plurality of second oscillators coupled to the first row trace, the second plurality of second oscillators coupled to the second row trace.

16. The sensor of claim 11, wherein each first oscillator of the plurality of first oscillators and each second oscillator of the plurality of second oscillators comprises an odd number of inverters coupled in a first configuration.

17. The sensor of claim 11, wherein each second oscillator of the plurality of second oscillators is adjacent the first oscillator with which the second oscillator is associated.

18. A system comprising:

a sensor comprising;

a plurality of sense pads;

a plurality of first oscillators, each first oscillator coupled to a respective sense pad;

a plurality of second oscillators, each second oscillator associated with a respective first oscillator;

a plurality of row traces, each row trace coupled to at least one first oscillator and a second oscillator for each first oscillator of the at least one first oscillator;

at least one first column trace coupled to one first oscillator for each row trace of the plurality of row traces; and

at least one second column trace coupled to one second oscillator for each row trace of the plurality of row traces; and

a circuit configured to receive a parameter associated with the plurality of first oscillators and the plurality of second oscillators, and determine an operation associated with the received parameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the circuit is further configured to receive a first parameter for at least one first oscillator and a second parameter for at least one corresponding second oscillator, and determine the operation based on a comparison between the first parameter and the second parameter.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the circuit is further configured to enable the at least one first oscillator and the second oscillator to be driven based on a row trace to which the at least one first oscillator and the second oscillator are coupled.