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Combination touch and transducer input system and method

  • US 9,495,037 B2
  • Filed: 06/12/2015
  • Issued: 11/15/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A sensor controller to control operation of a sensor,wherein the sensor includes an array of electrodes arranged to define a sensor surface, the array of electrodes including first electrodes disposed along a first direction and second electrodes disposed along a second direction different from the first direction;

  • andwherein the sensor is configured for use with a pen-shaped transducer, the pen-shaped transducer being capable of generating an electric field which is used by the sensor to detect a position indicated by the pen-shaped transducer on the sensor surface, the pen-shaped transducer including one or more of;

    i) a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the pen-shaped transducer, the pressure sensor being used to generate a pressure signal indicative of a detected pressure value, ii) a user-operable switch used to switch operational states of the pen-shaped transducer, the switch being used to generate a switch signal indicative of an operational state of the switch, and iii) an ID signal indicative of an ID of the pen-shaped transducer;

    the sensor controller comprising;

    frequency selection circuitry which, in operation, selects a frequency out of multiple frequencies, the selected frequency being for use by the pen-shaped transducer to generate the electric field;

    communication circuitry which, in operation, establishes a wireless link with the pen-shaped transducer to perform communication with the pen-shaped transducer; and

    position detection circuitry which, in operation, detects a position indicated by the pen-shaped transducer on the sensor surface based on capacitive coupling between the array of electrodes and the pen-shaped transducer generating the electric field at the selected frequency;

    wherein the sensor controller is further configured to transmit information regarding the selected frequency to the pen-shaped transducer; and

    wherein the communication circuitry receives one or more of the pressure signal, the switch signal, and the ID signal from the pen-shaped transducer over the wireless link.

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