Combination touch and transducer input system and method
First Claim
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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Accused Products
Abstract
A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique.
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Citations
36 Claims
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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; - and
wherein 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A pen-shaped transducer used to indicate a position on a surface of a sensor,
wherein the sensor includes an array of electrodes arranged to define the sensor surface and coupled to a sensor controller, 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; the pen-shaped transducer comprising; signal generation circuity which, in operation, receives, from the sensor, information regarding a frequency selected out of multiple frequencies and generates an electric field at the selected frequency, the electric field being used to establish capacitive coupling between the pen-shaped transducer and the array of electrodes of the sensor for the sensor to detect a position indicated by the pen-shaped transducer on the sensor surface based on the capacitive coupling; 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; andcommunication circuitry which, in operation, establishes a wireless link with the sensor and transmits one or more of the pressure signal, the switch signal, and the ID signal to the sensor over the wireless link. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of controlling operation of a sensor to detect a position indicated by a pen-shaped transducer,
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; - and
wherein the pen-shaped transducer generates 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 method comprising; selecting a frequency out of multiple frequencies, the selected frequency being for use by the pen-shaped transducer to generate the electric field; transmitting information regarding the selected frequency to the pen-shaped transducer; receiving the electric field generated by the pen-shaped transducer at the selected frequency and detecting 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; and establishing a wireless link with the pen-shaped transducer and receiving one or more of the pressure signal, the switch signal, and the ID signal from the pen-shaped transducer over the wireless link. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of controlling operation of a pen-shaped transducer to indicate a position on a surface of a sensor,
wherein the sensor includes an array of electrodes arranged to define the sensor surface and coupled to a sensor controller, 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; the method comprising; receiving, from the sensor, information regarding a frequency selected out of multiple frequencies and generating an electric field at the selected frequency, the electric field being used to establish capacitive coupling between the pen-shaped transducer and the array of electrodes of the sensor for the sensor to detect a position indicated by the pen-shaped transducer on the sensor surface based on the capacitive coupling; obtaining one or more of;
i) a pressure signal indicative of a detected pressure applied to a tip of the pen-shaped transducer, ii) a switch signal indicative of an operational state of a switch provided on the pen-shaped transducer to switch operational states of the pen-shaped transducer, and iii) an ID signal indicative of an ID of the pen-shaped transducer; andestablishing a wireless link with the sensor and transmitting one or more of the pressure signal, the switch signal, and the ID signal to the sensor over the wireless link. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A system including a sensor and a pen-shaped transducer, comprising:
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(a) a sensor including; a sensor controller; and an array of electrodes arranged to define a sensor surface and coupled to the sensor controller, 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; wherein the sensor controller includes; 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 an electric field; first communication circuitry which, in operation, establishes a wireless link 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; and (b) the pen-shaped transducer including; signal generation circuitry which, in operation, receives, from the sensor, information regarding the frequency selected out of the multiple frequencies and generates the electric field at the selected frequency; 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; andsecond communication circuitry which, in operation, establishes the wireless link with the sensor and transmits one or more of the pressure signal, the switch signal, and the ID signal to the sensor over the wireless link.
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Specification