Touch apparatus

• US 9,552,116 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes Limited (Tatung Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes Limited (Tatung Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hsu, Chao-Yong, Li, Yu-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): EURICE, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/559,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20160062501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• 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 2203/04113 Peripheral electrode pattern in resistive digitisers, i.e. electrodes at the periphery of the resistive sheet are shaped in patterns enhancing linearity of induced field
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touch apparatus includes a substrate, a plurality of first sensing electrodes, a plurality of second sensing electrodes, a plurality of third sensing electrodes, a plurality of fourth sensing electrodes, a switch module and a control unit. The switch module is electrically connected with the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the third sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes. The control unit is electrically connected with the switch module. The touch apparatus decide the connection mode of the switch module according to the touch strength of a touch point on the touch apparatus.

Claims

1. A touch apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of first sensing electrodes and a plurality of third sensing electrodes, extendedly disposed on the substrate along a first direction, the first sensing electrodes and the third sensing electrodes being staggeredly disposed with each other;

a plurality of second sensing electrodes and a plurality of fourth sensing electrodes, extendedly disposed on the substrate along a second direction, the second sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes being staggeredly disposed with each other, and the first direction and the second direction intersecting each other;

a switch module, electrically connected with the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the third sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes; and

a control unit, electrically connected with the switch module for controlling the switch module, and selectively connecting with the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the third sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes electrically through the switch module, the switch module comprising a plurality of first switches, a plurality of second switches, a plurality of third switches, a plurality of fourth switches, a plurality of fifth switches and a plurality of sixth switches, the first switches being between the control unit and the first sensing electrodes, the second switches being between the control unit and the second sensing electrodes, the third switches being between the control unit and the third sensing electrodes, the fourth switches being between the control unit and the fourth sensing electrodes, the fifth switches being between the first sensing electrodes and the corresponding third sensing electrodes, and the sixth switches being between the second sensing electrodes and the corresponding fourth sensing electrodes,

wherein the touch apparatus controls the switch module based on a touch strength, quantified with capacitance, of a touch point on the touch apparatus, when the touch strength of the touch point is smaller than a preset value, the switch module electrically connects the control unit to the first sensing electrodes through the first switches, to the second sensing electrodes through the second switches, to the third sensing electrodes through the third switches, and to the fourth sensing electrodes through the fourth switches, and if the touch strength of the touch point is still smaller than the preset value, then the corresponding third sensing electrodes of each of the first sensing electrodes are electrically connected with the control unit through each of the first switches and each of the fifth switches, and the corresponding fourth sensing electrodes of each of the second sensing electrodes are electrically connected with the control unit through each of the second switches and each of the sixth switches.

2. The touch apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the touch strength of the touch point is related to a contact area between the touch point and the touch apparatus.

3. A touch apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of first sensing electrodes and a plurality of third sensing electrodes, extendedly disposed on the substrate along a first direction, the first sensing electrodes and the third sensing electrodes being staggeredly disposed with each other;

a plurality of second sensing electrodes and a plurality of fourth sensing electrodes, extendedly disposed on the substrate along a second direction, the second sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes being staggeredly disposed with each other, and the first direction and the second direction intersecting each other;

a switch module, electrically connected with the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the third sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes; and

a control unit, electrically connected with the switch module for controlling the switch module, and selectively connecting with the first sensing electrodes, the second sensing electrodes, the third sensing electrodes and the fourth sensing electrodes electrically through the switch module, the switch module comprising a plurality of first switches, a plurality of second switches, a plurality of third switches, a plurality of fourth switches and a plurality of fifth switches, the first switches being between the control unit and the first sensing electrodes, the second switches being between the control unit and the second sensing electrodes, the third switches being between the control unit and the third sensing electrodes, the fourth switches being between the control unit and the fourth sensing electrodes, and the fifth switches being between the first sensing electrodes and the corresponding third sensing electrodes,

wherein the touch apparatus controls the switch module based on a touch strength, quantified with capacitance, of a touch point on the touch apparatus, when the touch strength of the touch point is smaller than a preset value, the switch module electrically connects the control unit to the first sensing electrodes through the first switches, to the second sensing electrodes through the second switches, to the third sensing electrodes through the third switches, and to the fourth sensing electrodes through the fourth switches, and if the touch strength of the touch point is still smaller than the preset value and a signal-to-noise ratio is required to be increased, then the corresponding third sensing electrodes of each of the first sensing electrodes are electrically connected with the control unit through each of the first switches and each of the fifth switches, the control unit is electrically connected with the second sensing electrodes through the second switches, and the control unit is electrically connected with the fourth sensing electrodes through the fourth switches.

4. The touch apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the touch strength of the touch point is related to a contact area between the touch point and the touch apparatus.