Interaction sensing

• US 9,569,055 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Wortham, Cody, Post, Ernest Rehmi, Bau, Olivier, Tsekov, Iliya, Sadi, Sajid, Digman, Mike, Attarian, Vatche, Consul, Sergi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Application Number:
  US14/458,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08

Abstract

The touch sensor is a touch sensor that senses changes in characteristics of the electromagnetic signal in an environment in order to detect the contact or the proximity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving from an electrode of a touch sensor an electromagnetic interference signal transmitted from an object that is external to the touch sensor;

analyzing the electromagnetic interference signal, wherein analyzing the electromagnetic interference signal comprises characterizing the electromagnetic signal into one or more frequency bands; and

detecting a contact or proximity input to the touch sensor;

wherein the touch sensor senses changes in characteristics of the electromagnetic interference signal in an environment in order to detect the contact or the proximity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the changes in characteristics of the electromagnetic interference signal in the environment is continuously sensed in order to detect a context of a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one of the frequency bands; and

based at least in part on the selected one of the frequency bands, determining whether to reject further processing of the signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a current context by comparing the characterization of the signal to one or more stored noise profiles associated with one or more pre-determined contexts.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode is a continuous-sheet electrode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode is part of an electrode array.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location of the contact or proximity input.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising linearizing the location of the contact or proximity input as determined.

9. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic that is operable when executed to:

receive from an electrode of a touch sensor an electromagnetic interference signal transmitted from an object that is external to the touch sensor;

analyze the electromagnetic interference signal, wherein analyzing the electromagnetic interference signal comprises characterizing the electromagnetic signal into one or more frequency bands; and

detect a contact or proximity input to the touch sensor;

wherein the touch sensor is operable to sense changes in characteristics of the electromagnetic interference signal in the environment in order to detect the contact or the proximity.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the changes in characteristics of the electromagnetic interference signal in the environment is continuously sensed in order to detect a context of a user.

11. The medium of claim 9, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to:

select one of the frequency bands; and

based at least in part on the selected one of the frequency bands, determine whether to reject further processing of the signal.

12. The medium of claim 9, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to determine a current context by comparing the characterization of the signal to one or more stored noise profiles associated with one or more pre-determined contexts.

13. The medium of claim 9, wherein the electrode is a continuous-sheet electrode.

14. The medium of claim 9, wherein the electrode is part of an electrode array.

15. The medium of claim 9, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to determine a location of the contact or proximity input.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to linearize the location of the contact or proximity input as determined.

17. An apparatus comprising:

an electrode of a touch sensor; and

a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic that is operable when executed to;

receive from an electrode of a touch sensor an electromagnetic interference signal transmitted from an object that is external to the touch sensor;

analyze the electromagnetic interference signal, wherein analyzing the electromagnetic interference signal comprises characterizing the electromagnetic signal into one or more frequency bands; and

detect a contact or proximity input to the touch sensor;

wherein the touch sensor is operable to sense changes in characteristics of the electromagnetic interference signal in the environment in order to detect the contact or the proximity.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the changes in characteristics of the electromagnetic interference signal in the environment is continuously sensed in order to detect a context of a user.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to:

select one of the frequency bands; and

based at least in part on the selected one of the frequency bands, determine whether to reject further processing of the signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to determine a current context by comparing the characterization of the signal to one or more stored noise profiles associated with one or more pre-determined contexts.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electrode is a continuous-sheet electrode.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electrode is part of an electrode array.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to determine a location of the contact or proximity input.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the logic is further operable when executed to linearize the location of the contact or proximity input as determined.