Detecting method and device for suppressing interference of low-frequency noise

• US 9,577,614 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Chin-Fu, Yeh, Shang-Tai, Lin, Guang-Huei, Lin, Po-Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/889,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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: G11C 27/026 associated with an amplifier G11C27/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/013 Modifications of generator to prevent operation by noise or interference

Abstract

The invention detects the difference between the maximum signal and the minimum signal at each of a plurality of cycles separately when a sine wave is received. All differences are summed for generating a single detected signal for suppressing the interference of low-frequency noise. No synchronization with the sine wave is necessary and the detection can start at any phase of the sine wave.

Claims

1. A writing detecting device for suppressing interference of low-frequency noise, comprising:

a pointing device for providing a sine wave with a fixed period;

a touch screen including a plurality of conductive strips composed of a plurality of vertical conductive strips and a plurality of horizontal conductive strips for receiving the sine wave through capacitive coupling; and

a controller including;

a detecting circuit for a plurality of signal detections, starting at least one of said signal detections at any arbitrary phase of the received sine wave, each signal detection lasting for a cycle, wherein the detecting circuit includes;

a first signal filtering circuit for filtering out a maximum signal in one cycle starting from the arbitrary phase at each signal detection;

a second signal filtering circuit for filtering out a minimum signal in one cycle starting from the arbitrary phase at each signal detection; and

a signal difference generating circuit for generating a respective signal difference between the maximum and the minimum signals for each signal detection; and

a summing circuit for summing all the signal differences for the plurality of signal detections to generate a complete detected signal.

2. The detecting device of claim 1, wherein the first signal filtering circuit includes:

a first diode that only allows the positive cycle of the sine wave to pass through; and

a first capacitor for holding the maximum signal provided by the first diode during each signal detection.

3. The detecting device of claim 1, wherein the second signal filtering circuit includes:

a second diode that only allows the negative cycle of the sine wave to pass through; and

a second capacitor for holding the minimum signal provided by the second diode during each signal detection.

4. The detecting device of claim 1, wherein the first signal filtering circuit includes:

a first capacitor for holding the maximum signal received during each signal detection;

a first comparator including a first negative input, a first positive input and a first output, wherein the first positive input receives the sine wave, and the first negative input receives the maximum signal held by the first capacitor; and

a first switch for providing the sine wave to the first capacitor according to a signal of the first output when the signal at the first positive input is greater than the signal at the first negative input.

5. The detecting device of claim 1, wherein the second signal filtering circuit includes:

a second capacitor for holding the minimum signal received during each signal detection;

a second comparator including a second negative input, a second positive input and a second output, wherein the second negative input receives the sine wave, and the second positive input receives the minimum signal held by the second capacitor; and

a second switch for providing the sine wave to the second capacitor according to a signal of the second output when the signal at the second positive input is greater than the signal at the second negative input.

6. The detecting device of claim 1, wherein the controller performs the plurality of signal detections with an internal clock cycle, and the phase of the internal clock is asynchronous with the phase of the sine wave.

7. The detecting device of claim 6, wherein the period of the internal clock and the period of the sine wave are the same.

8. The detecting device of claim 7, wherein the controller adjusts the period of the internal clock based on the period of the sine wave.

9. The detecting device of claim 7, wherein the controller further includes providing a driving signal to one conductive strip or a set of conductive strips based on the period of the sine wave, wherein the pointing device receives the driving signal via capacitively coupling or electromagnetically induction with the one conductive strip or the set of conductive strips being provided with the driving signal, and changes the period of the sine wave based on the period of the driving signal.

10. A detecting method for suppressing interference of low-frequency noise, comprising:

receiving a sine wave with a fixed period;

performing a plurality of signal detections, starting at least one of said signal detections at any arbitrary phase of the received sine wave, each signal detection lasting for a cycle and including;

detecting a maximum signal and a minimum signal in one cycle starting from the arbitrary phase; and

calculating the signal difference between the maximum and the minimum signals; and

summing all the signal differences for the plurality of signal detections to generate a complete detected signal.

11. The detecting method of claim 10, wherein the maximum signal is detected by a first signal filtering circuit, the first signal filtering circuit includes:

a first diode that only allows the positive cycle of the sine wave to pass through; and

a first capacitor for holding the maximum signal provided by the first diode during each signal detection.

12. The detecting method of claim 10, wherein the minimum signal is detected by a second signal filtering circuit, the second signal filtering circuit includes:

a second diode that only allows the negative cycle of the sine wave to pass through; and

a second capacitor for holding the minimum signal provided by the second diode during each signal detection.

13. The detecting method of claim 10, wherein the maximum signal is detected by a first signal filtering circuit, the first signal filtering circuit includes:

a first capacitor for holding the maximum signal received during each signal detection;

a first comparator including a first negative input, a first positive input and a first output, wherein the first positive input receives the sine wave, and the first negative input receives the maximum signal held by the first capacitor; and

a first switch for providing the sine wave to the first capacitor according to a signal of the first output when the signal at the first positive input is greater than the signal at the first negative input.

14. The detecting method of claim 10, wherein the minimum signal is detected by a second signal filtering circuit, the second signal filtering circuit includes:

a second capacitor for holding the minimum signal received during each signal detection;

a second comparator including a second negative input, a second positive input and a second output, wherein the second negative input receives the sine wave, and the second positive input receives the minimum signal held by the second capacitor; and

a second switch for providing the sine wave to the second capacitor according to a signal of the second output when the signal at the second positive input is greater than the signal at the second negative input.

15. A detecting device for suppressing interference of low-frequency noise, comprising:

a receiving circuit for receiving a sine wave;

a detecting circuit for a plurality of signal detections, starting at least one of said signal detections at any arbitrary phase of the received sine wave, each signal detection lasting for a cycle, wherein the detecting circuit includes;

a first signal filtering circuit for filtering out a maximum signal in one cycle starting from the arbitrary phase at each signal detection;

a second signal filtering circuit for filtering out a minimum signal in one cycle starting from the arbitrary phase at each signal detection; and

a signal difference generating circuit for generating a respective signal difference between the maximum and the minimum signals for each signal detection; and

a summing circuit for summing all the signal differences for the plurality of signal detections to generate a complete detected signal.

16. The detecting device of claim 15, wherein the first signal filtering circuit includes:

a first diode that only allows the positive cycle of the sine wave to pass through; and

a first capacitor for holding the maximum signal provided by the first diode during each signal detection.

17. The detecting device of claim 15, wherein the second signal filtering circuit includes:

a second diode that only allows the negative cycle of the sine wave to pass through; and

a second capacitor for holding the minimum signal provided by the second diode during each signal detection.

18. The detecting device of claim 15, wherein the first signal filtering circuit includes:

a first capacitor for holding the maximum signal received during each signal detection;

a first comparator including a first negative input, a first positive input and a first output, wherein the first positive input receives the sine wave, and the first negative input receives the maximum signal held by the first capacitor; and

a first switch for providing the sine wave to the first capacitor according to a signal of the first output when the signal at the first positive input is greater than the signal at the first negative input.

19. The detecting device of claim 15, wherein the second signal filtering circuit includes:

a second capacitor for holding the minimum signal received during each signal detection;

a second comparator including a second negative input, a second positive input and a second output, wherein the second negative input receives the sine wave, and the second positive input receives the minimum signal held by the second capacitor; and

a second switch for providing the sine wave to the second capacitor according to a signal of the second output when the signal at the second positive input is greater than the signal at the second negative input.

20. The detecting device of claim 18, wherein the second signal filtering circuit includes:

a second capacitor for holding the minimum signal received during each signal detection;

a second comparator including a second negative input, a second positive input and a second output, wherein the second negative input receives the sine wave, and the second positive input receives the minimum signal held by the second capacitor; and

a second switch for providing the sine wave to the second capacitor according to a signal of the second output when the signal at the second positive input is greater than the signal at the second negative input.