Digitizer system

• US 9,690,395 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mann, Eytan, Gershfeld, Arthur, Garfinkel, Gadi, Nahear, Shimon
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reed, Stephen T
• Application Number:
  US13/786,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20130234961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

Abstract

A digitizer system includes a designated sensing area comprising a plurality of sensing lines for sensing an electromagnetic signal emitted by a stylus, circuitry for detecting output from the plurality of sensing lines and for determining an interacting position of the stylus in the designated sensing area based on the output detected and a peripheral area contiguous to the designated sensing area. The peripheral area includes a plurality of conductive elements for connecting the sensing lines to the circuitry and at least one auxiliary sensing line extending over the peripheral area in the vicinity of the conductive elements and connected to the circuitry. The auxiliary sensing line senses the electromagnetic signal when it is emitted over the peripheral area and the circuitry detects output from the at least one auxiliary sensing line.

Claims

1. A digitizer system comprising:

a digitizer sensor configured to pick up an electromagnetic signal emitted by a stylus, the digitizer sensor comprising;

a designated sensing area comprising a sensing grid defining junctions; and

a peripheral area comprising;

a plurality of conductive elements configured to connect the sensing grid to a circuit; and

at least one auxiliary sensing line extending over the peripheral area in the vicinity of the plurality of conductive elements and connected to the circuit; and

the circuit, wherein the circuit is configured to;

detect first outputs from the sensing grid via the plurality of conductive elements;

identify, from the first outputs, first junctions in the sensing grid that appear to be picking up the electromagnetic signal emitted by the stylus;

detect a second output from the at least one auxiliary sensing line; and

report an interaction position of the stylus based on the first outputs as long as the number of the first junctions along at least one axis of the sensing grid is below a defined threshold number of junctions and amplitude of the second output is below a defined amplitude threshold.

2. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line and the sensing grid are patterned on a same surface.

3. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line and the sensing grid are patterned on different layers.

4. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line is formed from a same material as the sensing grid.

5. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensing line is substantially parallel to a side of the designated sensing area.

6. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral area extends near two contiguous edges of the designated sensing area, and wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing area extends substantially parallel to the two contiguous edges of the designated sensing area.

7. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line is formed from a same material as the plurality of conductive elements.

8. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line is formed from at least one of:

silver, Molibdenum, indium tin oxide, indium-doped zinc oxide, a conductive polymer, carbon nano-tube, metal nano-particles, metal, and antimony tin oxide.

9. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the sensing grid includes a first set of sensing lines and a second set of sensing lines and wherein a first set of sensing lines and a first auxiliary sensing line of the at least one auxiliary sensing line is patterned on a first layer and a second set of the plurality of sensing lines and a second auxiliary sensing line of the at least one auxiliary sensing line is patterned on a second layer, the second layer superimposed on the first layer.

10. A method comprising:

detecting first outputs from a digitizer sensor comprising a designated sensing area and a peripheral area, the designated sensing area comprising a sensing grid defining junctions and the peripheral area comprising a plurality of conductive elements configured to connect the sensing grid to a circuit and at least one auxiliary sensing line in the vicinity of the plurality of conductive elements;

identifying, from the first outputs, first junctions in the in the grid that appear to be picking up the electromagnetic signal emitted by the stylus;

detecting a second output from the at least one auxiliary sensing line; and

reporting an interaction position of the stylus from the first outputs as long the number of the first junctions along at least one axis of the sensing grid is below a defined threshold number of junctions and amplitude of the second output is below a defined amplitude threshold.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising refraining from reporting the interaction position of the stylus based on determining that the first outputs were detected while the stylus was directly coupling with the conductive elements.

12. The method according to claim 10, comprising:

determining amplitude of the electromagnetic signal received in the designated sensing area;

determining amplitude of the electromagnetic signal received in the peripheral area; and

determining validity of the identified first junctions in the designated sensing area based on a ratio between the amplitude in the designated sensing area and the amplitude in the peripheral area.

13. The method according to claim 10, comprising:

determining a spread of the identified first junctions in the designated sensing area; and

determining the validity of the identified first junctions based on the spread.

14. The method of claim 10 comprising tracking interaction positions of the stylus over time and determining the validity based on distances between the interaction positions.

15. A digitizer system comprising:

a digitizer sensor configured to pick up an electromagnetic signal emitted by a stylus, the digitizer sensor comprising;

a designated sensing area comprising a sensing grid defining junctions; and

a peripheral area comprising;

a plurality of conductive elements configured to connect the sensing grid to a circuit; and

at least one auxiliary sensing line extending over the peripheral area in the vicinity of the plurality of conductive elements and connected to the circuit; and

the circuit, wherein the circuit is configured to;

detect first outputs from the sensing grid via the plurality of conductive elements;

identify, from the first outputs, first junctions in the sensing grid that appear to be picking up the electromagnetic signal emitted by the stylus and shape of an interaction area defined by spread of the first junctions;

detect a second output from the at least one auxiliary sensing line;

report an interaction position of the stylus from the first outputs as long as amplitude of the second output is below a defined amplitude threshold and a parameter defining the shape of the interaction area indicates a circular, elliptical or rectangular shape; and

refrain from reporting an interaction position of the stylus as long as the amplitude of the second output is above the defined amplitude threshold or the parameter defining the shape of the interaction area does not indicate the circular or the elliptical shape.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line and the sensing grid are patterned on a same surface.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line is formed from a same material as the sensing grid.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line is formed from a same material as the conductive elements for connecting each of the plurality of sensing lines to the circuitry.

19. The digitizer system of claim 15, wherein the at least one auxiliary sensing line and the sensing grid are patterned on different layers.

20. The digitizer system of claim 15, wherein the first junctions are determined to be a result of direct coupling of the stylus with the conductive elements based on a ratio between amplitude of the first outputs and the amplitude of the second output.