Combined capacitive sensing

• US 9,753,570 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Reynolds, Joseph Kurth, Dattalo, Tracy Scott, Hoch, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Moon, Seokyun
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, DOUGLAS M
• Application Number:
  US14/527,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20150261377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• 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 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• 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 3/0445 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 processing system comprises a sensor module and a determination module. The sensor module comprises sensing circuitry coupled to sensor electrodes of a sensor electrode pattern. The sensor module is configured to: drive a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of the sensor electrode pattern; receive first resulting signals from the first sensor electrode; and receive second resulting signals from a second sensor electrode of the sensor electrode pattern. The second resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to the modulated signal, and the first resulting signals and the second resulting signals are simultaneously received. The determination module configured to determine a change in capacitive coupling between an input object and the first sensor electrode based on the first resulting signals and a change in capacitive coupling between the first and second sensor electrodes based on the second resulting signals.

Claims

1. A processing system comprising:

a sensor module comprising sensing circuitry coupled to sensor electrodes of a sensor electrode pattern, said sensor module configured to;

drive a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern;

drive a second modulated signal on a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said second modulated signal has a phase opposite that of said modulated signal, and wherein said modulated signal and said second modulated signal are driven concurrently;

receive first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode; and

receive second resulting signals from said second sensor electrode, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received; and

a determination module configured to determine a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and a change in capacitive coupling between said first and second sensor electrodes based on said second resulting signals.

2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module is further configured to drive a guarding signal on a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, said third sensor electrode proximate said first sensor electrode, wherein said guarding signal is in-phase with said modulated signal.

3. The processing system of claim 1, wherein said second resulting signal comprises effects corresponding to said modulated signal and said second modulated signal.

4. The processing system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module is further configured to receive third resulting signals with a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said third resulting signals are received simultaneously with said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals.

5. The processing system of claim 4, wherein said second sensor electrode is one of a first plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a first axis of said sensor electrode pattern;

and

wherein said third sensor electrode is one of a second plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a second axis of said sensor electrode pattern that is substantially orthogonal to said first axis.

6. The processing system of claim 5, wherein:

said sensor module is further configured to;

drive a third modulated signal onto said third sensor electrode;

receive fourth resulting signals with said third sensor electrode;

receive fifth resulting signals with said first sensor electrode and sixth resulting signals with said second sensor electrode, the fifth resulting signals and the sixth resulting signals comprises effects corresponding to said third modulated signal;

and

based on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth resulting signals, said determination module is further configured to determine a first capacitive image along said first axis, a second capacitive image along said second axis, an absolute capacitive profile along the first axis, an absolute capacitive profile along the second axis, a transcapacitive profile along the first axis, and a transcapacitive profile along the second axis.

7. The processing system of claim 6, wherein said first sensor electrode is one of said first plurality of sensor electrodes.

8. The processing system of claim 6, wherein said first sensor electrode is one of said second plurality of sensor electrodes.

9. A capacitive sensing input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in a sensor electrode pattern; and

a processing system configured to operate said sensor electrodes to perform simultaneous absolute capacitive sensing and transcapacitive sensing, wherein said processing system is configured to;

drive a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern;

drive a second modulated signal on a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said second modulated signal has a phase opposite that of said modulated signal, and wherein said modulated signal and said second modulated signal are driven concurrently;

receive first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode;

receive second resulting signals from said second sensor electrode, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received; and

determine a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and a change in capacitive coupling between said first and second sensor electrodes based on said second resulting signals.

10. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, wherein said processing system is further configured to receive third resulting signals with a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said third resulting signals are received simultaneously with said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals.

11. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 10, wherein said second sensor electrode is one of a first plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a first axis of said sensor electrode pattern;

and

wherein said third sensor electrode is one of a second plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a second axis of said sensor electrode pattern that is substantially orthogonal to said first axis.

12. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 11, wherein said processing system is further configured to:

drive a third modulated signal onto said third sensor electrode;

receive fourth resulting signals with said third sensor electrode;

receive fifth resulting signals with said first sensor electrode and sixth resulting signals with said second sensor electrode, the fifth resulting signals and the sixth resulting signals comprises effects corresponding to said third modulated signal; and

based on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth resulting signals, determine a first capacitive image along said first axis, a second capacitive image along said second axis, an absolute capacitive profile along the first axis, an absolute capacitive profile along the second axis, a transcapacitive profile along the first axis, and a transcapacitive profile along the second axis.

13. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 11, wherein said first sensor electrode is one of said first plurality of sensor electrodes.

14. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 11, wherein said first sensor electrode is one of said second plurality of sensor electrodes.

15. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 11, wherein said sensor electrode pattern comprises a single-layer sensor electrode pattern, and wherein said first plurality of sensor electrodes and said second plurality of sensor electrodes are disposed entirely in a common layer with one another.

16. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 11, wherein said first plurality of sensor electrodes and said second plurality of sensor electrodes are disposed in different layers of said sensor electrode pattern.

17. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 9, wherein said second resulting signal comprises effects corresponding to said modulated signal and said second modulated signal.

18. A method of capacitive sensing, said method comprising:

driving a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of a sensor electrode pattern;

driving a second modulated signal on a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said second modulated signal has a phase opposite that of said modulated signal, and wherein said modulated signal and said second modulated signal are driven concurrently;

receiving first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode;

receiving second resulting signals from said second sensor electrode, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received; and

determining a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and change in capacitive coupling between said first and second sensor electrodes based on said second resulting signals.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

driving a guarding signal on a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, said third sensor electrode proximate said first sensor electrode, wherein said guarding signal is in-phase with said modulated signal.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said receiving second resulting signals from said second sensor electrode, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, comprises:

receiving said second resulting signals from said second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal and said second modulated signal.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

driving a third modulated signal on a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said modulated signal and said third modulated signal are simultaneously driven, and wherein said modulated signal and said third modulated signal are discrete signals based on different ones of a plurality of codes; and

receiving third resulting signals from said third sensor electrode, wherein said third resulting signals further comprise effects corresponding to said third modulated signal.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

receiving third resulting signals with a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said third resulting signals are received simultaneously with said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals.

23. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the sensor electrode pattern comprises a first plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a first axis and a second plurality of sensor electrode disposed along a second axis, wherein the first axis is substantially orthogonal to the second axis and wherein the first plurality of sensor electrodes comprises the first and second sensor electrodes, wherein the method further comprising:

receiving third resulting signals with a third sensor electrode of said second plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said third resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to the modulated signal;

driving a third modulated signal onto said third sensor electrode;

receiving fourth resulting signals with said third sensor electrode;

receiving fifth resulting signals with said first sensor electrode, the fifth resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said third modulated signal;

receiving sixth resulting signals with said second sensor electrode, said sixth resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said third modulated signal; and

determining a first capacitive image along said first axis, a second capacitive image along said second axis, an absolute capacitive profile along the first axis, an absolute capacitive profile along the second axis, a transcapacitive profile along the first axis, and a transcapacitive profile along the second axis based on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth resulting signals.

24. A method of capacitive sensing, said method comprising:

driving a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of a sensor electrode pattern;

driving a second modulated signal onto a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein in said modulated signal and said second modulated signal are driven during explicitly different time periods;

receiving first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode;

receiving second resulting signals from said second sensor electrode, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received;

determining a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and change in capacitive coupling between said first and second sensor electrodes based on said second resulting signals;

receiving third resulting signals from said second sensor electrode, said third resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said second modulated signal;

receiving fourth resulting signals from said first sensor electrode, said fourth resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said second modulated signal, and wherein said third resulting signals and said fourth resulting signals are simultaneously received; and

determining a change in capacitive coupling between an input object and said second sensor electrode based on said third resulting signals and change in capacitive coupling between said first and second sensor electrodes based on said fourth resulting signals.

25. A processing system comprising:

a sensor module comprising sensing circuitry coupled to sensor electrodes of a sensor electrode pattern, said sensor module configured to;

drive a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern;

receive first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode; and

receive second resulting signals from a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, wherein said second sensor electrode is one of a first plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a first axis of said sensor electrode pattern, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received;

receive third resulting signals with a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said third sensor electrode is one of a second plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a second axis of said sensor electrode pattern that is substantially orthogonal to said first axis, and wherein said third resulting signals are received simultaneously with said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals;

drive a second modulated signal onto said third sensor electrode;

receive fourth resulting signals with said third sensor electrode;

receive fifth resulting signals with said first sensor electrode and sixth resulting signals with said second sensor electrode, wherein said fifth resulting signals and said sixth resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to said modulated signal; and

a determination module configured to;

determine a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and a change in capacitive coupling between said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode based on said second resulting signals; and

based on said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth resulting signals, determine a first capacitive image along said first axis, a second capacitive image along said second axis, an absolute capacitive profile along said first axis, an absolute capacitive profile along said second axis, a transcapacitive profile along said first axis, and a transcapacitive profile along said second axis.

26. A capacitive sensing input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in a sensor electrode pattern; and

a processing system configured to operate said sensor electrodes to perform simultaneous absolute capacitive sensing and transcapacitive sensing, wherein said processing system is configured to;

drive a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern;

receive first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode;

receive second resulting signals from a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, wherein said second sensor electrode is one of a first plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a first axis of said sensor electrode pattern, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received;

receive third resulting signals with a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said third resulting signals are received simultaneously with said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals, wherein said third sensor electrode is one of a second plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a second axis of said sensor electrode pattern that is substantially orthogonal to said first axis;

drive a second modulated signal onto said third sensor electrode;

receive fourth resulting signals with said third sensor electrode;

receive fifth resulting signals with said first sensor electrode and sixth resulting signals with said second sensor electrode, wherein said fifth resulting signals and said sixth resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to said second modulated signal;

determine a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and a change in capacitive coupling between said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode based on said second resulting signals; and

based on said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth resulting signals, determine a first capacitive image along said first axis, a second capacitive image along said second axis, an absolute capacitive profile along said first axis, an absolute capacitive profile along said second axis, a transcapacitive profile along said first axis, and a transcapacitive profile along said second axis.

27. A method of capacitive sensing, said method comprising:

driving a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of a sensor electrode pattern;

receiving first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode;

receiving second resulting signals from a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received;

driving a second modulated signal on a third sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, wherein said modulated signal and said second modulated signal are simultaneously driven, and wherein said modulated signal and said second modulated signal are discrete signals based on different ones of a plurality of codes;

receiving third resulting signals from said third sensor electrode, wherein said second resulting signals further comprise effects corresponding to said second modulated signal, and

determining a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and change in capacitive coupling between said first and second sensor electrodes based on said second resulting signals.

28. A method of capacitive sensing with a sensor electrode pattern, wherein said sensor electrode pattern comprises a first plurality of sensor electrodes disposed along a first axis and a second plurality of sensor electrode disposed along a second axis, wherein said first axis is substantially orthogonal to said second axis, said method comprising:

driving a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern;

receiving first resulting signals from said first sensor electrode;

receiving second resulting signals from a second sensor electrode of said sensor electrode pattern, said second resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said modulated signal, wherein said first plurality of sensor electrodes comprises said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode, and wherein said first resulting signals and said second resulting signals are simultaneously received; and

receiving third resulting signals with a third sensor electrode of said second plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said third resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to said modulated signal;

driving a second modulated signal onto said third sensor electrode;

receiving fourth resulting signals with said third sensor electrode;

receiving fifth resulting signals with said first sensor electrode, said fifth resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said second modulated signal;

receiving sixth resulting signals with said second sensor electrode, said sixth resulting signals comprising effects corresponding to said second modulated signal;

determining a capacitive coupling between an input object and said first sensor electrode based on said first resulting signals and change in capacitive coupling between said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode based on said second resulting signals; and

determining a first capacitive image along said first axis, a second capacitive image along said second axis, an absolute capacitive profile along said first axis, an absolute capacitive profile along said second axis, a transcapacitive profile along said first axis, and a transcapacitive profile along said second axis based on said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth resulting signals.