Input sensing and exclusion

• US 9,804,717 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Schropp, Jr., Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DANIELSEN, NATHAN ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US14/645,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20160266674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

In a method of input sensing and exclusion, an input is detected within a sensing region of an input device. It is determined that the input is along an edge of the input device. It is then determined whether the input satisfies exclusion criteria. Responsive to satisfaction of the exclusion criteria, the input is excluded from consideration as valid input.

Claims

1. A method of input sensing and exclusion comprising:

detecting a first input within a sensing region of an input device;

determining said first input is along an edge of said input device;

determining whether said first input, in and of itself, satisfies exclusion criteria;

responsive to satisfaction of said exclusion criteria, excluding said first input from consideration as valid input;

detecting a second input within said sensing region;

determining an orientation of a major axis of said second input; and

responsive to determining that said major axis of said second input points toward said first input, excluding said second input from consideration as valid input.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said excluding said second input from consideration as valid input comprises:

excluding said second input from consideration as valid input while velocity of said second input remains below a velocity threshold.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a third input within said sensing region;

determining said third input is along a second edge of said input device, wherein said edge and said second edge are different from one another;

determining whether said third input satisfies said exclusion criteria; and

responsive to satisfaction of said exclusion criteria, excluding said third input from consideration as valid input.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said detecting said first input within a sensing region of an input device comprises:

detecting said first input within a capacitive image associated with said sensing region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the exclusion criteria comprises:

a centroid location criterion associated with a zone along said edge, wherein said zone is measured from said edge inward toward an opposite edge of said input device from said edge,

a minimum size criterion, and

an aspect ratio criterion.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

establishing a parameter of said zone along said edge based upon an orientation of said input device.

7. A processing system for a capacitive sensing input device, said processing system comprising:

a sensor module configured to acquire resulting signals from a plurality of sensor electrodes; and

a determination module configured to;

determine a capacitive image from said resulting signals;

detect a first input within said capacitive image;

determine said first input is along an edge of said input device;

determine whether said first input, in and of itself, satisfies exclusion criteria;

responsive to satisfaction of said exclusion criteria, excluding said input from consideration as valid input;

detect a second input within said sensing region;

determine an orientation of a major axis of said second input; and

responsive to determining that said major axis of said second input points toward said first input, exclude said second input from consideration as valid input.

8. The processing system of claim 7, wherein said determination module is further configured to:

exclude said second input from consideration as valid input only while velocity of said second input remains below a velocity threshold.

9. The processing system of claim 7, wherein said determination module is Further configured to:

detect a third input within said image;

determine said third input is along a second edge of said input device, wherein said edge and said second edge are different from one another;

determine whether said third input satisfies said exclusion criteria; and

responsive to satisfaction of said exclusion criteria, exclude said third input from consideration as valid input.

10. The processing system of claim 7, wherein the exclusion criteria comprises:

a centroid location criterion associated with a zone along said edge, wherein said zone is measured from said edge inward toward an opposite edge of said input device from said edge,

a minimum size criterion, and

an aspect ratio criterion.

11. The processing system of claim 10, wherein said processing sysstem is further configured to:

establish a parameter of said zone along said edge based upon an orientation of said input device.

12. A capacitive sensing input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes; and

a processing system coupled with said plurality of sensor electrodes, said processing system configured to;

acquire resulting signals by receiving with said plurality of sensor electrodes;

determine a capacitive image from said capacitive resulting signals;

detect a first input within said capacitive image;

determine said first input is along an edge of said input device;

determine whether said first input, in and of itself, satisfies exclusion criteria;

responsive to satisfaction of said exclusion criteria, exclude said first input from consideration as valid input;

detect a second input within said sensing region;

determine an orientation of a major axis of said second input; and

responsive to determining that said major axis of said second input points toward said first input, exclude said second input from consideration as valid input.

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

exclude said second input from consideration as valid input only while velocity of said second input remains below a velocity threshold.

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

detect a third input within said capacitive image;

determine said third input is along a second edge of said input device, wherein said edge and said second edge are different from one another;

determine whether said third input satisfies said exclusion criteria; and

responsive to satisfaction of said exclusion criteria, exclude said third input from consideration as valid input.

15. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 12, wherein the exclusion criteria comprises:

a centroid location criterion associated with a zone along said edge, wherein said zone is measured from said edge inward toward an opposite edge of said input device from said edge,

a minimum size criterion, and

an aspect ratio criterion.

16. The capacitive sensing input device of claim 15, wherein said processing system is further configured to:

establish a parameter of said zone along said edge based upon an orientation of said input device.