Transmitter and controlling method thereof

• US 9,851,816 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: eGalax_eMPIA Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Chin-Fu, Yeh, Shang-Tai
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Towfiq
• Application Number:
  US14/537,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 345179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• 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 3/0441 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A transmitter is provided by the present application. The transmitter comprises a first element, configured to receive signal with a first frequency group, wherein first impedance value of the first element is changed according to a force, a second element with a second frequency group, and a tip section, configured to receive outputs of the first and the second elements and to transmit an electric signal, wherein the tip section is used to receive the force.

Claims

1. An active transmitter, comprising:

a battery for providing power;

a first signal source for providing a first frequency group;

a second signal source for providing a second frequency group, wherein the second signal source is independent from the first signal source, wherein the first signal source and the second signal source are powered by the battery;

a first element, configured to receive signals with the first frequency group from the first signal source, wherein a first impedance of the first element changes according to a pressure;

a second element, configured to receive signals with the second frequency group from the second signal source, wherein the second element has a second impedance; and

a tip section, configured to receive outputs of the first element and the second element and output an electric signal, wherein the tip section is used to receive the pressure;

wherein the second impedance does not change according to the pressure.

2. The active transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a third switch and a third element connected to the third switch in series, wherein the first element connects to the third switch and the third element in parallel.

3. The active transmitter of claim 2, further comprising a fourth switch and a fourth element connected to the fourth switch in series, wherein the first element connects to the fourth switch and the fourth element in parallel.

4. The active transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a third switch and a third element connected to the third switch in series, wherein the second element connects to the third switch and the third element in parallel.

5. The active transmitter of claim 4, further comprising a fourth switch and a fourth element connected to the fourth switch in series, wherein the second element connects to the fourth switch and the fourth element in parallel.

6. The active transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first frequency group comprises one or more first frequencies, the second frequency group comprises one or more second frequencies, wherein the first frequency is different to the second frequency.

7. The active transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first impedance equals to the second impedance if the pressure is absent.

8. The active transmitter of claim 1, wherein the tip section does not touch if the pressure is absent.

9. The active transmitter of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a first signal strength M1 of the first frequency group contained in the electric signal and a second signal strength M2 of the second frequency group contained in the electric signal is corresponding to the pressure.

10. The active transmitter of claim 9, wherein the ratio is one of the followings:

M1/M2, M2/M1, M1/(M1+M2), M2/(M1+M2), (M1−

M2)/(M1+M2), and (M2−

M1)/(M1+M2).

11. The active transmitter of claim 3,

wherein a ratio of a first signal strength M1 of the first frequency group contained in the electric signal and a second signal strength M2 of the second frequency group contained in the electric signal is corresponding to the pressure;

wherein the pressure is absent when the ratio equals or falls into a first range;

wherein the third switch is shorted and the first element connects to the third element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a second range;

wherein the fourth switch is shorted and the first element connects to the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a third range; and

wherein the third switch and the fourth switch are shorted and the first element connects to the third element and the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a fourth range.

12. The active transmitter of claim 5,

wherein a ratio of a first signal strength M1 of the first frequency group contained in the electric signal and a second signal strength M2 of the second frequency group contained in the electric signal is corresponding to the pressure;

wherein the pressure is absent when the ratio equals or falls into a first range;

wherein the third switch is shorted and the second element connects to the third element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a fifth range;

wherein the fourth switch is shorted and the second element connects to the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a sixth range; and

wherein the third switch and the fourth switch are shorted and the second element connects to the third element and the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a seventh range.

13. The active transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first element is a force sensing capacitor, the second element is a capacitor.

14. The active transmitter of claim 1, further comprising an ring electrode surrounding the tip section, wherein the ring electrode is not coupled to the tip section.

15. The active transmitter of claim 14, wherein the ring electrode comprises one or more separate electrodes.

16. A method for controlling an active transmitter, wherein the transmitter comprises a battery for providing power, a first signal source, a second signal source independent from the first signal source, a first element, a second element, and a tip section, the tip section is configured to receive outputs of the first element and the second element, the method comprising:

changing a first impedance of the first element according to a pressure received by the tip section;

providing signals with a first frequency group from the first signal source to the first element;

providing signals with a second frequency group from the second signal source to the second element, wherein the second element has a second impedance, wherein the first signal source and the second signal source are powered by the battery, the second impedance does not change according to the pressure; and

transmitting an electric signal via the tip section.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitter further comprises a third switch and a third element connected to the third switch in series, wherein the first element connects to the third switch and the third element in parallel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmitter further comprises a fourth switch and a fourth element connected to the fourth switch in series, wherein the first element connects to the fourth switch and the fourth element in parallel.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitter further comprises a third switch and a third element connected to the third switch in series, wherein the second element connects to the third switch and the third element in parallel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitter further comprises a fourth switch and a fourth element connected to the fourth switch in series, wherein the second element connects to the fourth switch and the fourth element in parallel.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first frequency group comprises one or more first frequencies, the second frequency group comprises one or more second frequencies, wherein the first frequency is different to the second frequency.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the first impedance equals to the second impedance if the pressure is absent.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the tip section does not touch if the pressure is absent.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein a ratio of a first signal strength M1 of the first frequency group contained in the electric signal and a second signal strength M2 of the second frequency group contained in the electric signal is corresponding to the pressure.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the ratio is one of the followings:

M1/M2, M2/M1, M1/(M1+M2), M2/(M1+M2), (M1−

M2)/(M1+M2), and (M2−

M1)/(M1+M2).

26. The method of claim 18,

wherein a ratio of a first signal strength M1 of the first frequency group contained in the electric signal and a second signal strength M2 of the second frequency group contained in the electric signal is corresponding to the pressure;

wherein the pressure is absent when the ratio equals or falls into a first range;

wherein the third switch is shorted and the first element connects to the third element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a second range;

wherein the fourth switch is shorted and the first element connects to the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a third range; and

wherein the third switch and the fourth switch are shorted and the first element connects to the third element and the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a fourth range.

27. The method of claim 20,

wherein a ratio of a first signal strength M1 of the first frequency group contained in the electric signal and a second signal strength M2 of the second frequency group contained in the electric signal is corresponding to the pressure;

wherein the pressure is absent when the ratio equals or falls into a first range;

wherein the third switch is shorted and the second element connects to the third element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a fifth range;

wherein the fourth switch is shorted and the second element connects to the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a sixth range; and

wherein the third switch and the fourth switch are shorted and the second element connects to the third element and the fourth element in parallel when the ratio equals or falls into a seventh range.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the first element is a force sensing capacitor, the second element is a capacitor.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitter further comprises an ring electrode surrounding the tip section, wherein the ring electrode is not coupled to the tip section.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the ring electrode comprises one or more separate electrodes.