Dynamic configuration of touch sensor electrode clusters

• US 9,874,980 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brunet, Samuel, Collins, Richard Paul, Hristov, Luben Hristov, Myren, Steinar, Pedersen, Trond Jarle, Stavely, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adams, Carl
• Application Number:
  US14/075,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20150035789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• 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 3/0445 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

An apparatus of one embodiment includes a sensor having a plurality of electrodes and a controller having a processor and a memory. The memory includes logic operable to configure the electrodes to form a first cluster pattern having a plurality of first clusters of two or more electrodes, apply voltage to each first cluster, and determine a plurality of first values associated with a capacitance of a first cluster. The logic is further operable to configure the electrodes to form a second cluster pattern having a plurality of second clusters of two or more electrodes, apply voltage to each second cluster, and determine a plurality of second values associated with a capacitance of a second cluster. At least one second cluster is interleaved with an adjacent second cluster. The logic is further operable to determine a position of an object based at least on the second values.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory units collectively storing logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

configuring a plurality of electrodes of a sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a plurality of first clusters, each first cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, a first cluster being interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters such that an electrode of the first cluster is positioned between first and second electrodes of at least one of the adjacent first clusters;

applying voltage to each first cluster;

sensing each first cluster separately;

determining a plurality of first values, each first value associated with a capacitance of a respective first cluster;

configuring, in response to determining the plurality of first values, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a plurality of second clusters, each second cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of second clusters being non-interleaved;

applying voltage to each second cluster;

sensing each second cluster separately;

determining a plurality of second values, each second value associated with a capacitance of a respective second cluster; and

determining a position of an object relative to the sensor based at least on the plurality of second values.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a

plurality of switches, wherein:

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the first cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each first cluster; and

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the second cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each second cluster.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the at least one first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters are adjacent to one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

determining the plurality of first values comprises measuring a first voltage associated with each first cluster after the application of voltage to the first cluster; and

determining the plurality of second values comprises measuring a second voltage associated with each second cluster after the application of voltage to the second cluster.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination the plurality of first and second values utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each second cluster comprises four or more electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each first cluster is at least partially interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises one or more first electrodes, a second electrode adjacent to one or more of the first electrodes, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, and one or more fourth electrodes adjacent to the third electrode;

the first cluster comprises the first electrodes and the third electrode; and

one of the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises the second electrode and the fourth electrodes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination of the position of the object is based further on the plurality of first values.

10. A method comprising:

configuring a plurality of electrodes to form a first cluster pattern comprising a plurality of first clusters, each first cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, a first cluster being interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters such that an electrode of the first cluster is positioned between first and second electrodes of at least one of the adjacent first clusters;

applying voltage to each first cluster;

sensing each first cluster separately;

determining a plurality of first values, each first value associated with a capacitance of a respective first cluster;

configuring, in response to determining the plurality of first values, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a plurality of second clusters, each second cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of second clusters being non-interleaved;

applying voltage to each second cluster;

sensing each second cluster separately;

determining a plurality of second values, each second value associated with a capacitance of a respective second cluster; and

determining a position of an object relative to the touch sensor based at least on the plurality of second values.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

configuring the plurality of electrodes to foam the first cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of a plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each first cluster; and

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the second cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of each second cluster.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the at least one first cluster interleaved with the one or more adjacent first clusters are adjacent to one another.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein:

determining the plurality of first values comprises measuring a first voltage associated with each first cluster after the application of voltage to the first cluster; and

determining the plurality of second values comprises measuring a second voltage associated with each second cluster after the application of voltage to the second cluster.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination the plurality of first and second values utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein each first cluster is at least partially interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises one or more first electrodes, a second electrode adjacent to one or more of the first electrodes, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, and one or more fourth electrodes adjacent to the third electrodes;

the first cluster comprises the first electrodes and the third electrode; and

one of the one or more adjacent first clusters comprises the second electrode and the fourth electrodes.

17. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory units collectively storing logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

configuring a plurality of electrodes of a sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a plurality of first clusters, each first cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, a primary first cluster being interleaved with a secondary first cluster such that an electrode of the primary first cluster is positioned between first and second electrodes of the secondary first cluster;

applying voltage to each first cluster;

sensing each first cluster separately;

determining a plurality of first values, each first value associated with a capacitance of a respective first cluster;

configuring, in response to determining the plurality of first values, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a plurality of second clusters, each second cluster comprising one or more electrodes from the primary first cluster and one or more electrodes from the secondary first cluster, the plurality of second clusters being non-interleaved;

applying voltage to each second cluster;

sensing each second cluster separately;

determining a plurality of second values, each second value associated with a capacitance of a respective second cluster; and

determining a position of an object relative to the touch sensor based at least on the plurality of first values and the plurality of second values.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

each electrode of the plurality of electrodes is included in a respective first cluster and a respective second cluster;

the operations further comprise calculating representative values by calculating a representative value for each electrode of the plurality of electrodes based at least on the first value associated with the respective first cluster of the electrode and the second value associated with the respective second cluster of the electrode; and

the determination of the position of the object is based at least on the representative values.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the operations further comprise;

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form a third cluster pattern comprising a plurality of third clusters, each third cluster comprising two or more electrodes from a primary second cluster and one or more electrodes from a secondary second cluster;

applying voltage to each third cluster; and

determining a plurality of third values, each third value associated with a capacitance of a respective third cluster; and

the determination of the position of the object is based further on the plurality of third values.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises first, second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes;

one of the first clusters comprises the first, second, and third electrodes;

one of the second clusters comprises the second, third, and fourth electrodes; and

one of the third clusters comprises the third, fourth, and fifth electrodes.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

determining the plurality of first values comprises measuring a first voltage associated with each first cluster after the application of voltage to the first cluster; and

determining the plurality of second values comprises measuring a second voltage associated with each second cluster after the application of voltage to the second cluster.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each first cluster is at least partially interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters.

23. A method comprising:

configuring a plurality of electrodes to form a first cluster pattern comprising a plurality of first clusters, each first cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, a primary first cluster being interleaved with a secondary first cluster such that an electrode of the primary first cluster is positioned between first and second electrodes of the secondary first cluster;

applying voltage to each first cluster;

sensing each first cluster separately;

determining a plurality of first values, each first value associated with a capacitance of a respective first cluster;

configuring, in response to determining the plurality of first values, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a plurality of second clusters, each second cluster comprising one or more electrodes from the primary first cluster and one or more electrodes from the secondary first cluster, the plurality of second clusters being non-interleaved;

applying voltage to each second cluster;

sensing each second cluster separately;

determining a plurality of second values, each second value associated with a capacitance of a respective second cluster; and

determining a position of an object relative to the touch sensor based at least on the plurality of first values and the plurality of second values.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein:

each electrode of the plurality of electrodes is included in a respective first cluster and a respective second cluster;

the method further comprises calculating representative values by calculating a representative value for each electrode of the plurality of electrodes based at least on the first value associated with the respective first cluster of the electrode and the second value associated with the respective second cluster of the electrode; and

the determination of the position of the object is based at least on the representative values.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the method further comprises;

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form a third cluster pattern comprising a plurality of third clusters, each third cluster comprising two or more electrodes from a primary second cluster and one or more electrodes from a secondary second cluster;

applying voltage to each third cluster;

determining a plurality of third values, each third value associated with a capacitance of a respective third cluster; and

the determination of the position of the object is based further on the plurality of third values.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises first, second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes;

one of the first clusters comprises the first, second, and third electrodes;

one of the second clusters comprises the second, third, and fourth electrodes; and

one of the third clusters comprises the third, fourth, and fifth electrodes.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein:

determining the plurality of first values comprises measuring a first voltage associated with each first clusters after the application of voltage to the first clusters; and

determining the plurality of second values comprises measuring a second voltage associated with each second clusters after the application of voltage to the second clusters.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein each first cluster is at least partially interleaved with one or more adjacent first clusters.