Current feedback techniques for capacitive sensing

• US 9,891,763 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Dattalo, Tracy Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Huy Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREDERIKSEN, DAVID B
• Application Number:
  US14/502,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20160091999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96073 Amplitude comparison
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960745 Capacitive differential; e.g. comparison with reference capacitance

Abstract

Examples of the present disclosure generally provide current feedback techniques for capacitive sensing with an input device. A processing system for an input device includes an operational amplifier having a non-inverting input, an inverting input, and an output. A voltage source is coupled to the non-inverting input. A first voltage-controlled current source is coupled between the output and the inverting input to form a feedback path. A second voltage-controlled current source is coupled to the output and configured for modifying a charge on a capacitor based on a control voltage at the output. A determination module is coupled to the capacitor and configured for determining a capacitance measurement at the inverting input based on the charge on the capacitor.

Claims

1. A processing system for a capacitive touch sensing device, comprising:

an operational amplifier having a non-inverting input, an inverting input coupled to a sensor electrode, and an output;

a voltage source coupled to the non-inverting input and configured to input a control voltage to the operational amplifier;

a first voltage-controlled current source coupled to the sensor electrode and coupled between the output and the inverting input to form a feedback path to the operational amplifier to modify the control voltage to a modified control voltage and to modify an amount of charge stored in the sensor electrode,

wherein the operational amplifier is configured to;

modify the control voltage based on the modified amount of charge stored in the sensor electrode; and

output the modified control voltage;

a second voltage-controlled current source coupled between the output and a capacitor and configured to modify a charge on the capacitor based on the modified control voltage at the output; and

a determination module coupled to the capacitor and configured to determine a capacitance measurement of the sensor electrode based on the modified charge on the capacitor.

2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage-controlled current source is configured to modify the amount of charge by driving an input sensing signal onto the sensor electrode based on the control voltage while the second voltage-controlled current source is modifying the charge on the capacitor.

3. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the voltage source is configured to drive an input voltage onto the non-inverting input to cause the first voltage-controlled current source to drive the input sensing signal onto the sensor electrode.

4. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a capacitance between the sensor electrode and an input object.

5. The processing system of claim 4, wherein:

the determination module is further configured to determine a third capacitance measurement between the sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode;

the capacitance measurement of the sensor electrode and the second capacitance measurement of the second sensor electrode comprise absolute capacitance measurements; and

the third capacitance measurement between the sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode comprises a transcapacitance measurement.

6. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a first capacitance between the sensor electrode and an input object and a second capacitance between the sensor electrode and a receiver electrode.

7. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a capacitance between the sensor electrode and a transmitter electrode.

8. The processing system of claim 7, wherein the voltage source is configured to drive a substantially constant input voltage onto the non-inverting input during a mutual capacitance sensing time period.

9. The processing system of claim 8, wherein the first voltage-controlled current source is configured to drive an input sensing signal onto the sensor electrode based on the control voltage during a self capacitance sensing time period.

10. The processing system of claim 1, wherein a capacitance of the capacitor is substantially constant.

11. The processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second operational amplifier having a second non-inverting input, a second inverting input coupled to a second sensor electrode, and a second output, wherein;

the second non-inverting input is coupled to the non-inverting of operation amplifier;

a second voltage source coupled to the non-inverting input and configured to input a second control voltage to the second operational amplifier;

a third voltage-controlled current source coupled to the second sensor electrode and coupled between the second output and the second inverting input to form a second feedback path to the second operational amplifier to modify the second control voltage to a second modified control voltage and to modify a second amount of charge stored in the second sensor electrode,

wherein the second operational amplifier is configured to;

modify the second control voltage based on the second modified amount of charge stored in the second sensor electrode; and

output the second modified control voltage; and

a fourth voltage-controlled current source coupled between the second output and a second capacitor and configured to modify a charge on the second capacitor based on the second modified control voltage at the second output;

wherein;

the determination module is further configured to determine a second capacitance measurement of the second sensor electrode based on the second modified charge on the second capacitor.

12. A capacitive touch sensing device, comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes; and

a processing system coupled to the plurality of sensor electrodes, the processing system comprising;

an operational amplifier having a non-inverting input, an inverting input coupled to at least one of the plurality of sensor electrodes, and an output;

a voltage source coupled to the non-inverting input and configured to input a control voltage to the operational amplifier;

a first voltage-controlled current source coupled to the at least one sensor electrode and coupled between the output and the inverting input to form a feedback path to the operational amplifier to modify the control voltage to a modified control voltage and to modify an amount of charge stored in the least one sensor electrode,

wherein the operational amplifier is configured to;

modify the control voltage based on the modified amount of charge stored in the at least one sensor electrode; and

output the modified control voltage;

a second voltage-controlled current source coupled between the output and a capacitor and configured to modify a charge on the capacitor based on the modified control voltage at the output; and

a determination module coupled to the capacitor and configured to;

determine a capacitance measurement associated with the at least one sensor electrode based on the modified charge on the capacitor; and

determine positional information based on the capacitance measurement.

13. The capacitive touch sensing device of claim 12, wherein the first voltage-controlled current source is configured to modify the amount of charge by driving an input sensing signal onto the at least one sensor electrode based on the control voltage while the second voltage-controlled current source modifies the charge on the capacitor.

14. The capacitive touch sensing device of claim 13, wherein the voltage source is configured to drive an input voltage onto the non-inverting input to cause the first voltage-controlled current source to drive the input sensing signal onto the sensor electrode.

15. The capacitive touch sensing device of claim 13, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a capacitance between the sensor electrode and an input object.

16. The capacitive touch sensing device of claim 13, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a first capacitance between the sensor electrode and an input object and a second capacitance between the sensor electrode and a receiver electrode.

17. The capacitive touch sensing device of claim 12, wherein the voltage source is configured to drive a substantially constant input voltage onto the non-inverting input during a mutual capacitance sensing time period, and the capacitance measurement comprises a capacitance between the sensor electrode and a transmitter electrode during the mutual capacitance sensing time period.

18. The capacitive touch sensing device of claim 17, wherein the first voltage-controlled current source is configured to drive an input sensing signal onto the sensor electrode based on the control voltage during a self capacitance sensing time period.

19. A method of capacitive touch sensing with a sensor electrode, the method comprising:

driving an input voltage onto a non-inverting input of an operational amplifier, wherein a first voltage-controlled current source is coupled to the sensor electrode and coupled between an output of the operational amplifier and an inverting input of the operational amplifier to form a feedback path to the operational amplifier to modify the control voltage to a modified control voltage and to modify an amount of charge stored in the sensor electrode, wherein the operational amplifier is configured to;

modify the control voltage based on the modified amount of charge stored in the sensor electrode; and

output the modified control voltage;

modifying, via a second voltage-controlled current source coupled between the output and a capacitor, a charge on the capacitor based on the modified control voltage at the output; and

determining a capacitance measurement associated with the sensor electrode based on the modified charge on the capacitor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein driving the input voltage onto the non-inverting input causes the first voltage-controlled current source to modify the amount of charge by driving an input sensing signal onto the sensor electrode while the second voltage-controlled current source modifies the charge on the capacitor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a capacitance between the sensor electrode and an input object.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a first capacitance between the sensor electrode and an input object and a second capacitance between the sensor electrode and a receiver electrode.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the capacitance measurement comprises a capacitance between the sensor electrode and a transmitter electrode.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising driving a substantially constant input voltage onto the non-inverting input during a mutual capacitance sensing time period.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein driving the input voltage onto the non-inverting input causes the first voltage-controlled current source to drive an input sensing signal onto the sensor electrode during a self capacitance sensing time period.