Method and apparatus for data transmission via capacitance sensing device

• US 9,891,765 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Wright, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US14/609,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20150193052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 455 411, 324658, 324679, 324686, 178 1801- 1806
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• 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 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A system made up of a first device which includes a communication interface and a processing device and a second device which includes a touch sensor assembly and a controller, where the controller uses the touch sensor assembly to communicate with the processing device through a capacitor that is jointly formed by the touch sensor assembly and a conductive portion of the communications interface.

Claims

1. A touch sensing system for transmitting data between electronic computing devices, comprising:

a first device comprising a communication interface and a processing device;

a second device comprising a touch sensor assembly and a controller, the controller configured to communicate with the processing device through the touch sensor assembly by transmitting signals via capacitive coupling through a capacitor that is jointly formed by the second device and a conductive portion of the communications interface.

2. The touch sensing system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a capacitance sensing device.

3. The touch sensing system of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a touchscreen phone handset.

4. The touch sensing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate device authentication information to the processing device.

5. The touch sensing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate password information to the processing device.

6. The touch sensing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate mobile payment information to the processing device.

7. The touch sensing system of claim 1, wherein the capacitor is jointly formed by the touch sensor assembly of the second device and a conductive portion of the communications interface and is configured to implement a communications channel of an electronic wallet between the processing device and the controller.

8. The touch sensing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of transmit and receive Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) serial data through the touch sensor assembly.

9. A touch sensing device for transmitting data between electronic computing devices comprising:

a touch sensor assembly and a controller, the controller configured to communicate with an object comprising a processing device communications interface, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the processing device through the touch sensor assembly by transmitting signals via capacitive coupling through a capacitor that is jointly formed by the device and a conductive portion of the communications interface.

10. The touch sensing device of claim 9, wherein the object comprises a capacitance sensing device.

11. The touch sensing device of claim 9, wherein the device comprises a touchscreen phone handset.

12. The touch sensing device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to communicate device authentication information to the processing device.

13. The touch sensing device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to communicate password information to the processing device.

14. The touch sensing device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to communicate mobile payment information to the processing device.

15. The touch sensing device of claim 9, wherein the capacitor is jointly formed by the touch sensor assembly of the conductive device and a conductive portion of the communications interface and is configured to implement a communications channel of an electronic wallet between the processing device and the controller.

16. The touch sensing device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of transmit and receive Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) serial data through the touch sensor assembly.

17. A method of transmitting data between electronic computing devices via a touch sensor, comprising:

communicating, by a controller of a first device, serial data through an array of capacitive sensor elements of a touch sensor assembly of the first device to a processing element of a second device, the second device comprising a communications interface located proximate to the first device, by transmitting signals via capacitive coupling through a capacitor that is jointly formed by the first device and a conductive portion of the communications interface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the serial data comprises device authentication information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the serial data comprises mobile payment information.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first device comprises a touchscreen phone handset.