Touch panel controller integrated with host processor for dynamic baseline image update
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a touch panel controller configured to operatively couple to a touch panel sensor, the touch panel sensor including a plurality of drive electrodes and at least one sense electrode, a plurality of nodes being formed at intersections of the plurality of drive electrodes and the at least one sense electrode, the touch panel controller comprising;
output circuitry operatively coupled to the plurality of drive electrodes, the output circuitry capable of generating drive signals having a configurable frequency characteristic occurring within a range of frequencies to drive the touch panel sensor; and
input circuitry operatively coupled to the at least one sense electrode, the input circuitry capable of measuring capacitance formed at each intersection of the plurality of drive electrodes and of the at least one sense electrode,wherein the apparatus is configured to;
obtain a plurality of signal baseline images during a power-up mode of the apparatus, the plurality of signal baseline images including a plurality of capacitance values measured at the intersections of the plurality of drive electrodes and the at least one sense electrode, each signal baseline image of the plurality of signal baseline images corresponding to a drive frequency;
store the plurality of signal baseline images in a storage device;
cause the output circuitry to generate drive signals at a first frequency;
determine when a first noise level of the touch panel is above a noise threshold while the output circuitry generates drive signals at the first frequency and, when the first noise level is above the noise threshold, determine noise levels at each of a plurality of drive frequencies;
select a second drive frequency that corresponds with a second noise level that is lower than the first noise level;
cause the output circuitry to generate drive signals at the second drive frequency; and
calculate a prediction of a signal baseline image corresponding with the second drive frequency, the prediction being based, at least in part, on a signal baseline image selected from the plurality of signal baseline images obtained and stored during the power-up mode of the apparatus.
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Abstract
A touch panel controller is disclosed herein. The controller includes output circuitry for driving a touch panel sensor and input circuitry for determining when an object performs a touch event over the touch panel sensor. The controller is configured to cause the output circuitry to generate drive signals having a different frequency characteristic when the controller determines noise present within the sensor is above a noise threshold. The controller communicates with a software device driver on a host processor to store signal baseline images for a range of frequencies during production test and power-up. The controller is configured to receive a signal baseline image from the host processor when the controller causes change to a different drive frequency. The controller is configured to cause change to the different drive frequency while the object is still performing the touch event over the touch panel sensor.
23 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a touch panel controller configured to operatively couple to a touch panel sensor, the touch panel sensor including a plurality of drive electrodes and at least one sense electrode, a plurality of nodes being formed at intersections of the plurality of drive electrodes and the at least one sense electrode, the touch panel controller comprising; output circuitry operatively coupled to the plurality of drive electrodes, the output circuitry capable of generating drive signals having a configurable frequency characteristic occurring within a range of frequencies to drive the touch panel sensor; and input circuitry operatively coupled to the at least one sense electrode, the input circuitry capable of measuring capacitance formed at each intersection of the plurality of drive electrodes and of the at least one sense electrode, wherein the apparatus is configured to; obtain a plurality of signal baseline images during a power-up mode of the apparatus, the plurality of signal baseline images including a plurality of capacitance values measured at the intersections of the plurality of drive electrodes and the at least one sense electrode, each signal baseline image of the plurality of signal baseline images corresponding to a drive frequency; store the plurality of signal baseline images in a storage device; cause the output circuitry to generate drive signals at a first frequency; determine when a first noise level of the touch panel is above a noise threshold while the output circuitry generates drive signals at the first frequency and, when the first noise level is above the noise threshold, determine noise levels at each of a plurality of drive frequencies; select a second drive frequency that corresponds with a second noise level that is lower than the first noise level; cause the output circuitry to generate drive signals at the second drive frequency; and calculate a prediction of a signal baseline image corresponding with the second drive frequency, the prediction being based, at least in part, on a signal baseline image selected from the plurality of signal baseline images obtained and stored during the power-up mode of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 16, 17, 20)
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6. A system comprising:
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a touch panel sensor capable of detecting a change in capacitance associated with an object positioned over the touch panel sensor; a touch panel controller operatively coupled to the touch panel sensor, the touch panel controller capable of; obtaining a plurality of signal baseline images during a power-up mode of the system the plurality of signal baseline images including a plurality of capacitance values measured at intersections of a plurality of drive electrodes and at least one sense electrode of the touch panel sensor, each signal baseline image of the plurality of signal baseline images corresponding to a drive frequency; storing the plurality of signal baseline images in a storage device; causing the generation of at least one drive signal having a first frequency characteristic occurring within a range of drive frequencies to drive the touch panel sensor; measuring noise present within the touch panel sensor; and measuring a signal baseline image of the touch panel sensor within the range of drive frequencies; a host processor operatively coupled to the touch panel controller, the host processor being capable of communicating with the touch panel controller; and at least one storage device that is communicatively coupled to the host processor and capable of storing the signal baseline images wherein the system is capable of; determining when a first noise level of the touch panel is above a noise threshold while the output circuitry is generating drive signals at the first frequency characteristic and, when the first noise level is above the noise threshold, determining noise levels at each of a plurality of drive frequencies; selecting a second drive frequency characteristic that corresponds with a second noise level that is lower than the first noise level; calculating a prediction of a signal baseline image corresponding with the second drive frequency characteristic, the prediction being based, at least in part, on a signal baseline image selected from the plurality of signal baseline images obtained and stored during the power-up mode; and causing the generation of at least one drive signal having the second drive frequency characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19)
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14. A method comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of signal baseline images during a power-up mode of a touch panel sensor, the plurality of signal baseline images including a plurality of capacitance values measured at the intersections of a plurality of drive electrodes and at least one sense electrode of the touch panel sensor, each signal baseline image of the plurality of signal baseline images corresponding to a drive frequency, each signal baseline image including capacitive values measured within the touch panel sensor at a corresponding drive frequency; storing the plurality of signal baseline images in a storage device; generating a drive signal having a first frequency characteristic to drive the touch panel sensor, the touch panel sensor including a plurality of drive electrodes and sense electrodes, a plurality of nodes formed at intersections of the plurality of drive electrodes and the plurality of sense electrodes, each node of the plurality of nodes having a corresponding capacitive value; detecting noise having a noise level above a noise threshold value, the noise present within the touch panel sensor associated with the drive signal having the first frequency characteristic; selecting a second frequency within the predefined frequency range having a lower noise level as compared to the noise level associated with the drive signal having the first frequency characteristic; and calculating a prediction of a signal baseline image corresponding with the second drive frequency, the prediction being based, at least in part, on a signal baseline image selected from the plurality of signal baseline images obtained and stored during the power-up mode. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification