Apparatus and method for performing proximity detection according to capacitive sensing output and status output

• US 10,088,290 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Communication Advances LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Chu, Chih-Pin, Lin, Yu-Han, Chen, Shu-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andrews, Brent J
• Application Number:
  US14/396,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B7/30 takes precedence
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A proximity detecting apparatus for detecting a proximity event includes a capacitive sensing device, an auxiliary detecting device, and a controller. The capacitive sensing device is arranged for generating a capacitive sensing output. The auxiliary detecting device is arranged for detecting an operational status of an electronic device in which the capacitive sensing device is disposed and accordingly generating a status output. The controller is arranged for detecting the proximity event according to the capacitive sensing output and the status output.

Claims

1. A proximity detecting apparatus for detecting a proximity event, comprising:

a capacitive sensing device, arranged for generating a capacitive sensing output;

an auxiliary detecting device, arranged for detecting an operational status of an electronic device in which the capacitive sensing device is disposed and accordingly generating a status output; and

a controller, arranged for detecting the proximity event according to the capacitive sensing output and the status output;

wherein the operational status comprises a rotation status of the electronic device, and the controller checks the status output to determine whether the capacitive sensing device operates in a first mode or operates in a second mode;

wherein when the capacitive sensing device operates in the first mode, the controller derives first capacitance variation from the capacitive sensing output of the capacitive sensing device, and determines a coordinate value of a contact position by analyzing the first capacitance variation;

wherein when the same capacitive sensing device operates in the second mode, the controller derives second capacitance variation from the capacitive sensing output of the capacitive sensing device, and detects presence of the proximity event by analyzing the second capacitance variation.

2. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensing device is a capacitive touch panel, and the auxiliary detecting device is an orientation sensor.

3. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller analyzes the capacitive sensing output to check if a first criterion is met and accordingly generates a first checking result, analyzes the status output to check if a second criterion is met and accordingly generates a second checking result, and detects the proximity event according to the first checking result and the second checking result;

wherein the first criterion is defined by information derived from the capacitive sensing output and a first predetermined threshold, and the second criterion is defined by information derived from the status output and a second predetermined threshold.

4. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the status output includes rotation angle information, and the controller compares an accumulated rotation angle with the second predetermined threshold to check if the second criterion is met.

5. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller further controls a sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device according to the status output.

6. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the status output includes rotation angle information;

and the controller compares an accumulated rotation angle with a predetermined threshold to obtain a comparing result, and controls the sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device according to the comparing result.

7. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 6, wherein when the comparing result indicates that the accumulated rotation angle does not reach the predetermined threshold yet, at least a portion of the capacitive sensing device operates in a first sensitivity;

and when the comparing result indicates that the accumulated rotation angle reaches the predetermined threshold, at least the portion of the capacitive sensing device operates in a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.

8. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the capacitive sensing device acts as a user interface for receiving a user input when operating in a first mode, and generates the capacitive sensing output referenced for detecting the proximity event when operating in a second mode.

9. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 8, wherein after detecting the proximity event, the controller analyzes the status output to check if a criterion is met and accordingly generates a checking result, and refers to the checking result to control at least the portion of the capacitive sensing device to switch from the second mode to the first mode;

wherein the criterion is defined by information derived from the status output and a predetermined threshold.

10. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the status output includes rotation angle information, and the controller compares an accumulated rotation angle with the predetermined threshold to check if the criterion is met.

11. A proximity detecting method for detecting a proximity event, comprising:

utilizing a capacitive sensing device for generating a capacitive sensing output;

detecting an operational status of an electronic device in which the capacitive sensing device is disposed, and accordingly generating a status output; and

detecting the proximity event according to the capacitive sensing output and the status output;

wherein the operational status comprises a rotation status of the electronic device, the status output is checked to determine whether the capacitive sensing device operates in a first mode or operates in a second mode;

wherein when the capacitive sensing device operates in the first mode, first capacitance variation is derived from the capacitive sensing output of the capacitive sensing device, and a coordinate value of a contact position is determined by analyzing the first capacitance variation;

wherein when the same capacitive sensing device operates in the second mode, second capacitance variation is derived from the capacitive sensing output of the capacitive sensing device, and presence of the proximity event is detected by analyzing the second capacitance variation.

12. The proximity detecting method of claim 11, wherein the capacitive sensing device is a capacitive touch panel, and the operational status is an orientation status.

13. The proximity detecting method of claim 11, wherein the step of detecting the proximity event comprises:

analyzing the capacitive sensing output to check if a first criterion is met and accordingly generating a first checking result;

analyzing the status output to check if a second criterion is met and accordingly generating a second checking result; and

detecting the proximity event according to the first checking result and the second checking result;

wherein the first criterion is defined by information derived from the capacitive sensing output and a first predetermined threshold, and the second criterion is defined by information derived from the status output and a second predetermined threshold.

14. The proximity detecting method of claim 13, wherein the status output includes rotation angle information, and the step of analyzing the status output to check if the second criterion is met comprises:

comparing an accumulated rotation angle with the second predetermined threshold to check if the second criterion is met.

15. The proximity detecting method of claim 11, further comprising:

controlling a sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device according to the status output.

16. The proximity detecting method of claim 15, wherein the status output includes rotation angle information;

and the step of controlling the sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device comprises;

comparing an accumulated rotation angle with a predetermined threshold to obtain a comparing result; and

controlling the sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device according to the comparing result.

17. The proximity detecting method of claim 16, wherein the step of controlling the sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device according to the comparing result comprises:

when the comparing result indicates that the accumulated rotation angle does not reach the predetermined threshold yet, controlling at least a portion of the capacitive sensing device to operate in a first sensitivity; and

when the comparing result indicates that the accumulated rotation angle reaches the predetermined threshold, controlling at least the portion of the capacitive sensing device to operate in a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.

18. The proximity detecting method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the capacitive sensing device acts as a user interface for receiving a user input when operating in a first mode, and generates the capacitive sensing output referenced for detecting the proximity event when operating in a second mode.

19. The proximity detecting method of claim 18, further comprising:

after detecting the proximity event, analyzing the status output to check if a criterion is met and accordingly generating a checking result, and referring to the checking result to control at least the portion of the capacitive sensing device to switch from the second mode to the first mode;

wherein the criterion is defined by information derived from the status output and a predetermined threshold.

20. The proximity detecting method of claim 19, wherein the status output includes rotation angle information, and the step of analyzing the status output to check if the criterion is met comprises:

comparing an accumulated rotation angle with the predetermined threshold to check if the criterion is met.

21. A proximity detecting apparatus for detecting a proximity event, comprising:

a capacitive sensing device, arranged for generating a capacitive sensing output;

an auxiliary detecting device, arranged for detecting an operational status of an electronic device in which the capacitive sensing device is disposed and accordingly generating a status output; and

a controller, arranged for controlling a sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device according to the status output, and detecting the proximity event according to at least the capacitive sensing output;

wherein the operational status comprises a rotation status of the electronic device;

and the sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device comprises a number of times sampling and accumulation is performed upon the capacitive sensing output in one unit time.

22. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 21, wherein the capacitive sensing device is a capacitive touch panel, and the auxiliary detecting device is an orientation sensor.

23. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 21, wherein the status output includes rotation angle information;

and the controller compares an accumulated rotation angle with a predetermined threshold to obtain a comparing result, and controls the sensitivity setting of the capacitive sensing device according to the comparing result.

24. The proximity detecting apparatus of claim 23, wherein when the comparing result indicates that the accumulated rotation angle does not reach the predetermined threshold yet, the capacitive sensing device operates in a first sensitivity;

and when the comparing result indicates that the accumulated rotation angle reaches the predetermined threshold, the capacitive sensing device operates in a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.