Position-based stylus communication

• US 10,474,277 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pant, Vivek, Malkin, Moshe, Shahparnia, Shahrooz
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lunyi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casarez, Benjamin X
• Application Number:
  US15/169,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20170344174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• 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

Position-based sensing methods and systems can be used to transmit data from an input device to a touch-sensitive device. For example, the touch sensing system may perform one or more coarse input device sub-scans to determine a coarse location of the input device. The coarse location can be used to select one or more touch sensors (or sensor channels) to sample for decoding data encoded in the stimulation signals from the input device. During one or more fine input device sub-scans, the touch sensing system can determine a fine location of the input device and decode the data from the input device sampled from the selected touch sensors (or sensor channels).

Claims

1. A touch-sensitive device, comprising:

a plurality of touch sensors;

a first multiplexer having one or more inputs, the inputs of the first multiplexer coupled to the plurality of touch sensors;

a plurality of sense channels configured to receive signals from an input device at the plurality of touch sensors via one or more outputs of the first multiplexer;

a plurality of digital signal processors coupled to outputs of the plurality of sense channels, wherein the plurality of digital signal processors includes a plurality of first demodulators configured to demodulate the received signals, wherein outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors are indicative of which locations on the touch-sensitive device the input device is touching;

a position estimation processor coupled to the outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors, the position estimation processor configured to estimate a location of the input device based on a first plurality of received signals from the plurality of sense channels processed by the plurality of digital signal processors, and configured to select a subset of the plurality of sense channels coupled to one or more of the plurality of touch sensors proximate to the input device based on the estimated location of the input device;

a plurality of correlators couplable to the outputs of the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels, wherein the plurality of correlators each comprise a plurality of second demodulators, the second demodulators configured to demodulate a second plurality of received signals from the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels, the plurality of correlators configured to determine frequency content of the demodulated second plurality of received signals to obtain encoded data from the second plurality of received signals, wherein a number of the plurality of correlators is less than a number of sense channels included in the touch-sensitive device; and

a plurality of second multiplexers, each second multiplexer having an output connected to one of the plurality of correlators and configured to couple one sense channel of the selected subset of sense channels to one of the plurality of correlators to simultaneously couple the selected subset of sense channels to the plurality of correlators.

2. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1, wherein a correlator of the plurality of correlators further comprises an adder coupled to a plurality of outputs of the second demodulators, and the correlator is configured to determine the frequency content of an output of the adder.

3. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of received signals are received while the touch-sensitive device is configured in a first configuration, the first configuration including coupling two or more touch sensors of the plurality of touch sensors to each sense channel.

4. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of received signals are received while the touch-sensitive device is configured in a second configuration, the second configuration including coupling one touch sensor of the plurality of touch sensors to each sense channel.

5. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a wireless transceiver of the input device, wherein the encoded data comprises pairing information for establishing a connection between the wireless transceiver and the wireless transceiver of the input device.

6. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of touch sensors comprise row sensors and column sensors, the row sensors orthogonal to the column sensors,

during a first time period, a plurality of row sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate first data, and

during a second time period after the first time period, a plurality of column sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate second data different from the first data.

7. A method implemented by a touch-sensitive device for decoding data transmitted by an input device, the method comprising:

sensing, at a plurality of touch sensors, signals from the input device, wherein the touch sensors are coupled to one or more inputs of a first multiplexer;

receiving, at a plurality of sense channels, a first plurality of signals from the input device via one or more outputs of the first multiplexer;

demodulating, with a plurality of first demodulators included in a plurality of digital signal processors, the received first plurality of signals, wherein outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors are indicative of which locations on the touch-sensitive device the input device is touching;

estimating, with a position estimation processor coupled to the outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors, a location of the input device relative to a touch sensitive surface based on the demodulated signals;

selecting, with the position estimation processor, a subset of the plurality of sense channels coupled to the touch sensitive surface based on the estimated location of the input device, wherein the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels are coupled to one or more of the plurality of touch sensors of the touch sensitive surface proximate to the input device;

simultaneously coupling, via a plurality of second multiplexers, each of the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels to a correlator of a plurality of correlators, each correlator of the plurality of correlators comprising a plurality of second demodulators, wherein a number of the plurality of correlators is less than a number of the plurality of sense channels, wherein each second multiplexer has an output connected to one of the plurality of correlators; and

decoding, with the plurality of correlators, encoded data from a second plurality of signals received at the subset of the plurality of sense channels and demodulated by the plurality of second demodulators by determining frequency content of the demodulated second plurality of received signals.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the first plurality of received signals during a first operation, the first operation comprising coupling two or more touch sensors of the touch sensitive surface to each sense channel.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the second plurality of received signals during a second operation, the second operation comprising coupling one touch sensor of the touch sensitive surface to each of the subset of the plurality of sense channels.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

establishing a wireless communication channel between a wireless transceiver and a wireless transceiver included in the input device based on pairing information encoded in the encoded data from the second plurality of signals.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the plurality of touch sensors comprise row sensors and column sensors, the row sensors orthogonal to the column sensors,

during a first time period, a plurality of row sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate first data, and

during a second time period after the first time period, a plurality of column sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate second data different from the first data.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device including one or more processors, causes the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

sensing, at a plurality of touch sensors, signals from an input device, wherein the touch sensors are coupled to one or more inputs of a first multiplexer;

receiving, at a plurality of sense channels, a first plurality of signals from the input device via one or more outputs of the first multiplexer;

demodulating, with a plurality of first demodulators included in a plurality of digital signal processors, the received first plurality of signals, wherein outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors are indicative of which locations on the electronic device the input device is touching;

estimating, with a position estimation processor coupled to the outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors, a location of the input device relative to a touch sensitive surface based on the demodulated signals;

selecting, with the position estimation processor, a subset of the plurality of sense channels coupled to the touch sensitive surface based on the estimated location of the input device, wherein the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels are coupled to one or more of the plurality of touch sensors of the touch sensitive surface proximate to the input device;

simultaneously coupling, via a plurality of second multiplexers, each of the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels to a correlator of a plurality of correlators, each correlator of the plurality of correlators comprising a plurality of second demodulators, wherein a number of the plurality of correlators is less than a number of the plurality of sense channels, wherein each second multiplexer has an output connected to one of the plurality of correlators; and

decoding, with the plurality of correlators, encoded data from a second plurality of signals received at the subset of the plurality of sense channels and demodulated by the plurality of second demodulators by determining frequency content of the demodulated second plurality of received signals.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the first plurality of received signals during a first operation, the first operation comprising coupling two or more touch sensors of the touch sensitive surface to each sense channel.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the second plurality of received signals during a second operation, the second operation comprising coupling one touch sensor of the touch sensitive surface to each of the subset of the plurality of sense channels.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

establishing a wireless communication channel between a wireless transceiver and a wireless transceiver included in the input device based on pairing information encoded in the encoded data from the second plurality of signals.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of touch sensors comprise row sensors and column sensors, the row sensors orthogonal to the column sensors,

during a first time period, a plurality of row sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate first data, and

during a second time period after the first time period, a plurality of column sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate second data different from the first data.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of touch sensors;

a first multiplexer having one or more inputs, the inputs of the first multiplexer coupled to the plurality of touch sensors;

a plurality of sense channels configured to receive signals from an input device at the plurality of touch sensors via one or more outputs of the first multiplexer;

a plurality of digital signal processors coupled to outputs of the plurality of sense channels, wherein the plurality of digital signal processors includes a plurality of first demodulators configured to demodulate the received signals, wherein outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors are indicative of which locations on the apparatus the input device is touching;

a position estimation processor coupled to the outputs of the plurality of digital signal processors, the position estimation processor configured to estimate a location of the input device based on a first plurality of signals received from the plurality of sense channels selected by the first multiplexer and processed by the plurality of digital signal processors, the position estimation processor configured to select a subset of the plurality of sense channels coupled to one or more of the plurality of touch sensors proximate to the input device based on the estimated location of the input device; and

a plurality of correlators couplable to the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels, wherein each of the plurality of correlators comprise a plurality of second demodulators, the second demodulators configured to demodulate a second plurality of received signals from the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels, the plurality of correlators configured to determine frequency content of the demodulated second plurality of received signals to obtain encoded data from the second plurality of received signals from the selected subset of the plurality of sense channels, wherein a number of the plurality of correlators is less than a number of sense channels included in the apparatus; and

a plurality of second multiplexers, each second multiplexer having an output connected to one of the plurality of correlators and configured to couple one sense channel of the selected subset of sense channels to one of the plurality of correlators to simultaneously couple the selected subset of sense channels to the plurality of correlators.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a correlator of the plurality of correlators further comprises an adder coupled to a plurality of outputs of the second demodulators.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of signals are received while two or more touch sensors of the plurality of touch sensors are coupled to each sense channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second plurality of signals are received while one touch sensor of the plurality of touch sensors is coupled to each sense channel.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a wireless transceiver of the input device, wherein the frequency content of the demodulated signals comprises pairing information for establishing a connection between the wireless transceiver and the wireless transceiver of the input device.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the plurality of touch sensors comprise row sensors and column sensors, the row sensors orthogonal to the column sensors,

during a first time period, a plurality of row sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate first data, and

during a second time period after the first time period, a plurality of column sensors are coupled, via the selected subset of sense channels, to the plurality of correlators to demodulate second data different from the first data.