Method and device for sensing operating conditions of a touch screen, corresponding apparatus and computer program product
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- producing a capacitance map of a plurality of capacitance values of a capacitive touch screen, the capacitance map being a whole distribution of mutual capacitance data of the capacitive touch screen;
identifying locations of the screen exposed to touch by a user by comparing the plurality of capacitance values against at least one sensing threshold;
classifying each of the plurality of capacitance values of the capacitance map into a plurality of capacitance value ranges;
summing capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately;
extracting a plurality of global descriptors based on the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges, the plurality of global descriptors including at least one global descriptor that is calculated as a sum of capacitance values in one of the plurality of capacitance value ranges;
identifying at least one of a plurality of different operating conditions by applying to the plurality of global descriptors classifier rules; and
electing the at least one sensing threshold as a function of the at least one operating condition identified wherein the extracting the plurality of global descriptors includes selecting at least one of the sums,wherein the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately includes;
in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a positive value, determining;
a sum of positive capacitance values in a first positive range of the capacitance map;
a sum of positive capacitance values in a second positive range of the capacitance map; and
a sum of positive values for the capacitance values in a third positive range of the capacitance map; and
in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a negative value, determining;
a sum of negative capacitance values in a first negative range of the capacitance map;
a sum of negative capacitance values in a second negative range of the capacitance map; and
a sum of negative capacitance values in a third negative range of the capacitance map.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive touch screen of e.g., a mobile communications device such as a smart phone or tablet is operated by producing a capacitance map of capacitance values for the screen, wherein the capacitance values are indicative of locations of the screen exposed to touch by a user, and by identifying locations of the screen exposed to touch by a user by comparing the capacitance values against settings of sensing thresholds. Descriptor processing is applied to the capacitance map to extract a set of descriptors indicative of said screen being in one of a plurality of different operating conditions. A set of rules is applied to these descriptors to identify one of a plurality of different operating conditions, and selecting the setting of sensing thresholds as a function of the operating condition thus identified.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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producing a capacitance map of a plurality of capacitance values of a capacitive touch screen, the capacitance map being a whole distribution of mutual capacitance data of the capacitive touch screen; identifying locations of the screen exposed to touch by a user by comparing the plurality of capacitance values against at least one sensing threshold; classifying each of the plurality of capacitance values of the capacitance map into a plurality of capacitance value ranges; summing capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately; extracting a plurality of global descriptors based on the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges, the plurality of global descriptors including at least one global descriptor that is calculated as a sum of capacitance values in one of the plurality of capacitance value ranges; identifying at least one of a plurality of different operating conditions by applying to the plurality of global descriptors classifier rules; and electing the at least one sensing threshold as a function of the at least one operating condition identified wherein the extracting the plurality of global descriptors includes selecting at least one of the sums, wherein the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately includes; in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a positive value, determining; a sum of positive capacitance values in a first positive range of the capacitance map; a sum of positive capacitance values in a second positive range of the capacitance map; and a sum of positive values for the capacitance values in a third positive range of the capacitance map; and in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a negative value, determining; a sum of negative capacitance values in a first negative range of the capacitance map; a sum of negative capacitance values in a second negative range of the capacitance map; and a sum of negative capacitance values in a third negative range of the capacitance map. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A device, comprising:
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a capacitive touch screen; and electronic circuitry coupled to the screen, the circuitry configured to; produce a capacitance map of a plurality of capacitance values for the screen; classify each of the plurality of capacitance values of the capacitance map into a plurality of capacitance value ranges; sum capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately; extract global descriptors from the capacitance map based on the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges, the global descriptors including at least one global descriptor that is calculated as a sum of capacitance values in one of the plurality of capacitance value ranges; apply to the global descriptors a set of classifier rules to identify one of a plurality of different operating conditions; elect at least one sensing threshold based on the identified operating condition; compare the plurality of capacitance values against the at least one sensing threshold; and identify locations of the screen exposed to touch by a user based on the comparing, wherein the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately includes; in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a positive value, determining; a sum of positive capacitance values in a first positive range of the capacitance map; a sum of positive capacitance values in a second positive range of the capacitance map; and a sum of positive values for the capacitance values in a third positive range of the capacitance map; and in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a negative value, determining; a sum of negative capacitance values in a first negative range of the capacitance map; a sum of negative capacitance values in a second negative range of the capacitance map; and a sum of negative capacitance values in a third negative range of the capacitance map. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic device, comprising:
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a capacitive touch screen including a plurality of capacitive sensors; a touch controller coupled to the capacitive touch screen, the touch controller configured to; generate a capacitance map of a plurality of capacitance values of the plurality of capacitive sensors of the capacitive touch screen; classify each of the plurality of capacitance values of the capacitance map into a plurality of capacitance value ranges; sum capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately; extract descriptors from the capacitance map based on the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges, the descriptors indicating one of a plurality of different operating conditions of the capacitive touch screen and including at least one global descriptor that is calculated as a sum of the capacitance values in one of the plurality of capacitance value ranges of the capacitance map; apply to the descriptors a set of classifier rules to identify the one of a plurality of different operating conditions; compare the plurality of capacitance values against at least one sensing threshold selected as a function of the identified one of the plurality of different operating conditions; and identify locations of the screen exposed to touch by a user based on the comparing, wherein the summing the capacitance values in each of the plurality of capacitance value ranges separately includes; in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a positive value, determining; a sum of positive capacitance values in a first positive range of the capacitance map; a sum of positive capacitance values in a second positive range of the capacitance map; and a sum of positive values for the capacitance values in a third positive range of the capacitance map; and in response to that each of the plurality of capacitance values is a negative value, determining; a sum of negative capacitance values in a first negative range of the capacitance map; a sum of negative capacitance values in a second negative range of the capacitance map; and a sum of negative capacitance values in a third negative range of the capacitance map. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification