Object position detector with edge motion feature and gesture recognition

• US 20040178997A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Gillespie, David W., Day, Shawn P., Wolf, Ralph C., Allen, Timothy P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,109,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-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 and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

A method of generating a signal comprising providing a capacitive touch sensor pad including a matrix of X and Y conductors, developing capacitance profiles in one of an X direction and a Y direction from the matrix of X and Y conductors, determining an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of the capacitance profiles, the single gesture including an application of at least two objects on the capacitive touch sensor pad, and generating a signal indicating the occurrence of the single gesture.

Claims

1. A method of generating a signal comprising:

providing a capacitive touch sensor pad including a matrix of X and Y conductors;

developing capacitance profiles in one of an X direction and a Y direction from said matrix of X and Y conductors;

determining an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of said capacitance profiles, said single gesture including an application of at least two objects on said capacitive touch sensor pad; and

generating a signal indicating the occurrence of said single gesture.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said signal is a simulated mouse button click.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein developing capacitance profiles comprises developing capacitance profiles in both said X and Y directions from said matrix of X and Y conductors.

4. A capacitive sensor comprising:

a matrix of X and Y conductors;

sensing circuitry coupled to each of said X and Y conductors and configured to generate outputs based on the capacitance of said X and Y conductors; and

an arithmetic unit coupled to said sensing circuitry and configured to develop a first capacitance profile in an X direction in response to said outputs of said sensing circuitry, and to determine an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of said first capacitance profile, said single gesture including an application of at least two objects to said capacitive sensor.

5. The capacitive sensor of claim 4 wherein said sensing circuitry is configured to drive said X conductors simultaneously, and to drive said Y conductors simultaneously, wherein said X conductors are driven separately from said Y conductors.

6. The capacitive sensor of claim 4 wherein said arithmetic unit is configured to develop a second capacitance profile in a Y direction in response to said outputs of said sensing circuitry.

7. The capacitive sensor of claim 4 wherein said arithmetic unit is configured to differentiate between an application of a single object and an application of multiple objects to the capacitive sensor.