Multi-function slider in touchpad

• US 20070273659A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: XiaoPing, Jiang, GuangHai, Li
• Granted Patent: US 8,089,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• 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 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for mapping a touch sensing device to two sets of output objects. In one embodiment, the method includes mapping a first set of output objects into a plurality of one dimensional positions of a touch sensing device when a presence of a conductive object is determined to be in a first region, among a plurality of regions, of the touch sensing device. The method further includes mapping a second set of output objects into the plurality of one dimensional positions of the touch sensing device when the presence of the conductive object is determined to be in a second region, distinct from the first region, of the touch sensing device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

mapping a first set of output objects into a plurality of one dimensional positions of a touch sensing device when a presence of a conductive object is determined to be in a first region, among a plurality of regions, of the touch sensing device; and

mapping a second set of output objects into the plurality of one dimensional positions of the touch sensing device when the presence of the conductive object is determined to be in a second region, distinct from the first region, of the touch sensing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing a function when the presence of a conductive object is determined to be in a third region of the touch sensing device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data indicative of movement of the conductive object across the plurality of one dimensional positions of the touch sensing device;

determining a one dimensional position where the conductive object moves off the touch sensing device;

outputting an output object with a processing device based on the determined one dimensional position when the conductive object moves off a region of the touch sensing device, other than the third region, each output object mapped to a one dimensional position of the first and second regions of the touch sensing device; and

canceling the current mapping when the conductive object moves off the third region of the touch sensing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving further comprises:

receiving data from a pin operatively coupled with the touch sensing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

deleting a previously outputted output object upon detecting data indicative of a tap, from the conductive object, on the third region.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch sensing device is a capacitive sensing device comprising a plurality of capacitive sensing elements.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of capacitive sensing elements is formed by a plurality of conductive elements disposed below an insulating layer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the capacitive sensing device is a capacitive sensing slider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive object is a finger.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the output object is a character to be outputted to a display device.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch sensing device having a plurality of regions comprising a first region and a second region distinct from the first region, each of the plurality of regions comprising a plurality of capacitive sensing elements; and

a processing logic coupled with the touch sensing device, the processing logic to;

map a first set of output objects into a plurality of one dimensional positions of the touch sensing device when a presence of a conductive object is determined to be in the first region; and

map a second set of output objects into the plurality of one dimensional positions of the touch sensing device when the presence of the conductive object is determined to be in the second region.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the touch sensing device further comprising a third region distinct from the first region and the second region; and

the processing logic further to process a function when the presence of the conductive object is determined to be in the third region.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the function is a map cancellation function to cancel a current mapping applied to the touch sensing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the function is an output object deletion function when the presence of the conductive object is determined to be a tap in the third region.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the processing logic to receive data indicative of movement of the conductive object across the plurality of positions of the touch sensing device, and to receive data indicative of a one dimensional position corresponding to where the conductive object moves off the touch sensing device; and

an output device coupled with the processing logic to output an output object when the conductive object moves off the first region or the second region of the touch sensing device, each output object mapped to a one dimensional position of the first region and the second region of the touch sensing device associated with the output object.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of capacitive sensing elements is formed by a plurality of conductive pads disposed below an insulating layer.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the conductive object is a finger.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the touch sensing device is a touch sensing slider.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for mapping a first set of output objects into a plurality of one dimensional positions of a touch sensing device when a presence of a conductive object is determined to be in a first region, among a plurality of regions, of the touch sensing device; and

means for mapping a second set of output objects into the plurality of one dimensional positions of the touch sensing device when the presence of the conductive object is determined to be in a second region, distinct from the first region, of the touch sensing device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for processing a function when the presence of the conductive object is determined to be in a third region of the touch sensing device.