Channel scan logic

• US 20080162997A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, Thomas James, Krah, Christoph Horst, Vu, Minh-Dieu Thi
• Granted Patent: US 8,094,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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
• 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

Abstract

A device that can autonomously scan a sensor panel is disclosed. Autonomous scanning can be performed by implementing channel scan logic. In one embodiment, channel scan logic carries out many of the functions that a processor would normally undertake, including generating timing sequences and obtaining result data; comparing scan result data against a threshold value (e.g., in an auto-scan mode); generating row count; selecting one or more scanning frequency bands; power management control; and performing an auto-scan routine in a low power mode.

Claims

1. A multi-event sensitive panel device, comprising:

an event-sensitive panel having a plurality of sensors for providing an output signal indicative of an event or no-event condition on the panel; and

channel scan logic configured to control timing sequences and sensor address information used to apply input signals to at least some of the plurality of sensors.

2. The panel device of claim 1, the channel scan logic comprising a channel timing generator for generating an analog-to-digital converter control signal.

3. The panel device of claim 1, wherein the channel timing generator is a state machine.

4. The panel device of claim 1, the channel scan logic comprising an address generator for generating a sensor address signal, the sensor address signal enabling at least some of the plurality of sensors to be scanned.

5. The panel device of claim 1, the channel scan logic comprising a clock generator and a clock divider, the combination of the clock generator and the clock divider capable of generating the input signals.

6. The panel device of claim 1, the channel scan logic comprising a demodulator look up table containing a number of demodulation values used to form a demodulation waveform.

7. The panel device of claim 6, the channel scan logic further comprising a counter capable of generating an incremented value corresponding to one of the demodulation values stored in the demodulator look up table.

8. The panel device of claim 1, the channel scan logic comprising delay logic configured to delay a demodulated waveform that is to be applied to an analog channel so that the demodulated waveform is applied to the analog channel at about the same time a corresponding output signal reaches the analog channel.

9. The panel device of claim 1, the channel scan logic comprising delay logic configured to delay an analog to digital converter control signal to account for delay associated with an output signal reaching an analog channel associated with the analog to digital converter.

10. The panel device of claim 1, the channel scan logic comprising auto scan logic configured to autonomously scan the event-sensitive panel while the device is in a low power mode.

11. The panel device of claim 10, further comprising a processor operatively connected to the channel scan logic and configured to program channel scan logic control parameters into memory units, the channel scan control parameters used to configure control functions of the channel scan logic.

12. A mobile telephone incorporating the sensor panel device of claim 1.

13. A digital audio player incorporating the sensor panel device of claim 1.

14. Channel scan logic for controlling scanning functions of a sensor panel, comprising:

a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal based on one of a plurality timing parameters inputted into the clock generator;

a stimulus signal divider operatively connected to the clock generator, the stimulus frequency divider configured to output a stimulus signal by dividing a the clock signal by a stimulus divide parameter;

a count divider operatively connected to the clock generator, the count divider configured to divide the clock signal by a count divide parameter to produce a count clock signal;

a counter operatively connected to the count divider, the counter configured to generate a plurality of incremented signals in response to the count clock signal;

a demodulation look up table operatively connected to the counter, the demodulation look up table outputting a demodulation value corresponding to each of the plurality of incremented signals;

a channel timing generator configured receive channel timing parameters and generate an analog channel control signal based on the channel timing parameters;

a sensor address generator configured to receive sensor address parameters and generate a sensor address control signal based on the sensor address parameters; and

delay logic operatively connected to the channel timing generator and the demodulation lookup table, the delay logic configured to generate delayed demodulation waveform signals and delayed analog to digital control signals.

15. The channel scan logic of claim 14, wherein the counter is configured to receive a value corresponding to a total number of demodulation values and rest upon counting up to the value corresponding to the total number of demodulation values.

16. The channel scan logic of claim 14, wherein the channel timing generator is a state machine.

17. The channel scan logic of claim 14, wherein the sensor address generator is a state machine.

18. The channel scan logic of claim 14, wherein the sensor address parameters include row mask parameters, scan pattern parameters, timing sequence parameters and high and low address parameters.

19. The channel scan logic of claim 14, wherein the sensor address parameters control which sensors are scanned.

20. The channel scan logic of claim 14, wherein the delay logic comprises a shift register and a multiplexer.

21. The channel scan logic of claim 14, further comprising a computing system that incorporates the channel scan logic, the computing system comprising:

a multi-event sensor panel comprising a plurality of sensors;

a multi-event subsystem operatively connected to the plurality of sensors;

a multi-event panel processor operatively connected to the multi-event subsystem; and

a host processor operatively connected to the multi-event panel processor.

22. The channel scan logic of claim 21, further comprising a mobile telephone that incorporates the computing system.

23. The channel scan logic of claim 21, further comprising a digital audio player that incorporates the computing system.

24. The channel scan logic of claim 21, wherein the plurality of sensors form one or more sensor rows located in distinct and non-overlapping areas.

25. The channel scan logic of claim 21, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in rows and columns in the sensor panel, each column operatively connected to a different analog channel.

26. An apparatus for sensing an event on a sensor panel, comprising:

means for generating scan timing sequences;

means for generating row address control information;

means for generating stimulation signals; and

means for generating a demodulated waveform signals.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further including means for delaying the demodulated waveform signals.

28. A mobile telephone comprising:

an event-sensitive panel having a plurality of sensors for providing feedback indicative of an event or no-event condition on the panel; and

channel scan logic configured to generate timing sequences and sensor address information for scanning at least some of the plurality of sensors.

29. The mobile telephone of claim 28, the channel scan logic comprising a channel timing generator for generating an analog-to-digital converter control signal.

30. The mobile telephone of claim 28, wherein the channel timing generator is a state machine.

31. The mobile telephone of claim 28, the channel scan logic comprising an address generator for generating a sensor address signal, the sensor address signal enabling at least some of the plurality of sensors to be scanned.

32. The mobile telephone of claim 28, the channel scan logic comprising a clock generator and a clock divider configured to generate a stimulus signal that is to be applied to at least some of the plurality of sensors.

33. The mobile telephone of claim 28, the channel scan logic comprising a demodulator look up table containing a plurality of demodulation values used to form a demodulation waveform.

34. The mobile telephone of claim 33, the channel scan logic further comprising a counter capable of generating an incremented value corresponding to one of the demodulation values stored in the demodulator look up table.

35. The mobile telephone of claim 28, the channel scan logic comprising delay logic configured to delay a demodulated waveform that is to be applied to an analog channel so that the demodulated waveform is applied to the analog channel at about the same time feedback from a corresponding stimulus signal reaches the analog channel.

36. The mobile telephone of claim 28, the channel scan logic comprising delay logic configured to delay an analog to digital converter control signal to account for delay associated with a stimulus signal'"'"'s feedback reaching an analog channel associated with the analog to digital converter.

37. The mobile telephone of claim 28, the channel scan logic comprising auto scan logic configured to autonomously scan the event-sensitive panel while the device is in a low power mode.

38. The mobile telephone device of claim 28, further comprising a processor operatively connected to the channel scan logic and configured to program channel scan logic control parameters into memory units, the channel scan control parameters configured to control one or more functions of the channel scan logic.

39. The mobile telephone device of claim 28, further comprising a computing system that incorporates the channel scan logic, the computing system comprising:

a multi-event subsystem operatively connected to the plurality of sensors and incorporating the channel scan logic;

a multi-event panel processor operatively connected to the multi-event subsystem; and

a host processor operatively connected to the multi-event panel processor.

40. A digital audio player comprising:

an event-sensitive panel having a plurality of sensors for providing an output signal indicative of an event or no-event condition on the panel; and

channel scan logic configured to generate timing sequences and sensor address information for scanning at least some of the plurality of sensors.

41. The digital audio player of claim 40, the channel scan logic comprising a channel timing generator for generating an analog-to-digital converter control signal.

42. The digital audio player of claim 40, wherein the channel timing generator is a state machine.

43. The digital audio player of claim 40, the channel scan logic comprising an address generator for generating a sensor address signal, the sensor address signal enabling at least some of the plurality of sensors to be scanned.

44. The digital audio player of claim 40, the channel scan logic comprising a clock generator and a clock divider configured to generate a stimulus signal that is to be applied to at least some of the plurality of sensors.

45. The digital audio player of claim 40, the channel scan logic comprising a demodulator look up table containing a number of demodulation values used to form a demodulation waveform.

46. The digital audio player of claim 45, the channel scan logic further comprising a counter capable of generating an incremented value corresponding to one of the demodulation values stored in the demodulator look up table.

47. The digital audio player of claim 40, the channel scan logic comprising delay logic configured to delay a demodulated waveform that is to be applied to an analog channel so that the demodulated waveform is applied to the analog channel at about the same time feedback from a corresponding stimulus signal reaches the analog channel.

48. The digital audio player of claim 40, the channel scan logic comprising delay logic configured to delay an analog to digital converter control signal to account for delay associated with a stimulus signal'"'"'s feedback reaching an analog channel associated with the analog to digital converter.

49. The digital audio player of claim 40, the channel scan logic comprising auto scan logic configured to autonomously scan the event-sensitive panel while the device is in a low power mode.

50. The digital audio player of claim 40, further comprising a processor operatively connected to the channel scan logic and configured to program channel scan logic control parameters into memory units, the channel scan control parameters configured to control one or more functions of the channel scan logic.

51. The digital audio player of claim 40, further comprising a computing system that incorporates the channel scan logic, the computing system comprising:

a multi-event subsystem operatively connected to the plurality of sensors and incorporating the channel scan logic;

a multi-event panel processor operatively connected to the multi-event subsystem; and

a host processor operatively connected to the multi-event panel processor.

52. A method for detecting multi-events on or near a sensitive surface, comprising:

continuously scanning a multi-event sensor panel until a first memory unit is full of scan data;

when the first memory unit is full of scan data, moving the scan data therein to a second memory unit;

after the scan data is moved of the second memory unit, automatically resume scanning the multi-event sensor panel.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising processing the scan data moved to the second memory unit.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the processing comprises filtering the scan data.

55. A method for detecting multi-events on or near a sensitive surface, comprising:

scanning a first frame of a multi-event panel;

waiting for permission to scan a second frame of a multi-event panel;

providing permission to scan the second frame; and

after receiving permission, scanning the second frame.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein a multi-event processor provides the permission to scan the second frame.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the permission is in a form of a flag.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising storing data obtained from the first frame scan and processing the data obtained from the first frame scan.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of providing permission is after the step of processing the data.

60. A method for detecting multi-events on or near a sensitive surface, comprising:

scanning a first row of a multi-event panel;

waiting for permission to scan a second row of a multi-event panel;

providing permission to scan the second row; and

after receiving permission, scanning the second row.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein a multi-event processor provides the permission to scan the second row.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the permission is in a form of a flag.

63. The method of claim 60, further comprising storing data obtained from the first row scan and processing the data obtained from the first row scan.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the step of providing permission is after the step of processing the data.

65. A multi-event sensitive panel device, comprising:

a multi-event sensitive panel having a plurality of sensors; and

channel scan logic configured to autonomously obtain results from the plurality of sensors, the results being indicative of an event or no-event condition at the panel.

66. The multi-event sensitive panel device of claim 65, wherein the channel scan logic is configured to use a continuous scan mode for obtaining the results.

67. The multi-event sensitive panel device of claim 65, wherein the channel scan logic is configured to use a row-by-row scan mode for obtaining the results.

68. The multi-event sensitive panel device of claim 65, wherein the channel scan logic is configured to use a frame-by-frame scan mode for obtaining the results.

69. The multi-event sensitive panel device of claim 65, wherein the channel scan logic is configured to use a dual frame scan mode for obtaining the results.