Method and apparatus for a scaleable touch panel controller

• US 6,639,587 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Manikal, Prashant, Carpenter, Gary Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/978,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20030071793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/168, 345/173, 345/174, 345/179, 178/18-1-, 178/19-1-, 341/22, 341/34
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 an apparatus for determining the contact position on a touch panel sensor. The method and apparatus utilizes a counter to determine the elapsed time that occurs before a circuit discharges from a peak value to a predetermined threshold value. The elapsed time for two or more circuits is measured, from which the contact position is determined.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a relative contact position on a touch panel sensor comprising an X-resistance and a Y-resistance, the X-resistance having a first X-connection and a second X-connection, and the Y-resistance having a first Y-connection and a second Y-connection, the apparatus comprising:

means for connecting the first X-connection to an X capacitor;

means for connecting the first Y-connection to a Y capacitor;

means for connecting the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, the second Y-connection, the X capacitor, and the Y capacitor so that each of two or more circuits are enabled to measure the relative resistance between each of the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, and the second Y-connection, each of the two or more circuits having a sense point;

means for configuring each of the two or more circuits to be charged to peak capacity;

means for configuring each of the two or more circuits to discharge below a predetermined threshold as measured at the sense point;

means for connecting each of the two or more circuits to measure an elapsed time for to each circuit to discharge below the predetermined threshold; and

means for determining from the elapsed time that each of the two or more circuits the relative contact position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, the second Y-connection, the X capacitor, and the Y capacitor comprise bi-directional IO drivers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, the second Y-connection, the X capacitor, and the Y capacitor are bi-directional IO drivers having a receiver portion, and wherein the predetermined threshold is substantially equivalent to one-half the maximum supply voltage of the receiver portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for measuring an elapsed time comprises a counter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for determining the contact position comprises means for determining the contact position with reference to the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the first Y-connection, the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the second Y-connection, the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the first X-connection, the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the second X-connection, the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the second X-connection, and the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the second Y-connection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for determining the contact position comprises means for performing the equations:

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more circuits measures at least one of the resistance between the first X connection and the first Y connection, the resistance between the first X connection and the second Y connection, the resistance between the first Y connection and the first X connection, the resistance between the first Y connection and the second X connection, the resistance between the first X connection and the second X connection, and the resistance between the first Y connection and the second Y connection.

8. An apparatus for determining a contact position on a touch panel sensor comprising a first X-connection and a second X-connection at opposing ends of an X-resistance, and a first Y-connection and a second Y-connection at opposing ends of a Y-resistance, the method comprising the steps of:

means for measuring a first value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the first Y-connection;

means for measuring a second value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the second Y-connection;

means for measuring a third value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the first X-connection;

means for measuring a fourth value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the second X-connection;

means for measuring a fifth value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the second X-connection;

means for measuring a sixth value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the second Y-connection; and

means for determining the contact position with reference to the first value, the second value, the third value, the fourth value, the fifth value, and the sixth value.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for measuring comprise means for measuring the elapsed time that a peak charge discharges.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for determining the contact position comprise means for performing the equation:

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for measuring comprise bi-directional IO drivers and capacitors.

12. A method of determining a relative contact position on a touch panel sensor comprising an X-resistance and a Y-resistance, the X-resistance having a first X-connection and a second X-connection, and the Y-resistance having a first Y-connection and a second Y-connection, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting the first X-connection to an X capacitor;

connecting the first Y-connection to a Y capacitor;

connecting the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, the second Y-connection, the X capacitor, and the Y capacitor so that each of two or more circuits are enabled to measure the relative resistance between each of the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, and the second Y-connection, each of the two or more circuits having a sense point;

configuring each of the two or more circuits to be charged to peak capacity;

configuring each of the two or more circuits to discharge below a predetermined threshold as measured at the sense point;

connecting each of the two or more circuits to measure an elapsed time for to each circuit to discharge below the predetermined threshold; and

determining from the elapsed time that each of the two or more circuits the relative contact position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of connecting the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, the second Y-connection, the X capacitor, and the Y capacitor comprises bi-directional IO drivers.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of connecting the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, the second Y-connection, the X capacitor, and the Y capacitor is performed via bi-directional IO drivers having a receiver portion, and wherein the predetermined threshold is substantially equivalent to one-half the maximum supply voltage of the receiver portion.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of measuring an elapsed time comprises a counter.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining the contact position is performed with reference to the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the first Y-connection, the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the second Y-connection, the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the first X-connection, the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the second X-connection, the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the second X-connection, and the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the second Y-connection.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining the contact position is performed according to the equations:

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the two or more circuits measures at least one of the resistance between the first X connection and the first Y connection, the resistance between the first X connection and the second Y connection, the resistance between the first Y connection and the first X connection, the resistance between the first Y connection and the second X connection, the resistance between the first X connection and the second X connection, and the resistance between the first Y connection and the second Y connection.

19. A method of determining a contact position on a touch panel sensor comprising a first X-connection and a second X-connection at opposing ends of an X-resistance, and a first Y-connection and a second Y-connection at opposing ends of a Y-resistance, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring a first value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the first Y-connection;

measuring a second value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the second Y-connection;

measuring a third value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the first X-connection;

measuring a fourth value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the second X-connection;

measuring a fifth value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the second X-connection;

measuring a sixth value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the second Y-connection; and

determining the contact position with reference to the first value, the second value, the third value, the fourth value, the fifth value, and the sixth value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the steps of measuring comprises measuring the elapsed time that a peak charge discharges.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining the contact position is performed according to the equation:

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the steps of measuring are performed via bi-directional IO drivers and capacitors.

23. A computer program product for determining a relative contact position on a touch panel sensor comprising an X-resistance and a Y-resistance, the X-resistance having a first X-connection and a second X-connection, and the Y-resistance having a first Y-connection and a second Y-connection, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for connecting the first X-connection to an X capacitor;

computer program code for connecting the first Y-connection to a Y capacitor;

computer program code for connecting the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, the second Y-connection, the X capacitor, and the Y capacitor so that each of two or more circuits are enabled to measure the relative resistance between each of the first X-connection, the second X-connection, the first Y-connection, and the second Y-connection, each of the two or more circuits having a sense point;

computer program code for configuring each of the two or more circuits to be charged to peak capacity;

computer program code for configuring each of the two or more circuits to discharge below a predetermined threshold as measured at the sense point;

computer program code for connecting each of the two or more circuits to measure an elapsed time for to each circuit to discharge below the predetermined threshold; and

computer program code for determining from the elapsed time that each of the two or more circuits the relative contact position.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer program code for measuring an elapsed time comprises a counter.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer program code for determining the contact position is performed with reference to the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the first Y-connection, the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the second Y-connection, the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the first X-connection, the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the second X-connect ion, the relative resistance from the first X-connection to the second X-connection, and the relative resistance from the first Y-connection to the second Y-connection.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer program code for determining the contact position is performed according to the equations:

27. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the two or more circuits measures at least one of the resistance between the first X connection and the first Y connection, the resistance between the first X connection and the second Y connection, the resistance between the first Y connection and the first X connection, the resistance between the first Y connection and the second X connection, the resistance between the first X connection and the second X connection, and the resistance between the first Y connection and the second Y connection.

28. A computer program product for determining a contact position on a touch panel sensor comprising a first X-connection and a second X-connection at opposing ends of an X-resistance, and a first Y-connection and a second Y-connection at opposing ends of a Y-resistance, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for measuring a first value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the first Y-connection;

computer program code for measuring a second value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the second Y-connection;

computer program code for measuring a third value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the first X-connection;

computer program code for measuring a fourth value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the second X-connection;

measuring a fifth value as the relative resistance between the first X-connection and the second X-connection;

computer program code for measuring a sixth value as the relative resistance between the first Y-connection and the second Y-connection; and

computer program code for determining the contact position with reference to the first value, the second value, the third value, the fourth value, the fifth value, and the sixth value.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer program code for measuring comprises computer program code for measuring the elapsed time that a peak charge discharges.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer program code for determining the contact position is performed according to the equation: