Object position detector with edge motion feature and gesture recognition

• US 7,812,829 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Gillespie, David W., Day, Shawn P., Wolf, Ralph C., Allen, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar; Vijay
• Application Number:
  US11/926,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20080042994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178 1801- 1807, 178 1901- 1906
• 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 touch-sensor comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed on the substrate, the plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense an object proximate to the plurality of sensor electrodes;

a processor coupled to the plurality of sensor electrodes, the processor configured to;

detect a first object presence at a first position on the touch-sensor;

detect a second object presence at a second position on the touch-sensor, the second object presence detectable a first elapsed time after an end of the first object presence,

compare the first elapsed time with a first reference amount of time;

compare a distance between the first position and the second position with a reference distance; and

initiate a gesture signal indicating an occurrence of a multiple-presence gesture responsive to each of a set of criteria being met, the set of criteria comprising the first elapsed time being less than the first reference amount of time and the distance between the first position and the second position being greater than the reference distance.

2. The touch-sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a first set of conductive traces running in a first direction.

3. The touch-sensor of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes further comprises a second set of conductive traces running in a second direction different from the first direction, and wherein the processor is further configured to

repeatedly receive sensor electrode signals from the plurality of sensor electrodes,

repeatedly develop sensor profiles using the sensor electrode signals, and

repeatedly determine positional information in two dimensions using the sensor profiles.

4. A method for responding to a multiple-presence gesture, the method comprising:

detecting a first presence of an object at a first position on the touch-sensor;

detecting a second presence of an object at a second position on the touch-sensor, the second presence of an object occurring a first elapsed time after an end of the first presence;

comparing the first elapsed time with a first reference amount of time;

comparing a distance between the first position and the second position with a reference distance; and

initiating a multi-presence gesture signal indicating an occurrence of a multiple-presence gesture responsive to each of a set of criteria being met, the set of criteria comprising the first elapsed time being less than the first reference amount of time and the distance between the first position and the second position being greater than the reference distance.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second presence lasts a first duration, further comprising:

comparing the first duration to a second reference amount of time, wherein the set of criteria further comprises the first duration being less than the second reference amount of time.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second presence has a first amount of motion during the first duration and wherein the set of criteria further comprises the first amount of motion being less than a first reference amount of motion, further comprising:

comparing the first amount of motion with a first reference amount of motion.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a location of the second position relative to the first position, wherein the gesture signal is indicative of the location of the second position relative to the first position.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining the location of the second position relative to the first position comprises determining whether the second position is left or right of the first position, and wherein the gesture signal is indicative of the location of the second position relative to the first position by being indicative of whether the second position is left or right of the first position.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the gesture signal is indicative of the second position being to the left of the first position by simulating actuation of a first button, and wherein the gesture signal is indicative of the second position being to the right of the first position by simulating actuation of a second button.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the gesture signal is configured to cause a function that is selectable using a control panel.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

initiating a different gesture signal indicating an occurrence of a different gesture responsive to each of a different set of criteria being met, the different set of criteria comprising the distance between the first position and the second position being less than the reference distance and the first duration being less than the second reference amount of time.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

initiating a different gesture signal indicating an occurrence of a different gesture responsive to each of a different set of criteria being met, the different set of criteria comprising the second position being in a corner region of the touch-sensor and the first duration being less than the second reference amount of time.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

detecting a third presence of the object occurring a second elapsed time after an end of the third presence, wherein the gesture signal is maintained at least until an end of the third presence if the second elapsed time is less than a third reference amount of time and the third presence lasts a second duration greater than a fourth reference amount of time.

14. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

detecting a third presence of the object occurring a second elapsed time after an end of the third presence, the third presence occurring at a third position on the touch-sensor and lasting a second duration; and

terminating the gesture signal and initiating and terminating a second gesture signal after an end of the third presence if the second elapsed time is less than a third reference amount of time and the second duration is less than a fourth reference amount of time.

15. The method of claim 4 wherein the distance between the first position and the second position is calculated as a component of an absolute difference of the first and second positions along an axis.

16. A touch-sensor comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed on the substrate, the plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense an object proximate to the plurality of sensor electrodes,

a processor coupled to the plurality of sensor electrodes, the processor configured to;

repeatedly receive a set of signals from the plurality of sensor electrodes;

repeatedly develop a set of sensor profiles using the first set of signals;

repeatedly derive Z values using the set of sensor profiles, the set of Z values indicative of changes in capacitance sensed due to capacitive coupling between an object and the plurality of sensor electrodes;

from a first time associated with a first Z value is on one side of a first threshold until a second time later than the first associated with a second Z value is on an opposite side of the first threshold, wherein all Z values associated with times between the first time and second time are all past a reference Z value, provide positional information representing motion of the object on the touch-sensor; and

after the second time where the second Z value is on the opposite side of the first threshold, initiate a gesture signal indicating an occurrence of the gesture.

17. The touch-sensor of claim 16, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a first set of conductive traces running in a first direction.

18. The touch-sensor of claim 17, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a second set of conductive traces running in a second direction different from the first direction, and wherein the processor is further configured to

repeatedly receive sensor electrode signals from the plurality of sensor electrodes,

repeatedly develop sensor profiles using the sensor electrode signals, and

repeatedly determine positional information in two dimensions using the sensor profiles.

19. A method for using a capacitive touch-sensor having a plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense an object proximate to the plurality of sensor electrodes, the method comprising:

repeatedly receiving signals from the plurality of sensor electrodes;

repeatedly developing sensor profiles using the signals;

repeatedly deriving Z values using the sensor profiles, the Z values indicative of changes in capacitance sensed due to capacitive coupling between an object and the plurality of sensor electrodes;

providing positional information representing motion of the object on the touch-sensor from a first time to a second time, wherein the first time is associated with a first Z value being on one side of a first threshold and the second time is associated with a second Z value being on an opposite side of the first threshold; and

initiating the gesture signal indicating an occurrence of the gesture after the second time.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes includes a first set of conductive traces, wherein

repeatedly developing sensor profiles using the signals comprises repeatedly developing sensor profiles along a first direction, and

repeatedly deriving Z values using the sensor profiles comprises repeatedly deriving first sums of the sensor profiles along the first direction, and repeatedly using the first sums to derive the Z values.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes further includes a second set of conductive traces in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein

repeatedly developing sensor profiles using the signals comprises repeatedly developing sensor profiles along the second direction, and

repeatedly deriving Z values using the sensor profiles comprises repeatedly deriving second sums of the sensor profiles along the second direction, and repeatedly basing the Z values on the smaller of the first and second sums.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the position information is configured to cause cursor motion and the gesture signal is a virtual button click.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the gesture signal indicating the occurrence of the gesture is maintained until a third time associated with a third Z value on one side of a second threshold, wherein the second Z value is on an opposite side of the second threshold.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein greater Z values indicate greater change in capacitance sensed due to capacitive coupling between the object and the touch-sensor, and wherein the first threshold is greater than a second threshold.