Touch wake for electronic devices

• US 8,089,461 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Beard, Paul, Woodings, Ryan Winfield
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIS, RANDAL L
• Application Number:
  US11/166,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,385 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/169, 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system to generate a wakeup signal for a low power device: The system includes a capacitor, the capacitance of which changes when a user touches the device by placing a finger or hand near a certain location on the device. The capacitor is cyclically charged to a pre-established value and then discharged. The time required to charge and discharge the capacitor is a function of the capacitor size and thus, a function of whether or not the operator is touching the device. The number of charge-discharge cycles that occur in a certain period of time is counted. If the number is relatively small, it indicated that a user is touching the device and a wake signal is generated. If the number is relatively large, it means that the user is not touching the device and no wake signal is generated. Thus, in the embodiments shown, a wake signal is generated when the operator touches the device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a capacitance measurement circuit that includes only one capacitance sensor, wherein the capacitance sensor comprises a first conductive strip positioned adjacent to an interior surface of a casing of a device, beneath an area of an external surface of the casing touched by a user, wherein the conductive strip forms a capacitor, a capacitance of which is increased when the user touches the exterior surface of the casing;

a switch coupled to the capacitor, the switch to alternately couple the capacitor to a voltage source to charge the capacitor and to a ground supply to discharge the capacitor;

a detector circuit coupled to the capacitor, the detector circuit to determine when the capacitor reaches a pre-set charge and when the capacitor is fully discharged;

a control circuit coupled to the detector circuit, the control circuit responsive to the detector circuit to alter a position of the switch, wherein the position is altered when the capacitor reaches the pre-set charge and when the capacitor is fully discharged;

a counter coupled to the control circuit, the counter to count a number of times the position of the switch is altered in a pre-established period of time and compare the number of times the position of the switch is altered to a pre-established count value; and

a signal generator circuit coupled to the counter, the signal generator circuit to generate a signal to wake the device from a sleep state if the number of times the position of the switch is altered does not match the pre-established count value during the pre-established period of time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the number of times the position of the switch is altered is inversely related to the capacitance of the capacitor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is battery operated.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the device is a computer mouse.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a non-conductive material.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the casing comprises a dielectric for the capacitor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-set charge is a charge that generates a voltage of approximately three volts.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein fully discharged comprises a voltage of approximately zero volts.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises a clock and a state machine.

10. A method of generating a wakeup signal for a device, the method comprising:

sensing, by a capacitance measurement circuit, a capacitance value, wherein the capacitance measurement circuit includes only capacitance sensor, wherein the capacitance sensor comprises a first conductive strip located adjacent to an interior surface of a casing of the device, wherein the conductive strip forms a capacitor;

changing a capacitance value of the capacitor from a relatively low value to a relatively high value when a user touches an exterior surface of the casing;

alternately charging the capacitor to a pre-set charge and fully discharging the capacitor;

counting a number of cycles for the capacitance value to reach the pre-set charge and to be fully discharged in a pre-established period of time and comparing the number of cycles to a pre-established count value; and

generating the wakeup signal for the device if the number of cycles does not match the pre-established count value during the pre-established period of time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the number of cycles is inversely related to the capacitance value of the capacitor.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein charging the capacitor comprises setting a position of a switch to couple the capacitor to a voltage source.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein discharging the capacitor comprises altering the position of the switch to couple the capacitor to a ground supply.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

altering the position of the switch when the capacitance value reaches the pre-set charge and when the capacitor is fully discharged.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the device is a battery operated wireless computer mouse which goes into a sleep state when not moved for a particular period of time.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the casing comprises a non-conductive material.

17. A system comprising:

a capacitance measurement circuit that includes conductive means forming only one capacitor, wherein the conductive means are positioned adjacent to an interior surface of a casing of a device, and wherein a capacitance value of the conductive means is increased from a relatively low value to a relatively high value when the user touches an exterior surface of the casing of the device;

counting means coupled to the conductive means, the counting means for determining a number of cycles where the capacitor is charged to a pre-set charge and is fully discharged in a pre-established period of time and comparing the number of cycles to a pre-established count value; and

circuit means coupled to the counting means, the circuit means for generating a signal to wake the device from a sleep state if the number of cycles does not match the pre-established count value, and if the capacitor has a relatively high value.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the number of cycles is inversely related to the capacitance value of the capacitor.