Apparatus, method, and medium of sensing movement of multi-touch point and mobile apparatus using the same

• US 8,212,782 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Seong-il, Park, Joon-ah, Chang, Wook, Soh, Byung-seok, Kang, Kyoung-ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRIS, DOROTHY H
• Application Number:
  US11/802,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 user interface technique using a two-dimensional capacitive sensor is provided. An apparatus for sensing movement of multi-touch points includes a capacitance sensing unit sensing two or more touch points, and sensing capacitance and a change in capacitance on the basis of the sensed touch points, a movement analyzing unit sensing and analyzing a change of movement of the two or more touch points using information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance, and a command processing unit processing a command corresponding to the change in movement according to a result of the analysis.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing movement of multi-touch points using a two-dimensional capacitive sensor, the apparatus comprising:

a capacitance sensing unit to sense two or more touch points, and to sense capacitance and a change in capacitance on the basis of the sensed touch points,

wherein the two-dimensional capacitive sensor further comprises two or more parallel electrode channels among “

M”

number of X axis sensing electrode channels or two or more parallel electrode channels among “

N”

number of Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a movement analyzing unit to sense and analyze a change of movement of the two or more touch points using information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance; and

a command processing unit to process a command corresponding to the change in movement,

wherein the movement analyzing unit comprises;

a capacitance magnitude detecting unit to sense the magnitude of the sensed capacitance in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change detecting unit to detect a change of the detected magnitude of the capacitance over time in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change speed detecting unit to detect a second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

a movement pattern determining unit to determine a movement pattern of the two or more touch points using information on the magnitude of the capacitance, the change of the magnitude of the capacitance over time, and the detected second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is larger than a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is less than a negative predetermined threshold value,

wherein, when two touch points at the left and right move in a horizontal direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises;

a mode that all of the two touch points move outward;

a mode that all of the two touch points move inward;

a mode that the left touch point moves inward and the right touch point moves outward; and

a mode that the left touch point moves outward and the right touch point moves inward.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitance sensing unit senses the capacitance and the change in capacitance using electrical signals that are generated through the ‘

M’

number of sensing electrode channels arranged in a vertical direction at predetermined intervals and the ‘

N’

number of sensing electrode channels arranged in a horizontal direction at predetermined intervals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the movement analyzing unit calculates position information on the two or more touch points using the information on the sensed capacitance from Equations,

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a non-moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points do not move, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is smaller than the predetermined threshold value and greater than the negative predetermined threshold value.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a one point-fixed one point-moving mode, in which the first touch point is fixed and the second touch point moves, when the two or more touch points are generated within a predetermined time, if the magnitude of the capacitance at the first touch point in contact with a first electrode channel keeps constant, and the change of the capacitance magnitude over time at the second touch point in contact with a second electrode channel in parallel with the first electrode channel is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the movement pattern determining unit calculates position information on the first touch point and the second touch point, when the second touch point moves while the magnitude of the capacitance at the first touch point is stored, by calculating the magnitude of capacitance of the moved second touch point by subtracting the stored capacitance magnitude at the first touch point from the capacitance magnitude after the movement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when two touch points move in a vertical direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises:

a mode that the two touch points move upward;

a mode that the two touch points move downward;

a mode that one of the two touch points moves upward and the other touch point moves downward.

8. A method of sensing movement of multi-touch points using a two-dimensional capacitive sensor, the method comprising:

sensing two or more touch points, and sensing capacitance and a change in capacitance on the basis of the sensed touch points,

wherein the two-dimensional capacitive sensor further comprises two or more parallel electrode channels among “

M”

number of X axis sensing electrode channels or two or more parallel electrode channels among “

N”

number of Y axis sensing electrode channels;

sensing and analyzing a change of movement of the two or more touch points using information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance; and

processing a command corresponding to the change of movement,

wherein the sensing and analyzing of the change of movement of the two or more touch points using the information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance further comprises;

sensing the magnitude of the sensed capacitance in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

detecting a change of the detected magnitude of the capacitance over time in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

detecting a second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

determining a movement pattern of the two or more touch points using the information on the magnitude of the capacitance, the change of the magnitude of the capacitance over time, and the detected second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude,

wherein the determining of the movement pattern of the two or more touch points comprises determining a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is larger than a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the determining of the movement pattern of the two or more touch points comprises determining a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is less than a negative predetermined threshold value,

wherein when two touch points at the left and right move in a horizontal direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises;

a mode that all of the two touch points move outward;

a mode that all of the two touch points move inward;

a mode that the left touch point moves inward and the right touch point moves outward; and

a mode that the left touch point moves outward and the right touch point moves inward.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensing of two or more touch points and sensing capacitance and the change in capacitance on the basis of the sensed touch points comprises sensing the capacitance and the change in capacitance using electrical signals that are generated through the ‘

M’

number of sensing electrode channels arranged in a vertical direction at predetermined intervals and the ‘

N’

number of sensing electrode channels arranged in a horizontal direction at predetermined intervals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein in the sensing and analyzing of the change of movement of the two or more touch points using the information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance, position information on the two or more touch points is calculated using the information on the sensed capacitance from Equations,

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the movement pattern of the two or more touch points comprises determining a non-moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points do not move, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is smaller than the predetermined threshold value and greater than the negative predetermined threshold value.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the movement pattern of the two or more touch points comprises determining a one point-fixed one point-moving mode, in which the first touch point is fixed and the second touch point moves, when the two or more touch points are generated within a predetermined time, if the magnitude of the capacitance at the first touch point in contact with a first electrode channel keeps constant, and the change of the capacitance magnitude over time at the second touch point in contact with a second electrode channel in parallel with the first electrode channel is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining of the movement pattern of the two or more touch points comprises:

storing the magnitude of the capacitance at the first touch point;

moving the second touch point;

subtracting the stored capacitance magnitude at the first touch point from the capacitance magnitude after the movement so as to calculate the magnitude of capacitance at the moved second touch point; and

calculating position information on the first touch point and the second touch point on the basis of the calculated capacitance magnitude at the first touch point and capacitance magnitude at the second touch point.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein when two touch points move in a vertical direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises:

a mode that the two touch points move upward;

a mode that the two touch points move downward;

a mode that one of the two touch points moves upward and the other touch point moves downward.

21. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that control at least one processor to implement the method of claim 8.

15. A mobile apparatus that has a touch screen and senses movement of multi-touch points, the apparatus comprising:

a capacitive sensor to sense two or more touch points, and to sense capacitance and a change in capacitance on the basis of the sensed touch points,

wherein the two-dimensional capacitive sensor further comprises two or more parallel electrode channels among “

M”

number of X axis sensing electrode channels or two or more parallel electrode channels among “

N”

number of Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a movement analyzing unit to sense and analyzing a change of movement of the two or more touch points using information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance;

an output unit to output a command corresponding to the change of movement; and

a command processing control unit to perform control to process the output command,

wherein the movement analyzing unit comprises;

a capacitance magnitude detecting unit to sense the magnitude of the sensed capacitance in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change detecting unit to detect a change of the detected magnitude of the capacitance over time in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change speed detecting unit to detect a second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

a movement pattern determining unit to determine a movement pattern of the two or more touch points using information on the magnitude of the capacitance, the change of the magnitude of the capacitance over time, and the detected second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is larger than a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is less than a negative predetermined threshold value,

wherein when two touch points at the left and right move in a horizontal direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises;

a mode that all of the two touch points move outward;

a mode that all of the two touch points move inward;

a mode that the left touch point moves inward and the right touch point moves outward; and

a mode that the left touch point moves outward and the right touch point moves inward.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the capacitive sensor senses the capacitance and the change in capacitance using electrical signals that are generated through the ‘

M’

number of sensing electrode channels arranged in a vertical direction at predetermined intervals and the ‘

N’

number of sensing electrode channels arranged in a horizontal direction at predetermined intervals.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the movement analyzing unit calculates position information on the two or more touch points using the information on the sensed capacitance from Equations,

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a non-moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points do not move, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is smaller than the predetermined threshold value and greater than the negative predetermined threshold value.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a one point-fixed one point-moving mode, in which the first touch point is fixed and the second touch point moves, when the two or more touch points are generated within a predetermined time, if the magnitude of the capacitance at the first touch point in contact with a first electrode channel keeps constant, and the change of the capacitance magnitude over time at the second touch point in contact with a second electrode channel in parallel with the first electrode channel is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the movement pattern determining unit calculates position information on the first touch point and the second touch point, when the second touch point moves while the magnitude of the capacitance at the first touch point is stored, by calculating the magnitude of capacitance of the moved second touch point by subtracting the stored capacitance magnitude at the first touch point from the capacitance magnitude after the movement.

22. The mobile apparatus of claim 15, wherein when two touch points move in a vertical direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises:

a mode that the two touch points move upward;

a mode that the two touch points move downward;

a mode that one of the two touch points moves upward and the other touch point moves downward.

23. An apparatus for sensing movement of multi-touch points using a two-dimensional capacitive sensor, the apparatus comprising:

a capacitance sensor to sense two or more touch points, and to sense capacitance and a change in capacitance on the basis of the sensed touch points,

wherein the two-dimensional capacitive sensor further comprises two or more parallel electrode channels among “

M”

number of X axis sensing electrode channels or two or more parallel electrode channels among “

N”

number of Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

a movement analyzer to sense and analyze a change of movement of the two or more touch points using information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance to determine a movement pattern,

wherein the movement analyzing unit comprises;

a capacitance magnitude detecting unit to sense the magnitude of the sensed capacitance in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change detecting unit to detect a change of the detected magnitude of the capacitance over time in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change speed detecting unit to detect a second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

a movement pattern determining unit to determine a movement pattern of the two or more touch points using information on the magnitude of the capacitance, the change of the magnitude of the capacitance over time, and the detected second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is larger than a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is less than a negative predetermined threshold value,

wherein when two touch points at the left and right move in a horizontal direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises;

a mode that all of the two touch points move outward;

a mode that all of the two touch points move inward;

a mode that the left touch point moves inward and the right touch point moves outward; and

a mode that the left touch point moves outward and the right touch point moves inward.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein when two touch points move in a vertical direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises:

a mode that the two touch points move upward;

a mode that the two touch points move downward;

a mode that one of the two touch points moves upward and the other touch point moves downward.

25. A method of sensing movement of multi-touch points using a two-dimensional capacitive sensor, the method comprising:

sensing capacitance and a change in capacitance based on two or more sensed touch points,

wherein the two-dimensional capacitive sensor further comprises two or more parallel electrode channels among “

M”

number of X axis sensing electrode channels or two or more parallel electrode channels among “

N”

number of Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

sensing and analyzing a change of movement of the two or more touch points using information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance to determine a movement pattern,

wherein the sensing and analyzing of the change of movement of the two or more touch points using the information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance further comprises;

sensing the magnitude of the sensed capacitance in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

detecting a change of the detected magnitude of the capacitance over time in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

detecting a second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

determining a movement pattern of the two or more touch points using the information on the magnitude of the capacitance, the change of the magnitude of the capacitance over time, and the detected second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude,

wherein the determining of the movement pattern of the two or more touch points comprises determining a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is larger than a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the determining of the movement pattern of the two or more touch points comprises determining a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is less than a negative predetermined threshold value,

wherein when two touch points at the left and right move in a horizontal direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises;

a mode that all of the two touch points move outward;

a mode that all of the two touch points move inward;

a mode that the left touch point moves inward and the right touch point moves outward; and

a mode that the left touch point moves outward and the right touch point moves inward.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein when two touch points move in a vertical direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises:

a mode that the two touch points move upward;

a mode that the two touch points move downward;

a mode that one of the two touch points moves upward and the other touch point moves downward.

27. A mobile apparatus that has a touch screen and senses movement of multi-touch points, the apparatus comprising:

a capacitive sensor to sense two or more touch points, and to sense capacitance and a change in capacitance on the basis of the sensed touch points,

wherein the two-dimensional capacitive sensor further comprises two or more parallel electrode channels among “

M”

number of X axis sensing electrode channels or two or more parallel electrode channels among “

N”

number of Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

a movement analyzer to sense and analyze a change of movement of the two or more touch points using information on the sensed capacitance and change in capacitance to determine a movement pattern,

wherein the movement analyzing unit comprises;

a capacitance magnitude detecting unit to sense the magnitude of the sensed capacitance in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change detecting unit to detect a change of the detected magnitude of the capacitance over time in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels;

a capacitance magnitude change speed detecting unit to detect a second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude in each of the two or more X axis sensing electrode channels or in each of the two or more Y axis sensing electrode channels; and

a movement pattern determining unit to determine a movement pattern of the two or more touch points using information on the magnitude of the capacitance, the change of the magnitude of the capacitance over time, and the detected second-order differential value of the capacitance magnitude,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is larger than a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the movement pattern determining unit determines a multi-touch point moving mode, in which all of the two or more touch points move simultaneously, when the change of the capacitance magnitude over time is less than a negative predetermined threshold value,

wherein when two touch points at the left and right move in a horizontal direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises;

a mode that all of the two touch points move outward;

a mode that all of the two touch points move inward;

a mode that the left touch point moves inward and the right touch point moves outward; and

a mode that the left touch point moves outward and the right touch point moves inward.

28. The mobile apparatus of claim 27, wherein when two touch points move in a vertical direction, the multi-touch point moving mode comprises:

a mode that the two touch points move upward;

a mode that the two touch points move downward;

a mode that one of the two touch points moves upward and the other touch point moves downward.