Touch detection for a digitizer

• US 8,373,677 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Perski, Haim, Morag, Meir
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US13/564,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 194 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178 1801- 1807, 178 1901- 1906
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• 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 3/04182 Filtering of noise external to the device and not generated by digitiser components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• 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 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.

Claims

1. A digitizer for providing position detection of both a stylus and finger touch when present over an electronic display screen, the digitizer comprising:

a transparent arrangement of sensing conductors located at an electronic display screen for detecting both the stylus and the finger touch when present, at least some of the sensing conductors having outputs, and

a signal generator providing a signal for exciting circuitry in the stylus; and

circuitry of the digitizer for detecting output on one or more sensing conductors, the output arising from one or both of the finger touch and a signal emitted by the stylus, wherein the output provides information for detecting position of one or both the finger touch and the stylus when present responsive to the output detected.

2. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is operative to provide the signal for exciting circuitry in the stylus to at least one sensing conductor of the transparent arrangement of sensing conductors.

3. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operative to detect position of one or both the finger touch and the stylus when present responsive to the output detected.

4. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the signal emitted by the stylus is responsive to exciting the circuitry in the stylus.

5. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the signal emitted by the stylus is synchronized with the signal for exciting circuitry in the stylus.

6. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the stylus is internally powered using a battery.

7. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the signal provided to the at least one sensing conductor is an AC signal.

8. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operative to distinguish between positions of multiple styluses present over the transparent arrangement of sensing conductors at the same time.

9. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to detect simultaneous inputs from the finger touch and the stylus.

10. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein position detection of the finger touch is capacitive based detection.

11. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is operative to detect position of more than one finger touch occurring simultaneously.

12. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the output arising from the finger touch and the stylus is detected from a same sensing conductor of the transparent arrangement of sensing conductors.

13. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to detect position of the finger touch and the stylus independently.

14. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the signal generator includes an oscillator.

15. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the transparent arrangement of sensing conductors includes a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact.

16. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the signal generator provides a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines and wherein the output arising from the finger touch when present is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines.

17. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to also detect output from the first set of conductor lines.

18. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the circuitry is operable to detect output from first and second set of conductor lines simultaneously.

19. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to switch from applying the signal to the first set of conductor lines and detecting output on the first set of conductor lines.

20. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to apply the signal to each one of a plurality of conductor lines in the first set of conductor lines, one line at a time.

21. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to detect output in the second set of conductor lines, in response to each signal applied to the plurality of conductor lines in the first set of conductor lines.

22. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to detect an oscillating signal transferred via the junctions to conductor lines in the second set of conductor lines, the transference being indicative of capacitive coupling change induced by positioning of the finger touch at respective junctions of the grid.

23. The digitizer of claim 15, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer identifies when a tip of the stylus contacts the electronic display screen responsive to the output arising from the stylus in at least one conductor line.

24. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer detects a frequency of energy emitted by the stylus and identifies contact of a tip on the electronic display screen responsive to detecting a defined change in a frequency of energy emitted by the stylus.

25. The digitizer of claim 1, wherein the circuitry of the digitizer is operable to interpolate the output from a plurality of the sensing conductors to increase accuracy of position detection.