Face detection with transcapacitive sensing

• US 9,189,114 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Moore, Tyler, Solven, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): MERCEDES, DISMERY E
• Application Number:
  US13/950,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20150029128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A processing system configured to detect large objects includes a sensor module with sensor circuitry coupled to transmitter electrodes and receiver electrodes, and configured to transmit transmitter signals with the transmitter electrode and receive resulting signals with the receiver electrodes, the resulting signals including effects corresponding to transmitter signals. The processing system further includes a determination module configured to determine a transition condition is present using a capacitive image, based on the resulting signals, having capacitive pixel values, and operate in large object mode based on the transition condition being present.

Claims

1. A processing system configured to detect large objects, comprising:

a sensor module comprising sensor circuitry coupled to a plurality of transmitter electrodes and a plurality of receiver electrodes, wherein the sensor module is configured to transmit transmitter signals with the plurality of transmitter electrode and receive resulting signals with the plurality of receiver electrodes, and wherein the resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to transmitter signals; and

a determination module configured to;

determine an average pixel value of a first plurality of capacitive pixel values in a first capacitive image, wherein the first capacitive image is based on the resulting signals;

determine a maximum pixel value of the first plurality of capacitive pixel values;

determine a transition condition is present based on the first capacitive image, wherein the transition condition is based on the average pixel value satisfying an average pixel value threshold, and that the maximum pixel value is less than a maximum pixel value threshold; and

operate in a large object mode based on the transition condition being present.

2. The processing system of claim 1, the determination module further configured to:

determine a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals, the second capacitive image comprising a second plurality of capacitive pixel values;

determine a first number of the first plurality of capacitive pixel values exceeding an auxiliary threshold and a second number of the second plurality of capacitive pixel values exceeding the auxiliary threshold,

wherein the first capacitive image and the second capacitive image are consecutive capacitive images, and

wherein the transition condition is based on the first number and the second number satisfying a total count threshold.

3. The processing system of claim 2, the determination module further configured to:

reduce the total count threshold in response to the first number satisfying the total count threshold.

4. The processing system of claim 1, the determination module further configured to:

determine a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals; and

determine a largest object in the first capacitive image and a largest object in the second capacitive image,

wherein the transition condition requires that the largest object in the first capacitive image and the largest object in the second capacitive image have sizes satisfying a large object threshold.

5. The processing system of claim 1, the determination module further configured to:

operate in a neutral mode; and

transition to operating in a finger mode, based on a size of a smallest object being less than a large object threshold, wherein the size of the smallest object is from a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals.

6. The processing system of claim 1, wherein finger reporting is suppressed during operation in the large object mode.

7. The processing system of claim 1, the determination module further configured to:

receive a request to activate large object detection, wherein the request is a first external trigger signal; and

receive a request to deactivate large object detection, wherein the request is a second external trigger signal.

8. The processing system of claim 1, the determination module further configured to:

determine, during operation in the large object mode, a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals; and

operate, based on a determination that no objects are present in the second capacitive image, in a neutral mode.

9. A method for detecting large objects using a processing system, comprising:

driving transmitter signals onto a plurality of transmitter sensor electrodes;

receiving resulting signals with a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes;

determining an average pixel value of a first plurality of capacitive pixel values in a first capacitive image, wherein the first capacitive image is based on the resulting signals;

determining a maximum pixel value of the first plurality of capacitive pixel values;

determining a transition condition is present based on the first capacitive image, wherein the transition condition is based on the average pixel value satisfying an average pixel value threshold, and that the maximum pixel value is less than a maximum pixel value threshold; and

operating in a large object mode based on the transition condition being present.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals, the second capacitive image comprising a second plurality of capacitive pixel values;

determining a first number of the first plurality of capacitive pixel values exceeding an auxiliary threshold and a second number of the second plurality of capacitive pixel values exceeding the auxiliary threshold,

wherein the first capacitive image and the second capacitive image are consecutive capacitive images, and

wherein the transition condition is based on the first number and the second number satisfying a total count threshold.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals; and

determining a largest object in the first capacitive image and a largest object in the second capacitive image,

wherein the transition condition requires that the largest object in the first capacitive image and the largest object in the second capacitive image have sizes satisfying a large object threshold.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

operating in a neutral mode; and

transitioning to operating in a finger mode, based on a size of a smallest object being less than a large object threshold, wherein the size of the smallest object is from a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals.

13. An input device for detecting large objects, comprising:

a plurality of transmitter electrodes;

a plurality of receiver electrodes,

a processing system, the processing system coupled to the plurality of transmitter electrodes and the plurality of receiver electrodes, the processing system configured to;

drive transmitter signals onto a plurality of transmitter sensor electrodes;

receive resulting signals with a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes;

determine an average pixel value of a first plurality of capacitive pixel values in a first capacitive image, wherein the first capacitive image is based on the resulting signals;

determine a maximum pixel value of the first plurality of capacitive pixel values;

determine a transition condition is present based on the first capacitive image, wherein the transition condition is based on the average pixel value satisfying an average pixel value threshold, and that the maximum pixel value is less than a maximum pixel value threshold; and

operate in a large object mode based on the transition condition being present.

14. The input device of claim 13, the processing system further configured to:

determine a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals, the second capacitive image comprising a second plurality of capacitive pixel values;

determine a first number of the first plurality of capacitive pixel values exceeding an auxiliary threshold and a second number of the second plurality of capacitive pixel values exceeding the auxiliary threshold,

wherein the first capacitive image and the second capacitive image are consecutive capacitive images, and

wherein the transition condition is based on the first number and the second number satisfying a total count threshold.

15. The input device of claim 13, the processing system further configured to:

determine a second capacitive image based on the resulting signals; and

determine a largest object in the first capacitive image and a largest object in the second capacitive image,

wherein the transition condition requires that the largest object in the first capacitive image and the largest object in the second capacitive image have sizes satisfying a large object threshold.

16. The input device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of transmitter electrodes and the plurality of receiver electrodes are on a same layer.

17. The input device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of transmitter electrodes and the plurality of receiver electrodes are disposed orthogonal to each other.