Transcapacitive sensor devices with seams

• US 9,354,264 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwartz, Adam, Hargreaves, Kirk, Reynolds, Joseph Kurth, Schediwy, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Natalini, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US14/085,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A processing system for a transcapacitive sensing device comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes sectioned by a seam, a first sensor electrode integrated circuit, and a second sensor electrode integrated circuit. The plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a plurality of transmitter electrodes intersecting a plurality of receiver electrodes. The first sensor electrode integrated circuit is communicatively coupled to a first subset of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The second sensor electrode integrated circuit is communicatively coupled to a second subset of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The first sensor electrode integrated circuit and the second sensor electrode integrated circuit are configured to operate the plurality of sensor electrodes in synchrony to transmit with the plurality of transmitter electrodes a set of transmitter signals and receive with the plurality of receiver electrodes a set of responses corresponding to the set of transmitter signals.

Claims

1. A processing system for a transcapacitive sensing device comprising a plurality of sensor electrodes sectioned by a seam, wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a plurality of transmitter electrodes intersecting a plurality of receiver electrodes, said processing system comprising:

a first sensor electrode integrated circuit (SEIC) communicatively coupled to a first subset of said plurality of sensor electrodes;

a second sensor electrode integrated circuit (SEIC) communicatively coupled to a second subset of said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said first SEIC and said second SEIC are configured to operate said plurality of sensor electrodes in synchrony to transmit with said plurality of transmitter electrodes a set of transmitter signals and receive with said plurality of receiver electrodes a set of responses corresponding to said set of transmitter signals, wherein said first SEIC comprises a first receiver circuit configured to provide a first value proportional to a first response of said set of responses, and wherein said second SEIC comprises a second receiver circuit configured to provide a second value proportional to a second response of said set of responses; and

memory configured for storing calibration information, said calibration information configured for adjusting said first value to produce a first adjusted value, wherein a first proportionality of said first adjusted value to said first response is substantially equal to a second proportionality of said second value or an adjusted second value to said second response.

2. The processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a central controller communicatively coupled to said first SEIC and said second SEIC, wherein said central controller is configured to provide a synchronization signal to said first SEIC and said second SEIC.

3. The processing system of claim 2, wherein said synchronization signal initiates a scanning of a new frame.

4. The processing system of claim 2, wherein said central controller is further configured to:

receive, from said first SEIC and said second SEIC, information based on said set of responses; and

provide an image representative of a compilation said information.

5. The processing system of claim 2, wherein said central controller is further configured to:

receive, from said first SEIC and said second SEIC, information based on said set of responses; and

provide data about input in a sensing region of said transcapacitive sensing device using said information.

6. The processing system of claim 1, wherein said first SEIC is further configured to provide a clock signal to said second SEIC.

7. The processing system of claim 1, wherein said seam is an ohmic seam.

8. The processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a coding component configured to uniquely encode transmitter signals such that at least two transmitter signals of said set of transmitter signals are uniquely encoded with respect to each other, wherein said processing system transmits said at least two transmitter signals concurrently.

9. The processing system of claim 1, wherein said first SEIC and said second SEIC are configured to operate said plurality of sensor electrodes in synchrony by:

concurrently transmitting four uniquely coded transmitter signals with a first set of four transmitter electrodes of said plurality of transmitter electrodes, and

concurrently transmitting said four uniquely coded transmitter signals with a second set of four transmitter electrodes of said plurality of transmitter electrodes.

10. The processing system of claim 1, wherein said first SEIC and said second SEIC are further configured to:

suspend transmissions with said plurality of transmitter electrodes during a non-transmitting period, and

detect interference during said non-transmitting period.

11. A method of operating a transcapacitive sensing device comprising:

providing, with a central controller, a synchronization signal to a first sensor electrode integrated circuit (SEIC) communicatively coupled to a first subset of a plurality of sensor electrodes and a second sensor electrode integrated circuit (SEIC) communicatively coupled to a second subset of said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes is sectioned by a seam, and wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a plurality of transmitter electrodes intersecting a plurality of receiver electrodes;

operating said first SEIC and said second SEIC in synchrony with said synchronization signal to transmit with said plurality of transmitter electrodes a set of transmitter signals and to receive with said plurality of receiver electrodes a set of responses corresponding to said set of transmitter signals;

storing calibration information;

producing a first adjusted value by adjusting according to said calibration information a first value proportional to a first response received by the central controller from said first SEIC; and

producing a second adjusted value by adjusting according to said calibration information a second value proportional to a second response received by the central controller from said second SEIC, wherein a first proportionality of said first adjusted value to said first response is substantially equal to a second proportionality of said second adjusted value to said second response.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, with said central controller, information based on said set of responses; and

providing, by said central controller, data about input in a sensing region of said transcapacitive sensing device using said information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said operating said first SEIC and said second SEIC in synchrony to transmit with said plurality of transmitter electrodes a set of transmitter signals comprises:

concurrently transmitting uniquely coded transmitter signals with a first subset of transmitter electrodes of said plurality of transmitter electrodes during a first time period, and

concurrently transmitting said uniquely coded transmitter signals with a second subset of transmitter electrodes of said plurality of transmitter electrodes during second time period.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting interference during a non-transmitting period.

15. A transcapacitive sensing device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes sectioned by a seam, wherein said plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a plurality of transmitter electrodes intersecting a plurality of receiver electrodes; and

a processing system comprising;

a first sensor electrode integrated circuit (SEIC) communicatively coupled to a first subset of said plurality of sensor electrodes;

a second sensor electrode integrated circuit (SEIC) communicatively coupled to a second subset of said plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said first SEIC and said second SEIC are configured to operate said plurality of sensor electrodes in synchrony to transmit with said plurality of transmitter electrodes a set of transmitter signals and receive with said plurality of receiver electrodes a set of responses corresponding to said set of transmitter signals, wherein said first SEIC comprises a first receiver circuit configured to provide a first value proportional to a first response of said set of responses, and wherein said second SEIC comprises a second receiver circuit configured to provide a second value proportional to a second response of said set of responses; and

memory configured for storing calibration information, said calibration information configured for adjusting said first value to produce a first adjusted value, wherein a first proportionality of said first adjusted value to said first response is substantially equal to a second proportionality of said second value or an adjusted second value to said second response.

16. The transcapacitive sensing device of claim 15, wherein said processing system further comprises:

a central controller communicatively coupled to said first SEIC and said second SEIC, wherein said central controller is configured to;

provide a synchronization signal to enable said first SEIC and said second SEIC to operate said plurality of sensor electrodes in synchrony;

receive, from said first SEIC and said second SEIC, information based on said set of responses; and

provide an image representative of a compilation of said information.

17. The transcapacitive sensing device of claim 15, wherein said processing system further comprises:

a coding component configured to uniquely encode at least two transmitter signals of said set of transmitter signals, wherein said processing system transmits said at least two transmitter signals concurrently with at least two of said plurality of transmitter electrodes.

18. The transcapacitive sensing device of claim 15, wherein said first SEIC and said second SEIC are further configured to:

suspend transmissions with said plurality of transmitter electrodes during a non-transmitting period.