Display device having an integrated sensing device with improved proximity sensing

• US 9,696,858 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Shepelev, Petr
• Primary Examiner(s): Pappas, Claire X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stone, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/180,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20150009171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04184 Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally
• 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

Embodiments described herein include a method and apparatus for capacitive sensing in input devices integrated with a display device. In one embodiment, a processing system for a display device comprising an integrated capacitive sensing device is provided that includes a display driver module, a transmitter module, and a receiver module. The display driver and transmitter modules are configured to operate in a display update mode and a sleep mode. The receiver module is configured to, while operating in a doze mode, communicate with and trigger the transmitter module to enter the active sensing mode while the display driver module remains in the sleep mode when presence of an object is detected based on the resulting signals.

Claims

1. An input device comprising a display device having an integrated capacitive sensing device, the input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes, each of the plurality of sensor electrodes comprising at least one of a plurality of display electrodes, the plurality of sensor electrodes comprising a first group of transmitter electrodes, a second group of transmitter electrodes, and a plurality of receiver electrodes, wherein at least a first sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes is disposed between a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode of the second group of transmitter electrodes; and

a processing system configured to be selectively coupled to the first sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes and to the first sensor electrode of the second group of transmitter electrodes, wherein the processing system is configured to be selectively coupled to the first sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes when the processing system is operating in a first input sensing mode, and the processing system is configured to be selectively coupled to the first electrode of the second group of transmitter electrodes when processing system is operating in a second input sensing mode, wherein a plane area of the first sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes is greater than a plane area of the first sensor electrode of the second group of transmitter electrodes.

2. The input device of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of receiver electrodes coupled to the processing system.

3. The input device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first sensor electrode switch of a plurality of sensor electrode switches that is operable to couple the first sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes and the first sensor electrode of the second group of transmitter electrodes to the processing system when the processing system is operating in the first input sensing mode.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes comprise common electrodes of the display device.

5. The input device of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrode switches including a first sensor electrode switch that is operable change a plane area of at least one of a receiver electrode and transmitter electrode included in the plurality of sensor electrodes.

6. The input device of claim 1, wherein the receiver electrodes and transmitter electrodes are disposed on different layers.

7. The input device of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrode switches including a first sensor electrode switch that is disposed in or one at least one of gate switching logic, the processing system, a substrate stack of the display device and a separate switching mechanism.

8. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes is substantially equal in length but different in width relative to the first sensor electrode of the second group of transmitter electrodes.

9. The input device of claim 8, wherein each sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes is paired with a different one of the second group of transmitter electrodes.

10. The input device of claim 1, wherein each sensor electrode of the first group of transmitter electrodes is paired with a different one of the second group of transmitter electrodes.

11. An input device comprising a display device having an integrated capacitive sensing device, the input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes, each of the plurality of sensor electrodes comprising at least one of a plurality of display electrodes;

a processing system configured to be selectively coupled to a first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes and to a second sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the processing system is configured to be selectively coupled to the first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes when the processing system is operating in a first input sensing mode, and the processing system is configured to be selectively coupled to the second electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes when processing system is operating in a second input sensing mode, wherein a plane area of the first sensor electrode is greater than a plane area of the second sensor electrode; and

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

a plurality of receiver electrode switches coupling the plurality of receiver electrodes to the processing system, wherein a first receiver electrode switch of the plurality of receiver electrode switches is operable to couple a first set of receiver electrodes comprising at least a first receiver electrode of the plurality of receiver electrodes to the processing system when the processing system is operating in the first input sensing mode, and operable to couple a second set of receiver electrodes comprising the first receiver electrode and at least a second receiver electrode of the plurality of receiver electrodes when the display driver module is operating in the second input sensing mode, wherein a plane area of the first set of receiver electrodes is greater than a plane area of the second set of receiver electrodes.

12. A method for sensing presence of an input object using capacitive sensing device, comprising:

coupling a first set of sensor electrodes of a plurality of sensor electrodes to a processing system, the processing system configured to drive the first set of sensor electrodes for absolute capacitive sensing, wherein each of the plurality of sensor electrodes comprising display electrodes and the processing system is configured for display updating and capacitive sensing; and

coupling a second set of sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor electrodes to the processing system, the processing system configured to drive the second set of sensor electrodes for transcapacitive sensing, wherein at least a first sensor electrode of the first set of sensor electrodes is disposed between a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode of the second set of sensor electrodes, and wherein the second set of sensor electrodes have a plane area larger than a plane area of the first set of sensor electrodes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein coupling the first set of sensor electrodes to the processing system comprises:

coupling the first set of sensor electrodes with a sensor module of the processing system and wherein coupling the second set of sensor electrodes to the processing system comprises coupling the second set of sensor electrodes to a display driver module of the processing system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein coupling the second set of sensor electrodes to the processing system comprises:

coupling the second set of sensor electrodes to the processing system in response to presence of at least one input object detected by the processing system while coupled to the first set of sensor electrodes.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein coupling the second set of sensor electrodes to the processing system comprises:

coupling the first set of sensor electrodes to the processing system, wherein the processing system is further configured to drive the first set of sensor electrode for transcapacitive sensing while driving the second set of sensor electrodes for transcapacitive sensing.

16. The method of claim 12, coupling the first set of sensor electrodes to the processing system comprises:

at least one of decoupling the second set of sensor electrodes from the processing system and driving the second set of sensor electrodes with at least one of a substantially constant voltage or a guarding signal.

17. The processing system of claim 12, wherein coupling the processing system to the second set of sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor electrodes comprises:

coupling the processing system to the second set of sensor electrodes at a predefined frequency.