IP Library Granted Patent US 8,773,146
Granted Patent B1
US 8,773,146 · App. 13/075,762 · Granted Jul 8, 2014

Waterproof scanning of a capacitive sense array

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,773,146
App. No.
13/075,762
Granted
Jul 8, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

A water-resistant capacitance sensing apparatus comprising a plurality of capacitive sense elements and a capacitance sensing circuit configured to measure both the mutual capacitance and self-capacitance on the plurality of capacitive sense elements. A method for water-resistant capacitance sensing, the method comprising performing a self-capacitance scan and a mutual capacitance scan, and detecting, by a processing device, a presence of an object with the plurality of sense elements. The method further determines whether the detected presence of the object is legitimate.

Claims (44)

1. A capacitive sense apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of capacitive sense elements; and

a capacitance sensor circuit coupled to the plurality of capacitive sense elements, the capacitance sensor circuit configured to perform a self-capacitive scan to measure a self-capacitance on the plurality of capacitive sense elements,

wherein the self-capacitive scan uses a first baseline to detect a possible touch;

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to perform a first mutual capacitive scan to measure a mutual capacitance on the plurality of capacitive sense elements when the possible touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan,

wherein the mutual capacitive scan uses a second baseline to detect the possible touch;

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to validate the possible touch detected by the self-capacitive scan as a legitimate touch when the possible touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and first mutual capacitive scan;

wherein the possible touch is not legitimate when the possible touch is detected in only one of the self-capacitive scan and the first mutual capacitive scan;

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to perform one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans when the possible touch is not detected by the self-capacitive scan;

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to perform a second mutual capacitive scan after a specified period when no touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and by the one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans within the specified period; and

wherein the capacitance sensor circuit is configured to update the first baseline and the second baseline after the specified period when no touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and by the one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans within the specified period.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of capacitive sense elements form an array.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the array is disposed on a display.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the capacitance sensor circuit comprises a self-capacitance sensor circuit and a mutual capacitance sensor circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a driven shield, wherein the driven shield is coupled to the plurality of capacitive sense elements for use in conjunction with the self-capacitive scan.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a grounded shield, wherein the grounded shield is coupled to the plurality of capacitive sense elements for use in conjunction with the self-capacitive scan.

7. A method for capacitance sensing, the method comprising:

performing, by a processing device, a self-capacitive scan, wherein the self-capacitive scan measures a self-capacitance of a plurality of sense elements;

detecting, by the processing device, a possible touch in proximity to the plurality of sense elements based on a first comparison of the self-capacitance measured in the self-capacitive scan and a first baseline;

performing, by the processing device, a first mutual capacitive scan when the possible touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan, wherein the first mutual capacitive scan measures a mutual capacitance of the plurality of sense elements;

detecting, by the processing device, the possible touch in proximity to the plurality of sense elements based on a second comparison of the mutual capacitance measured in the first mutual capacitive scan and a second baseline;

validating, by the processing device, the possible touch detected by the self-capacitive scan as a legitimate touch when the possible touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and the first mutual capacitive scan, wherein the possible touch is not legitimate when the possible touch is detected in only one of the self-capacitive scan and the first mutual capacitive scan;

performing, by the processing device, one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans when the possible touch is not detected by the self-capacitive scan;

performing, by the processing device, a second mutual capacitive scan after a specified period when no touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and by the one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans within the specified period; and

updating, by the processing device, the first baseline and the second baseline after the specified period when no touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and by the one or more additional self-capacitive scans within the specified period.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising tracking a position of the legitimate touch on the plurality of sense elements.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein tracking the position of the legitimate touch is performed during both the self-capacitive scan and the mutual capacitive scan.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein a driven shield drives inactive sense elements with a signal during the self-capacitive scan.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein a grounded shield grounds inactive sense elements during the self-capacitive scan.

12. A method for capacitive sensing, the method comprising:

performing, by a processing device, a self-capacitive scan, wherein the self-capacitive scan measures a self-capacitance of a plurality of sense elements;

detecting, during the self-capacitive scan, a presence of an object that comes in proximity with the plurality of sense elements, wherein the presence is detected using a first baseline for the self-capacitive scan;

performing, by the processing device, a first mutual capacitive scan when the presence of the object is detected by the self-capacitive scan, wherein the first mutual capacitive scan measures a mutual capacitance of the plurality of sense elements;

bypassing the performing of the first mutual capacitive scan when the presence of the object is not detected by the self-capacitive scan;

detecting, during the first mutual capacitive scan, the presence of the object, wherein the presence is detected using a second baseline for the mutual capacitive scan;

performing, by the processing device, one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans when no touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan;

performing, by the processing device, a second mutual capacitive scan after a specified period when no touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and by one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans within the specified period; and

updating the first baseline and the second baseline after the specified period when no touch is detected by the self-capacitive scan and by the one or more subsequent self-capacitive scans within the specified period.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising tracking a position of the presence of the object on the plurality of sense elements during the mutual capacitive scan.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining if the presence of the object is a legitimate presence.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising using a driven shield, coupled to the plurality of sense elements, in conjunction with the self-capacitive scan.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adapting a capacitance sensor circuit of the processing device to provide accurate position tracking of the presence of the object in a presence of water.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adapting a capacitance sensor circuit of the processing device to provide accurate position tracking of the presence of the object over temperature changes.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of sense elements are configured in an array, and wherein the method further comprises operating the array in conjunction with a display.

Assignments (6)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: PARADE TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 036508/0284 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS Recorded Aug 4, 2015
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036264/0114 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2012
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 028863/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2011
From: HILLS, MICHAEL PATRICK; BURKOVSKYY, VOLODYMYR; KARPIN, OLEKSANDR; PARK, SEOK PYONG; PRENDERGAST, PATRICK
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026049/0528 →