Granted Patent B2

US 9,081,454 · App. 13/852,816 · Granted Jul 14, 2015

Abstract

Claims (101)

1. A touch-sensor controller operable to:

apply a first voltage to a first drive line, the first drive line comprising a first one or more drive electrodes;

measure a second voltage across a capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a first sense line, the first sense line comprising a first one or more sense electrodes;

determine, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line;

couple the first drive line to a first ground;

couple the first sense line to a second ground;

couple a multiplexer to a third ground, the multiplexer being coupled to the capacitor;

couple the capacitor to a fourth ground;

uncouple the first sense line from the second ground;

uncouple the multiplexer from the third ground;

couple the multiplexer to the first sense line; and

uncouple the first drive line from the first ground.

2. The touch-sensor controller of claim 1 , wherein the capacitor is comprised in an analog-to-digital-converter.

3. The touch-sensor controller of claim 1 , wherein two or more of the first ground, the second ground, the third ground, and the fourth ground are the same ground.

4. A touch-sensor controller operable to:

apply a first voltage to a first drive line, the first drive line comprising a first one or more drive electrodes;

measure a second voltage across a capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a first sense line, the first sense line comprising a first one or more sense electrodes;

determine, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line;

uncouple the capacitor from the first sense line;

apply a third voltage to the first drive line;

measure a fourth voltage across the capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a second sense line, the second sense line comprising a second one or more sense electrodes; and

determine, based on the fourth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a second capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a second region of the first drive line and a first region of the second sense line.

5. The touch-sensor controller of claim 4 , further operable to:

apply a fifth voltage to a second drive line, the second drive line comprising a second one or more drive electrodes;

measure a sixth voltage across the capacitor; and

determine, based on the sixth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a third capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the second drive line and a second region of the first sense line.

6. The touch-sensor controller of claim 5 , further operable to:

uncouple the capacitor from the first sense line;

apply a seventh voltage to the second drive line;

measure an eighth voltage across the capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to the second sense line; and

determine, based on the eighth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a fourth capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a second region of the second drive line and a second region of the second sense line.

7. A method for sensing a touch comprising:

applying a first voltage to a first drive line, the first drive line comprising a first one or more drive electrodes;

measuring a second voltage across a capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a first sense line, the first sense line comprising a first one or more sense electrodes;

determining, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line;

coupling the first drive line to a first ground;

coupling the first sense line to a second ground;

coupling a multiplexer to a third ground, the multiplexer being coupled to the capacitor;

coupling the capacitor to a fourth ground;

uncoupling the first sense line from the second ground;

uncoupling the multiplexer from the third ground;

coupling the multiplexer to the first sense line; and

uncoupling the first drive line from the first ground.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the capacitor is comprised in an analog-to-digital-converter.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein two or more of the first ground, the second ground, the third ground, and the fourth ground are the same ground.

10. A method for sensing a touch comprising:

applying a first voltage to a first drive line, the first drive line comprising a first one or more drive electrodes;

measuring a second voltage across a capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a first sense line, the first sense line comprising a first one or more sense electrodes;

determining, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line;

uncoupling the capacitor from the first sense line;

applying a third voltage to the first drive line;

measuring a fourth voltage across the capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a second sense line, the second sense line comprising a second one or more sense electrodes; and

determining, based on the fourth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a second capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a second region of the first drive line and a first region of the second sense line.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

applying a fifth voltage to a second drive line, the second drive line comprising a second one or more drive electrodes;

measuring a sixth voltage across the capacitor; and

determining, based on the sixth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a third capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the second drive line and a second region of the first sense line.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

uncoupling the capacitor from the first sense line;

applying a seventh voltage to the second drive line;

measuring an eighth voltage across the capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to the second sense line; and

determining, based on the eighth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a fourth capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a second region of the second drive line and a second region of the second sense line.

13. A system for sensing touch comprising:

a touch sensor comprising:

a substrate; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the substrate, the plurality of electrodes comprising:

a first one or more drive electrodes; and

a first one or more sense electrodes; and

a touch-sensor controller operable to:

apply a first voltage to a first drive line, the first drive line comprising the first one or more drive electrodes;

measure a second voltage across a capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a first sense line, the first sense line comprising the first one or more sense electrodes;

determine, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line;

couple the first drive line to a first ground;

couple the first sense line to a second ground;

couple a multiplexer to a third ground, the multiplexer being coupled to the capacitor;

couple the capacitor to a fourth ground;

uncouple the first sense line from the second ground;

uncouple the multiplexer from the third ground;

couple the multiplexer to the first sense line; and

uncouple the first drive line from the first ground.

14. The system controller of claim 13 , wherein the capacitor is comprised in an analog-to-digital-converter.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein two or more of the first ground, the second ground, the third ground, and the fourth ground are the same ground.

16. A system for sensing touch comprising:

a touch sensor comprising:

a substrate; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the substrate, the plurality of electrodes comprising:

a first one or more drive electrodes;

a first one or more sense electrodes; and

a second one or more sense electrodes; and

a touch-sensor controller operable to:

apply a first voltage to a first drive line, the first drive line comprising the first one or more drive electrodes;

measure a second voltage across a capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a first sense line, the first sense line comprising the first one or more sense electrodes;

determine, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line;

uncouple the capacitor from the first sense line;

apply a third voltage to the first drive line;

measure a fourth voltage across the capacitor, the capacitor being coupled to a second sense line, the second sense line comprising the second one or more sense electrodes; and

determine, based on the fourth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a second capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a second region of the first drive line and a first region of the second sense line.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of electrodes further comprises a second one or more drive electrodes and wherein the touch-sensor controller is further operable to:

apply a fifth voltage to a second drive line, the second drive line comprising the second one or more drive electrodes;

measure a sixth voltage across the capacitor; and

determine, based on the sixth voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a third capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the second drive line and a second region of the first sense line.

Assignments (13)