Granted Patent B2

US 10,394,392 · App. 14/977,348 · Granted Aug 27, 2019

Inventor: Thomas Bell (Hampshire, GB)

Assignee: Atmel Corporation

G06F3/044G06F3/03545G06F3/0416G06F3/04166

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A method comprising:

by a processor, determining a position of an input within a touch-sensitive area of a touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a first plurality of electrodes having a first orientation and a second plurality of electrodes having a second orientation, the second orientation being different from the first orientation;

by the processor, selecting, based on the determined position of the input, a first set of the first plurality of electrodes and a first set of the second plurality of electrodes such that the determined position of the input is within a two-dimensional overlap area of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes with the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, the two-dimensional overlap area being smaller than the touch-sensitive area;

applying a first pre-determined voltage to each electrode of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and to each electrode of the first set of the second plurality of electrodes in the two-dimensional overlap area, wherein the electrodes of first set of the first plurality of electrodes are adjacent electrodes and the electrodes of first set of the second plurality of electrodes are adjacent electrodes; and

applying, while applying the first pre-determined voltage to each electrode in the two-dimensional overlap area, a second pre-determined voltage to the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area, the second pre-determined voltage being lower than the first pre-determined voltage;

wherein the two-dimensional overlap area has a first signal state, a first portion of the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area has a second signal state different than the first signal state, and a second portion of the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area has a third signal state different than the first signal state and the second signal state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

a signal associated with the first pre-determined voltage comprises a synchronization signal comprising one or more pulses; and

the second pre-determined voltage is ground.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the determined position of the input is within a pre-determined distance from an edge of the touch sensor, providing a signal to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, wherein the first set of the first plurality of electrodes comprises an outermost electrode and a pre-determined number of contiguous electrodes positioned in sequence with the outermost electrode.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes comprise electrodes located within an interior area of the touch sensor; and

the method further comprises, in response to determining the input moved within a pre-determined distance from a first outermost electrode, selecting a second set of the first plurality electrodes and a second set of the second plurality of electrodes such that the second set of the first plurality of electrodes comprise the first outermost electrode and the second set of the second plurality of electrodes comprise a second outermost electrode.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

applying a signal comprising the first pre-determined voltage to a third set of the first plurality of electrodes and a third set of the second plurality of electrodes; and

applying, while applying the signal to the third set of the first plurality of electrodes and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes, the second pre-determined voltage to a fourth set of the first plurality of electrodes and a fourth set of the second plurality of electrodes.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an updated position of the input based on a velocity of the input; and

selecting a second set of the first plurality electrodes and a second set of the second plurality of electrodes such that a location of an overlap of the second set of the first plurality of electrodes with the second set of the second plurality of electrodes is based on the updated position of the input.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting, based on the determined position of the input, a third set of the first plurality electrodes and a third set of the second plurality of electrodes such that the third set of the first plurality of electrodes and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes comprise a pre-determined number of contiguous electrodes adjacent to one or more outermost electrodes of the overlap of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes with the first set of the second plurality of electrodes;

applying a first signal comprising the first pre-determined voltage to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes;

applying, while applying the first signal to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, the second pre-determined voltage to a second set of the first plurality of electrodes and a second set of the second plurality of electrodes; and

applying, while applying the first signal to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, a second signal comprising a third pre-determined voltage to the third set of the first plurality of electrodes and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes, wherein the second signal is inverted relative to the first signal.

8. A controller comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing logic configured to cause the processor as a result of being by executed the processor, to:

determine a position of an input within a touch-sensitive area of a touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising a first plurality of electrodes having a first orientation and a second plurality of electrodes having a second orientation, the second orientation being different from the first orientation; select,

based on the determined position of the input, a first set of the first plurality electrodes and a first set of the second plurality of electrodes such that the determined position of the stylus is within a two-dimensional overlap area of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes with the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, the two-dimensional overlap area corresponding to an area of the touch sensor in which the determined position is located, the two-dimensional overlap area being smaller than the touch-sensitive area;

apply a first pre-determined voltage to each electrode of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and to each electrode of the first set of the second plurality of electrodes in the two-dimensional overlap area, wherein the electrodes of first set of the first plurality of electrodes are adjacent electrodes and the electrodes of first set of the second plurality of electrodes are adjacent electrodes; and

apply, while applying the first pre-determined voltage to each electrode in the two-dimensional overlap area, a second pre-determined voltage to the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area, the second pre-determined voltage being lower than the first pre-determined voltage; wherein the two-dimensional overlap area has a first signal state, a first portion of the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area has a second signal state different than the first signal state, and a second portion of the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area has a third signal state different than the first signal state and the second signal state.

9. The controller of claim 8 , wherein:

a signal associated with the first pre-determined voltage comprises a synchronization signal comprising one or more pulses; and

the second pre-determined voltage is ground.

10. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the logic is further configured to, when the determined position of the input is within a pre-determined distance from an edge of the touch sensor, provide a signal comprising the first pre-determined voltage to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, wherein the first set of the first plurality of electrodes comprises an outermost electrode and a pre-determined number of contiguous electrodes positioned in sequence with the outermost electrode.

11. The controller of claim 8 , wherein:

the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes comprise electrodes located within an interior area of the touch sensor; and

the processor is further configured to, in response to the determined the input moved within a pre-determined distance from a first outermost electrode, select a third set of the first plurality electrodes and a third set of the second plurality of electrodes such that the third set of the first plurality of electrodes comprise the first outermost electrode and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes comprise a second outermost electrode.

12. The controller of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

apply a signal comprising the first pre-determined voltage to the third set of the first plurality of electrodes and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes; and

apply, while applying the signal to the third set of the first plurality of electrodes and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes, the second pre-determined voltage to a fourth set of the first plurality of electrodes and a fourth set of the second plurality of electrodes.

13. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

select, based on the determined position of the input, a third set of the first plurality electrodes and a third set of the second plurality of electrodes such that the third set of the first plurality of electrodes and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes comprise a pre-determined number of contiguous electrodes adjacent to one or more outermost electrodes of the overlap of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes with the first set of the second plurality of electrodes;

apply a first signal comprising the first pre-determined voltage to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes;

apply, while applying the first signal to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, the second pre-determined voltage to a second set of the first plurality of electrodes and a second set of the second plurality of electrodes; and

apply, while applying the first signal to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, a second signal comprising a third pre-determined voltage to the third set of the first plurality of electrodes and the third set of the second plurality of electrodes, wherein the second signal is inverted relative to the first signal.

14. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an updated position of the input based on a velocity of the input; and

select a second set of the first plurality electrodes and a second set of the second plurality of electrodes such that a location of an overlap of the second set of the first plurality of electrodes with the second set of the second plurality of electrodes is based on the updated position of the input.

15. A system comprising:

a touch sensor comprising a first plurality of electrodes having a first orientation and a second plurality of electrodes having a second orientation, the second orientation being different from the first orientation; and

a controller coupled to the touch sensor, the controller comprising:

a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing logic configured to cause the processor as a result of being by executed the processor, to:

determine a position of an input within a touch-sensitive area of the touch sensor; select, based on the determined position of the input, a first set of the first plurality electrodes and a first set of the second plurality of electrodes such that the determined position of the stylus is within a two-dimensional overlap of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes with the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, an area of the two-dimensional overlap being smaller than the touch-sensitive area;

apply a first pre-determined voltage to each electrode of the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and to each electrode of the first set of the second plurality of electrodes in the two-dimensional overlap area, wherein the electrodes of first set of the first plurality of electrodes are adjacent electrodes and the electrodes of first set of the second plurality of electrodes are adjacent electrodes; and

apply, while applying the first pre-determined voltage to each electrode in the two-dimensional overlap area, a second pre-determined voltage to the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area, the second pre-determined voltage being lower than the first pre-determined voltage;

wherein the two-dimensional overlap area has a first signal state, a first portion of the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area has a second signal state different than the first signal state, and a second portion of the touch-sensitive area outside the two-dimensional overlap area has a third signal state different than the first signal state and the second signal state.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

a signal associated with the first pre-determined voltage comprises a synchronization signal comprising one or more pulses; and

the second pre-determined voltage is ground.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the determined position of the input is within a pre-determined distance from an edge of the touch sensor, provide a signal comprising the first pre-determined voltage to the first set of the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of the second plurality of electrodes, wherein the first set of the first plurality of electrodes comprises an outermost electrode and a pre-determined number of contiguous electrodes positioned in sequence with the outermost electrode.

Assignments (17)

Continuity (2)