IP Library Granted Patent US 10,146,388
Granted Patent B2
US 10,146,388 · App. 15/452,274 · Granted Dec 4, 2018

Capacitive sensing in an LED display

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,146,388
App. No.
15/452,274
Granted
Dec 4, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A processing system for an integrated display and capacitive sensing device, where the display includes light-emitting diode (LED) pixels. The processing system includes isolated supply domains having inputs that receive an anode voltage and a cathode voltage, first outputs that supply modulated anode voltages, and second outputs that modulated cathode voltages, where the modulated anode voltages and the modulated cathode voltages are constant with respect to each other and modulated with respect to an external reference voltage. The processing system additionally includes a multiplexer circuit having inputs coupled the isolated supply domains, the anode voltage, and the cathode voltage, and having outputs coupled to the LED pixels. Further, the processing system includes control logic configured to control the multiplexer circuit to selectively supply the anode voltage and the cathode voltage, or the modulated anode voltages and the modulated cathode voltages, to the LED pixels.

Claims (51)

1. A processing system for an input device, the processing system comprising:

isolated supply domains comprising circuitry, the isolated supply domains configured to:

receive an anode voltage and a cathode voltage; and

supply modulated anode voltages, and modulated cathode voltages; and

a multiplexer configured to:

selectively supply one or more of the anode voltage and the cathode voltage, or one or more of the modulated anode voltages and the modulated cathode voltages, to one or more light-emitting diode (LED) pixels of a display, wherein the modulated anode voltages and the modulated cathode voltages are constant with respect to each other and modulated with respect to an external reference voltage.

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

analog front ends (AFEs) comprising circuitry, wherein each of the AFEs is coupled to a respective first output or a respective second output of one of the isolated supply domains.

3. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein a respective first output of each of the isolated supply domains is coupled to at least one anode electrode of the LED pixels, and a respective second output of each of the isolated supply domains is coupled to at least one cathode electrode of the LED pixels.

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

analog front ends (AFEs) comprising circuitry, wherein the AFEs are configured to receive resulting signals from sensor electrodes that form crossings with electrodes of the LED pixels, wherein the electrodes of the LED pixels are cathode electrodes or anode electrodes.

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

a power supply configured to supply the anode voltage and the cathode voltage.

6. The processing system of claim 5 , further comprising:

an analog front end (AFE) comprising circuitry, wherein the AFE is coupled to a first output of the power supply configured to supply the anode voltage or a second output of the power supply configured to supply the cathode voltage.

7. The processing system of claim 5 , wherein the power supply is further configured to: supply a plurality of voltages including the anode voltage and the cathode voltage, and modulate each of the plurality of voltages, wherein the plurality of voltages are constant with respect to each other and modulated with respect to the external reference voltage.

8. The processing system of claim 7 , wherein the display includes source electrodes and gate electrodes, the processing system further comprising:

display driver circuitry configured to receive at least one of the plurality of supply voltages from the power supply to drive the source electrodes, the gate electrodes, or both the source electrodes and the gate electrodes.

9. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein each of the isolated supply domains further comprises voltage regulator circuitry configured to regulate at least one of the respective modulated anode voltage and the respective modulated cathode voltage.

10. The processing system of claim 9 , wherein each of the isolated supply domains further comprises voltage regulator circuitry configured to regulate at least one of the respective modulated anode voltage and the respective modulated cathode voltage.

11. An input device, comprising:

a display having light-emitting diode (LED) pixels; and

a processing system, including:

isolated supply domains comprising circuitry, the isolated supply domains comprising:

inputs configured to receive an anode voltage and a cathode voltage;

first outputs configured to supply modulated anode voltages; and

second outputs configured to supply modulated cathode voltages,

a multiplexer circuit configured

selectively supply one or more of the anode voltage and the cathode voltage, or one or more of the modulated anode voltages and the modulated cathode voltages, to the LED pixels, wherein the modulated anode voltages and the modulated cathode voltages are constant with respect to each other and modulated with respect to an external reference voltage.

12. The input device of claim 11 , wherein the processing system further comprises:

analog front ends (AFEs) comprising circuitry, wherein each of the AFEs is coupled to a respective first output or a respective second output of one of the isolated supply domains.

13. The input device of claim 12 , wherein the respective first output of each of the isolated supply domains is coupled to at least one anode electrode of the LED pixels, and the respective second output of each of the isolated supply domains is coupled to at least one cathode electrode of the LED pixels.

14. The input device of claim 11 , further comprising:

sensor electrodes disposed on a layer of the display;

wherein the processing system further comprises analog front ends (AFEs) configured to receive resulting signals from the sensor electrodes that form crossings with electrodes of the LED pixels, wherein the electrodes of the LED pixels are cathode electrodes or anode electrodes.

15. The input device of claim 11 , wherein the processing system further comprises:

a power supply having configured to supply: the anode voltage; and the cathode voltage.

16. The input device of claim 15 , wherein the processing system further comprises:

an analog front end (AFE) comprising circuitry, wherein the AFE is coupled to the first output or the second output of the power supply.

17. A method of driving an integrated display and capacitive sensing device, the display including light-emitting diode (LED) pixels, the method comprising: comprising:

generating an anode voltage and a cathode voltage;

generating, from the anode voltage and the cathode voltage, isolated and modulated anode voltages and isolated and modulated cathode voltages, wherein the isolated and modulated anode voltages and the isolated and modulated cathode voltages are constant with respect to each other and modulated with respect to an external reference voltage;

coupling the anode voltage and the cathode voltage to the LED pixels at a first time;

coupling the isolated anode voltages and the isolated cathode voltages the LED pixels at a second time; and

performing capacitive sensing using the LED pixels at the second time.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of performing capacitive sensing comprises:

generating resulting signals using analog front ends (AFEs) having circuitry, the AFES are coupled to anode electrodes or cathode electrodes of the LED pixels.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of performing capacitive sensing comprises:

generating resulting signals using analog front ends (AFEs) having circuitry, wherein the AFES are coupled to sensor electrodes that form crossings with electrodes of the LED pixels, wherein the electrodes of the LED pixels are cathode electrodes or anode electrodes.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

driving electrodes of the integrated display and capacitive sensing device with a modulated voltage while performing the capacitive sensing, wherein the electrodes include source electrodes, gate electrodes, or both source electrodes and gate electrodes.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE SPELLING OF THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 051316 FRAME: 0777. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 18, 2020
From: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 052186/0756 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2019
From: SYNAPTICS INCORPROATED
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 051316/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2017
From: REYNOLDS, JOSEPH KURTH; MOREIN, STEPHEN L.
To: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 043227/0888 →