Touch sensor detector system and method
A touch sensor detector system and method incorporating an interpolated sensor array is disclosed. The system and method utilize a touch sensor array (TSA) configured to detect proximity/contact/pressure (PCP) via a variable impedance array (VIA) electrically coupling interlinked impedance columns (IIC) coupled to an array column driver (ACD), and interlinked impedance rows (IIR) coupled to an array row sensor (ARS). The ACD is configured to select the IIC based on a column switching register (CSR) and electrically drive the IIC using a column driving source (CDS). The VIA conveys current from the driven IIC to the IIC sensed by the ARS. The ARS selects the IIR within the TSA and electrically senses the IIR state based on a row switching register (RSR). Interpolation of ARS sensed current/voltage allows accurate detection of TSA PCP and/or spatial location.
1. A sensor, comprising:
a direct current voltage source;
an alternating current signal source, wherein the direct current voltage source and the alternating current signal source are arranged in a parallel configuration;
a direct current signaling conditioning circuit;
an alternating current signal detector, wherein the direct current signaling conditioning circuit and the alternating current signal detector are arranged in the parallel configuration; and
a control circuit that provides first control signals to the direct current voltage source and the alternating current signal source and provides second control signals to the direct current signaling conditioning circuit and the alternating current signal detector;
wherein the switch is operatively connected between an analog-to-digital converter and the parallel configuration of the direct current voltage source and the alternating current signal source, wherein the control circuit facilitates enablement of the direct current voltage source and disablement of the alternating current signal source based on the switch being in the first position, and facilitates disablement of the direct current voltage source and enablement of the alternating current signal source based on the switch being in the second position.
2. The sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit that provides first control signals to the direct current voltage source and the alternating current signal source and provides second control signals to the direct current signaling conditioning circuit and the alternating current signal detector.
3. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit enables or disables the direct current voltage source and the alternating current signal source and changes the switch on a per-scan basis.
4. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit enables or disables the direct current voltage source and the alternating current signal source and changes the switch for sensor elements of a plurality of sensor elements being scanned.
5. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit enables the direct current voltage source and disables the alternating current signal source.
6. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit disables the direct current voltage source and enables the alternating current signal source.
7. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a touch sensor.
8. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a force-sensing sensor.
9. A method, comprising:
switching a scan operation between a first mode and a second mode;
scanning a sensor based on the switching the scan operation between the first mode and the second mode, wherein the first mode is a direct current mode and the second mode is an alternating current mode;
wherein the scanning the sensor in the first mode comprises:
enabling a direct current voltage source;
disabling an alternating current signal source; and
facilitating receipt of a signal from a direct current signaling conditioning circuit.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the scanning the sensor comprises:
scanning the sensor with a direct current signal during the first mode; and
scanning the sensor with an alternating current signal during the second mode.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the switching between the first mode and the second mode is on a per-scan basis.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the switching between the first mode and the second mode is performed for each sensor element being scanned.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the scanning the sensor in the second mode comprises:
enabling an alternating current signal source;
disabling a direct current voltage source, and
facilitating receipt of a signal from an alternating current signal detector.
14. A method, comprising:
setting a switch to a first position that connects a direct current signaling conditioning circuit to an analog-to-digital converter;
performing a first scan of a sensor via a direct current signal from the direct current signaling conditioning circuit;
setting the switch to a second position that connects an alternating current signal detector to the analog-to-digital converter; and
performing a second scan of the sensor via an alternating current signal from the alternating current signal detector.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the setting the switch to the first position further comprises disabling the alternating current signal detector from the analog-to-digital converter.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the setting the switch to the second position further comprises disabling the direct current signaling conditioning circuit from the analog-to-digital converter.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
facilitating feature extraction and touch tracking based on a combination of capacitive and resistive touch sensor data.