IP Library Granted Patent US 11,126,311
Granted Patent B2
US 11,126,311 · App. 16/994,460 · Granted Sep 21, 2021

Capacitive sensing acquisition schemes

Inventors: Katayoun Goudarzi (Los Gatos, CA); John Weinerth (San Jose, CA); Derek Solven (San Jose, CA); David Hoch (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
G06F3/044G06F3/0418
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,126,311
App. No.
16/994,460
Granted
Sep 21, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An input device including a sensing region is disclosed. The input device includes: sensor circuitry configured to: operate, during a first timeslot, electrodes as a first cluster; and operate, during a second timeslot, the electrodes as a second cluster, where the electrodes are aligned with an axis, and where at least one of the electrodes operates as a transmitter in the first cluster and as a receiver in the second cluster; and determination circuitry configured to: determine a first set of signal values associated with a first set of electrodes in the first cluster; determine a second set of signal values associated with a second set of electrodes in the second cluster; and generate a profile for the sensing region based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values, where the profile reflects an input object in the sensing region.

Claims (86)

1. An input device associated with a sensing region, comprising:

sensor circuitry configured to:

operate, during a first timeslot, a plurality of electrodes as a first cluster,

operate, during a second timeslot, the plurality of electrodes as a second cluster,

operate, during a third timeslot, the plurality of electrodes as a third cluster, and

wherein the plurality of electrodes is aligned with an axis, and

wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes operates as a transmitter in the first cluster and as a receiver in the second cluster; and

determination circuitry configured to:

determine a first set of signal values associated with a first set of electrodes in the first cluster,

determine a second set of signal values associated with a second set of electrodes in the second cluster,

determine a third set of signal values associated with a third set of electrodes in the third cluster, wherein the third set of electrodes are receiver electrodes, wherein there is no overlap between the first set of electrodes and the third set of electrodes,

determine a first gain between the second cluster and the third cluster,

scale the third set of signal values based on the first gain,

determine a plurality of sums based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values, wherein the plurality of sums is further based on the third set of signal values after the third set of signal values are scaled, and

generate, based on the plurality of sums, a profile for the sensing region based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values,

wherein the profile reflects an input object in the sensing region.

2. The input device of claim 1 , wherein the determination circuitry is further configured to:

determine a first maximum value of the first set of signal values;

determine a second maximum value of the second set of signal values;

determine a third maximum value of the third set of signal values; and

determine a weighted maximum value based on the first maximum value, the second maximum value, the third maximum value, a cardinality of the first set of electrodes, a cardinality of the second set of electrodes, and a cardinality of the third set of electrodes,

wherein the profile is further based on scaling the plurality of sums based on the weighted maximum value.

3. The input device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first cluster comprises a first plurality of transmitter-receiver (Tx-Rx) pairs;

the second cluster comprises a second plurality of Tx-Rx pairs;

the second cluster is a shifted version of the first cluster;

the first set of signal values are assigned to the first set of electrodes; and

the second set of signal values are assigned to the second set of electrodes.

4. The input device of claim 3 , wherein:

the first set of electrodes comprises at least one transmitter electrode and at least one receiver electrode;

the second set of electrodes comprises at least one transmitter electrode and at least one receiver electrode;

each of the first plurality of Tx-Rx pairs comprises one of the first set of electrodes;

each of the second plurality of Tx-Rx pairs comprises one of the second set of electrodes; and

there is no overlap between the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes.

5. The input device of claim 3 , wherein:

one of the first set of signal values is assigned to a boundary electrode.

6. An input device associated with a sensing region, comprising:

sensor circuitry configured to:

operate, during a first timeslot, a plurality of electrodes as a first cluster, wherein the first cluster is a repeating pattern of 0T0RR,

operate, during a second timeslot, the plurality of electrodes as a second cluster, wherein the second cluster is a shifted version of the first cluster, and

wherein T is transmitter electrode, R is receiver electrode, and 0 is shielding electrode,

wherein the plurality of electrodes is aligned with an axis, and

wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes operates as a transmitter in the first cluster and as a receiver in the second cluster; and

determination circuitry configured to:

determine a first set of signal values associated with a first set of electrodes in the first cluster,

determine a second set of signal values associated with a second set of electrodes in the second cluster,

determine a plurality of sums based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values, and

generate, based on the plurality of sums, a profile for the sensing region based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values,

wherein the profile reflects an input object in the sensing region.

7. A method for operating an input device associated with a sensing region, comprising:

operating, during a first timeslot, a plurality of electrodes as a first cluster;

operating, during a second timeslot, the plurality of electrodes as a second cluster,

wherein the plurality of electrodes is aligned with an axis, and

wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes operates as a transmitter in the first cluster and as a receiver in the second cluster;

determining a first set of signal values associated with a first set of electrodes in the first cluster;

determining a second set of signal values associated with a second set of electrodes in the second cluster;

determining a plurality of sums based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values;

determining a first maximum value of the first set of signal values;

determining a second maximum value of the second set of signal values;

determine a weighted maximum value based on the first maximum value, the second maximum value, a cardinality of the first set of electrodes, and a cardinality of the second set of electrodes, and

generating, based on the plurality of sums, a profile for the sensing region based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values, wherein the profile is further based on scaling the plurality of sums based on the weighted maximum value,

wherein the profile reflects an input object in the sensing region.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

assigning the first set of signal values to the first set of electrodes; and

assigning the second set of signal values to the second set of electrodes,

wherein the first cluster comprises a first plurality of transmitter-receiver (Tx-Rx) pairs,

wherein the second cluster comprises a second plurality of Tx-Rx pairs, and

wherein the second cluster is a shifted version of the first cluster.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein

the first set of electrodes comprises at least one transmitter electrode and at least one receiver electrode;

the second set of electrodes comprises at least one transmitter electrode and at least one receiver electrode;

each of the first plurality of Tx-Rx pairs comprises one of the first set of electrodes;

each of the second plurality of Tx-Rx pairs comprises one of the second set of electrodes; and

there is no overlap between the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes.

10. A method for operating an input device associated with a sensing region, comprising:

operating, during a first timeslot, a plurality of electrodes as a first cluster, wherein the first cluster is a repeating pattern of 0T0RR;

operating, during a second timeslot, the plurality of electrodes as a second cluster,

wherein the second cluster is a shifted version of the first cluster; and

wherein T is transmitter electrode, R is receiver electrode, and 0 is shielding electrode,

wherein the plurality of electrodes is aligned with an axis, and

wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes operates as a transmitter in the first cluster and as a receiver in the second cluster;

determining a first set of signal values associated with a first set of electrodes in the first cluster;

determining a second set of signal values associated with a second set of electrodes in the second cluster;

determining a plurality of sums based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values; and

generating, based on the plurality of sums, a profile for the sensing region based on the first set of signal values and the second set of signal values,

wherein the profile reflects an input object in the sensing region.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2021
From: GOUDARZI, KATAYOUN; WEINERTH, JOHN; SOLVEN, DEREK; HOCH, DAVID
To: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 056842/0926 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2021
From: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 055581/0737 →