Method and apparatus for variable impedence touch sensor array gesture recognition
The present invention relates to touch sensor detector systems and methods incorporating an interpolated variable impedance touch sensor array and specifically to such systems and methods for gesture recognition and associating a UI element with the recognized gesture. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a variable impedance array (VIA) system for receiving a gesture that includes: a plurality of physical VIA columns connected by interlinked impedance columns; a plurality of physical VIA rows connected by interlinked impedance rows; and a processor configured to interpolate a location and/or pressure of the gesture in the physical columns and rows from an electrical signal from a plurality of column drive sources (connected to the plurality of physical VIA columns through the interlinked impedance columns) sensed at a plurality of row sense sinks (connected to the plurality of physical VIA rows through the interlinked impedance rows).
1. A touch sensor system comprising:
a sensor panel; and
an interpolated variable impedance array comprising:
column drive sources connected to physical variable impedance array columns through interlinked impedance columns;
row sense sinks connected to physical variable impedance array rows through interlinked impedance rows; and
a processor that:
detects a first touch point at the sensor panel and a second touch point at the sensor panel;
determines a pressure difference between the first touch point and the second touch point;
determines that the first touch point and the second touch point correspond to a defined pattern based on the pressure difference satisfying a defined pressure difference; and
implements an action at a user interface element based on the defined pattern.
2. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor detects the second touch point within a defined time of at least the first touch point.
3. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein, based on the pressure difference failing to satisfy the defined pressure difference, the processor rejects the first touch point and the second touch point, and wherein the action is not implemented at the user interface element.
4. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the pressure difference between the first touch point and the second touch point from an electrical signal received in response to detection of the first touch point and the second touch point.
5. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the pressure difference based on identifying an increased pressure at the first touch point and a decreased pressure at the second touch point based on an electrical signal received from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks.
6. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the pressure difference based on identifying a decreased pressure at the first touch point and an increased pressure at the second touch point based on an electrical signal from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks.
7. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor further:
determines a continuous pressure change at the first touch point or the second touch point on the sensor panel from an electrical signal received from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks; and
causes the user interface element to provide visual feedback based on the continuous pressure change at the first touch point or the second touch point.
8. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines a touch pattern of a gesture based on the first touch point, the second touch point, or both the first touch point and the second touch point.
9. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines a pressure response pattern at the first touch point, the second touch point, or both the first touch point and the second touch point, over time from an electrical signal received from the column drive sources sensed a the row sense sinks.
10. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the pressure difference based on identifying a varying pressure at the first touch point and the second touch point.
11. The touch sensor system of claim 1 , wherein
the physical variable impedance array columns are connected by the interlinked impedance columns;
the physical variable impedance array rows are connected by the interlinked impedance rows;
the column drive sources are connected to the interlinked impedance columns and the physical variable impedance array columns through the interlinked impedance columns; and
the row sense sinks are connected to the interlinked impedance rows and to the physical variable impedance array rows through the interlinked impedance rows.
12. The touch sensor system of claim 11 , wherein the processor further interpolates a location of a gesture in the physical variable impedance array columns and the physical variable impedance array rows from an electrical signal from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks.
13. A gesture-recognition interpolated variable impedance array, comprising:
a sensor panel comprising a grid of sensing elements that:
power on simultaneously, and
generate multiple currents along multiple current paths in response to a sensed touch, wherein an amount of current generated by a sensing element of the grid of sensing elements is directly proportional to a force applied by the sensed touch; and
a processor that:
detects a first touch point at the sensor panel and a second touch point at the sensor panel;
determines a pressure differential between the first touch point and the second touch point;
determines that the first touch point and the second touch point correspond to a defined pattern based on the pressure differential satisfying a defined pressure differential; and
implements an action at a user interface element based on the defined pattern.
14. The gesture-recognition interpolated variable impedance array of claim 13 , wherein the processor detects that the pressure differential between the first touch point and the second touch point varies in a rocking manner.
15. The gesture-recognition interpolated variable impedance array of claim 14 , wherein the processor determines the rocking manner based on detection of an increased pressure at the first touch point and a decreased pressure at the second touch point, or vice versa.
16. The gesture-recognition interpolated variable impedance array of claim 13 , further comprising:
column drive sources connected to physical variable impedance array columns through interlinked impedance columns;
row sense sinks connected to physical variable impedance array rows through interlinked impedance rows,
wherein the processor determines a relative orientation of the first touch point and the second touch point based on an electrical signal received from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks and based on a relative pressure applied at the first touch point and the second touch point determined based on the electrical signal from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks.
17. The gesture-recognition interpolated variable impedance array of claim 13 , further comprising:
column drive sources connected to physical variable impedance array columns through interlinked impedance columns;
row sense sinks connected to physical variable impedance array rows through interlinked impedance rows,
wherein the processor further:
determines a continuous pressure change at the first touch point or the second touch point on the sensor panel from an electrical signal received from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks; and
causes the user interface element to provide visual feedback based on the continuous pressure change at the first touch point or the second touch point.
18. The gesture-recognition interpolated variable impedance array of claim 13 , wherein the processor determines a touch pattern of a gesture based on the first touch point, the second touch point, or both the first touch point and the second touch point.
19. The gesture-recognition interpolated variable impedance array of claim 13 , further comprising:
column drive sources connected to physical variable impedance array columns through interlinked impedance columns;
row sense sinks connected to physical variable impedance array rows through interlinked impedance rows,
wherein the processor determines a pressure response pattern at the first touch point, the second touch point, or both the first touch point and the second touch point over time from an electrical signal received from the column drive sources sensed at the row sense sinks.
20. A system, comprising:
a variable impedance array;
an array column driver;
an array row sensor, wherein the variable impedance array comprises interlinked impedance columns coupled to the array column driver and interlinked impedance rows coupled to the array row sensor, wherein the array column driver selects the interlinked impedance columns based on a column switching register and electrically drive the interlinked impedance columns using a column driving source, wherein the variable impedance array conveys current from the interlinked impedance columns to the interlinked impedance columns sensed by the array row sensor, and wherein the array row sensor selects the interlinked impedance rows and electrically senses a state of the interlinked impedance rows based on a row switching register; and
a processor that:
detects a first touch point at a sensor panel and a second touch point at the sensor panel;
determines the first touch point and the second touch point correspond to a defined pattern based on a pressure difference between the first touch point and the second touch point satisfying a defined pressure difference;
implements an action at an associated user interface element based on the defined pattern.