IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,067,187
Granted Patent B2
US 12,067,187 · App. 18/304,224 · Granted Aug 20, 2024

Position detection circuit and position detection method

Inventors: JuiMin Liu (Tokyo, JP); Shigeyuki Sano (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
G06F3/0416G06F3/04186G06F3/044G06F3/0446
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,067,187
App. No.
18/304,224
Granted
Aug 20, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A position detection method performed using a capacitive touch sensor with line electrodes two-dimensionally arranged. The method includes: acquiring first two-dimensional data indicating a first distribution of detection values of capacitance on the touch sensor; recognizing that a foreign object is present in an area on the touch sensor based on the first two-dimensional data; in response to the recognizing that the foreign object is present in the area on the touch sensor based on the first two-dimensional data, using a first threshold that is lower than a second threshold for detecting a first touch position or touch area inside of the area on the touch sensor in which the foreign object is present; and detecting the first touch position or touch area inside of the area on the touch sensor in which the foreign object is present based on the first two-dimensional data and the first threshold.

Claims (36)

1. A position detection circuit connected to a capacitive touch sensor formed with a plurality of line electrodes that are two-dimensionally arranged, the position detection circuit comprising:

at least one processor device; and

at least one memory device storing processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor device, cause the position detection circuit to:

acquire two-dimensional data indicating a distribution of detection values of capacitance on the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, compare the two-dimensional data with a first threshold to detect a first touch position or a first touch area on the capacitive touch sensor at which a detection value indicated by the two-dimensional data exceeds the first threshold; and

in response to not recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, compare the two-dimensional data with a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold to detect a second touch position or a second touch area on the capacitive touch sensor at which a detection value indicated by the two-dimensional data exceeds the second threshold.

2. The position detection circuit of claim 1 , wherein a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor is recognized based on a determination that a positive signal level and a negative signal level are mixedly present in the distribution of detection values.

3. A position detection circuit connected to a capacitive touch sensor formed with a plurality of line electrodes that are two-dimensionally arranged, the position detection circuit comprising:

at least one processor device; and

at least one memory device storing processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor device, cause the position detection circuit to:

acquire two-dimensional data indicating a distribution of detection values of capacitance on the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, compare a difference between two detection values of two adjacent touch areas detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a first threshold, to treat the two adjacent touch areas as a unitary touch area responsive to the difference being smaller than the first threshold; and

in response to not recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, compare a difference between two detection values of two adjacent touch areas detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, to treat the two adjacent touch areas as a unitary touch area responsive to the difference being smaller than the second threshold.

4. The position detection circuit of claim 3 , wherein a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor is recognized based on a determination that a positive signal level and a negative signal level are mixedly present in the distribution of detection values.

5. A position detection circuit connected to a capacitive touch sensor formed with a plurality of line electrodes that are two-dimensionally arranged, the position detection circuit comprising:

at least one processor device; and

at least one memory device storing processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor device, cause the position detection circuit to:

acquire two-dimensional data indicating a distribution of detection values of capacitance on the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, compare a size of an area detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a first threshold, to exclude the area from a touch area on the capacitive touch sensor responsive to the size exceeding the first threshold; and

in response to not recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, compare a size of an area detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, to exclude the area from a touch area on the capacitive touch sensor responsive to the size exceeding the second threshold.

6. The position detection circuit of claim 5 , wherein a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor is recognized based on a determination that a positive signal level and a negative signal level are mixedly present in the distribution of detection values.

7. A position detection method performed by one or more processors using a capacitive touch sensor formed with a plurality of line electrodes that are two-dimensionally arranged, the method comprising:

acquiring two-dimensional data indicating a distribution of detection values of capacitance on the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, comparing the two-dimensional data with a first threshold to detect a first touch position or a first touch area on the capacitive touch sensor at which a detection value indicated by the two-dimensional data exceeds the first threshold; and

in response to not recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, comparing the two-dimensional data with a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold to detect a second touch position or a second touch area on the capacitive touch sensor at which a detection value indicated by the two-dimensional data exceeds the second threshold.

8. The position detection method of claim 7 , wherein a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor is recognized when determining that a positive signal level and a negative signal level are mixedly present in the distribution of detection values.

9. A position detection method performed by one or more processors using a capacitive touch sensor formed with a plurality of line electrodes that are two-dimensionally arranged, the method comprising:

acquiring two-dimensional data indicating a distribution of detection values of capacitance on the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, comparing a difference between two detection values of two adjacent touch areas detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a first threshold, to treat the two adjacent touch areas as a unitary touch area when the difference is smaller than the first threshold; and

in response to not recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, comparing a difference between two detection values of two adjacent touch areas detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, to treat the two adjacent touch areas as a unitary touch area when the difference is smaller than the second threshold.

10. The position detection method of claim 9 , wherein a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor is recognized when determining that a positive signal level and a negative signal level are mixedly present in the distribution of detection values.

11. A position detection method performed by one or more processors using a capacitive touch sensor formed with a plurality of line electrodes that are two-dimensionally arranged, the method comprising:

acquiring two-dimensional data indicating a distribution of detection values of capacitance on the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, comparing a size of an area detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a first threshold, to exclude the area from a touch area on the capacitive touch sensor when the size exceeds the first threshold; and

in response to not recognizing a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data, comparing a size of an area detected on the capacitive touch sensor based on the two-dimensional data with a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, to exclude the area from a touch area on the capacitive touch sensor when the size exceeds the second threshold.

12. The position detection method of claim 11 , wherein a foreign object on the capacitive touch sensor is recognized when determining that a positive signal level and a negative signal level are mixedly present in the distribution of detection values.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-189838 · Oct 5, 2018 · national
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17559946 · Dec 22, 2021
Continuation 16928875 · Jul 14, 2020
Continuation 16279160 · Feb 19, 2019
Provisional Application 62634030 · Feb 22, 2018
Related Publication 20230259229A1 · Aug 17, 2023
Cited By (1)
US 12,487,692