IP Library Granted Patent US 9,110,550
Granted Patent B2
US 9,110,550 · App. 13/889,692 · Granted Aug 18, 2015

Method for restructuring distorted capacitive touch data

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,110,550
App. No.
13/889,692
Granted
Aug 18, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for restructuring distorted capacitive touch data includes receiving an array of touch amplitude data associated with an electrode line of a capacitive touch sensor in response to a touch on a touch sensitive display. The method also includes detecting a distortion in the array of touch amplitude data and calculating, in response to detecting the distortion, a corrected array of touch amplitude data such that the corrected array of touch amplitude data represents the touch on the touch sensitive display.

Claims (55)

1. A method for restructuring distorted capacitive touch data comprising performing the following actions by at least one computer:

receiving an array of touch amplitude data associated with an electrode line of a capacitive touch sensor in response to a touch on a touch sensitive display, the touch amplitude data comprising capacitance measurements associated with coordinates along the electrode line;

calculating a gradient array that is representative of the gradient of the touch amplitude data;

identifying a first gradient maximum and a second gradient maximum in the gradient array;

determining whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch; and

upon determining the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch, calculating a corrected array of touch amplitude data such that the corrected array of touch amplitude data represents the touch on the touch sensitive display, the calculating the corrected array of touch amplitude data comprising:

reflecting the gradients in the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum over a line between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum; and

estimating the corrected array of touch amplitude data from the reflected gradients.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch comprises:

determining a change in direction exists between the first gradient maximum and a first adjacent gradient, where the first adjacent gradient is a gradient of touch amplitude data from an adjacent electrode line of the capacitive touch sensor; and

determining a change in direction exists between the second gradient maximum and a second adjacent gradient, where the second adjacent gradient is a gradient of touch amplitude data from the adjacent electrode line of the capacitive touch sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch comprises:

identifying a gradient minimum between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum in the gradient array; and

determining gradients between the first gradient maximum and the gradient minimum are substantially equal to gradients between the gradient minimum and the second gradient maximum.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising ignoring gradient values below a predefined threshold when identifying the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum in the gradient array.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating the corrected array of touch amplitude data further comprises smoothing gradient values near the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating a gradient array that is representative of the gradient of the touch amplitude data comprises applying a finite impulse response filter to the touch amplitude data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the finite impulse response filter coefficients are −1.0, 0.5, 1.0, 0.5, and −1.0.

8. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to:

receive an array of touch amplitude data associated with an electrode line of a capacitive touch sensor in response to a touch on a touch sensitive display, the touch amplitude data comprising capacitance measurements associated with coordinates along the electrode line;

calculate a gradient array that is representative of the gradient of the touch amplitude data;

identify a first gradient maximum and a second gradient maximum in the gradient array;

determine whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch; and

upon determining the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch, calculate a corrected array of touch amplitude data such that the corrected array of touch amplitude data represents the touch on the touch sensitive display, the calculating the corrected array of touch amplitude data comprising:

reflecting the gradients in the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum over a line between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum; and

estimating the corrected array of touch amplitude data from the reflected gradients.

9. The media of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch comprises:

determining a change in direction exists between the first gradient maximum and a first adjacent gradient, where the first adjacent gradient is a gradient of touch amplitude data from an adjacent electrode line of the capacitive touch sensor; and

determining a change in direction exists between the second gradient maximum and a second adjacent gradient, where the second adjacent gradient is a gradient of touch amplitude data from the adjacent electrode line of the capacitive touch sensor.

10. The media of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch comprises:

identifying a gradient minimum between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum in the gradient array; and

determining gradients between the first gradient maximum and the gradient minimum are substantially equal to gradients between the gradient minimum and the second gradient maximum.

11. The media of claim 8 , wherein the logic is further operable when executed to ignore gradient values below a predefined threshold when identifying the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum in the gradient array.

12. The media of claim 8 , wherein the calculating the corrected array of touch amplitude data further comprises smoothing gradient values near the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum.

13. The media of claim 8 , wherein calculating a gradient array that is representative of the gradient of the touch amplitude data comprises applying a finite impulse response filter to the touch amplitude data.

14. The media of claim 13 , wherein the finite impulse response filter coefficients are −1.0, 0.5, 1.0, 0.5, and −1.0.

15. A device comprising:

a touch sensor; and

a touch-sensor controller operable to:

receive an array of touch amplitude data associated with an electrode line of a capacitive touch sensor in response to a touch on a touch sensitive display, the touch amplitude data comprising capacitance measurements associated with coordinates along the electrode line;

calculate a gradient array that is representative of the gradient of the touch amplitude data;

identify a first gradient maximum and a second gradient maximum in the gradient array;

determine whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch; and

upon determining the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch, calculate a corrected array of touch amplitude data such that the corrected array of touch amplitude data represents the touch on the touch sensitive display, the calculating the corrected array of touch amplitude data comprising:

reflecting the gradients in the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum over the line between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum; and

estimating the corrected array of touch amplitude data from the reflected gradients.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein determining whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch comprises:

determining a change in direction exists between the first gradient maximum and a first adjacent gradient, where the first adjacent gradient is a gradient of touch amplitude data from an adjacent electrode line of the capacitive touch sensor; and

determining a change in direction exists between the second gradient maximum and a second adjacent gradient, where the second adjacent gradient is a gradient of touch amplitude data from the adjacent electrode line of the capacitive touch sensor.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein determining whether the gradient array between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum represents a distorted touch comprises:

identifying a gradient minimum between the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum in the gradient array; and

determining gradients between the first gradient maximum and the gradient minimum are substantially equal to gradients between the gradient minimum and the second gradient maximum.

18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the touch-sensor controller is further operable to ignore gradient values below a predefined threshold when identifying the first gradient maximum and the second gradient maximum in the gradient array.

19. The device of claim 15 , wherein calculating a gradient array that is representative of the gradient of the touch amplitude data comprises applying a finite impulse response filter to the touch amplitude data.

20. The device of claim 15 , wherein the finite impulse response filter coefficients are −1.0, 0.5, 1.0, 0.5, and −1.0.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2019
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY GERMANY GMBH
To: NEODRÓN LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048259/0840 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Dec 21, 2018
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047976/0884 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Dec 21, 2018
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047976/0937 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038376/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031912/0173 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2013
From: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030550/0954 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2013
From: SIMMONS, MARTIN J.; VUKOVIC, PREDRAG D.; ST. HILL, NICHOLAS
To: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 030374/0980 →