MULTI-RESOLUTION MICRO-WIRE TOUCH-SENSING METHOD

1 . A method for touch sensing in a touch-screen device, comprising:

providing an array of independently controlled and electrically separate drive electrodes, an array of independently controlled and electrically separate sense electrodes, wherein the drive electrodes and the sense electrodes define touch locations in a touch-detection area;

providing a touch-detection circuit having a separate connection to each of the drive electrodes and a separate connection to each of the sense electrodes for detecting touches at a touch location in the touch-detection area;

using the touch-detection circuit to control three or more electrodes at the same time to detect a single sense signal responsive to the controlled three or more electrodes, the three or more electrodes including at least one drive electrode and at least one sense electrode; and

using a processor to analyze the single sense signal and determine a touch at a touch location.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further including using the touch-detection circuit to control two or more drive electrodes with a common drive signal at the same time and detect a single sense signal with one or more sense electrodes at the same time.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the two or more drive electrodes are adjacent.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the two or more drive electrodes are not adjacent.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further including using the touch-detection circuit to control one or more drive electrodes with a common drive signal at the same time and detect a single sense signal with two or more sense electrodes at the same time.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the two or more sense electrodes are adjacent.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the two or more sense electrodes are not adjacent.

8 . The method of claim 5 , further including using the touch-detection circuit to detect a sense signal from each of the two or more sense electrodes and combine the sense signals to form a single sense signal and determine the touch.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further including using the touch-detection circuit to control two or more drive electrodes with a common drive signal at the same time and detect a single sense signal with two or more sense electrodes at the same time.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further including:

using the touch-detection circuit to separately and sequentially control one or more drive electrodes with a drive signal;

for each controlled one or more drive electrodes, using the touch-detection circuit to separately detect a single sense signal for one or more sense electrodes; and

using the processor to analyze the single sense signals and determine a touch, thereby performing a high-resolution scan of the touch-detection area to determine a high-resolution touch at a touch location within a high-resolution touch area defined by the controlled one or more drive electrodes and sensed one or more sense electrodes.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further including:

associating the electrodes into groups, at least one electrode group having three or more electrodes including at least one drive electrode and at least one sense electrode;

using the touch-detection circuit to separately and sequentially control one or more electrode groups, wherein controlling each electrode group includes controlling the three or more electrodes in the electrode group at the same time to detect a single sense signal responsive to the controlled three or more electrodes; and

using the processor to analyze the single sense signal of each controlled one or more electrode groups to determine a touch, thereby performing a low-resolution scan of at least a portion of the touch-detection area to determine a low-resolution touch at a touch location within a low-resolution touch area defined by the controlled drive electrodes and sensed sense electrodes.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein no sense electrode is included in more than one electrode group or wherein no drive electrode is included in more than one electrode group.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one sense electrode is included in more than one group or wherein at least one drive electrode is included in more than one group.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrode groups include all of the sense electrodes and all of the drive electrodes.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrode groups include fewer than all of the sense electrodes or fewer than all of the drive electrodes.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further including:

defining a first set of electrode groups including a first number of drive and sense electrodes;

defining a second set of electrode groups including a second number of drive and sense electrodes that is less than the first number;

using the touch-detection circuit to separately and sequentially control the electrodes in the first set of electrode groups to detect a corresponding first set of first single sense signals and using the processor to analyze the first single sense signals to determine a first touch at a first touch location; and

using the touch-detection circuit to separately and sequentially control the electrodes in the second set of electrode groups to detect a corresponding second set of second single sense signals and using the processor to analyze the second single sense signals to determine a second touch at a second touch location.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further including defining the second set of electrode groups to include the drive and sense electrodes defining the first touch location and to include fewer than all of the drive electrodes or fewer than all of the sense electrodes.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the low-resolution area defined by the first set of electrode groups includes the low-resolution area defined by the second set of electrode groups.

19 . The method of claim 11 , further including:

using the touch-detection circuit to separately and sequentially control one or more drive electrodes with a drive signal;

for each controlled drive electrode, using the touch-detection circuit to separately detect a single sense signal for one or more sense electrodes; and

using the processor to analyze the single sense signals and determine a touch, thereby performing a high-resolution scan of an area to determine a high-resolution touch at a touch location within a high-resolution touch area defined by the controlled one or more drive electrodes and sensed one or more sense electrodes.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the high-resolution touch is located within the low-resolution touch area.

21 . The method of claim 19 , further including repeatedly alternating a low-resolution scan with a high-resolution scan.

22 . The method of claim 19 , further including repeating a low-resolution scan until a low-resolution touch is determined and then performing a high-resolution scan.

23 . The method of claim 19 , further including performing a high-resolution scan using only a portion of the drive electrodes or only a portion of the sense electrodes.

24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the low-resolution scan is done faster than the high-resolution scan or wherein the low-resolution scan is done using less energy than the high-resolution scan.