IP Library Granted Patent US 9,207,802
Granted Patent B2
US 9,207,802 · App. 13/932,767 · Granted Dec 8, 2015

Suppression of unintended touch objects

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,207,802
App. No.
13/932,767
Granted
Dec 8, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus includes a touch sensor operable to sense objects that touch the touch sensor. The apparatus also includes a touch sensor controller operable to detect a first object and determine that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor. The touch sensor controller also defines an intended touch area associated with the first object and suppresses detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area.

Claims (69)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor operable to sense a plurality of objects that touch the touch sensor, said touch sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes to be disposed on at least one substrate;

a touch sensor controller operable to:

detect a first object touching the touch sensor;

determine that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor;

define an intended touch area associated with the first object, the intended touch area comprising an area covering a portion of the plurality of electrodes; and

suppress detection of touches of the touch sensor that are outside of the defined intended touch area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to:

detect that the first object is moved from a first location to a second location within the intended touch area; and

adjust a location of the defined area based on the detected movement of the first object.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intended touch area is defined by a radius having a predetermined length extending from a location of the first object.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined length is an adjustable user setting.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor controller determines that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor by determining that the first touch object is a stylus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to initiate suppression of unintended touches based at least in part upon determining that the first object is a stylus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor controller determines that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor based at least upon one or more of a touch size, a touch pattern, and a signal strength.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor operable to sense a plurality of objects that touch the touch sensor:

a touch sensor controller operable to:

detect a first object touching the touch sensor;

determine that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor;

define an intended touch area associated with the first object; and

suppress detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area; and

wherein the touch sensor is further operable to:

determine that a predetermined time period since a detection of an object within the defined intended touch area is lapsed; and

discontinue suppressing detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area.

9. A method comprising:

detecting a first object touching a touch sensor, said touch sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes to be disposed on at least one substrate;

determining that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor;

defining an intended touch area associated with the first object, the intended touch area comprising an area covering a portion of the plurality of electrodes; and

suppressing detection of touches of the touch sensor that are outside of the defined intended touch area.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting that the first object is moved from a first location to a second location within the intended touch area; and

adjusting a location of the defined area based on the detected movement of the first object.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the intended touch area is defined by a radius having a predetermined length extending from a location of the first object.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined length is an adjustable user setting.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor by determining that the first object is a stylus.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising initiating suppression of unintended touches based at least in part upon determining that the first object is a stylus.

15. A method comprising:

detecting a first object touching a touch sensor;

determining that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor;

defining an intended touch area associated with the first object; and

suppressing detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area;

determining that a predetermined time period since a detection of a touch within the defined intended touch area is lapsed; and

discontinuing suppressing detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area.

16. A system, comprising:

a computing device;

a display screen; and

a touch sensor, the touch sensor comprising:

a plurality of electrodes to be disposed on at least one substrate; and

a touch sensor controller operable to:

detect a first object touching the touch sensor;

determine that the first touch object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor;

define an intended touch area associated with the first object, the intended touch area comprising an area covering a portion of the plurality of electrodes; and

suppress detection of touches of the touch sensor that are outside of the defined intended touch area.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to:

detect that the first object is moved from a first location to a second location within the intended touch area; and

adjust a location of the defined area based on the detected movement of the first object.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the intended touch area is defined by a radius having a predetermined length extending from a location of the first object.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the touch sensor controller determines that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor by determining that the first touch object is a stylus.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor operable to sense a plurality of objects that touch the touch sensor;

a touch sensor controller operable to:

detect a first object touching the touch sensor;

determine that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor;

define an intended touch area associated with the first object; and

suppress detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area; and

wherein the touch sensor controller is further operable to:

determine that a predetermined time period since a detection of a touch within the defined intended touch area is lapsed; and

discontinue suppressing detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area.

Assignments (11)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2016
From: ATMEL KOREA LLC
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039956/0852 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2013
From: UM, JOO YONG
To: ATMEL KOREA LLC
Reel/Frame 030722/0786 →