IP Library Granted Patent US 10,042,501
Granted Patent B2
US 10,042,501 · App. 15/868,706 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Dynamic clustering of touch sensor electrodes

Inventors: Samuel Brunet (Cowes, GB); Richard Paul Collins (Southampton, GB); Luben Hristov (Sofia, BG); Steinar Myren (Vikhammer, NO); Trond Jarle Pedersen (Trondheim, NO); Paul Stavely (Southampton, GB)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
G06F3/044G06F3/0416G06F3/0418G06F2203/04101G06F2203/04108
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,042,501
App. No.
15/868,706
Granted
Aug 7, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a sensor and a controller having a processor and a memory. The memory includes logic operable, when executed by the processor, to connect each electrode of a first subset of electrodes of the sensor and determine a first value associated with the first subset of electrodes. Based at least on the first value, the logic is further operable to alter the first subset of electrodes to a second subset of electrodes and connect, in response to determining to alter the first subset of electrodes to the second subset of electrodes, each electrode of the second subset of electrodes of the sensor.

Claims (73)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor; and

a controller comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising logic operable, when executed by the processor, to:

connect each electrode of a first subset of electrodes of the sensor;

determine a first value associated with the first subset of electrodes;

determine, based at least on the first value, to alter the first subset of electrodes to a second subset of electrodes; and

connect, in response to determining to alter the first subset of electrodes to the second subset of electrodes, each electrode of the second subset of electrodes of the sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic is further operable, when executed by the processor, to:

determine a second value associated with the second subset;

determine, based at least on the second value, to alter the second subset of electrodes to a third subset of electrodes; and

connect, in response to determining to alter the second subset of electrodes to the third subset of electrodes, each electrode of the third subset of electrodes of the sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first value comprises one or more of the following:

a capacitance;

a voltage measurement;

a current measurement; and

a timing measurement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the first value utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first subset of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode adjacent and substantially parallel to the first electrode of the first subset; and

the second subset of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode adjacent and substantially parallel to the first electrode of the second subset.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first subset of electrodes comprises:

one or more electrodes that are not included in the second subset of electrodes; and

one or more electrodes that are included in the second subset of electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic is further operable; when executed by the processor, to determine a position of an object based at least on the first and second values, wherein the position of the object comprises one or more of the following:

a distance between the object and the sensor; and

a projection of a portion of the object onto the sensor.

8. A method comprising:

connecting each electrode of a first subset of electrodes of a sensor;

determining a first value associated with the first subset of electrodes;

determining, based at least on the first value, to alter the first subset of electrodes to a second subset of electrodes; and

connecting, in response to determining to alter the first subset of electrodes to the second subset of electrodes, each electrode of the second subset of electrodes of the sensor.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining a second value associated with the second subset;

determining, based at least on the second value, to alter the second subset of electrodes to a third subset of electrodes; and

connecting, in response to determining to alter the second subset of electrodes to the third subset of electrodes, each electrode of the third subset of electrodes of the sensor.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first value comprises one or more of the following:

a capacitance;

a voltage measurement;

a current measurement; and

a timing measurement.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination of the first value utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the first subset of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode adjacent and substantially parallel to the first electrode of the first subset; and

the second subset of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode adjacent and substantially parallel to the first electrode of the second subset.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first subset of electrodes comprises:

one or more electrodes that are not included in the second subset of electrodes; and

one or more electrodes that are included in the second subset of electrodes.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining a position of an object based at least on the first and second values, wherein the position of the object comprises one or more of the following:

a distance between the object and the sensor; and

a projection of a portion of the object onto the sensor.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising logic, the logic when executed by a processor configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

connecting each electrode of a first subset of electrodes of a sensor;

determining a first value associated with the first subset of electrodes;

determining, based at least on the first value, to alter the first subset of electrodes to a second subset of electrodes; and

connecting, in response to determining to alter the first subset of electrodes to the second subset of electrodes, each electrode of the second subset of electrodes of the sensor.

16. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a second value associated with the second subset;

determining, based at least on the second value, to alter the second subset of electrodes to a third subset of electrodes; and

connecting, in response to determining to alter the second subset of electrodes to the third subset of electrodes, each electrode of the third subset of electrodes of the sensor.

17. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the first value comprises one or more of the following:

a capacitance;

a voltage measurement;

a current measurement; and

a timing measurement.

18. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the determination of the first value utilizes self-capacitance measurements.

19. The medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the first subset of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode adjacent and substantially parallel to the first electrode of the first subset; and

the second subset of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode adjacent and substantially parallel to the first electrode of the second subset.

20. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the first subset of electrodes comprises:

one or more electrodes that are not included in the second subset of electrodes; and

one or more electrodes that are included in the second subset of electrodes.

Assignments (6)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2018
From: MYREN, STEINAR; PEDERSEN, TROND JARLE
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044602/0476 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2018
From: BRUNET, SAMUEL; COLLINS, RICHARD PAUL; HRISTOV, LUBEN; STAVELY, PAUL
To: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 044602/0578 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2018
From: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044602/0640 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13955352 · Jul 31, 2013
Related Publication 20180136757A1 · May 17, 2018