IP Library Granted Patent US 10,037,119
Granted Patent B2
US 10,037,119 · App. 15/875,827 · Granted Jul 31, 2018

Dynamic configuration of touch sensor electrode clusters

Inventors: Samuel Brunet (Cowes, GB); Richard Paul Collins (Southampton, GB); Luben Hristov Hristov (Sofia, BG); Steinar Myren (Vikhammer, NO); Trond Jarle Pedersen (Trondheim, NO); Paul Stavely (Southampton, GB)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
G06F3/044G06F3/0416
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,037,119
App. No.
15/875,827
Granted
Jul 31, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus of one embodiment includes a sensor having a plurality of electrodes and a controller having a processor and a memory. The memory includes logic operable to configure the plurality of electrodes of the sensor to form a first cluster pattern including a first cluster and a second cluster. The first cluster and the second cluster each include two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes. The logic is further operable to determine a value associated with a capacitance of a first cluster and configure, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern. The second cluster pattern includes a third cluster and a fourth cluster. The third cluster and the fourth cluster each include two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes and the third cluster is interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

Claims (60)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes; and

a controller comprising:

a processor; and

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

configure the plurality of electrodes of the sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a first cluster and a second cluster, the first cluster and the second cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes;

determine a value associated with a capacitance of the first cluster; and

configure, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a third cluster and a fourth cluster, the third cluster and the fourth cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the third cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the second cluster pattern further comprising a fifth cluster, the fifth cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the fifth cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the fifth cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of switches, wherein:

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the first cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of the first cluster pattern; and

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the second cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of the second cluster pattern.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the third cluster comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the third cluster are adjacent to one another.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining the value comprises measuring a voltage associated with the first cluster after application of a voltage to the first cluster.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises a first electrode, a second electrode adjacent to first electrode, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode, and a fifth electrode adjacent to the fourth electrode;

the first cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;

the second cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode;

the third cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

the fourth cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the third electrode and the fifth electrode.

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

8. A method comprising:

configuring a plurality of electrodes of a sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a first cluster and a second cluster, the first cluster and the second cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes;

determining a value associated with a capacitance of the first cluster; and

configuring, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a third cluster and a fourth cluster, the third cluster and the fourth cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the third cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

9. The method of claim 8 , the second cluster pattern further comprising a fifth cluster, the fifth cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality a electrodes, the fifth cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the fifth cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the first cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of the first cluster pattern; and

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the second cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of the second cluster pattern.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the third cluster comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the third cluster are adjacent to one another.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the value comprises measuring a voltage associated with the first cluster after application of a voltage to the first cluster.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises a first electrode, a second electrode adjacent to first electrode, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode, and a fifth electrode adjacent to the fourth electrode;

the first cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;

the second cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode;

the third cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

the fourth cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the third electrode and the fifth electrode.

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

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising logic, the logic configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

configuring a plurality of electrodes of a sensor to form a first cluster pattern comprising a first cluster and a second cluster, the first cluster and the second cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes;

determining a value associated with a capacitance of the first cluster; and

configuring, in response to determining the value, the plurality of electrodes to form a second cluster pattern comprising a third cluster and a fourth cluster, the third cluster and the fourth cluster each comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the third cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the third cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

16. The medium of claim 15 , the second cluster pattern further comprising a fifth cluster, the fifth cluster comprising two or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, the fifth cluster being interleaved with the fourth cluster such that an electrode of the fifth cluster is positioned between two electrodes of the fourth cluster.

17. The medium of claim 15 , wherein:

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the first cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of the first cluster pattern; and

configuring the plurality of electrodes to form the second cluster pattern comprises configuring one or more switches of the plurality of switches to galvanically connect each electrode of the second cluster pattern.

18. The medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the third cluster comprises three or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and

two electrodes of the three or more electrodes of the third cluster are adjacent to one another.

19. The medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the value comprises measuring a voltage associated with the first cluster after application of a voltage to the first cluster.

20. The medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the plurality of electrodes comprises a first electrode, a second electrode adjacent to first electrode, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode, a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode, and a fifth electrode adjacent to the fourth electrode;

the first cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;

the second cluster of the first cluster pattern comprises the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode;

the third cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the first electrode, the second electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

the fourth cluster of the second cluster pattern comprises the third electrode and the fifth electrode.

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 19, 2018
From: MYREN, STEINAR; PEDERSEN, TROND JARLE
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044678/0891 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2018
From: BRUNET, SAMUEL; COLLINS, RICHARD PAUL; HRISTOV, LUBEN HRISTOV; STAVELY, PAUL
To: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 044678/0982 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2018
From: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044679/0012 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14075412 · Nov 8, 2013
Continuation In Part 13955352 · Jul 31, 2013
Related Publication 20180143713A1 · May 24, 2018