Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080211782 | TOUCH SIMULATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - Systems and methods provide for simulating an effective touch on a touch screen sensor. A touch screen sensor includes a first surface, an opposing second surface, and one or more electrodes disposed on or proximate to the second surface. Signals are applied to the first and second surfaces in a manner which results in a simulated touch to a particular location of the touch screen sensor. In another approach, a plurality of voltage drive signals are applied at various touch surface regions of the touch screen sensor. A current flow resulting from application of the voltage drive signals is detected as the simulated touch. Touch simulation can be initiated locally or remotely as part of automated monitoring, testing, calibration, and/or servicing procedures. Results of a touch simulation procedure can be acquired and used locally or remotely to assess the operational fitness of the touch screen sensor over time. | 09-04-2008 |
20080252608 | TOUCH SENSOR WITH ELECTRODE ARRAY - A touch sensor is provided that includes an array of discrete electrodes disposed over a touch sensitive area, the electrodes being elongated in a first direction and having a variable width measured in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. A touch location can be determined by simultaneously applying an electrical signal to a plurality of positions on the touch sensor, the touch location along the first direction being determined by comparing a capacitive coupling between the touch implement and the plurality of positions in the touch sensor, and the touch location along the second direction being determined by comparing a resistive coupling between the touch implement and the plurality of positions in the touch sensor. | 10-16-2008 |
20090040193 | TOUCH SCREEN WITH SELECTIVE TOUCH SOURCES - A data processor for an occupant identification system. | 02-12-2009 |
20090127003 | System and Method for Determining Touch Positions Based on Position-Dependent Electrical Charges - Systems and methods determine the position of a touch on a surface of a device, such as a touch-sensitive device, by using position-dependent electrical charges. In such a method, the position of a touching implement is determined on the sensing surface of a device. The method includes generating signals on the surface of the device to create a position-dependent electrical charge on the touching implement; and measuring the position-dependent electrical charge to indicate a coordinate on the sensing surface for establishing the position of the touching implement. | 05-21-2009 |
20090167325 | PULSED CAPACITANCE MEASURING CIRCUITS AND METHODS - Capacitance measuring circuits and methods apply electrical charge pulses to ramp voltage signals across a voltage threshold, and use the number of pulses to determine the capacitance. Capacitances at multiple locations can be measured by storing a pulse counter value in a register associated with each voltage signal channel as that voltage signal crosses the threshold. Effects of electrode resistance on the capacitance measurements can be mitigated by using charge pulses to ramp the voltage signals and waiting for signal quiescence between pulses. | 07-02-2009 |
20090167326 | TIME-SLOPED CAPACITANCE MEASURING CIRCUITS AND METHODS - Time-sloped capacitance measuring circuits use the time to ramp voltage signals between reference levels to determine an unknown capacitance, where the ramping time is determined by the cumulative whole number of clock cycles counted during voltage signal ramping over multiple ramp cycles. Measurement resolution can be improved by adjusting a starting voltage level for subsequent voltage signal ramps by an amount that compensates for incremental voltage ramping during a terminal clock cycle of a previous voltage signal ramp. | 07-02-2009 |
20090167720 | MULTIPLE CAPACITANCE MEASURING CIRCUITS AND METHODS - In capacitance measurement circuits and methods that measure capacitances at multiple locations by ramping voltage signals between reference levels, the phase of the voltage signal ramping can be controlled, for example to mitigate currents flowing between measurement locations. Such capacitance measurement circuits and methods can be utilized in touch sensor devices that determine touch position based on capacitance measurements on multiple locations on a touch surface. Controlling the phase of the voltage signal ramps can include concurrently starting the voltage signal ramps, for example by effecting a delay on at least one signal channel that has reached a voltage threshold, or by regulating all the voltage ramps according to a fixed frequency. | 07-02-2009 |
20090167728 | LIGHT-EMITTING STYLUS AND USER INPUT DEVICE USING SAME - The present invention provides a light-emitting stylus configured to abruptly change a property of an emitted light beam when the stylus sufficiently contacts a surface. The abrupt change in the light beam is detectable by an array of light sensitive detectors that can be used to determine the position of the light beam when the light beam is transmitted through an input surface. When the stylus contacts the input surface, the detectors can detect the abrupt change in the emitted light, signaling a change from a stylus hover mode to a stylus touch down mode. | 07-02-2009 |
20090219258 | TOUCH SCREEN SENSOR WITH LOW VISIBILITY CONDUCTORS - A touch screen sensor with a conductive micropattern includes one or more features to obscure or reduce the visibility of the conductive micropattern. | 09-03-2009 |
20090284495 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSESSING LOCATIONS OF MULTIPLE TOUCH INPUTS - Matrix-based touch input systems assess touch locations of two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs by forming valid x-y coordinate pairs from independently determined x- and y-coordinates. Valid x-y pairs are formed based on comparing one or more signal parameters such as signal magnitude, signal strength, signal width, and signal rates of change. In matrix capacitive systems where capacitance-to-ground signals are used to determine the x- and y-coordinates, the determined coordinates may be formed into valid x-y pairs using mutual capacitance measurements. When resolving more than two temporally overlapping touches, information gained by resolving a valid x-y coordinate pair of at least one of the touches may be used to resolve the remaining touches. | 11-19-2009 |
20100026664 | TOUCH SENSITIVE DEVICES WITH COMPOSITE ELECTRODES - A matrix touch panel having upper and lower electrodes, the upper electrodes being composite electrodes made of a plurality of spaced micro-wires, and allowing, for example, an electric field from lower electrodes to pass between the micro-wires and thereby capacitively couple with a touching object, such as a finger. | 02-04-2010 |
20100028811 | METHODS OF MAKING COMPOSITE ELECTRODES - A method of making a component for use in a touch sensor includes modifying a substrate having disposed on it a plurality of electrically isolated conductors. Subsets of the conductors are electrically coupled to form composite electrodes. The component can be used as a set of electrodes in a customized touch sensor. | 02-04-2010 |
20100073323 | MUTUAL CAPACITANCE MEASURING CIRCUITS AND METHODS - An apparatus for measuring a parameter related to the capacitance between a drive electrode and a receive electrode of a touch sensitive device. The apparatus includes an accumulator capacitor coupled at one end to a voltage measurement circuit and at the other end to the receive electrode, and control circuitry configured and arranged, during each cycle of a measurement sequence, to connect a reference voltage to a first node that electrically connects the accumulator capacitor to the voltage measurement circuit. The apparatus further includes a resistive circuit configured and arranged to draw current from a second node electrically connected to the accumulator capacitor and to the receive electrode during the measurement sequence. | 03-25-2010 |
20100127717 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING TOUCH POSITIONS BASED ON PASSIVELY-INDUCED POSITION-DEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CHARGES - Systems and methods determine the position of a touch on a surface of a device, such as a touch-sensitive device, by using passively-induced position-dependent electrical charges. In such a method, the position of a touching implement is determined on the sensing surface of a device. The method includes charging the sensing surface during a first time period by connecting all four corners of the sensing surface to a reference voltage, and over a second time period discharging two adjacent corners of the sensing surface into an integrator capacitor while connecting the two opposite corners to ground. The first and second time periods together form a charge/discharge cycle that is repeated a plurality of times, after which an output of the integrator capacitor is measured. This sequence is performed for each of the four pairs of adjacent corners of the sensing surface, resulting in four integrator capacitor output measurements, each of the four measurements being associated with a different sensing surface edge. The position of the touching implement on the sensing surface is then calculated using the four charge measurements. | 05-27-2010 |
20100188832 | MAGNETIC SHIELD FOR USE IN A LOCATION SENSING SYSTEM - An energy transfer apparatus with a magnetic shield is configured to magnetically couple energy from a fixed location to a mobile or moveable device within a field-activated space of the energy transfer apparatus. Apparatuses include a location sensing surface and a drive coil arranged in relation to a periphery of the location sensing surface. A magnetic shield plate is disposed below the location sensing surface and the drive coil. The shield plate includes a number of radially oriented slots originating at, and distributed about, a periphery of the shield plate. | 07-29-2010 |
20110063251 | INTERLEAVED ELECTRODES FOR TOUCH SENSING - A capacitive touch sensing system includes a touch surface and sets of substantially parallel electrodes arranged in relation to the touch surface. Each electrode set includes a primary electrode electrically connected to at least two sub-electrodes. The primary electrode is capable of producing greater capacitive coupling to a touch in proximity with the touch surface in relation to capacitive coupling of the at least two sub-electrodes. The sub-electrodes of the electrode sets are arranged in an interleaved pattern configured to increase an effective area of capacitive coupling associated with each electrode set. | 03-17-2011 |
20110084707 | OPERATOR IDENTIFYING APPARATUS, OPERATOR IDENTIFYING METHOD AND VEHICLE-MOUNTED APPARATUS - An operator identifying apparatus, operator identifying method, and a vehicle-mounted apparatus. | 04-14-2011 |
20110163766 | CAPACITANCE MEASUREMENT CIRCUIT WITH DYNAMIC FEEDBACK - Methods, devices, and systems that measure capacitance are disclosed. Typically, an accumulator circuit couples to the capacitance and includes an accumulator and switch(es) that charge the accumulator over a series of switch-controlled charging or discharging cycles governed by a first control signal. The accumulator circuit provides an accumulator signal based on the charge on the first accumulator. A discharge circuit couples to the accumulator circuit and includes an optional variable current device, the discharge circuit partially discharging the accumulator based on a second control signal. A control circuit, which couples to the accumulator circuit and the discharge circuit, dynamically adjusts the first and/or second control signals to keep the accumulator signal in a desired range. The dynamically adjusted control signal can be used as a measure of the capacitance. Such methods and systems may be used in capacitive touch sensing devices such as capacitive buttons and capacitive touch panels. | 07-07-2011 |
20120162122 | FORCE SENSITIVE DEVICE WITH FORCE SENSITIVE RESISTORS - A force sensitive device comprises a force sensor and a control system. The control system applies drive signals to the force sensor and measures receive signals that are responsive to forces associated with contacts made to the force sensitive device. The control system determines location and force information of one or more contacts on the force sensor based upon the receive signals. | 06-28-2012 |
20120313880 | TOUCH SCREEN SENSOR WITH LOW VISIBILITY CONDUCTORS - A touch screen sensor with a conductive micropattern includes one or more features to obscure or reduce the visibility of the conductive micropattern. | 12-13-2012 |
20120313893 | TOUCH SENSITIVE DEVICES WITH COMPOSITE ELECTRODES - A matrix touch panel having upper and lower electrodes, the upper electrodes being composite electrodes made of a plurality of spaced micro-wires, and allowing, for example, an electric field from lower electrodes to pass between the micro-wires and thereby capacitively couple with a touching object, such as a finger. | 12-13-2012 |
20130016071 | DIGITIZER USING POSITION-UNIQUE OPTICAL SIGNALS - The present invention provides systems and methods of using a stylus that houses optics and a detector capable of receiving optical signals that are combined with a displayed image. Stylus position determination is made by analyzing received optical signals. | 01-17-2013 |
20130016072 | DIGITIZER FOR MULTI-DISPLAY SYSTEM - A multi-display system that uses back lights and light guides of an electronically addressable display to provide position-unique signals that both uniquely identify positions on a given display, but also uniquely identify displays within a multi-display system. | 01-17-2013 |
20130113762 | DIGITIZER USING MULTIPLE STYLUS SENSING TECHNIQUES - A digitizer system utilizing two location measurement techniques that operate in cooperation to improve the operation of the digitizer. The first location measurement technique provides a first, or coarse, stylus location. The second location measurement technique provides a second, or fine, stylus location. | 05-09-2013 |
20130153787 | OPTICAL DIGITIZER SYSTEM WITH POSITION-UNIQUE PHOTOLUMINESCENT INDICIA - A digitizer system including a substrate having a position-unique photoluminescent indicia pattern. A stylus component receives optical signals indicative of the indicia pattern and determines therefrom the position of the stylus relative to the substrate. Methods of disposing indicia on the substrate, and styli suitable for sensing photoluminescent indicia are also described. | 06-20-2013 |
20130207911 | MESH PATTERNS FOR TOUCH SENSOR ELECTRODES - An electrode for a touch sensitive device includes micro-wire conductors arranged to define an electrically continuous area and to include interior regions that are electrically discontinuous. The electrically continuous area may be patterned according to a one pattern, and the interior pattern may be patterned according to another pattern. | 08-15-2013 |
20140145066 | MULTI-MODE STYLUS AND DIGITIZER SYSTEM - A digitizer system includes a substrate with indicia that uniquely define local areas of the substrate. A multi-mode sensor device, such as a stylus, may sense radiation emitted from the features, and selectively switch to a mode of operation that can sense the indicia and determine therefrom the location of the stylus relative to the substrate. | 05-29-2014 |
20140168089 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR CALIBRATING A DIGITIZER SYSTEM - Systems and methods for calibrating a photoluminescent indicia-based digitizer system with a display, the photoluminescent indicia uniquely identifying local areas of a substrate. | 06-19-2014 |
20140204059 | TOUCH LOCATION DETERMINATION INVOLVING MULTIPLE TOUCH LOCATION PROCESSES - Touch location determination approaches involving a plurality of touch location techniques are described. Each touch location technique is capable of independently determining a location of a touch within a touch area of the touch sensitive device. The touch location determination made by at least one touch location technique is enhanced using touch location information associated with the touch acquired from one or more other touch location techniques. One touch location technique may use a different type of sensor, signal, and/or algorithm from the one or more other touch location techniques. | 07-24-2014 |