# US 10,372,283 B2 · Electronic device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,372,283 B2
- Document ID: US10372283B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/872,980
- Filed: 2018-01-16
- Published: 2018-07-19
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-16
- Assignees: NXP B.V.
- Applicants: NXP B.V.
- Inventors: Thomas Suwald
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372283B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/044: by capacitive means
- G06F 3/04166: {Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184)}
- G06K 19/0723: {the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs}
- H03K 17/9622: {using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard}
- G06F 2203/04103: Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
- G11C 27/024: {using a capacitive memory element (G11C27/04 takes precedence)}
- H03K 2217/96074: Switched capacitor
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device for use in a touch-based user interface is provided, the electronic device comprising a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a third capacitor, and an analog-to-digital converter, wherein: the first capacitor and the second capacitor are switchably coupled to each other; the first capacitor is switchably coupled to an input of the analog-to-digital converter; the second capacitor is coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter; the third capacitor is coupled to the first capacitor; the third capacitor is switchably coupled to the second capacitor; the third capacitor is switchably coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of manufacturing an electronic device for use in a touch-based user interface is conceived.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device for use in a touch-based user interface, the electronic device comprising a set of first capacitors, a second capacitor, a third capacitor, and an analog-to-digital converter, wherein:
the set of first capacitors and the second capacitor each have a first terminal that are coupled to each other through a set of first switches;
the first terminal of each capacitor of the set of first capacitors is coupled to an input of the analog-to-digital converter through a first switch of the set of first switches, the first terminal of each of the first capacitors is coupled to a voltage input terminal through a second switch, a second terminal of each of the first capacitors is coupled to the voltage input terminal through a third switch, and the second terminal of each of the first capacitors is coupled to a voltage reference terminal through a fourth switch, and wherein the set of first capacitors are sensing capacitors and each capacitor of the set of first capacitors corresponds to a position in an array of sensing elements which represent a multi-channel touch sensor;
the first terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter, and a second terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the voltage reference terminal;
a first terminal of the third capacitor is coupled to the first terminal of each of the first capacitor, and a second terminal of the third capacitor is coupled to the voltage reference terminal;
the third capacitor is coupled to the second capacitor through the first switch;
the third capacitor is coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter through the first switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the third capacitor is implemented as a printed circuit board capacitor made from neighboring tracks on the printed circuit board.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, being configured to derive individual capacitances on the first capacitors from partial sum values, wherein said partial sum values are obtained by measuring and adding together combined capacitances on subsets of the set of first capacitors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The electronic device of claim 3, further being configured to measure capacitances on mutually different subsets of the set of first capacitors.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The electronic device of claim 3, further being configured to apply a weighting factor to the partial sum values.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The electronic device of claim 5, further being configured to regroup the weighted partial sum values, thereby yielding high-pass filter terms.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The electronic device of claim 3, further being configured to filter the partial sum values.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The electronic device of claim 7, further being configured to use an infinite-impulse-response filter for filtering the partial sum values.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first capacitors are coupled to general-purpose input/output pins.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the general-purpose input/output pins, the analog-to-digital converter and the second capacitor form part of a microcontroller unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A smart card comprising the electronic device of claim 1.

### Claim 12

A method of manufacturing an electronic device for use in a touch-based user interface, the method comprising providing the electronic device with a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a third capacitor, and an analog-to-digital converter, wherein:
the set of first capacitors and the second capacitor each have a first terminal that are coupled to each other through a first switch;
the first terminal of each capacitor of the set of first capacitors is coupled to an input of the analog-to-digital converter through the first switch, the first terminal of each of the first capacitors is coupled to a voltage input terminal through a second switch, a second terminal of each of the first capacitors is coupled to the voltage input terminal through a third switch, and the second terminal of each of the first capacitors is coupled to a voltage reference terminal through a fourth switch;
the first terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter, and a second terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the voltage reference terminal;
a first terminal of the third capacitor is coupled to the first terminal of the first capacitor, and a second terminal of the third capacitor is coupled to the voltage reference terminal;
the third capacitor is coupled to the second capacitor through the first switch;
the third capacitor is coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter through the first switch.