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US 10,379,688 B2Granted
Transcapacitive matrix sensor with via routing
AssigneeSynaptics Incorporated
InventorPetr Shepelev
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein include a processing system, an input device, and methods for transcapacitive sensing. In one example, a processing system is configured to reduce the capacitive coupling between sensor electrodes arranged in a column of sensor electrodes and routing traces running below the sensor electrodes by isolating a receiver electrode selected from the sensor electrodes in the column from the other sensor electrodes in the column by applying a signal that is not modulated relative to the receiver electrode on sensor electrodes that are immediately adjacent the receiver electrode and not being utilized as a transmitter electrode.
Claims18
A processing system for transcapacitive sensing, the processing system comprising:
- a transmitter module configured to drive a first signal on a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in an array comprising M rows and N columns, wherein M and N are integers greater than one, wherein routing traces coupled to the sensor electrodes are oriented parallel to and below the N columns, and wherein each sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes is coupled to a unique one of the routing traces;
- a receiver module configured to:
- drive a second signal on the plurality of sensor electrodes;
- and
- receive resulting signals from the plurality of sensor electrodes comprising effects of the first signal driven on the plurality of sensor electrodes, one of the first signal and the second signal is modulated relative to the other of the first signal and the second signal;
- and
- a timing module configured to:
- select a first receiver electrode for coupling to the receiver module for transcapacitive sensing, the first receiver electrode comprising one or more first sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a first column of the N columns;
- couple at least one of the sensor electrodes disposed in the first column and the sensor electrodes disposed in a row of the M rows that includes the first receiver electrode, that are immediately adjacent to the first receiver electrode with a third signal that is not modulated relative to the second signal, wherein the first, second and third signals are driven simultaneously during a first period;
- couple a first group of sensor electrodes arranged in the first column that are not included in the first receiver electrode with a first guard signal during the first period that is not modulated relative to the second signal;
- and
- couple a second group of sensor electrodes arranged in the first column that are not included in the first receiver electrode or in the first group of sensor electrodes with a second guard signal during the first period, the first and second guard signals having an opposite polarity.
9 more elements
A processing system for transcapacitive sensing, the processing system comprising:
- a transmitter module configured to drive a first signal on a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in an array comprising M rows and N columns, wherein M and N are integers greater than one, wherein routing traces coupled to the sensor electrodes are oriented parallel to and below the N columns, and wherein each sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes is coupled to a unique one of the routing traces;
- a receiver module configured to:
- drive a second signal on the plurality of sensor electrodes;
- and
- receive resulting signals from the plurality of sensor electrodes comprising effects of the first signal driven on the plurality of sensor electrodes, one of the first signal and the second signal is modulated relative to the other of the first signal and the second signal;
- and
- a timing module configured to:
- select a first receiver electrode for coupling to the receiver module for transcapacitive sensing, the first receiver electrode comprising one or more first sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a first column of the N columns;
- couple a first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in the first column and the sensor electrodes disposed in a row of the M rows that includes the first receiver electrode, that are immediately adjacent to the first receiver electrode with a third signal that is not modulated relative to the second signal, wherein the first, second and third signals are driven simultaneously during a first period;
- couple a second sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in a row of the M rows in common with the first receiver electrode and disposed in a second column of the N columns adjacent to the first column with the second signal;
- and
- couple a third sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in the row in common with the first receiver electrode and disposed in a third column of the N columns disposed between to the first column and the second column with a fourth signal that is not modulated relative to second signal.
9 more elements
An input device comprising:
- a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in an array comprising M rows and N columns, where M and N are integers greater than one;
- routing traces coupled to the sensor electrodes and arranged in an orientation parallel to an orientation of the N columns, each sensor electrode coupled to a unique one of the routing traces;
- a processing system configured to:
- drive a first receiver electrode comprising one or more first sensor electrodes of the plurality of sensor electrodes with a first signal for transcapacitive sensing, the first receiver electrode arranged in a first column of the N columns;
- drive at least one of the sensor electrodes disposed in the first column and the sensor electrodes disposed in a common row with the first receiver electrode, that are immediately adjacent to the first receiver electrode selected for transcapacitive sensing with a second signal that is not modulated relative to the first signal, the first and second signals simultaneously driven during a first period;
- couple a first group of the sensor electrodes with a first guard signal that is not modulated relative to the second signal;
- couple a second group of sensor electrodes with a second guard signal that has a polarity opposite of the first guard signal, wherein the first group and the second group of sensor electrodes are immediately adjacent the first receiver electrode, and reside either in the first column or in a row in common with the first receiver electrode;
- and
- determine a presence of an object based on resulting signals obtained with the one or more first sensor electrodes.
6 more elements
A method for transcapacitive sensing, the method comprising:
- driving a first receiver electrode comprising one or more first sensor electrodes of a plurality of sensor electrodes with a first signal for transcapacitive sensing during a first time period, the plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in an array comprising M rows and N columns, where M and N are integers greater than one, the plurality of sensor electrodes having routing traces coupled to the sensor electrodes and arranged in an orientation parallel to an orientation of the N columns, the first receiver electrode arranged in a first column of the N columns;
- driving at least one of the sensor electrodes disposed in a common row with the first receiver electrode, that is immediately adjacent to the first receiver electrode selected for transcapacitive sensing during the first time period with a second signal that is not modulated relative to the first signal;
- driving a first group of the sensor electrodes disposed in the first column, that are immediately adjacent to the first receiver electrode during the first time period with the second signal;
- driving a second group of sensor electrodes in the first column, that are immediately adjacent to the first receiver electrode during the first time period with a third signal, wherein the third signal has a polarity that is opposite a polarity of the second signal;
- and
- determining a presence of an object based on resulting signals obtained with the first receiver electrode.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.