Multiple controllers for a capacitive sensing device
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsChristian M. Sauer, Peter W. Richards
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A capacitive sensing device can include multiple capacitive sensors. A first device controller is operatively connected to a portion of the capacitive sensors, while a second device controller is operatively connected to another portion of capacitive sensors. A common node or shield can be connected between the first device controller and the second device controller. Charging and discharging events of selected drive lines in the capacitive sensing device and/or of the common node or shield can be synchronized to reduce undesirable effects such as noise and/or to prevent the charging events and the discharging events from overlapping with each other. One or more reference capacitive sensors can be shared by the multiple device controllers.
Claims20
An electronic device, comprising:
- a force sensing device comprising capacitive sensors;
- a first device controller that controls charging and discharging of a first group of the capacitive sensors;
- and
- a second device controller that controls charging and discharging of a second group of the capacitive sensors that is different from the first group, the second device controller inoperative to control at least a portion of the first group of the capacitive sensors.
A force sensing device, comprising;
- capacitive sensors;
- a first device controller;
- and
- a second device controller that controls charging and discharging of a different group of the capacitive sensors than the first device controller, the first device controller inoperative to control charging and discharging of at least a portion of the different group of the capacitive sensors.
An input device, comprising:
- a touch surface;
- capacitive sensors coupled to the touch surface;
- a first device controller connected to a first set of the capacitive sensors;
- and
- a second device controller connected to a second set of the capacitive sensors different from the first set;
- wherein:
- the second device controller controls charging and discharging of the second set of the capacitive sensors;
- the second device controller is inoperative to control charging and discharging of the first set of the capacitive sensors;
- and
- an amount of a force applied to the touch surface is determinable using at least a capacitance change detected by the first set of the capacitive sensors or the second set of the capacitive sensors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.