US 10,768,745 B2Granted

Touch sensor hand-configuration analysis

AssigneeAtmel Corporation

InventorsMartin J. Simmons, Thomas Myers

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Abstract

In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes controller circuitry and a touch sensor that includes first electrodes. The controller circuitry is configured to measure first capacitance values during a first time period, each first capacitance value associated with a respective first electrode. The controller circuitry is also configured to determine a first hand-usage value based at least on a distribution of the first capacitance values. The controller circuitry is also configured to estimate a hand-usage state based at least on the first hand-usage value. The hand-usage state indicates one of the following hand configurations: right-handed interaction with the touch sensor, left-handed interaction with the touch sensor, or two-handed interaction with the touch sensor.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A device, comprising:

a touch sensor;
a display;
and
controller circuitry configured to:
measure a plurality of capacitance values, each capacitance value associated with a respective electrode of an array of electrodes of the touch sensor;
determine, based on the plurality of capacitance values, a touch position;
determine a skewness value using a start position of a start electrode at a first end of the array of electrodes, an end position of an end electrode at a second end of the array of electrodes, and the touch position;
estimate a hand-usage state based at least on the skewness value;
and
determine the skewness value using the following formula:
skewness_value
=
∑
end
y
=
start
⁢
(
y
-
touch_position
σ
)
3
end
-
start
,
where
start represents the start position of the start electrode at the first end of the array of electrodes;
end represents the end position of the end electrode at the second end of the array of electrodes;
y represents a position of a particular electrode of the array of electrodes;
touch position represents the touch position;
and
σ represents a standard deviation.

33 more elements

One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

measuring a plurality of capacitance values, each capacitance value associated with a respective electrode of an array of electrodes of a touch sensor;
determining, based on the plurality of capacitance values, a touch position;
determining a skewness value using a start position of a start electrode at a first end of the array of electrodes, an end position of an end electrode at a second end of the array of electrodes, and the touch position;
estimating a hand-usage state based at least on the skewness value;
and
determine the skewness value using the following formula:
skewness_value
=
∑
end
y
=
start
⁢
(
y
-
touch_position
σ
)
3
end
-
start
,
where
start represents the start position of the start electrode at the first end of the array of electrodes;
end represents the end position of the end electrode at the second end of the array of electrodes;
y represents a position of a particular electrode of the array of electrodes;
touch position represents the touch position;
and
σ represents a standard deviation.

29 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/529,286Filed 1 Aug 2019 · continuation
Priority: 8 Apr 2014
Published: US 2019/0354229 A121 Nov 2019
Granted: 8 Sep 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G06F 3/0445
By capacitive means: using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
G06F 3/04164
Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers: connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between…
G06F 3/0443
By capacitive means: using a single layer of sensing electrodes
G06F 3/0446
By capacitive means: using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Family

Application14/248,100Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Apr 2014
US 2019/0354229 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 Nov 2019
US 10,416,801 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2015/0286334 A1Published application
US 10,768,745 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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