# US 12,625,578 B2 · Dynamic configuration of driven shield BGA balls of a capacitive sensor array > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,625,578 B2 - Document ID: US12625578B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/078,145 - Filed: 2025-03-12 - Published: 2025-09-18 - Granted: 2026-05-12 - Earliest claimed: 2024-03-14 - Assignees: Microchip Touch Solutions Limited - Applicants: Microchip Touch Solutions Limited - Inventors: Richard P. Collins; Tor Erik Leistad - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12625578B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/04164: {Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 2203/04107: Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An apparatus may include a capacitive touch controller, a ball grid array package, firmware, and a driven shield driver circuitry. The ball grid array package may comprise a plurality of balls arranged in multiple concentric rings. The firmware may dynamically select a driven shield pattern based on a received aspect ratio input corresponding to a capacitive sensor array. The driven shield driver circuitry may activate the driven shield balls according to the dynamically selected driven shield pattern to electrically isolate drive balls from sense balls. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a capacitive touch controller; a ball grid array package comprising a plurality of balls arranged in multiple concentric rings; firmware to dynamically select a driven shield pattern based on a received aspect ratio input corresponding to a capacitive sensor array; and driven shield driver circuitry to activate the driven shield balls according to the dynamically selected driven shield pattern to electrically isolate drive balls from sense balls. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the balls comprise drive balls, sense balls, and driven shield balls. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the driven shield pattern is configured to prevent direct vertical, horizontal, and diagonal capacitive coupling paths between adjacent drive and sense balls. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the firmware stores multiple predefined driven shield patterns, each pattern corresponding to a different aspect ratio configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driven shield balls are positioned along a crossover boundary defined between the drive balls and the sense balls. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the firmware selects a driven shield pattern from the stored predefined driven shield patterns upon receiving the aspect ratio input. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein individual balls within the ball grid array package are configurable by the capacitive touch controller as driven shield balls or functional balls including drive balls, sense balls, power balls, ground balls, or general-purpose input/output (GPIO) balls. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, comprising power and ground balls positioned at corners of the ball grid array package to provide supplemental shielding. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driven shield driver circuitry applies static shield signals to the driven shield balls. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive touch controller continuously monitors for changes in aspect ratio input to dynamically update the driven shield pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driven shield pattern includes at least three driven shield balls arranged in an L-shaped configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driven shield pattern includes four driven shield balls arranged to surround at least one side of adjacent sense balls. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dynamically selected driven shield pattern reduces ball-to-ball capacitive coupling. ### Claim 14 A method for dynamically configuring driven shield balls in a capacitive touch sensing system comprising: receiving, at a capacitive touch controller, an aspect ratio input corresponding to a capacitive sensor array coupled to the system; retrieving, from firmware, a driven shield pattern corresponding to the received aspect ratio input; configuring ball functions of a ball grid array package according to the retrieved driven shield pattern; and activating configured driven shield balls to electrically isolate drive balls from sense balls within the ball grid array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: receiving a further aspect ratio input corresponding to a different capacitive sensor array aspect ratio; retrieving a further driven shield pattern corresponding to the further aspect ratio input; reconfiguring the ball functions of the ball grid array according to the retrieved further driven shield pattern; and activating the reconfigured driven shield balls. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein retrieving the driven shield pattern comprises accessing a stored configuration file maintained by the firmware that contains multiple predefined driven shield patterns. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein each of the predefined driven shield patterns corresponds uniquely to a supported sensor aspect ratio. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein configuring ball functions comprises individually setting each ball in the ball grid array as a driven shield ball or as a functional ball selected from a group consisting of drive balls, sense balls, power balls, ground balls, and general-purpose input/output (GPIO) balls. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the driven shield pattern is selected to eliminate direct vertical, horizontal, and diagonal capacitive coupling paths between adjacent drive balls and sense balls. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein activating the configured driven shield balls comprises applying static shield signals to the driven shield balls using driven shield driver circuitry. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the configured driven shield balls form a crossover boundary between drive balls and sense balls. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the crossover boundary comprises at least three driven shield balls arranged in an L-shaped configuration. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the crossover boundary comprises at least four driven shield balls arranged around at least one side of adjacent sense balls. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein updating the driven shield pattern comprises retrieving and configuring a new driven shield pattern in response to detecting a change in aspect ratio input. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the method reduces vertical, horizontal, and diagonal capacitive coupling paths between drive balls and sense balls. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the capacitive touch sensing system continuously monitors for aspect ratio input changes to dynamically update the driven shield pattern.