Touch and hover switching

A capacitive sensing device comprising:

• a control system configured to control switching between a mutual capacitance mode and a self-capacitance mode, wherein:
• the control system comprises:
• a mutual capacitance sensing circuit configured to measure mutual capacitance at the sensing device,
• a self-capacitance sensing circuit configured to measure self-capacitance at the sensing device, and
• a switching mechanism configured to couple at least one sensor capable of detecting mutual capacitance or self-capacitance to either the mutual capacitance sensing circuit or the self-capacitance sensing circuit, the switching mechanism coupling the at least one sensor to the mutual capacitance sensing circuit during the mutual capacitance mode and to the self-capacitance sensing circuit during the self-capacitance mode, and
• the control system is configured to:
• operate the at least one sensor in the self-capacitance mode, measure one or more self-capacitance measurements at the sensing device using the at least one sensor, and upon detecting that a first self-capacitance measurement of the one or more self-capacitance measurements crosses a self-capacitance measurement threshold, switch to the mutual capacitance mode;
• and
• operate the at least one sensor in the mutual capacitance mode, measure one or more mutual capacitance measurements at the sensing device using the at least one sensor, and upon detecting that a first mutual capacitance measurement of the one or more mutual capacitance measurements crosses a mutual capacitance measurement threshold, different from the self-capacitance measurement threshold, switch to the self-capacitance mode.

A method of switching between a mutual capacitance sensing mode and a self-capacitance sensing mode of a sensing device, the method comprising:

• operating the at least one sensor in the self-capacitance mode:
• measuring one or more self-capacitance measurements at the sensing device using at least one sensor, and
• upon detecting that a first self-capacitance measurement of the one or more self-capacitance measurements crosses a self-capacitance measurement threshold, switching to the mutual capacitance mode;
• and
• operating the at least one sensor in the mutual capacitance mode:
• measuring one or more mutual capacitance measurements at the sensing device using the at least one sensor, and
• upon detecting that a first mutual capacitance measurement of the one or more mutual capacitance measurements crosses a mutual capacitance measurement threshold, different from the self-capacitance measurement threshold, switching to the self-capacitance mode.

A capacitive sensing device comprising:

• a sensing panel having multiple sensors, each capable of detecting mutual capacitance or self-capacitance and configured to detect one or more objects proximate to the panel;
• and
• a control system configured to measure capacitance associated with the proximate objects and to switch the sensors between a mutual capacitance detection mode and a self-capacitance detection mode, wherein the control system is configured to:
• operate the at least one sensor in the self-capacitance mode, measure one or more self-capacitance measurements at the sensing device using the at least one sensor, and upon detecting that a first self-capacitance measurement of the one or more self-capacitance measurements crosses a self-capacitance measurement threshold, switch to the mutual capacitance mode;
• and
• operate the at least one sensor in the mutual capacitance mode, measure one or more mutual capacitance measurements at the sensing device using the at least one sensor, and upon detecting that a first mutual capacitance measurement of the one or more mutual capacitance measurements crosses a mutual capacitance measurement threshold, different from the self-capacitance measurement threshold, switch to the self-capacitance mode.