Piezoelectric sensor, a device and a method of using a piezo channel

A piezoelectric sensor system (2′) that comprises:

• a microcontroller (26);
• a plurality of piezoelectric sensor elements (20;
• 20, I;
• 20, II;
• 20, III) of which at least two of said plurality of piezoelectric sensor elements are:
• configured for producing a haptic signal by a voltage (HV) generated by a boost converter (1101) connected to each piezoelectric sensor element (20;
• 20, I;
• 20, II;
• 20, III) via a respective switch (1105;
• 1105, I;
• 1105, II;
• 1105, III), and
• connected to a piezo channel (PZF1;
• PFZ2;
• PZF3) of the microcontroller (26);
• a multiplexer (80), responsive to the presence of a signal (DRVP) from increase voltage pin (53), for individually controlling each of the switches (1105;
• 1105, I;
• 1105, II;
• 1105, III) for which a signal is present at a digital selection line connected to the respective piezo channel (PZF1;
• PZF2;
• PZF3);
• and wherein the microcontroller (26) is configured:
• i) to use each of the piezo channels (PZF1;
• PFZ2;
• PZF3) as a sensor channel for reading sensor input from the respective piezoelectric sensor element (20;
• 20, I;
• 20, II;
• 20, III);
• and
• ii) in response to detecting a sensor input in at least one of the piezo channels (PZF1;
• PZF2;
• PZF3),
• iia) to set the signal (DRVP) at the increase voltage pin (53) and/or the signal (HVEN) at the enable signal pin (54), and
• iib) to set a signal to at least one piezo channel (PZF1;
• PZF2;
• PZF3) in which the sensor input was detected, for producing the haptic signal with the respective piezoelectric sensor element (20;
• 20, I;
• 20, II;
• 20, III) such that the signal will be set in a time-interleaved manner with respect to the sensor input.