Single integrated circuit configured to operate both a capacitive proximity sensor device and a resistive pointing stick

A method of operating both a capacitive proximity sensor device and a resistive pointing stick with a single integrated circuit, said method comprising:

• driving a first varying voltage signal onto a transmitter electrode of said capacitive proximity sensor device, said first varying voltage signal driven with sensor circuitry of said single integrated circuit;
• driving a second varying voltage signal onto a voltage divider of said resistive pointing stick, wherein said second varying voltage signal comprises substantially the same waveform as said first varying voltage signal, and wherein said second varying voltage signal is also driven with said sensor circuitry;
• driving a third varying voltage signal onto said voltage divider of said resistive pointing stick, wherein said second varying voltage signal and said third varying voltage signal are driven on different ends of said voltage divider by said sensor circuitry;
• receiving a first resulting signal from a receiver electrode of said capacitive proximity sensor device, said first resulting signal comprising effects of said first varying voltage signal, said first resulting signal received with said sensor circuitry;
• and
• receiving a second resulting signal from said resistive pointing stick, said second resulting signal comprising effects of said second varying voltage signal, said second resulting signal received with said sensor circuitry.

An electronic device comprising:

• a capacitive proximity sensor device;
• a resistive pointing stick, and
• a single integrated circuit configured to operate both said capacitive proximity sensor device and said resistive pointing stick, said single integrated circuit comprising:
• sensor circuitry disposed as a portion of said single integrated circuit and configured to:
• drive a first varying voltage signal onto a transmitter electrode of said capacitive proximity sensor device;
• drive a second varying voltage signal onto a voltage divider of said resistive pointing stick, wherein said second varying voltage signal comprises substantially the same waveform as said first varying voltage signal;
• drive a third varying voltage signal onto said voltage divider of said resistive pointing stick, wherein said second varying voltage signal and said third varying voltage signal are driven on different ends of said voltage divider;
• receive a first resulting signal from a receiver electrode of said capacitive proximity sensor device, said first resulting signal comprising effects of said first varying voltage signal;
• and
• receive a second resulting signal from said resistive pointing stick, said second resulting signal comprising effects of said second varying voltage signal;
• determining circuitry disposed as a portion of said single integrated circuit and configured to:
• determine positional information for input received in a sensing region of said capacitive proximity sensor device based on said first resulting signal;
• and
• determine force information received as input to said resistive pointing stick based on said second resulting signal.