Abstract: Additive manufacturing's reliance on embedded computing renders it vulnerable to tampering through cyber-attacks. Sensor instrumentation of additive manufacturing devices allows for rigorous process and security monitoring, but also results in a massive volume of noisy data for each run. As such, in-situ, near-real-time anomaly detection is challenging. A probabilistic-model-based approach addresses this challenge.

Abstract: A method includes driving, by the master controller, transmitter electrodes with a first transmitter signal having a first sensing frequency while transmitting a first trigger signal to slave controllers, obtaining a location of an input object determined from first capacitive measurements determined by the slave controllers using the first trigger signal, and performing a resonant frequency scan. The performing the resonant frequency scan is by performing for each possible resonant frequency of resonant frequencies: driving, by the master controller, only a subset of the transmitter electrodes with a second transmitter signal having the possible resonant frequency while transmitting a second trigger signal to the slave controllers, wherein the subset corresponds to the location of the input object. The slave controllers demodulate a resulting signal according to the second trigger signal to obtain a second capacitive measurements for the possible resonant frequency.

Abstract: An input device includes a capacitive proximity sensor and a processing system. The capacitive proximity sensor includes a multitude of transmitter electrodes and a multitude of receiver electrodes for proximity sensing in a sensing region. The processing system is configured to obtain a noisy sensor signal from the capacitive proximity sensor, extract a spike train in the noisy sensor signal, synchronize a pulse output of a pulse-generating circuit onto the spike train, and triggered by a first of a multitude of pulses of the pulse output, perform a first capacitive proximity sensing.

Abstract: A method includes driving, by the master controller, transmitter electrodes with a first transmitter signal having a first sensing frequency while transmitting a first trigger signal to slave controllers, obtaining a location of an input object determined from first capacitive measurements determined by the slave controllers using the first trigger signal, and performing a resonant frequency scan. The performing the resonant frequency scan is by performing for each possible resonant frequency of resonant frequencies: driving, by the master controller, only a subset of the transmitter electrodes with a second transmitter signal having the possible resonant frequency while transmitting a second trigger signal to the slave controllers, wherein the subset corresponds to the location of the input object. The slave controllers demodulate a resulting signal according to the second trigger signal to obtain a second capacitive measurements for the possible resonant frequency.

Abstract: A method includes driving, by the master controller, transmitter electrodes with a first transmitter signal having a first sensing frequency while transmitting a first trigger signal to slave controllers, obtaining a location of an input object determined from first capacitive measurements determined by the slave controllers using the first trigger signal, and performing a resonant frequency scan. The performing the resonant frequency scan is by performing for each possible resonant frequency of resonant frequencies: driving, by the master controller, only a subset of the transmitter electrodes with a second transmitter signal having the possible resonant frequency while transmitting a second trigger signal to the slave controllers, wherein the subset corresponds to the location of the input object. The slave controllers demodulate a resulting signal according to the second trigger signal to obtain a second capacitive measurements for the possible resonant frequency.

Abstract: An example processing system for a capacitive input device includes a first interface coupled to at least one first electrode of at least one lighting element and a second interface coupled to at least one second electrode of the at least one lighting element spaced apart from the at least one first electrode. A controller is configured to: forward-bias the at least one lighting element during first time periods to provide illumination; drive the at least one first and the at least one second electrodes with substantially the same voltage during second time periods; and drive the at least one first electrode with a modulated voltage relative to a reference voltage while guarding the at least one second electrode during third time periods to measure capacitance. A determination module is configured to determine presence of at least one input object in a sensing region based on changes in the capacitance.

Abstract: An example processing system for a capacitive input device includes a first interface coupled to at least one first electrode of at least one lighting element and a second interface coupled to at least one second electrode of the at least one lighting element spaced apart from the at least one first electrode. A controller is configured to: forward-bias the at least one lighting element during first time periods to provide illumination; drive the at least one first and the at least one second electrodes with substantially the same voltage during second time periods; and drive the at least one first electrode with a modulated voltage relative to a reference voltage while guarding the at least one second electrode during third time periods to measure capacitance. A determination module is configured to determine presence of at least one input object in a sensing region based on changes in the capacitance.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device that includes a zero-dimensional button that detects whether an input object is proximate to a sensing region. However, different input objects may provide similar responses which may prevent the input device from accurately determining whether the user actually intended to activate the button. In one embodiment, the input device drives a capacitive sensing signal onto a sensor electrode in the capacitive button and measures at least two resulting signals. The input device then derives capacitance values based on the two resulting signals and uses a ratio between the capacitance values to classifying the interaction with the input object. This ratio enables the input device to distinguish between events that have similar capacitive responses and would otherwise be indistinguishable if only one resulting signal were measured.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved performance. In one embodiment, an input device comprises a processing system, a transmitter sensor electrode, and a receiver sensor electrode, where the transmitter sensor electrode and the receiver sensor electrode are capacitively coupled. The processing system is configured to receive a resulting signal from the receiver sensor electrode, where the resulting signal includes responses that correspond to the transmitter signal. The processing system is further configured to separately accumulate, for each cycle of the transmitter waveform, a first portion and a second portion of the resulting signal to respectively produce a first accumulation and a second accumulation, wherein the first accumulation is used for determining user input to the input device and the second accumulation is used for determining interference, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are non-coterminous.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and system that is able to minimize or remove the affect of substantially non-random electrical interference on an input device's ability to reliably and accurately sense the position of an object. In one embodiment, the input device is configured to systematically correct for a cyclic variation in the electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by components within the electronic system, such as interference generated by the process of refreshing or updating an image on a display module that affects the capacitive sensing measurements acquired from a plurality of capacitive sensing elements. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the performance of an input device is improved by reducing the affect that external interference generated outside of the electronic system have on the position sensing data acquired by the input device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device that includes a zero-dimensional button that detects whether an input object is proximate to a sensing region. However, different input objects may provide similar responses which may prevent the input device from accurately determining whether the user actually intended to activate the button. In one embodiment, the input device drives a capacitive sensing signal onto a sensor electrode in the capacitive button and measures at least two resulting signals. The input device then derives capacitance values based on the two resulting signals and uses a ratio between the capacitance values to classifying the interaction with the input object. This ratio enables the input device to distinguish between events that have similar capacitive responses and would otherwise be indistinguishable if only one resulting signal were measured.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device that includes a zero-dimensional button that detects whether an input object is proximate to a sensing region. However, different input objects may provide similar responses which may prevent the input device from accurately determining whether the user actually intended to activate the button. In one embodiment, the input device drives a capacitive sensing signal onto a sensor electrode in the capacitive button and measures at least two resulting signals. The input device then derives capacitance values based on the two resulting signals and uses a ratio between the capacitance values to classifying the interaction with the input object. This ratio enables the input device to distinguish between events that have similar capacitive responses and would otherwise be indistinguishable if only one resulting signal were measured.

Abstract: A method and system are provided that reduce the effect of substantially non-random electrical interference on an input device's ability to reliably and accurately sense the position of an object. Several embodiments improve performance of an input device by reducing the effect of interference on position sensing data acquired by the input device. In one embodiment, the input device corrects for a cyclic variation in the electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by components within the electronic system, such as interference from refreshing or updating an image on a display module that affects the capacitive sensing measurements acquired from a plurality of capacitive sensing elements. However, in some embodiments, performance of an input device is improved by reducing the effect that external interference generated outside of the electronic system has on the position sensing data acquired by the input device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device that includes a zero-dimensional button that detects whether an input object is proximate to a sensing region. However, different input objects may provide similar responses which may prevent the input device from accurately determining whether the user actually intended to activate the button. In one embodiment, the input device drives a capacitive sensing signal onto a sensor electrode in the capacitive button and measures at least two resulting signals. The input device then derives capacitance values based on the two resulting signals and uses a ratio between the capacitance values to classifying the interaction with the input object. This ratio enables the input device to distinguish between events that have similar capacitive responses and would otherwise be indistinguishable if only one resulting signal were measured.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved performance. In one embodiment, an input device comprises a processing system, a transmitter sensor electrode, and a receiver sensor electrode, where the transmitter sensor electrode and the receiver sensor electrode are capacitively coupled. The processing system is configured to receive a resulting signal from the receiver sensor electrode, where the resulting signal includes responses that correspond to the transmitter signal. The processing system is further configured to separately accumulate, for each cycle of the transmitter waveform, a first portion and a second portion of the resulting signal to respectively produce a first accumulation and a second accumulation, wherein the first accumulation is used for determining user input to the input device and the second accumulation is used for determining interference, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are non-coterminous.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and system that is able to minimize or remove the affect of substantially non-random electrical interference on an input device's ability to reliably and accurately sense the position of an object. In one embodiment, the input device is configured to systematically correct for a cyclic variation in the electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by components within the electronic system, such as interference generated by the process of refreshing or updating an image on a display module that affects the capacitive sensing measurements acquired from a plurality of capacitive sensing elements. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the performance of an input device is improved by reducing the affect that external interference generated outside of the electronic system have on the position sensing data acquired by the input device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and system that is able to minimize or remove the affect of substantially non-random electrical interference on an input device's ability to reliably and accurately sense the position of an object. In one embodiment, the input device is configured to systematically correct for a cyclic variation in the electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by components within the electronic system, such as interference generated by the process of refreshing or updating an image on a display module that affects the capacitive sensing measurements acquired from a plurality of capacitive sensing elements. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the performance of an input device is improved by reducing the affect that external interference generated outside of the electronic system have on the position sensing data acquired by the input device.