Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device with display screens that periodically update (refresh) the screen by selectively driving common electrodes corresponding to pixels in a display line. In general, the input devices drive each electrode until each display line (and each pixel) of a display frame is updated. In addition to updating the display, the input device may perform capacitive sensing using the display screen as a proximity sensing area. To do this, the input device may interleave periods of capacitive sensing between periods of updating the display based on a display frame. For example, the input device may update the first half of display lines of the display screen, pause display updating, perform capacitive sensing, and finish updating the rest of the display lines. Further still, the input device may use common electrodes for both updating the display and performing capacitive sensing.

Abstract: Embodiments herein provide input devices that include an LED display panel on which a discreet capacitive sensor is disposed to form a capacitive sensing region. The capacitive sensor includes a plurality of sensor electrodes that are used to generate capacitive sensing signals indicating user interaction with the input device. In one embodiment, the sensor electrodes are disposed on a cathode layer in the LED display panel such that the sensor electrodes are capacitively coupled to the LED display panel. Currents in the cathode layer can cause interference or noise when performing capacitive sensing. The input devices include an analog front end channel for measuring interference resulting from the cathode layer at the same time receivers measure capacitive sensing signals using the sensor electrodes. The input device may process the capacitive sensing signals differently depending on the measured interference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein include an input device, processing system and methods for touch sensing. In one embodiment, an input device is provided that includes a plurality of sensing elements arranged in a sensor pattern and a plurality of conductive routing traces. Each conductive routing trace is conductively paired with a respective one of the plurality of sensing elements. The sensor routing traces are configured to reduce an RC load of the corresponding paired sensing elements compared to a base RC load of a plurality of base electrodes arranged in a base pattern that is identical to the sensor pattern. Each base sensor electrode is conductively paired with a base routing trace. The base sensor electrode and paired base routing trace have a size that is identical to a size of the paired sensing elements and conductive routing trace. The base routing trace terminates at the base sensor electrode to which the base routing trace is paired.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein thus provide devices and methods that facilitate improved input devices. Specifically, the devices, systems and methods provide the ability to accurately determine user input using multiple different sensing regimes. The different sensing regimes can be used to facilitate accurate position determination of objects both at the surface and away from the surface. For example, the different sensing regimes can be used to determine position information for both ungloved and gloved fingers. In one embodiment the first sensing regime uses a first duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing and a first duty cycle of transcapacitive sensing. The second sensing regime uses a second duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing and a second duty cycle of transcapacitive sensing, where the second duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing is greater than the first duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing.

Abstract: An input device and related processing system and method are disclosed for acquiring capacitive measurements. The input device comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes having a repeating arrangement. The plurality of sensor electrodes comprises first sensor electrodes and second sensor electrodes, wherein each first sensor electrode is bordered by a plurality of the second sensor electrodes and forms a respective plurality of sensing nodes with respective ones of the plurality of the second sensor electrodes. The input device further comprises a processing system coupled with the plurality of sensor electrodes. The processing system is configured to sequentially acquire, for each first sensor electrode, a respective plurality of individual measurements, and determine, for each first sensor electrode and using the plurality of individual measurements, a respective plurality of transcapacitive measurements corresponding to the respective plurality of sensing nodes.

Abstract: A processing system, input device, and method are provided for reducing interference in a capacitive sensing system. The processing system generally includes a sensor module configured to drive a first sensor electrode of a plurality of sensor electrodes with a first sensing signal during a first time period, wherein the first sensor electrode comprises a first display electrode of a display, the first display electrode configured for updating display pixels of the display and for capacitive sensing. The input device also includes a display driver configured to drive a first display line of display elements within the display with a display update signal during a second time period. The first time period at least partially overlaps with the second time period. Further, the first display line of display elements does not overlap the first sensor electrode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an input device comprising a display device integrated with a capacitive sensing device. The input device includes a plurality of transmitter electrodes, each transmitter electrode comprising one or more common electrodes configured to be driven for display updating and capacitive sensing, a plurality of near-field receiver electrodes configured to perform capacitive sensing in a near-field sensing region, and a plurality of far-field receiver electrodes configured to perform capacitive sensing in a far-field sensing region. The input device further includes a processing system coupled to the plurality of transmitter electrodes, the plurality of near-field receiver electrodes, and the plurality of far-field receiver electrodes.

Abstract: The input devices described herein include force sensor electrodes that use capacitive sensing to measure the force with which an input object (e.g., a finger or stylus) presses down on the input device. To measure this force, the input device includes a compressible layer disposed between a backlight of a display in the input device and a cover window of the display. In one embodiment, the compressible layer is disposed between the backlight and a transparent thin-film transistor (TFT) layer in the display. In one embodiment, the compressible layer includes an air gap which has a thickness defined by adhesive material disposed on at least two edges of the display.

Abstract: Embodiments herein describe input devices that include receivers for sampling capacitive sensing signals. In one embodiment, the receivers perform continuous demodulation where the sampling of the capacitive sensing signal is not synchronized with the modulated signal applied to the sensor. To calibrate, the receiver generates first and second measurements of the capacitive sensing signal when driving a modulated signal onto one or more sensor electrodes during two respective time periods. However, the phase of at least one signal is controlled during the time periods so that the first and second measurements have a phase difference of ninety degrees. Using the first and second measurements, the receiver can determine a phase offset between the capacitive sensing signal and the modulated signal which can be used to alter future measurements so that at least some of these measurements are captured when the capacitive sensing signal is at a peak amplitude.

Abstract: This disclosure generally provides an input device with a matrix sensor that includes a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged on a common surface or plane. Moreover, the input device includes routing traces that electrically couple the sensor electrodes to analog front ends (AFEs). Because of the spatial relationships between these electrical components, the sensor electrodes can be categorized into groups where each of the sensors in the group is affected by a common noise source. The capacitive measurements for the sensor electrodes in each of the groups are compared to a touch threshold to determine if an input object (e.g., finger or stylus) is proximate to the sensor electrodes. If the capacitive measurements are below the touch threshold, the input device calculates an offset value that compensates for the noise. After the offset is applied, the compensated capacitive measurements are used to generate a capacitive image.

Abstract: This disclosure generally provides an input device that includes a multi-layered capacitive sensor which includes a first layer disposed over a second layer that contains a plurality of sensor electrodes coupled to respective traces. The first and second layers form a capacitive sensing stack where the first layer is between the second layer and a touch surface for interacting with the input object. The first and second layers may be disposed on either the same substrate or different substrates in the stack. In one embodiment, the first layer includes electrically floating electrodes and at least one guard electrode. These components may align with respective components in the second layer. For example, the electrically floating electrodes in the first layer may at least partially cover the sensor electrodes in the second layer.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a method and apparatus for capacitive sensing in input devices integrated with a display device. In one example, an input device is provided that includes a display device, a plurality of transmitter electrodes integrated with the display device, and a processing system. The plurality of transmitter electrodes include at least a first transmitter electrode and a second transmitter electrode. The first transmitter electrode includes a plurality of transmitter electrode segments. The plurality of transmitter electrode segments includes at least a first transmitter electrode segment connectable with a second transmitter electrode segment.

Abstract: In a method of operating a touch screen, an object interaction is detected with the touch screen while in a first doze mode. It is determined if a detected object interaction with the touch screen is a valid input object interaction with the touch screen. In response to determining the object interaction is a valid input object interaction, the touch screen is transitioned from the first doze mode to a gesture recognition mode. The touch screen is transitioned from the gesture recognition mode to an active mode in response to a determination of a valid gesture interaction with the touch screen by the input object.

Abstract: Techniques for obtaining force-based data of an input device are provided. The techniques include driving sensor electrodes in transcapacitive mode and in absolute capacitive mode, obtaining profiles for each of the modes, scaling the transcapacitive profile, and subtracting the scaled transcapacitive profile from the profile for absolute capacitive sensing. The result of this subtraction is force-based data that indicates the degree of force with that input object applies to the input device. These techniques may be used with an input device in which a plurality of sensor electrodes are divided into two or more segments. Independent sets of force-based data can be obtained for each segment, which allows for determination of a location associated with each set of force-based data.

Abstract: A method for capacitive sensing includes acquiring a mutual capacitive measurement including effects of sensing signals of a sensing region, and acquiring an absolute capacitive measurement including effects of the sensing signals. The method further includes performing a comparison of the mutual capacitive measurement and the absolute capacitive measurement, and detecting a presence of an input object proximate to a side surface of an input device based on the comparison. The side surface is at least substantially orthogonal to the sensing region on the input device. The method further includes reporting the presence of the input object.

Abstract: Techniques for obtaining force-based data of an input device are provided. The techniques include driving sensor electrodes in transcapacitive mode and in absolute capacitive mode, obtaining profiles for each of the modes, scaling the transcapacitive profile, and subtracting the scaled transcapacitive profile from the profile for absolute capacitive sensing. The result of this subtraction is force-based data that indicates the degree of force with that input object applies to the input device.

Abstract: An input device, system, and processing system are disclosed for a display device with an integrated sensing device. The input device comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes, and a processing system coupled with the plurality of sensor electrodes. The processing system is configured to determine one or more low-noise periods associated with display update timing of the display device, and process, during the determined one or more low-noise periods, resulting signals received from the plurality of sensor electrodes.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein include an input device, a display device having a capacitive sensing device, a processing system and a method for detecting presence of an input object using a capacitive sensing device. In one embodiment, an input device includes a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a planar matrix array. Each sensor electrode is coupled to unique routing trace and has an identical geometric plan form that is symmetrical about a center of area of the sensor electrode. The geometric plan form of each sensor electrode includes core and a plurality of protrusions extending outward from the core. The protrusions are configured to overlap with protrusions extending outward from each adjacent sensor electrode of the matrix array.

Abstract: An input device includes an input surface, electrodes configured to sense input objects in a sensing region overlapping the input surface, a compressible layer, and a display separated from a housing by the compressible layer. The input device further includes at least one force sensing electrodes configured to sense force applied to the input surface. The compressible layer has local material densities that are proportional to the bending properties of the display in response to force applied to the input surface.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein include an input device, a display device having a capacitive sensing device, a processing system and a method for detecting presence of an input object using a capacitive sensing device. In one embodiment, an input device includes a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a planar matrix array. Each sensor electrode is coupled to unique routing trace and has an identical geometric plan form that is symmetrical about a center of area of the sensor electrode. The geometric plan form of each sensor electrode includes core and a plurality of protrusions extending outward from the core. The protrusions are configured to overlap with protrusions extending outward from each adjacent sensor electrode of the matrix array.