Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus that is configured to reduce the effects of interference that is undesirably provided to a transmitter signal that is delivered from a transmitter signal generating device to a sensor processor to determine if an input object is disposed within a touch sensing region of a touch sensing device. In one embodiment, the sensor processor includes a receiver channel that has circuitry that is configured to separately receive a transmitter signal delivered from a display processor and a sensor processor reference signal that is based on a display processor reference signal to reliably sense the presence of an object. Embodiments of the invention described herein thus provide an improved apparatus and method for reliably sensing the presence of an object by a touch sensing device.

Abstract: In an example, a processing system for an integrated display and capacitive sensing device includes a sensor module and a determination module. The sensor module includes sensor circuitry configured to be coupled to a plurality of sensor electrodes. The sensor module is configured to receive an active pen signal with at least one sensor electrode of the plurality the sensor electrodes. The determination module is configured to adjust a sensing period of the sensor module for alignment with a transmission period of the active pen signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for detecting a finger touch and/or finger press. A method includes: detecting presence of a finger on a fingerprint sensor; causing the fingerprint sensor to take measurements using multiple successive frames of the fingerprint sensor; for each measurement, computing a metric associated with the measurement at a given frame corresponding to the measurement; at a first particular frame, determining that the finger has settled on the fingerprint sensor, wherein determining that the finger has settled comprises determining that the metric at the first particular frame exceeds a settled value threshold; and, based on determining that the finger has settled, determining that a finger touch has occurred. A finger press can be further determined by monitoring whether the metric passes a press threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for detecting a finger touch and/or finger press. A method includes: detecting presence of a finger on a fingerprint sensor; causing the fingerprint sensor to take measurements using multiple successive frames of the fingerprint sensor; for each measurement, computing a metric associated with the measurement at a given frame corresponding to the measurement; at a first particular frame, determining that the finger has settled on the fingerprint sensor, wherein determining that the finger has settled comprises determining that the metric at the first particular frame exceeds a settled value threshold; and, based on determining that the finger has settled, determining that a finger touch has occurred. A finger press can be further determined by monitoring whether the metric passes a press threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for reducing certain types of noise in capacitive sensing devices. The techniques generally comprise utilizing a low-pass filter in conjunction with a comb filter to “zero out” frequency components associated with certain types of noise. More specifically, the comb filter is configured to zero out noise associated with the fundamental frequency and harmonics of noise that approximates a square wave or an impulse train. The frequency of the sensing signal for capacitive sensing is chosen such that the comb filter does not zero out such frequency.

Abstract: In an example, a processing system for a capacitive sensing device includes a sensor module and a determination module. The sensor module comprises a receiver, coupled to a sensor electrode, configured to receive a capacitive sensing signal. The receiver includes an in-phase channel and a quadrature channel. The in-phase channel is configured to mix the capacitive sensing signal with a local oscillator signal substantially in phase with the capacitive sensing signal. The quadrature channel is configured to mix the capacitive sensing signal with a phase-shifted signal near ninety degrees out of phase with the capacitive sensing signal. The determination module is configured to measure a change in capacitance in response to a demodulated signal of the in-phase channel concurrently with measuring a non-coherent signal in response to a demodulated signal of the quadrature channel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for synchronizing data inputs generated at a plurality of frequencies by a plurality of data sources. A device receives a first set of data points from a first data source of the plurality of data sources generated at a first frequency of the plurality of frequencies, receives a second set of data points from a second data source of the plurality of data sources generated at a second frequency of the plurality of frequencies, selects a time window corresponding to a period of time during which at least a subset of the first set of data points and at least a subset of the second set of data points were generated, and generates a vector representing a first reduced form of the subset of the first set of data points and a second reduced form of the subset of the second set of data points.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus that is configured to reduce the effects of interference that is undesirably provided to a transmitter signal that is delivered from a transmitter signal generating device to a sensor processor to determine if an input object is disposed within a touch sensing region of a touch sensing device. In one embodiment, the sensor processor includes a receiver channel that has circuitry that is configured to separately receive a transmitter signal delivered from a display processor and a sensor processor reference signal that is based on a display processor reference signal to reliably sense the presence of an object. Embodiments of the invention described herein thus provide an improved apparatus and method for reliably sensing the presence of an object by a touch sensing device.

Abstract: A method and system for driving capacitive pixels in a touch sensor device using a multi-level drive scheme. The drive scheme includes driving a transmitter electrode with a boosted voltage for a first period, and driving the transmitter electrode with a second voltage for a second period. The multi-level transmitter signal is determined based on different settling responses associated with the capacitive pixels of the touch sensor device.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to various distance metrics that may quantify semantic and syntactic relationships between devices. More particularly, a first grammar associated with a first device and a second grammar associated with a second device may each comprise a symbol sequence that re-expresses one or more sequenced data items and one or more rules that represent a repeated pattern in the symbol sequence. Accordingly, one or more distance metrics that quantify a similarity between the first grammar and the second grammar may be calculated according to a comparison between the rules in the first grammar and the rules in the second grammar such that a relationship between the first device and the second device can be determined according to the one or more distance metrics.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided that facilitate improved interference avoidance performance. The devices and methods determine a relative ranking for a plurality of transmitter signals based on a first class of interference for each transmitter signal of the plurality of transmitter signals. The devices and methods transmit a first transmitter signal of the plurality of transmitter signals with a sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The first transmitter signal is selected based on the relative ranking for the plurality of transmitter signals. The devices and methods shift from transmitting the first transmitter signal to transmitting a second transmitter signal of the plurality of transmitter signals with the sensor electrode is based on an amount of a second class of interference in the first transmitter signal. The second transmitter signal is selected based on the relative ranking for the plurality of transmitter signals.

Abstract: An input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface includes a first substrate, a second substrate physically coupled to the first substrate, and a sensor electrode disposed on the first substrate and configured to detect input objects in the sensing region. A first force sensor includes a first electrode disposed on the first substrate and a first conductive portion of the second substrate capacitively coupled with the first electrode. The first conductive portion is configured to move relative to the first electrode such that a first variable capacitance of the first force sensor changes in response to force applied to the input surface in a first direction parallel to the touch surface.

Abstract: A capacitance measurement circuit comprises a differential amplifier with first and second inputs and an output, first and second feedback capacitances, and a reset mechanism. The first input is coupled to a modulated reference voltage and the second input is coupled with a sensor electrode. A first feedback capacitance is coupled between the output and the second input. A second feedback capacitance is coupled between the output and the second input. The reset mechanism resets the first feedback capacitance to a first level of charge and the second feedback capacitance to a second level of charge. During an absolute capacitance measurement phase, the differential amplifier charges the sensor electrode while balancing voltages on the first and second inputs to a voltage level associated with the modulated reference voltage and integrates charge on the sensor electrode to measure capacitance corresponding to a coupling between the sensor electrode and an input object.

Abstract: A processing system for a capacitive touch screen comprises sensor circuitry and control logic. The sensor circuitry is configured to communicatively couple with sensor electrodes of the capacitive touch screen. The control logic is configured to operate the capacitive touch screen in a first mode comprising interference sensing at a first level and input object sensing. The control logic is also configured to operate the capacitive touch screen in a second mode instead of the first mode in response to: interference measured in the first mode meeting an interference condition; and a determination that input is in a sensing region of the capacitive touch screen. Operating in the first mode, interference sensing is performed during a non-display update time. Operating in the second mode, interference sensing with the capacitive touch screen is either not performed or is performed at a second level, lower in fidelity than the first level.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein provide input devices configured to selectively operate in two different sensing regimes. The first sensing regime is configured to determine positional information for ungloved fingers in the sensing region. The second sensing regime is configured to determine positional information for gloved fingers in the sensing region. The input devices are further configured to switch from operating in the first sensing regime to the second sensing regime responsive to detecting an input gesture that meets each of a set of criteria, where the set of criteria includes a measure of sensor value stability corresponding to the input gesture being beyond a sensor value stability threshold level. So implemented, the input device allows a user to easily switch between two different sensing regimes, and thus can facilitate the use of the device with both gloved and ungloved fingers providing input.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining a context-dependent virtual distance based on stigmergic interference. The method may include obtaining environmental status information relating to an environment in proximity to a client device, calculating, based on the obtained environmental status information, the context-dependent virtual distance between the client device and a user of the client device, and controlling a user signaling pattern of the client device based on the calculated context-dependent virtual distance.

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: 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 comprises a first plurality of sensor electrodes, a second plurality of sensor electrodes, and a processing system. The processing system comprises a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit, and a central controller. The first integrated circuit is coupled to the first plurality of sensor electrodes and configured to receive first resulting signals therewith. The second integrated circuit is coupled to the second plurality of sensor electrodes and configured to receive second resulting signals therewith. The central controller is communicatively coupled to the first and second integrated circuits. The central controller is configured to receive the first resulting signals from the first integrated circuit and the second resulting signals from the second integrated circuit and is configured to determine positional information from the first resulting signals and the second resulting signals and to communicate the positional information to a host processor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authentication are disclosed.