Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel new technique for detecting an intended activation of a touch sensor in the presence of noise. An algorithm is described that compares a cumulative deviation of a touch sensor reading to a scale to obtain a ratio expressed as a percentage. The percentage is compared against a target threshold and the period required to reach the threshold is examined to determine whether the rise or fall in touch sensor readings is attributable to a touch or to system noise. Additional disclosed embodiments describe circuits configured to operate in a noisy environment and have touch sensors arranged as arrays that are capable of detecting a direction and speed of a human-like contact.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention discloses using an on-board microcontroller typically found on a control board or power supply board to momentarily toggle a switching mode power supply off and on. In one embodiment, the power consumption of the circuit is lowered by allowing the power supply and other circuit components to shut down while using a capacitor to provide reserve power to the microcontroller. In another embodiment, the microcontroller is also placed in a low power consumption mode for a predetermined period of time, which decreases the power requirement of the microcontroller and effectively lengthens the amount of time the other circuit components can be shut down. As described herein, this circuitry required to achieve this lower power state is minimal in comparison to known systems and, in one embodiment, requires an optoisolator (or alternatively, a transistor), a resistor and a capacitor.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel new technique for detecting an intended activation of a touch sensor in the presence of noise. An algorithm is described that compares a cumulative deviation of a touch sensor reading to a scale to obtain a ratio expressed as a percentage. The percentage is compared against a target threshold and the period required to reach the threshold is examined to determine whether the rise or fall in touch sensor readings is attributable to a touch or to system noise. Additional disclosed embodiments describe circuits configured to operate in a noisy environment and have touch sensors arranged as arrays that are capable of detecting a direction and speed of a human-like contact.