Patents by Inventor Feargal Cleary

Feargal Cleary has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220147181
    Abstract: One or more examples relate, generally, to a method for capacitive touch sensing that includes: performing first self-capacitance measurement of an electrode of a touch sensor while a driven shield-signal is provided to at least a portion of shielding of the electrode; determining a first touch sensing result at least partially responsive to determining that a value representing performing first self-capacitance measurement exceeds a first threshold value; performing second self-capacitance measurement of the electrode of the touch sensor while a ground signal is provided to at least the portion of shielding of the electrode; determining a second touch sensing result at least partially responsive to determining that a value representing performing second self-capacitance measurement exceeds a second threshold value, the second threshold value different from the first threshold value; and determining a touch result responsive to both the first touch sensing result and the second touch sensing result being indi
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Feargal Cleary, Rian Whelan
  • Patent number: 11231808
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate, generally, to a dual measurement technique for capacitance sensing, and related systems and methods. In one embodiment, a capacitance sensing method characterized by moisture tolerance is performed and another capacitance sensing method characterized by proximity tolerance is performed. In one embodiment, the method characterized by moisture tolerance is a driven-shield self-capacitance sensing measurement, and the method characterized by proximity tolerance is a grounded-shield self-capacitance sensing measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Feargal Cleary, Rian Whelan
  • Publication number: 20200225829
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate, generally, to a dual measurement technique for capacitance sensing, and related systems and methods. In one embodiment, a capacitance sensing method characterized by moisture tolerance is performed and another capacitance sensing method characterized by proximity tolerance is performed. In one embodiment, the method characterized by moisture tolerance is a driven-shield self-capacitance sensing measurement, and the method characterized by proximity tolerance is a grounded-shield self-capacitance sensing measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Feargal Cleary, Rian Whelan
  • Patent number: 9817531
    Abstract: A touch sensing circuit includes: a plurality of sensor channels; a controller coupled to the plurality of sensor channels, the controller configured to: map the sensor channels to sensor nodes, the sensor nodes forming a plurality of interleaved lumped sensors, where at least two of the interleaved lumped sensors include a common sensor node; scan, during a scan period, the interleaved lumped sensors to detect one or more touch inputs; and responsive to detecting one or more touch inputs, determining a location of at least one touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Feargal Cleary
  • Publication number: 20170102799
    Abstract: A touch sensing circuit includes: a plurality of sensor channels; a controller coupled to the plurality of sensor channels, the controller configured to: map the sensor channels to sensor nodes, the sensor nodes forming a plurality of interleaved lumped sensors, where at least two of the interleaved lumped sensors include a common sensor node; scan, during a scan period, the interleaved lumped sensors to detect one or more touch inputs; and responsive to detecting one or more touch inputs, determining a location of at least one touch input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventor: Feargal CLEARY
  • Publication number: 20170060288
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a touch sensing circuit comprises a plurality of sensor channels and a controller circuit coupled to the plurality of sensor channels. The controller circuit is configured to: map the sensor channels to lumped sensors; scan, during a scan period, the lumped sensors to detect touch input; and responsive to detecting touch input associated with at least one of the lumped sensors, scan the sensor channels mapped to the at least one lumped sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Ramaprasad SUBRAMANIAN, Rian WHELAN, Feargal CLEARY
  • Patent number: 9081454
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a touch-sensor controller is operable to apply a first voltage to a first drive line. The first drive line comprises a first one or more drive electrodes. The touch-sensor controller is further operable to measure a second voltage across a capacitor. The capacitor is coupled to a first sense line. The first sense line comprises a first one or more sense electrodes. The touch-sensor controller is further operable to determine, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Feargal Cleary
  • Publication number: 20140292704
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a touch-sensor controller is operable to apply a first voltage to a first drive line. The first drive line comprises a first one or more drive electrodes. The touch-sensor controller is further operable to measure a second voltage across a capacitor. The capacitor is coupled to a first sense line. The first sense line comprises a first one or more sense electrodes. The touch-sensor controller is further operable to determine, based on the second voltage across the capacitor, a touch at a first capacitive node formed by an overlapping of a first region of the first drive line and a first region of the first sense line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Feargal Cleary