Patents by Inventor Tracy Scott Dattalo

Tracy Scott Dattalo 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).

  • Patent number: 11635848
    Abstract: A capacitive sensing input system includes sensor electrodes disposed in a sensor electrode pattern and a processing system. When under a low ground mass (LGM) condition, proximity-sensing pairs of electrodes formed by a first selective pairing of the sensor electrodes have an increased sensitivity to a presence of an input object in comparison to LGM-sensitive pairs of electrodes formed by a second selective pairing of the sensor electrodes that are primarily sensitive to the LGM condition. The processing system is configured to, while under the LGM condition, determine a first LGM term using a mutual capacitance sensing with a first of the LGM-sensitive pairs of electrodes, obtain a first transcapacitance sensing signal for a sensing element formed by a first of the proximity-sensing pairs of electrodes, and generate an LGM-corrected transcapacitance sensing signal by correcting the first transcapacitance sensing signal using the first LGM term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Katayoun Goudarzi, David Hoch, Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Patent number: 11507236
    Abstract: A sensor pattern for capacitive sensing includes a first electrode and a multitude of second electrodes capacitively coupled to the first electrode. The first electrode includes a strip extending in a vertical direction across the sensor pattern. The multitude of second electrodes include a first subset and a second subset. The first subset of the multitude of second electrodes is arranged in a first column, the first column extending in a vertical direction. The second subset of the multitude of second electrodes is arranged in a second column, the second column extending in the vertical direction. The first subset and the second subset of the multitude of electrodes are disposed adjacent to the first electrode on opposing sides of the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Tracy Scott Dattalo, David Hoch
  • Patent number: 11360613
    Abstract: An input device includes a display substrate and a stack of display layers disposed on the display substrate, the stack of display layers including a conductive layer. The input device further includes at least one capacitive sensing layer in the stack of display layers and a multitude of capacitive sensing electrodes disposed in the at least one capacitive sensing layer, and configured for capacitance sensing. The input device also includes a processing system configured to selectively drive the multitude of capacitive sensing electrodes to emit a first sensing signal while balancing a total current induced in the conductive layer, caused by an electromagnetic emission associated with the first sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Cungang Ding, Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Patent number: 11281345
    Abstract: A system and method for capacitive sensing comprise acquiring first capacitive sensor data and second capacitive sensor data from a plurality of sensor electrodes, and determining positional information from one or more input objects based on the first capacitive sensor data and the second capacitive sensor data. The plurality of sensor electrodes are driven with transcapacitive sensing signals for capacitive sensing during one or more transcapacitive sensing blocks to acquire the first sensor data. Further, the plurality of sensor electrodes are operated for absolute capacitive sensing during one or more absolute capacitive sensing blocks to acquire the second capacitive sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Nickolas V. Fotopoulos, Katayoun Goudarzi, Tracy Scott Dattalo, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Jonathan Losh, Renuka Vidyut Shenoy, Derek Solven
  • Publication number: 20220050548
    Abstract: A capacitive sensing input system includes sensor electrodes disposed in a sensor electrode pattern and a processing system. When under a low ground mass (LGM) condition, proximity-sensing pairs of electrodes formed by a first selective pairing of the sensor electrodes have an increased sensitivity to a presence of an input object in comparison to LGM-sensitive pairs of electrodes formed by a second selective pairing of the sensor electrodes that are primarily sensitive to the LGM condition. The processing system is configured to, while under the LGM condition, determine a first LGM term using a mutual capacitance sensing with a first of the LGM-sensitive pairs of electrodes, obtain a first transcapacitance sensing signal for a sensing element formed by a first of the proximity-sensing pairs of electrodes, and generate an LGM-corrected transcapacitance sensing signal by correcting the first transcapacitance sensing signal using the first LGM term.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Katayoun Goudarzi, David Hoch, Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Publication number: 20210397297
    Abstract: An input device includes a display substrate and a stack of display layers disposed on the display substrate, the stack of display layers including a conductive layer. The input device further includes at least one capacitive sensing layer in the stack of display layers and a multitude of capacitive sensing electrodes disposed in the at least one capacitive sensing layer, and configured for capacitance sensing. The input device also includes a processing system configured to selectively drive the multitude of capacitive sensing electrodes to emit a first sensing signal while balancing a total current induced in the conductive layer, caused by an electromagnetic emission associated with the first sensing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Cungang Ding, Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Publication number: 20210294462
    Abstract: A system and method for capacitive sensing comprise acquiring first capacitive sensor data and second capacitive sensor data from a plurality of sensor electrodes, and determining positional information from one or more input objects based on the first capacitive sensor data and the second capacitive sensor data. The plurality of sensor electrodes are driven with transcapacitive sensing signals for capacitive sensing during one or more transcapacitive sensing blocks to acquire the first sensor data. Further, the plurality of sensor electrodes are operated for absolute capacitive sensing during one or more absolute capacitive sensing blocks to acquire the second capacitive sensor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Nickolas V. Fotopoulos, Katayoun Goudarzi, Tracy Scott Dattalo, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Jonathan Losh, Renuka Vidyut Shenoy, Derek Solven
  • Patent number: 11093093
    Abstract: A processing system includes a sensor module configured to receive first and second signals from first and second sensor electrodes, respectively, and generate a combination signal. The processing system further includes a determination module configured to determine, using the first sensor electrode, an absolute capacitive coupling to an input object; determine, using the first and second sensor electrodes, a transcapacitive coupling; determine a ratio of the absolute to transcapacitive coupling; determine, using the combination signal, in absence of a predetermined low ground mass state, and when the ratio fails to exceed a predetermined threshold, first positional information regarding a location of the input object; and determine, when the ratio fails to exceed the predetermined threshold and in presence of the predetermined low ground mass state, second positional information regarding the location of the input object in the sensing region using an absolute capacitive scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: John Weinerth, David Sobel, Derek Solven, Adam Schwartz, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Tracy Scott Dattalo, David Hoch
  • Publication number: 20210232268
    Abstract: A sensor pattern for capacitive sensing includes a first electrode and a multitude of second electrodes capacitively coupled to the first electrode. The first electrode includes a strip extending in a vertical direction across the sensor pattern. The multitude of second electrodes include a first subset and a second subset. The first subset of the multitude of second electrodes is arranged in a first column, the first column extending in a vertical direction. The second subset of the multitude of second electrodes is arranged in a second column, the second column extending in the vertical direction. The first subset and the second subset of the multitude of electrodes are disposed adjacent to the first electrode on opposing sides of the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Tracy Scott Dattalo, David Hoch
  • Patent number: 11061521
    Abstract: A system and method for capacitive sensing comprise acquiring first capacitive sensor data and second capacitive sensor data from a plurality of sensor electrodes, and determining positional information from one or more input objects based on the first capacitive sensor data and the second capacitive sensor data. The plurality of sensor electrodes are driven with transcapacitive sensing signals for capacitive sensing during one or more transcapacitive sensing blocks to acquire the first sensor data. Each of the transcapacitive sensing signals is based on a respective one of a plurality of codes. Further, the plurality of sensor electrodes are operated for absolute capacitive sensing during one or more absolute capacitive sensing blocks to acquire the second capacitive sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Nickolas V. Fotopoulos, Katayoun Goudarzi, Tracy Scott Dattalo, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Jonathan Losh, Renuka Vidyut Shenoy, Derek Solven
  • Patent number: 11029780
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically rescanning an array of sensor electrodes of an input device. The input device performs a first scan of the array over a plurality of iterations to acquire a frame of sensor data, where a different subframe of the sensor data is acquired from each iteration of the first scan. During each iteration of the first scan, the input device compares the subframe of sensor data acquired from the iteration with a respective subframe of sensor data acquired prior to the iteration. In some implementations, the input device may selectively repeat one or more iterations of the first scan based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katayoun Goudarzi, Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Publication number: 20210041988
    Abstract: A system and method for capacitive sensing comprise acquiring first capacitive sensor data and second capacitive sensor data from a plurality of sensor electrodes, and determining positional information from one or more input objects based on the first capacitive sensor data and the second capacitive sensor data. The plurality of sensor electrodes are driven with transcapacitive sensing signals for capacitive sensing during one or more transcapacitive sensing blocks to acquire the first sensor data. Each of the transcapacitive sensing signals is based on a respective one of a plurality of codes. Further, the plurality of sensor electrodes are operated for absolute capacitive sensing during one or more absolute capacitive sensing blocks to acquire the second capacitive sensor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Nickolas V. FOTOPOULOS, Katayoun GOUDARZI, Tracy Scott DATTALO, Joseph Kurth REYNOLDS, Jonathan LOSH, Renuka Vidyut SHENOY, Derek SOLVEN
  • Publication number: 20200233531
    Abstract: A processing system includes a sensor module configured to receive first and second signals from first and second sensor electrodes, respectively, and generate a combination signal. The processing system further includes a determination module configured to determine, using the first sensor electrode, an absolute capacitive coupling to an input object; determine, using the first and second sensor electrodes, a transcapacitive coupling; determine a ratio of the absolute to transcapacitive coupling; determine, using the combination signal, in absence of a predetermined low ground mass state, and when the ratio fails to exceed a predetermined threshold, first positional information regarding a location of the input object; and determine, when the ratio fails to exceed the predetermined threshold and in presence of the predetermined low ground mass state, second positional information regarding the location of the input object in the sensing region using an absolute capacitive scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: John Weinerth, David Sobel, Derek Solven, Adam Schwartz, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Tracy Scott Dattalo, David Hoch
  • Patent number: 9965104
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Petr Shepelev, Adam Schwartz, Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Patent number: 9958488
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Farzaneh Shahrokhi, Tracy Scott Dattalo, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Adam Schwartz
  • Patent number: 9952720
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Adam Schwartz, Tracy Scott Dattalo, Robin Hodgson, Joseph Kurth Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9891763
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure generally provide current feedback techniques for capacitive sensing with an input device. A processing system for an input device includes an operational amplifier having a non-inverting input, an inverting input, and an output. A voltage source is coupled to the non-inverting input. A first voltage-controlled current source is coupled between the output and the inverting input to form a feedback path. A second voltage-controlled current source is coupled to the output and configured for modifying a charge on a capacitor based on a control voltage at the output. A determination module is coupled to the capacitor and configured for determining a capacitance measurement at the inverting input based on the charge on the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Publication number: 20170364184
    Abstract: A method of capacitive sensing may include driving a first modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode in an input device and a second modulated signal onto a second sensor electrode in the input device. The method may further include receiving, simultaneously, a first resulting signal from the first sensor electrode and a second resulting signal from the second sensor electrode. The method may further include generating, based at least in part on the first resulting signal and the second resulting signal, a combination signal. The method may further include determining, using the combination signal, when the input device is not disposed in a predetermined low ground mass state, and when a ratio of capacitive coupling exceeds a predetermined threshold, first positional information regarding a location of the input object in the sensing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: John Weinerth, David Sobel, Derek Solven, Adam Schwartz, Tracy Scott Dattalo, David Hoch, Joseph Kurth Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9817533
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device that includes a plurality of sensing elements that are interconnected in desired way to acquire positional information of an input object, so that the acquired positional information can be used by other system components to control a display or other useful system components. One or more of the embodiments described herein, utilizes one or more of the techniques and sensor electrode array configuration disclosed herein to reduce or minimize the number of traces and/or electrodes required to sense the position of an input object within a sensing region of the input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mihai Bulea, Derek Solven, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, David Hoch, Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Patent number: 9753570
    Abstract: A processing system comprises a sensor module and a determination module. The sensor module comprises sensing circuitry coupled to sensor electrodes of a sensor electrode pattern. The sensor module is configured to: drive a modulated signal onto a first sensor electrode of the sensor electrode pattern; receive first resulting signals from the first sensor electrode; and receive second resulting signals from a second sensor electrode of the sensor electrode pattern. The second resulting signals comprise effects corresponding to the modulated signal, and the first resulting signals and the second resulting signals are simultaneously received. The determination module configured to determine a change in capacitive coupling between an input object and the first sensor electrode based on the first resulting signals and a change in capacitive coupling between the first and second sensor electrodes based on the second resulting signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Tracy Scott Dattalo, David Hoch