Abstract: A spatial frequency based capacitive motion system and method of operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an array of sense cells to sense capacitance variations induced by a detected surface in proximity to the array. The system further includes processing circuitry including one or more differential detectors and a processor to process output signals from the one or more differential detectors to measure displacement of the detected surface in a direction parallel to the array. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A spatial frequency based capacitive motion system and method of operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an array of sense cells to sense capacitance variations induced by a detected surface in proximity to the array. The system further includes processing circuitry including one or more differential detectors and a processor to process output signals from the one or more differential detectors to measure displacement of the detected surface in a direction parallel to the array. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A spatial frequency based capacitive motion sensor and method of operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the motion sensor includes an array of sense cells to capacitively sense capacitance variations induced by a surface in proximity to the array. The motion sensor further includes processing circuitry including a multiplexer and a processor to process motion dependent output signals from the array to measure motion of the surface in a direction parallel to a surface of the array. Generally, processor is adapted to execute a program to control the multiplexer to interconnect the sense cells of the array to configure the array as a comb-filter to detect at least one spatial frequency component of the capacitance variations, and to measure motion of the surface in a direction parallel to the array. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: The sensing circuit includes including first input of a first electrode, a first set of inputs of a first set of two or more electrodes forming a first intersection and a second intersection, and a second set of inputs of a second set of two or more electrodes forming the second intersection and a third intersection. The sensing circuit includes a scan control circuit, coupled to the touch panel of electrodes, to concurrently select the sets of electrodes via a multiplexer. The touch sensing circuit includes an analog front end configured to generate digital values representative of mutual capacitances of a first and second unit cell, wherein the first unit cell comprises the first and second intersections and the second unit cell comprises the second and third intersections, and a channel engine configured to generate capacitance values corresponding to the unit cells.

Abstract: A spatial frequency based capacitive motion sensor and method of operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the motion sensor includes an array of sense cells to capacitively sense capacitance variations induced by a surface in proximity to the array. The motion sensor further includes processing circuitry including a multiplexer and a processor to process motion dependent output signals from the array to measure motion of the surface in a direction parallel to a surface of the array. Generally, processor is adapted to execute a program to control the multiplexer to interconnect the sense cells of the array to configure the array as a comb-filter to detect at least one spatial frequency component of the capacitance variations, and to measure motion of the surface in a direction parallel to the array. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: The sensing circuit includes including first input of a first electrode, a first set of inputs of a first set of two or more electrodes forming a first intersection and a second intersection, and a second set of inputs of a second set of two or more electrodes forming the second intersection and a third intersection. The sensing circuit includes a scan control circuit, coupled to the touch panel of electrodes, to concurrently select the sets of electrodes via a multiplexer. The touch sensing circuit includes an analog front end configured to generate digital values representative of mutual capacitances of a first and second unit cell, wherein the first unit cell comprises the first and second intersections and the second unit cell comprises the second and third intersections, and a channel engine configured to generate capacitance values corresponding to the unit cells.

Abstract: A capacitance sensing system can filter noise that presents in a subset of electrodes in the proximity of a sense object (i.e., finger). A capacitance sensing system can include a sense network comprising a plurality of electrodes for generating sense values; a noise listening circuit configured to detect noise on a plurality of the electrodes; and a filtering circuit that enables a filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are above one level, and disables the filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are below the one level.

Abstract: A touch-sense device includes an overlay, such as a rough overlay or a compliant overlay, on a sensing layer. Use of the overlay changes a response of the sensing layer so that a light press is more distinguishable from a strong press by sensing electronics. Distinguishing the light press from the strong press enables the sensing electronics to report additional information in response to a press. In one example, a sensor signal of the sensing layer attains a first magnitude for a light press, and a second magnitude for a strong press, enabling the strong press to be distinguished. In another example, a sensor signal has a second edge in response to a strong press, and detection of the second edge enables the strong press to be distinguished. In various embodiments, a surface of the overlay has protrusions and/or cavities and/or is compressible.

Abstract: A capacitance sense system can include a capacitance sense input configured to receive an input signal that varies according to a sensed capacitance; an integrator/discharge circuit configured to integrate the input signal and discharge the integrated input signal toward the reference level in conversion operations; and a remainder retainer section configured to quantize the discharging of the integrated input signal, and retain any remainder of the integrated input signal that follows a quantization point for a next conversion by the integrator/discharge circuit.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor includes a switching capacitor circuit, a comparator, and a charge dissipation circuit. The switching capacitor circuit reciprocally couples a sensing capacitor in series with a modulation capacitor during a first switching phase and discharges the sensing capacitor during a second switching phase. The comparator is coupled to compare a voltage potential on the modulation capacitor to a reference and to generate a modulation signal in response. The charge dissipation circuit is coupled to the modulation capacitor to selectively discharge the modulation capacitor in response to the modulation signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a transmission system configured to transmit a drive signal to a touch screen device. The apparatus also includes a reception system configured to integrate an output signal received from a touch screen device in response to the drive signals and to filter the integrated output signal to suppress noise in the output signal, wherein the reception system is configured to integrate the output signal for a period of time that is less than or equal to a signal period corresponding to the drive signal.

Abstract: Capacitive touch sensors and touchscreen data processing methods are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes sequentially integrating and converting charge from each of a plurality of sensing capacitors in an array to digital data, the digital data including sample values corresponding to a measured capacitance for each of the plurality of sensing capacitors. Noise is then separated from useful information by filtering the sample values on a sample-by-sample basis. Finally, the filtered sample values are summed and a position of at least one contact on the array determined using the filtered capacitance values. Other embodiments are also provided.

Abstract: A capacitance sensing system can filter noise that presents in a subset of electrodes in the proximity of a sense object (i.e., finger). A capacitance sensing system can include a sense network comprising a plurality of electrodes for generating sense values; a noise listening circuit configured to detect noise on a plurality of the electrodes; and a filtering circuit that enables a filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are above one level, and disables the filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are below the one level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scanning a first set of electrodes of a capacitive sense array using a first sensing mode to identify a presence of an object in proximity to the capacitive sense array, where scanning using the first sensing mode identifies objects not in physical contact with the capacitive sense array. The first set of electrodes is scanned using a second sensing mode to determine a location of the object in relation to the capacitive sense array, where rescanning using the second sensing mode determines locations of objects in physical contact with the capacitive sense array.

Abstract: A capacitance sense system can include a capacitance sense input configured to receive an input signal that varies according to a sensed capacitance; an integrator/discharge circuit configured to integrate the input signal and discharge the integrated input signal toward the reference level in conversion operations; and a remainder retainer section configured to quantize the discharging of the integrated input signal, and retain any remainder of the integrated input signal that follows a quantization point for a next conversion by the integrator/discharge circuit.

Abstract: The capacitance sensing array comprising a plurality of nodes corresponding to intersections of a first plurality of electrodes with a second plurality of electrodes may be scanned. Capacitance values associated with one or more of the nodes may be measured. The capacitance values may be representative of a touch object proximate to the one or more of the nodes. A peak capacitance value of the capacitance values of one or more of the nodes may be identified. A set of capacitance values comprising cells based on the peak capacitance value may be generated. A portion of the cells of the set are associated with the nodes corresponding to the intersections of the first plurality of electrodes with the second plurality of electrodes and at least one of the cells of the set is associated with a virtual node that does not correspond to the intersections.

Abstract: A capacitance sensing system can filter noise that presents in a subset of electrodes in the proximity of a sense object (i.e., finger). A capacitance sensing system can include a sense network comprising a plurality of electrodes for generating sense values; a noise listening circuit configured to detect noise on a plurality of the electrodes; and a filtering circuit that enables a filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are above one level, and disables the filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are below the one level.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus include receiving a current set of measurements of a touch sense array using a first functional block of a processing device and processing the current set of measurements using a second functional block to render a touch map corresponding to the touch sense array. The methods and apparatus include performing the next set of measurements using the first functional block. Performing the next set of measurements and processing the current set of measurement are performed substantially concurrently.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scanning a first set of electrodes of a capacitive sense array using a first sensing mode to identify a presence of an object in proximity to the capacitive sense array, where scanning using the first sensing mode identifies objects not in physical contact with the capacitive sense array. The first set of electrodes is scanned using a second sensing mode to determine a location of the object in relation to the capacitive sense array, where rescanning using the second sensing mode determines locations of objects in physical contact with the capacitive sense array.

Abstract: A method and apparatus scan a plurality of scan groups in a capacitive sense array to generate signals corresponding to a mutual capacitance between the electrodes. Each of the plurality of scan groups is formed from a subset of the plurality of electrodes. A processing device identifies a scan group where the generated signal is affected by a presence of a conductive object. The processing device individually scans the subset of the plurality of sense elements in the identified scan group to determine a location of the conductive object.