DIAMOND PATTERNED TOUCH SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

A touch sensor detector system and method incorporating a diamond patterned optionally-interpolated sensor array is disclosed. The system and method utilize a touch sensor array (TSA) configured to detect proximity/contact/pressure (PCP) via a variable impedance array (VIA) electrically coupling interlinked/independent impedance columns (IIC) coupled to an array column driver (ACD), and interlinked/independent impedance rows (IIR) coupled to an array row sensor (ARS). The ACD is configured to select the IIC based on a column switching register (CSR) and electrically drive the IIC using a column driving source (CDS). The VIA conveys current from the driven IIC to the IIC sensed by the ARS. The ARS selects the IIR within the TSA and electrically senses the IIR state based on a row switching register (RSR). Interpolation of ARS sensed current/voltage allows accurate detection of TSA PCP and/or spatial location.

主权项

1. A touch sensor system comprising:
(a) touch sensor array (TSA); (b) array column driver (ACD); (c) column switching register (CSR); (d) column driving source (CDS); (e) array row sensor (ARS); (f) row switching register (RSR); (g) analog to digital converter (ADC); and (h) computing control device (CCD); wherein: said TSA comprises a variable impedance array (VIA) comprising VIA columns and VIA rows; said VIA columns each comprise a diamond-shaped column electrode pattern (DSC); said VIA rows each comprise a diamond-shaped row electrode pattern (DSR); said VIA comprises shunt-mode sensor impedance elements interlinking said VIA columns and said VIA rows; said VIA is configured to electrically couple one or more interlinked impedance columns (IIC) within said TSA with one or more interlinked impedance rows (IIR) within said TSA; said IIC further comprises one or more individual column impedance elements (ICIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA columns; said IIR further comprises one or more individual row impedance elements (IRIE) electrically connected in series between said VIA rows; said ACD is configured to select said IIC within said TSA based on said CSR; said ACD is configured to electrically drive said selected IIC using said CDS; said ARS is configured to select said IIR within said TSA based on said RSR; said ADC is configured to sense the electrical state of said selected IIR and convert said electrical state to a sensed digital value (SDV); said electrical state is determined by the interpolated sum of current contributions of variable impedance elements within said VIA, where the current contribution of each of said variable impedance elements is determined by a voltage divider formed between the columns of said VIA, a current divider formed between the rows of said VIA, and the state of said each of said variable impedance elements, to produce a sensed current for a given row-column intersection with said VIA; and said CCD is configured to sample said SDV from said ADC at one or more positions within said TSA to form a touch sensor matrix (TSM) data structure.