COMBINATION TOUCH AND TRANSDUCER INPUT SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique.

主权项

1. A sensor controller to control operation of a sensor,
wherein the sensor includes an array of electrodes arranged to define a sensor surface, the array of electrodes including first electrodes disposed along a first direction and second electrodes disposed along a second direction different from the first direction; and wherein the sensor is configured for use with a pen-shaped transducer, the pen-shaped transducer being capable of generating an electric field which is used by the sensor to detect a position indicated by the pen-shaped transducer on the sensor surface, the pen-shaped transducer including one or more of: i) a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the pen-shaped transducer, the pressure sensor being used to generate a pressure signal indicative of a detected pressure value, ii) a user-operable switch used to switch operational states of the pen-shaped transducer, the switch being used to generate a switch signal indicative of an operational state of the switch, and iii) an ID signal indicative of an ID of the pen-shaped transducer; the sensor controller comprising:
frequency selection circuitry which, in operation, selects a frequency out of multiple frequencies, the selected frequency being for use by the pen-shaped transducer to generate the electric field;communication circuitry which, in operation, establishes a wireless link with the pen-shaped transducer to perform communication with the pen-shaped transducer; andposition detection circuitry which, in operation, detects a position indicated by the pen-shaped transducer on the sensor surface based on capacitive coupling between the array of electrodes and the pen-shaped transducer generating the electric field at the selected frequency;wherein the sensor controller is further configured to transmit information regarding the selected frequency to the pen-shaped transducer; andwherein the communication circuitry receives one or more of the pressure signal, the switch signal, and the ID signal from the pen-shaped transducer over the wireless link.