Touch sensing device and operating method for touch sensing device

Abstract

The invention provides a touch sensing device and an operation method for the touch sensing device. The touch sensing device comprises a touch sensing electrode array, a reference electrode, a first front-end circuit, a second front-end circuit and a controller. The reference electrode surrounds the touch sensing electrode array. The first front-end circuit receives a first touch sensing signal from the touch sensing electrode array. The second front-end circuit receives a second touch sensing signal from the reference electrode. Based on a touch event occurring at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the controller determines the touch event according to the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to a touch sensing device and an operating method for the touch sensing device. Background Art

[0002] The touch sensing device includes a touch sensing electrode array. The touch sensing device can perform corresponding operations based on the position or trajectory of a touch event in the touch sensing electrode array. However, when the position of the touch event is located at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the number of touch sensing electrodes in the touch sensing electrode array that participate in the touch event will decrease. Therefore, the touch sensing accuracy will decrease. In addition, when the sensing area of ​​the touch sensing electrodes of the touch sensing electrode array is smaller, the touch sensing accuracy will be lower. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention provides a touch sensing device and an operating method for the touch sensing device, which can improve the touch sensing accuracy when the position of a touch event is located at the edge of a touch sensing electrode array.

[0004] In one embodiment of the present invention, a touch sensing device includes a touch sensing electrode array, a reference electrode, a first front-end circuit, a second front-end circuit, and a controller. The touch sensing electrode array includes a plurality of touch sensing electrodes. The reference electrode surrounds the touch sensing electrode array. The first front-end circuit is coupled to the touch sensing electrode array. The first front-end circuit receives a first touch sensing signal from the touch sensing electrode array. The second front-end circuit is coupled to the reference electrode. The second front-end circuit receives a second touch sensing signal from the reference electrode. The controller is coupled to the first front-end circuit and the second front-end circuit. Based on a touch event occurring at an edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the controller determines the touch event according to the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal.

[0005] In one embodiment of the present invention, an operation method is used for a touch sensing device. The touch sensing device includes a touch sensing electrode array and a reference electrode. The touch sensing electrode array includes a plurality of touch sensing electrodes. The reference electrode surrounds the touch sensing electrode array. The operation method includes: receiving a first touch sensing signal from the touch sensing electrode array; receiving a second touch sensing signal from the reference electrode; and judging a touch event based on a touch event occurring at an edge of the touch sensing electrode array according to the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal.

[0006] Based on the above, when a touch event occurs at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the touch sensing device receives a first touch sensing signal from the touch sensing electrode array and a second touch sensing signal from the reference electrode. The touch sensing device determines the touch event based on the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal. The second touch sensing signal is used as an auxiliary signal to improve the touch sensing accuracy. In this way, when the location of the touch event is located at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the touch sensing accuracy of the touch sensing device can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a touch sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0008] Figure 2 is a flow chart of an operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a touch sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a touch sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an output of a second front-end circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 6 is a flow chart of an operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Description of Reference Numerals

[0014] 100, 200, 300: Touch sensing device

[0015] 110: Touch sensing electrode array

[0016] 120, 220_1~220_4: Reference electrode

[0017] 130: First front-end circuit

[0018] 140: Second front-end circuit

[0019] 150: Controller

[0020] 360: Gate drive circuit

[0021] 370: Source drive circuit

[0022] EVN: Touch Events

[0023] PE: Touch sensing electrode

[0024] PX: Pixel circuit

[0025] S1, S2: Touch sensing results

[0026] S100, S200: How to operate

[0027] S110~S130, S210~S250: Steps

[0028] STS1: First touch sensing signal

[0029] STS2: Second touch sensing signal

[0030] STD: Touch drive signal

[0031] T1: Non-touch sensing period

[0032] T2: Touch sensing period

[0033] VCOM: common voltage DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The component symbols cited in the following description will be regarded as the same or similar components when the same component symbols appear in different drawings. These embodiments are only part of the present invention and do not disclose all possible implementation methods of the present invention. More specifically, these embodiments are only examples within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of a touch sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the touch sensing device 100 includes a touch sensing electrode array 110, a reference electrode 120, a first front-end circuit 130, a second front-end circuit 140, and a controller 150. The touch sensing electrode array 110 includes a plurality of touch sensing electrodes PE. The reference electrode 120 surrounds the touch sensing electrode array 110. The first front-end circuit 130 is coupled to the touch sensing electrode array 110. The first front-end circuit 130 receives a first touch sensing signal STS1 from the touch sensing electrode array 110. The second front-end circuit 140 is coupled to the reference electrode 120. The second front-end circuit 140 receives a second touch sensing signal STS2 from the reference electrode 120.

[0036] In the present embodiment, the controller 150 is coupled to the first front-end circuit 130 and the second front-end circuit 140. The controller 150 determines the touch event EVN according to the first touch sensing signal STS1 and the second touch sensing signal STS2. For example, in the present embodiment, the controller 150 can determine the occurrence position of the touch event EVN. When the touch event EVN occurs at at least one touch sensing electrode (or edge touch sensing electrode) at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the controller 150 can determine the touch event EVN according to the first touch sensing signal STS1 and the second touch sensing signal STS2, and provide an operation corresponding to the touch event EVN. For example, the first front-end circuit 130 generates a touch sensing result S1 according to the first touch sensing signal STS1. The second front-end circuit 140 generates a touch sensing result S2 according to the second touch sensing signal STS2. The controller 150 can update or compensate the touch sensing result S1 according to the touch sensing result S2.

[0037] It is worth mentioning here that when the touch event EVN occurs at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the touch sensing device 100 receives the first touch sensing signal STS1 from the touch sensing electrode array 110 and the second touch sensing signal STS2 from the reference electrode 120, and determines the touch event EVN based on the first touch sensing signal STS1 and the second touch sensing signal STS2. The second touch sensing signal STS2 is used as an auxiliary signal to improve the touch sensing accuracy. In this way, when the position of the touch event EVN is located at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the touch sensing accuracy of the touch sensing device 100 can be improved.

[0038] For example, when the touch event EVN does not occur at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the second front-end circuit 140 receives the second touch sensing signal STS2 from the reference electrode 120. The controller 150 determines the touch event EVN only based on the first touch sensing signal STS1. For example, the first front-end circuit 130 generates a touch sensing result S1 based on the first touch sensing signal STS1. The controller 150 can determine the touch event EVN based on the touch sensing result S1.

[0039] When a touch event EVN occurs at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the second front-end circuit 140 receives the second touch sensing signal STS2 from the reference electrode 120. The controller 150 determines the touch event EVN based on the first touch sensing signal STS1 and the second touch sensing signal STS2. For example, the first front-end circuit 130 generates a touch sensing result S1 based on the first touch sensing signal STS1, and the second front-end circuit 140 generates a touch sensing result S2 based on the second touch sensing signal STS2. The controller 150 can determine the touch event EVN based on the touch sensing result S1 and the touch sensing result S2. On the other hand, the controller 150 determines the touch event EVN based on at least one of the self-capacitance (SC) sensing mode and the mutual-capacitance (MC) touch sensing mode.

[0040] In this embodiment, the touch sensing electrode array 110 is implemented by arranging a plurality of touch sensing electrodes PE in a plurality of rows or columns, for example. However, the present invention is not limited to the arrangement of the plurality of touch sensing electrodes PE.

[0041] For example, the touch event EVN may be an event in which a user operates the touch sensing electrode array 110 using a finger or a touch tool (eg, a stylus, but the present invention is not limited thereto).

[0042] In this embodiment, the controller 150 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a timing controller, or other programmable general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a programmable controller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a programmable logic device (PLD).

[0043] Please refer to Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 , Figure 2It is a flow chart of an operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the operation method S100 is applicable to the touch sensing device 100. The operation method S100 includes steps S110 to S130. In step S110, the touch sensing device 100 receives a first touch sensing signal STS1 from the touch sensing electrode array 110. In step S120, the touch sensing device 100 receives a second touch sensing signal STS2 from the reference electrode 120. In step S130, based on the touch event EVN occurring at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the touch sensing device 100 determines the touch event EVN according to the first touch sensing signal STS1 and the second touch sensing signal STS2. The implementation details of steps S110 to S130 have been described in detail. Figure 1 This is clearly described in the embodiments, so it will not be repeated here.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 2 is a schematic diagram of a touch sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the touch sensing device 200 includes a touch sensing electrode array 110, reference electrodes 220_1 to 220_4 (or referred to as sub-reference electrodes of the reference electrode 120), a first front-end circuit 130, a second front-end circuit 140, and a controller 150. The reference electrode 220_1 is adjacent to a first edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110 (e.g., the left edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110). The reference electrode 220_2 is adjacent to a second edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110 (e.g., the upper edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110). The reference electrode 220_3 is adjacent to a third edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110 (e.g., the right edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110). The reference electrode 220_4 is adjacent to a fourth edge ED4 of the touch sensing electrode array 110 (e.g., the lower edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110). In this embodiment, the reference electrodes 220_1 ˜ 220_4 surround the touch sensing electrode array 110 . The second front-end circuit 140 is coupled to the reference electrodes 220_1 ˜ 220_4 .

[0045] For example, when a touch event EVN occurs at an edge touch sensing electrode at a first edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110 , the controller 150 can determine the touch event EVN based on the first touch sensing signal STS1 and the second touch sensing signal STS2 from the first edge.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 43 is a schematic diagram of a touch sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the touch sensing device 300 is used for a touch display device. The touch sensing device 300 includes a touch sensing electrode array 110, a reference electrode 120, a first front-end circuit 130, a second front-end circuit 140, a controller 150, a gate driving circuit 360, and a source driving circuit 370. The implementation details of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the reference electrode 120, the first front-end circuit 130, the second front-end circuit 140, and the controller 150 have been described in detail. Figure 1 This is clearly described in the embodiments, so it will not be repeated here.

[0047] The touch display device includes a plurality of pixel circuits PX. In the range of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the projection range of at least one pixel circuit PX of the touch display device overlaps with the projection range of a single touch sensing electrode PE.

[0048] In this embodiment, the gate driving circuit 360 is coupled to the controller 150 and the pixel circuit PX of the touch display device. The gate driving circuit 360 provides gate driving signals with different timings to different pixel circuit rows. The source driving circuit 370 is coupled to the controller 150 and the pixel circuit PX of the touch display device. The source driving circuit 370 provides display signals to the pixel circuit columns.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 , Figure 5 1 is an output schematic diagram of a second front-end circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, during the non-touch sensing period T1, the second front-end circuit 140 provides a common voltage VCOM to the reference electrode 120. For example, the common voltage VCOM is a low voltage signal or a reference voltage signal. The non-touch sensing period T1 may be a blanking period of a touch sensing operation or a display update period of the pixel circuit PX.

[0050] During the touch sensing period T2, the second front-end circuit 140 provides a touch driving signal STD to the reference electrode 120. The touch driving signal STD includes a plurality of square waves, but the present invention is not limited to the waveform of the touch driving signal STD. In some embodiments, the touch driving signal STD includes at least one of a plurality of square waves, a plurality of sine waves, and a plurality of step square waves.

[0051] In some embodiments, the touch driving signal STD may be a DC voltage for receiving a downlink signal of a touch tool.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first front-end circuit 130 provides a common voltage VCOM to the touch sensing electrode array 110 during the non-touch sensing period T1. The first front-end circuit 130 provides a touch driving signal STD to the touch sensing electrode array 110 during the touch sensing period T2. That is, the first front-end circuit 130 and the second front-end circuit 140 may, for example, provide the same common voltage VCOM during the non-touch sensing period T1, and provide the same touch driving signal STD during the touch sensing period T2.

[0053] It should be understood that Figure 5 The waveform can also be applied to Figure 1 The touch sensing device 100 and Figure 3 A touch sensing device 200 is provided.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 1 as well as Figure 6 , Figure 6 is a flow chart of an operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the operation method S200 is applicable to the touch sensing device 100. The operation method S200 includes steps S210 to S250. In step S210, the controller 150 controls the first front-end circuit 130 to receive the first touch sensing signal STS1 from the touch sensing electrode array 110. In step S210, the second front-end circuit 140 is controlled to receive the second touch sensing signal STS2 from the reference electrode 120. In step S220, the controller 150 determines the occurrence position of the touch event EVN according to the first touch sensing signal STS1. In step S230, the controller 150 determines whether the occurrence position of the touch event EVN is located at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110. When the occurrence position of the touch event EVN is not located at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the controller 150 returns to the operation of step S210.

[0055] On the other hand, when the occurrence position of the touch event EVN is located at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the controller 150 will update the judgment result of the touch event EVN according to the second touch sensing signal STS2 in step S240. For example, when the touch event EVN occurs at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array 110, the touch sensing device 100 judges the touch event EVN based on the mutual capacitance sensing operation of the touch sensing electrode PE at the edge and the reference electrode 120.

[0056] In summary, when a touch event occurs at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the touch sensing device of the present invention receives a first touch sensing signal from the touch sensing electrode array and a second touch sensing signal from the at least one reference electrode. The touch sensing device determines the touch event based on the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal. The second touch sensing signal is used as an auxiliary signal to improve the touch sensing accuracy. In this way, when the location of the touch event is at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the touch sensing accuracy of the touch sensing device can be improved.

[0057] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A touch sensing device, characterized in that: The touch sensing device comprises: A touch sensing electrode array, comprising a plurality of touch sensing electrodes; a reference electrode surrounding the touch sensing electrode array; A first front-end circuit, coupled to the touch sensing electrode array and configured to receive a first touch sensing signal from the touch sensing electrode array; a second front-end circuit coupled to the reference electrode and configured to receive a second touch sensing signal from the reference electrode; and The controller is coupled to the first front-end circuit and the second front-end circuit, and is configured to determine the touch event based on the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal based on the touch event occurring at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array.

2. The touch sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the touch event does not occur at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array: The controller determines the touch event according to the first touch sensing signal.

3. The touch sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: During non-touch sensing: The first front-end circuit provides a common voltage to the touch sensing electrode array, and The second front-end circuit provides the common voltage to the reference electrode.

4. The touch sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: During touch sensing: The first front-end circuit provides a touch driving signal to the touch sensing electrode array, and The second front-end circuit provides the touch driving signal to the reference electrode.

5. The touch sensing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The touch driving signal includes at least one of a plurality of square waves, a plurality of sine waves, a plurality of step square waves, and a direct current voltage for receiving a downlink signal of a touch tool.

6. The touch sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: The controller determines the occurrence position of the touch event according to the first touch sensing signal.

7. The touch sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: The reference electrode is divided into a plurality of sub-reference electrodes, and The plurality of sub-reference electrodes surround the sensing electrode array and are respectively adjacent to different edges of the sensing electrode array.

8. The touch sensing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the touch event occurs at a first edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the controller determines the touch event according to the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal from the sub-reference electrode adjacent to the first edge.

9. An operating method for a touch sensing device, wherein the touch sensing device comprises a touch sensing electrode array and a reference electrode, wherein the touch sensing electrode array comprises a plurality of touch sensing electrodes, and the reference electrode is adjacent to an edge of the touch sensing device and surrounds the touch sensing electrode array, wherein the operating method comprises: receiving a first touch sensing signal from the touch sensing electrode array; receiving a second touch sensing signal from the reference electrode; as well as The touch event is determined based on the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal based on a touch event occurring at an edge of the touch sensing electrode array.

10. The operating method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The operation method also includes: When the touch event does not occur at the edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the touch event is determined according to the first touch sensing signal.

11. The operating method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The operation method also includes: During a non-touch sensing period, a common voltage is provided to the reference electrode and the touch sensing electrode array.

12. The operating method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The operation method also includes: During touch sensing, a touch driving signal is provided to the reference electrode and the touch sensing electrode array.

13. The operating method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The touch driving signal includes at least one of a plurality of square waves, a plurality of sine waves, a plurality of step square waves, and a direct current voltage for receiving a downlink signal of a touch tool.

14. The operating method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The step of determining the touch event according to the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal includes: The occurrence position of the touch event is determined according to the first touch sensing signal.

15. The operating method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The reference electrode is divided into a plurality of sub-reference electrodes, and The plurality of sub-reference electrodes surround the sensing electrode array and are respectively adjacent to different edges of the sensing electrode array.

16. The operating method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The operation method also includes: When the touch event occurs at a first edge of the touch sensing electrode array, the touch event is determined according to the first touch sensing signal and the second touch sensing signal from the sub-reference electrode adjacent to the first edge.

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