Capacitive Sensor Signal Segmentation for Interference Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Proximity sensor devices face challenges in accurately distinguishing between user input and interference signals, leading to suboptimal performance due to noise and other forms of interference.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a processing system with transmitter and receiver sensor electrodes that drive a transmitter waveform with repeating cycles, allowing for the separate accumulation of non-coterminous portions of the resulting signal to distinguish between user input and interference, facilitating improved noise determination and device performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional proximity sensor devices are used to detect user input, then the device can identify input signals, but it cannot reliably distinguish between user input and interference signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal detection process by dividing the signal cycle into multiple non-coterminous portions. The processing system accumulates signals from different time portions separately - some portions are used for detecting user input while others are used for detecting interference. This temporal segmentation allows the system to distinguish between input signals and interference signals that would otherwise be indistinguishable in traditional proximity sensors.
2Measurement precision
If the device accumulates signal portions to determine interference, then interference can be identified, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by using a single processing system to perform multiple functions: detecting user input, detecting interference, and determining signal characteristics. The same transmitter and receiver sensor electrodes serve dual purposes - transmitting signals for input detection and receiving signals for both input and interference analysis. This universal approach allows interference detection without requiring completely separate dedicated hardware systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables reliable determination of interference, enabling ameliorative actions to enhance input device performance by effectively separating user input and interference signals.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter sensor electrode (202) and a receiver sensor electrode (204), where the transmitter sensor electrode (202) and the receiver sensor electrode (204) are capacitively coupled
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved performance. In one embodiment, an input device comprises a processing system, a transmitter sensor electrode, and a receiver sensor electrode, where the transmitter sensor electrode and the receiver sensor electrode are capacitively coupled. The processing system is configured to receive a resulting signal from the receiver sensor electrode, where the resulting signal includes responses that correspond to the transmitter signal. The processing system is further configured to separately accumulate, for each cycle of the transmitter waveform, a first portion and a second portion of the resulting signal to respectively produce a first accumulation and a second accumulation, wherein the first accumulation is used for determining user input to the input device and the second accumulation is used for determining interference, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are non-coterminous.