Mutual Capacitive Touch Sensing for Reciprocal Anomaly Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional threshold-based systems for mutual capacitive touch sensing are insufficient in detecting anomalies, as they may result in false positives or fail to identify damaged traces, requiring additional hardware and complex configurations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a processor that receives and compares capacitance measurements from different port configurations to determine the likelihood of an anomaly, using dynamic reconfiguration of ports to create and measure electric fields, thereby distinguishing between normal and anomalous touch events without additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional threshold-based systems are used for mutual capacitive touch sensing, then the system can detect touch events, but it results in false positives and fails to identify damaged traces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by swapping the functions of the first and second ports to create reciprocal measurements. Instead of using a single measurement direction, the system measures capacitance change in both directions (first port as transmit/second as receive, then second port as transmit/first as receive) and compares these inverted configurations to detect anomalies and trace damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using the comparison results between reciprocal port configurations to determine anomaly likelihood. The measured capacitance changes from both port configurations are fed back into the anomaly detection logic, which adjusts its assessment based on whether the measurements match expected patterns or indicate trace damage.
2Reliability
If additional hardware is added to detect anomalies and damaged traces, then detection capability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by making the existing first and second ports serve dual purposes: they perform both normal touch sensing operations and anomaly detection functions. By reciprocally swapping their roles, the same hardware components execute multiple functions without requiring additional dedicated anomaly detection hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by using its own existing ports and measurement capabilities to detect anomalies and trace damage. Instead of requiring external or additional hardware to perform detection, the mutual capacitive touch sensor system uses its intrinsic reciprocal measurement capability to self-diagnose trace integrity and detect anomalies.
3Reliability
If reciprocal port configurations are used to detect anomalies, then trace damage detection improves, but measurement and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the anomaly detection measurements with the normal touch sensing operations. The reciprocal port configurations are integrated into the existing touch sensor measurement sequence, allowing anomaly detection to occur alongside regular touch event monitoring rather than as a separate time-consuming process.
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 effectively identifies anomalies by analyzing differences in capacitance changes across different electric field configurations, reducing false positives and detecting trace damage without requiring extra hardware, thus enhancing error detection in capacitive touch sensors.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive element can be formed by two conductive elements that can generate an electric field
Implementation Method 2
The mutual capacitance between the two conductive elements forming the capacitive element can change (e.g., reduce) in response to an object being in proximity to the capacitive element
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for determining a likelihood of an occurrence of an anomaly in a sensor are described. A processor can receive a first measurement of a first capacitance change between a first port and a second port of a device connected to the sensor. The first measurement can be obtained in response to the first port being configured to perform a first function, and in response to the second port being configured to perform a second function. The processor can receive a second measurement of a second capacitance change between the first and second ports. The second measurement can be obtained in response to the first port being configured to perform the second function, and in response to the second port being configured to perform the first function. The processor can determine the likelihood of the occurrence of the anomaly based on the first and second measurements.