Tethered Stylus Scanning via Multi-Phase Circuit Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch screen technologies face inefficiencies in scanning styluses, leading to slow reporting frequencies due to the increasing number of touch electrodes, which hampers the speed and accuracy of stylus detection on large touch screens.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensitive processing apparatus and method that utilizes a stylus with a tip electrode, ring electrode, and multiple circuit components, coupled with an interconnection network, driving circuit, sensing circuit, and processor module to concurrently emit and measure driving signals across multiple electrodes, allowing for accelerated scanning and improved reporting of stylus coordinates, tilt angles, and pressure values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of touch electrodes is increased to improve detection precision on large touch screens, then the scanning speed decreases and reporting frequency slows down
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scanning process by dividing electrodes into different groups and using multiple circuit components (first, second, and third circuit components) to scan different electrode combinations in parallel. This allows the system to maintain high detection precision across all electrodes while accelerating the overall scanning speed by processing multiple electrode segments simultaneously rather than sequentially
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a time dimension to the scanning process by implementing multi-phase scanning with different time periods. During different time periods, different circuit components scan different electrode combinations, effectively adding temporal parallelism to the scanning architecture. This dimensional approach allows simultaneous scanning of multiple electrode groups without compromising detection precision
2Productivity
If the scanning process is accelerated to improve reporting frequency, then the detection time period must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous useful action by overlapping the scanning operations of different circuit components. While the first circuit component scans during a first time period, the second and third circuit components scan during overlapping second and third time periods. This continuous parallel operation maximizes productivity by ensuring that scanning activities are continuously performed across all electrode groups without idle time, thereby reducing total detection time while maintaining high reporting frequency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having multiple circuit components prepare and execute scanning operations in advance and in parallel. Instead of waiting for one scanning operation to complete before starting the next, the system preliminarily configures multiple scanning operations to occur simultaneously across different time periods, accelerating the overall detection process while maintaining accuracy
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 reduces transmission time for electrical signals, accelerates stylus scanning, and increases the reporting frequency of scan results, enabling precise detection of stylus positions and orientations on touch screens.
Implementation Method 1
an interconnection network module configured to connect to the plurality of the first electrodes, the plurality of the second electrodes, a second end of the first circuit component, a second end of the second circuit component and a second end of the third circuit component; a driving circuit module configured to provide driving signals to the second end of the first circuit component, the second end of the second circuit component and a second end of the third circuit component via the interconnection network module
Implementation Method 2
a sensing circuit module configured to measure induced driving signals of the plurality of the first electrodes and the plurality of the second electrodes via the interconnection network module
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a touch sensitive processing method for a tethered stylus. The method comprises selectively driving two of three circuit components of the stylus in three shorter time periods, sensing induced signals from electrodes of a touch panel, and calculating coordinates of a tip electrode and a surrounding electrode of the stylus accordingly.