Touch Detection Electrode Multiplexing for Signal Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch detecting devices, such as touch panels, face reduced detection sensitivity when performing mutual capacitance touch detection due to insufficient signal strength, which limits their ability to detect external proximity objects effectively.
Innovation Solution
A detecting device with a configuration of first electrodes arrayed in a matrix in a detection region, where part of the electrodes are coupled as detection electrodes and others as drive electrodes in a time-division manner, enhancing signal strength by optimizing the switching and coupling of electrodes during detection and display operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mutual capacitance touch detection is performed using electrodes arrayed in one direction as detection electrodes and other electrodes as drive electrodes, then touch detection capability is achieved, but signal strength is insufficient and detection sensitivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The detection process is segmented into multiple detection periods where different electrodes serve as detection electrodes in each period. This allows multiple electrodes to contribute to detection signals sequentially, increasing overall signal strength while maintaining the mutual capacitance detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs detection operations in a periodic manner with multiple detection periods. In each period, different electrodes are selected as detection electrodes, and the results are combined. This periodic switching enables accumulation of detection signals from multiple electrodes, thereby enhancing signal strength and detection sensitivity.
2Device complexity
If the same electrodes are used for both display driving and touch detection, then device complexity is reduced, but detection sensitivity is compromised due to signal strength limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The same electrode array is designed to serve multiple functions: display driving and touch detection. By implementing a time-division multiplexing scheme where electrodes are dynamically assigned to different roles in different periods, the system achieves multi-functionality without requiring separate electrode sets, thus maintaining simplicity while improving detection sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode roles are made dynamic rather than static. The coupling circuit dynamically reconfigures which electrodes serve as detection electrodes and which serve as drive electrodes across different detection periods. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the same physical electrodes to fulfill different functional requirements at different times, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and performance.
3Measurement precision
If multiple detection periods are implemented with different electrodes as detection electrodes, then detection sensitivity is improved, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling circuit automatically manages the complex switching and reconfiguration of electrodes across multiple detection periods. This self-service mechanism handles the operational complexity internally, allowing the system to achieve high detection sensitivity through multiple detection periods without requiring complex external control operations. The system performs the complex electrode management tasks autonomously.
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 configuration increases detection sensitivity by approximately 1.5 times, allowing for more effective detection of external proximity objects by improving the signal strength of detection signals.
Implementation Method 1
an electrode drive circuit configured to supply a drive signal to the first electrodes
Implementation Method 2
mutual capacitance touch detection
Implementation Method 3
detect a detection signal received from the first electrodes
Implementation Method 4
a coupling circuit configured to couple part of the first electrodes to the detection circuit as a detection electrode and couple the first electrodes disposed side by side with the detection electrode in at least the first direction and the second direction to the electrode drive circuit as a drive electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A detecting device includes a plurality of first electrodes arrayed in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction in a detection region, an electrode drive circuit configured to supply a drive signal to the first electrodes, a detection circuit configured to detect a detection signal received from the first electrodes, and a coupling circuit configured to couple part of the first electrodes to the detection circuit as a detection electrode and couple the first electrodes disposed side by side with the detection electrode in at least the first direction and the second direction to the electrode drive circuit as a drive electrode in a first detection period.