Touch Sensing Apparatus Parallel Scanning Signal Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch sensing apparatuses face inefficiencies in sensing signal processing, leading to delayed updates in touch coordinate signals and potential data loss, especially during fast-changing touch events, due to idle processing circuits and required preliminary scanning buffer times.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus employs multiple sets of horizontal and vertical sensing lines and processing circuits that scan simultaneously, eliminating preliminary buffer times and allowing synchronized fetching of sensing signals, thereby reducing scanning times and enabling real-time updates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a single processing circuit scans horizontal and vertical sensing lines sequentially, then the device complexity is reduced, but the scanning time increases and real-time touch data updates cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescanning speedVSAvoidprocessing circuit configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensing lines are divided into multiple sets (first set and second set of horizontal sensing lines, first set and second set of vertical sensing lines), and processing circuits are segmented to scan different sets simultaneously. This segmentation enables parallel scanning operations, significantly reducing the total scanning time while maintaining manageable device complexity through organized modular structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from sequential scanning in one dimension (time) to parallel scanning by adding another dimension (spatial arrangement of multiple sensing line sets). By configuring multiple sets of sensing lines that can be scanned simultaneously by different processing circuits, the system achieves faster overall scanning without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If preliminary scanning buffer time is allocated for each scanning process, then the scanning accuracy is improved, but the total processing time increases and touch data updates are delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch coordinate accuracyVSAvoidbuffer time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

While one processing circuit is scanning horizontal sensing lines, another processing circuit simultaneously scans vertical sensing lines without requiring preliminary buffer time. This continuous parallel operation eliminates idle buffer periods, maintaining measurement precision while significantly reducing the total time required for complete touch coordinate detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary scanning actions in advance by having multiple processing circuits ready to scan different sensing line sets simultaneously. Instead of allocating buffer time sequentially, the preliminary scanning is distributed across multiple circuits that operate in parallel, eliminating the need for time-consuming sequential buffer allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If multiple sets of sensing lines are scanned simultaneously by multiple processing circuits, then the productivity of touch data processing is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch data processing throughputVSAvoidnumber of sensing lines and circuits

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensing system is segmented into multiple manageable sets of horizontal and vertical sensing lines, each scanned by dedicated processing circuits. This segmentation allows the system to scale productivity by adding more circuits while keeping each individual circuit's complexity manageable, achieving high throughput without overwhelming device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple processing circuits are merged into a coordinated system where each circuit handles a specific set of sensing lines. By combining these parallel operations under a unified control structure, the system achieves high productivity through simultaneous scanning while managing overall complexity through integrated coordination of the multiple circuits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8537123B2Touch sensing apparatus and sensing signal processing method thereof

Publication Date: 2013.09.17 AU OPTRONICS CORP

AI summary

A touch sensing apparatus for accelerating a sensing signal processing operation is provided. The touch sensing apparatus includes a plurality of sets of horizontal sensing lines, a plurality of sets of vertical sensing lines, a plurality of processing circuits, and a plurality of sensing units. The plurality of sensing units output a plurality of sets of horizontal and vertical sensing signals via the plurality of sets of horizontal and vertical sensing lines respectively. Each processing circuit is coupled to corresponding sets of horizontal and vertical sensing lines. Furthermore, disclosed is a sensing signal processing method essentially including scanning the plurality of sets of horizontal sensing lines in synchronization for synchronously fetching the plurality of sets of horizontal sensing signals during a first interval, and scanning the plurality of sets of vertical sensing lines in synchronization for synchronously fetching the plurality of sets of vertical sensing signals during a second interval.