Touch Sensing Apparatus Stabilization Time Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch sensing apparatuses face inefficiencies in scanning time and energy consumption due to frequent stabilization processes required for drive and sensing positions in array column sensing mechanisms, which affect the speed and efficiency of reading touch sensing signals.

Innovation Solution

A touch sensing apparatus and method utilizing a drive signal with a continuous differentiable function to stabilize and scan sensing electrodes, allowing for reduced stabilization time and increased sensing speed by using a signal processing circuit to drive and measure capacitance values across multiple electrodes in non-overlapping operation times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent stabilization operations are performed for drive and sensing positions, then the control accuracy of drive and sensing positions is improved, but the time consumption and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol accuracyVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing stabilization operations only for sensing electrodes that will be scanned in the current period, rather than stabilizing all sensing electrodes repeatedly. The control unit determines which sensing electrodes need stabilization based on the scanning sequence, and only those specific electrodes undergo the stabilization process before scanning begins. This reduces unnecessary stabilization operations while ensuring proper control accuracy for the electrodes that will be actively scanned.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If frequent stabilization operations are performed for drive and sensing positions, then the control accuracy of drive and sensing positions is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing stabilization operations only for sensing electrodes that will be scanned in the current period, rather than stabilizing all sensing electrodes repeatedly. The control unit determines which sensing electrodes need stabilization based on the scanning sequence, and only those specific electrodes undergo the stabilization process before scanning begins. This reduces unnecessary stabilization operations while ensuring proper control accuracy for the electrodes that will be actively scanned.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If all sensing electrodes are stabilized before scanning, then the measurement precision is improved, but the scanning time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch sensing signal reading accuracyVSAvoidscanning speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the sensing electrode array into groups based on their scanning timing. The control unit identifies which sensing electrodes will be scanned during the current period and only stabilizes those specific electrodes before scanning begins. This segmentation of the stabilization process by time and spatial location allows the system to maintain measurement precision for the active sensing electrodes while avoiding the time penalty of stabilizing the entire electrode array repeatedly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing stabilization operations only for sensing electrodes that will be scanned in the current period, rather than stabilizing all sensing electrodes repeatedly. The control unit determines which sensing electrodes need stabilization based on the scanning sequence, and only those specific electrodes undergo the stabilization process before scanning begins. This reduces unnecessary stabilization operations while ensuring proper control accuracy for the electrodes that will be actively scanned.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The approach reduces the time needed for stabilization and enhances the sensing speed, thereby improving the touch efficiency performance of the touch sensing apparatus by efficiently scanning sensing and drive electrodes.

Implementation Method 1

measuring a capacitance value of the first sensing electrode corresponding to the driven first drive electrode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

driving a first drive electrode within a first operation time of the first period by using a drive signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectric Field: Electric Field

Data Source

PatentUS10671211B2Touch sensing apparatus and common input read method of array signal

Publication Date: 2020.06.02 LEE SHANG LI

AI summary

A common input read method of an array signal is applicable to a touch sensing apparatus using a drive signal having a characteristic of a continuous function (being differentiable) as a touch basis. The touch sensing apparatus includes a plurality of sensing electrodes and a plurality of drive electrodes. Any sensing electrode initially first undergoes a stabilization process till a signal becomes stable and indicates completion, an initially stabilized same sensing electrode is then read according to a selection order of the drive electrodes, and an initial stabilization action only needs to be performed when a sensing electrode that is not currently processed needs to be processed. In this way, the time it takes to enter a steady state is reduced, so that the sensing speed is further increased.