Touch Sensor Frequency Regions for High Frame Rate Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large touch sensor devices face challenges in achieving high temporal resolution due to the number of sensor electrodes, which can lead to a reduction in frame rate and increased time required for sensing operations.
Innovation Solution
The use of a processing system with multiple demodulators that simultaneously drive transmitter electrodes with unique frequencies, allowing for simultaneous sensing operations across multiple electrodes, thereby increasing frame rates without reducing noise immunity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the number of sensor electrodes is increased to cover larger sensing regions, then the sensing area is improved, but the frame rate and temporal resolution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing region is divided into multiple frequency regions, with each region handled by a dedicated demodulator operating at a unique frequency. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple electrodes simultaneously, enabling larger sensing areas to maintain high frame rates by processing multiple channels in parallel rather than sequentially
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a frequency dimension to the electrode sensing system. By assigning unique frequencies to different frequency regions and using multiple demodulators to process signals at these different frequencies simultaneously, the system adds a temporal-frequency dimension to the spatial electrode array, enabling parallel processing that maintains high frame rates across large sensing areas
2Productivity
If multiple transmitter electrodes are driven simultaneously to increase frame rate, then productivity is improved, but signal interference and noise immunity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Each frequency region is assigned a unique frequency and processed by a dedicated demodulator, creating local quality differentiation in the frequency domain. This allows multiple transmitter electrodes to be driven simultaneously at different frequencies without interference, as each demodulator is tuned to extract signals only from its assigned frequency region, thereby maintaining noise immunity while enabling parallel processing
Solution Approach 2:
The demodulators act as intermediaries between the multiple transmitter electrodes and the processing system. Each demodulator is tuned to a specific frequency and serves as a mediator that selectively extracts signals from its assigned frequency region, preventing signal interference between simultaneously driven electrodes while enabling high frame rate operation
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 enables high frame rates for touch sensing in larger sensing regions while maintaining noise immunity, allowing for more efficient and cost-effective touch sensing operations.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of transmitter electrodes disposed in a sensing region of the input device; a receiver electrode in the sensing region; simultaneously drive at least a subset of the plurality of transmitter electrodes using a plurality of transmitter signals with unique frequencies; receive, on the receiver electrode, a resulting signal
Implementation Method 2
demodulate, using the plurality of demodulators, the resulting signal to generate a plurality of sensing signals, wherein each of the plurality of demodulators operates on a different frequency of the unique frequencies
Data Source
AI summary
An input device includes transmitter electrodes disposed in a sensing region of the input device, a receiver electrode in the sensing region, and a processing system. The processing system includes demodulators, and is configured to simultaneously drive at least a subset of the transmitter electrodes using a multitude of transmitter signals with unique frequencies. The processing system is also configured to receive, on the receiver electrode, a resulting signal, and demodulate, using the plurality of demodulators, the resulting signal to generate a multitude, of sensing signals. Each of the of the demodulators operates on a different frequency of the unique frequencies.