Stmicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Limited

EngJye Ng

Dianbo Guo

Kusuma Adi Ningrat

Hugo Gicquel

Chee Weng Cheong

Chaochao Zhang

Abhishek Singh

A method of differential self-capacitance measurement is used to enhance a signal-to-noise ratio of sense lines in a touch panel display, thereby improving touch sensor accuracy. The differential self-capacitance measurement is implemented for a touch panel using charge sharing between adjacent sense lines of the touch panel matrix. Sequential differential self-capacitance measurements can be compared with one another by computing the difference |C&#x2212;C|&#x2212;|C&#x2212;C| to sense a change caused by an intervening event. By scanning the entire touch panel matrix, events can be tracked across the touch panel.

Self-sensing touch panel

A charge sensing circuit generates a voltage in a sensing period that is indicative of sensed charge. The generated voltages are accumulated by an accumulator circuit over a number of sensing periods. A noise detection circuit senses when the voltage generated by the charge sensing circuit is outside of a boundary and generates a detection signal in response thereto. A control circuit, in response to the detection signal, controls the accumulator circuit to block accumulation of the voltages generated by the charge sensing circuit during at least the sensing period in which the detection signal is generated. An analog-to-digital converter circuit then converts an accumulated output voltage from the accumulator circuit to a digital value at the end of an accumulation time period that includes the sensing periods. The end of the accumulation time period is delayed by at least one sensing period in response to the detection signal.

Method and apparatus for blocking accumulation of electrical fast transient (EFT) noise

A microelectronic short circuit detection module is disclosed that locates and distinguishes among different types of short circuits in touch screen panels. Individual short circuit detection circuits are coupled to force and sense lines throughout a wire matrix within the touch screen. If the line is shorted to a neighboring line or any other line carrying an opposite logic state, its logic state will be corrupted by the short and will be held at a value opposite that of the intended input signal. Comparing the input and the output therefore provides an indicator of a short circuit to another force or sense line in the wire matrix. A pair of pull up/down stages is engaged to detect whether the short is coupled to power or ground. A threshold resistor can be varied to adjust detection sensitivity. By conducting a serial test, matrix coordinates of the short circuit can be identified.

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Singapore, Singapore

EngJye Ng