Atmel Corporation

Wacom Co., Ltd.

Neodron Limited

Touchnetix as

Trond Jarle Pedersen

Vemund Kval Bakken

Kishore Sundara-Rajan

Steinar Myren

Samuel Daniel Brunet

Luben Hristov Hristov

John R Logan

Esat Yilmaz

Shahrooz Shahparnia

Richard Paul Collins

Paul Stavely

Igor Polishchuk

Joo Yong Um

James D Lyle

John Stanley Dubery

Torgeir Fenheim

Iqbal Sharif

Vivek Pant

Eivind Holsen

Gregory Brillant

Martin John Simmons

Terje Saether

Stefan Markus Schabel

Yassar Ali

Armin Prohaska

Peter Kolb

Rune Watn

Jan Rune Herheim

Sharooz Shahparnia

Fredrik Larsen

Einar Fredriksen

Bernard J Hermes

Sherif Hanna

Tajeshwar Singh

Kai Kristian Amundsen

Walt T Lifsey

A resource allocation controller for a touch-sensitive apparatus, comprising: a timing module for obtaining timing information; a timeslot counter configured to output an indication of a current timeslot of a plurality of timeslots based on the obtained timing information; an allocation module configured to allocate a first resource to one of a first function and a second function during a first timeslot of the plurality of timeslots and to allocate the first resource to the other of the first function and the second function during a second timeslot of the plurality of timeslots; and wherein the resource allocation controller is configured to indicate to a function execution module to which of the first function and the second function the first resource is allocated to during the first timeslot, and to indicate to the function execution module a function to which the first resource is allocated.

Resource allocation apparatus and method

In one embodiment, a stylus includes one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying first logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device. The stylus has a first power mode in which components of the stylus for receiving signals from or transmitting signals to the device are powered off; a second power mode in which components of the stylus for receiving signals from the device are powered on at least periodically and components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered off; and a third power mode in which components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on at least periodically. The media further embodies second logic for transitioning the stylus from one of the first, second, and third power modes to another one of the first, second, and third power modes.

Power management system for active stylus

Described is a touch-sensitive apparatus for sensing the presence of an object relative to a touch-sensitive surface using capacitance measurements. The apparatus includes an electrode array comprising at least one electrode, the electrode array providing the touch-sensitive surface; a signal generating module for generating a time-varying drive signal to be applied to the electrode array; a differential amplifier comprising: a first input configured to receive a time-varying sensor signal from an electrode of the electrode array, the sensor signal indicative of a capacitive coupling associated with the at least one electrode; a second input configured to receive a time-varying reference signal; a first output configured to output a first output signal from the differential amplifier based on a difference between the time-varying sensor signal and the time-varying reference signal; and control circuitry configured to determine the presence of an object, wherein the apparatus further comprises a subtractor for subtracting a signal from the first output signal from the differential amplifier to generate a subtracted signal, wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive a signal based on the subtracted signal and to determine the presence of an object based on the received signal. Further disclosed is a method for sensing the presence of an object relative to a touch-sensitive surface using capacitance measurements of a touch sensitive apparatus.

Touch-sensitive apparatus with improved noise immunity and method

In one embodiment, a stylus comprising an accelerometer operable to detect an acceleration in response to a touch to the body and initiate a pre-determined function, a method of using same, and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying logic.

Executing gestures with active stylus

In one embodiment, a stylus with one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device has one or more sensors for detecting movement of the stylus.

A method including applying a first excitation voltage to an electrode of a touch sensor which charges a capacitive node associated with the electrode from a first voltage level to a second voltage level that is greater than the first voltage level. A first measurement measures a charge to change from the first voltage level to the second voltage level. A second excitation voltage is applied to the electrode which charges the capacitive node from the second voltage level to a third voltage level that is greater than the second voltage level. The capacitive node is discharged from the third voltage level to a fourth voltage level that is less than the second voltage level. A second measurement measures a charge to change from the third voltage level to the fourth voltage level. A measured charge signal is generated based on the first measurement and the second measurement.

Excitation voltages for touch sensors

In one embodiment, an active stylus includes a receiver and a transmitter configured to receive and transmit signals from and to a device via a touch sensor of the device, wherein the transmitter is integrated with or comprises an adaptive voltage generation circuit including: a boost voltage controller; a comparator; a switch control; and a bleeder circuit. The active stylus further includes a stylus controller configured to: (a) in a first operation state, control the adaptive voltage generation circuit and the transmitter to transmit signals at a second transmit voltage, and (b) in a second operation state different from the first operation state, control the adaptive voltage generation circuit and the transmitter to transmit signals at a first transmit voltage lower than the second transmit voltage.

Adaptive transmit voltage in active stylus

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a signal at a stylus. The stylus is operable to wirelessly transmit signals to and receive signals from a device. The stylus includes a plurality of electrodes disposed in a tip of the stylus. The method includes determining a characteristic of the signal, and based at least in part on the characteristics of the signal, a threshold for determining whether to process signals received wirelessly from the device is dynamically adjusted.

Dynamic adjustment of received signal threshold in an active stylus

In one embodiment, an active stylus includes a transmitter configured to transmit electrical signals to a device through a touch sensor of the device. The active stylus also includes a receiver configured to receive electrical signals from the device through the touch sensor of the device. Furthermore, the active stylus includes a controller configured to determine a strength of an electrical signal received by the receiver from the touch sensor of the device and instruct the transmitter to transmit electrical signals to the device at a voltage based at least on the determined strength of the electrical signal received by the receiver.

In one embodiment, a controller includes a storage unit and a processor unit. The processor unit is coupled to the storage unit and configured to receive a signal associated with an operation of a device that includes a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first plurality of electrodes oriented in a first direction in a first portion of the touch sensor, a second plurality of electrodes oriented in the first direction in a second portion of the touch sensor, and a third plurality of electrodes intersecting the first and second plurality of electrodes. The processor unit is further configured to determine, in response to the signal, that a detection mode of the touch sensor is to be changed and in response to the determination, couple the second plurality of electrodes to a fixed voltage source to decrease a detection range in the second portion of the touch sensor.

Changing the detection range of a touch sensor

An apparatus includes a sense unit operable to sense a plurality of first signals transmitted on one or more vertical lines and one or more horizontal lines of a touch sensor, the one or more vertical lines and the one or more horizontal lines operable to drive the plurality of first signals. The apparatus also includes a drive unit operable to transmit, in response to the sense unit sensing at least one of the plurality of first signals, a second signal to the one or more vertical lines and the one or more horizontal lines, the second signal changing an effective charge of the one or more vertical lines and the one or more horizontal lines.

Active stylus with passive mutual measurements

Growing community of inventors

Trondheim, Norway

Trond Jarle Pedersen