TWI486855B - An input device and signal detection method for switching a capacitive sensing and electromagnetic - Google Patents

Description

Input device with capacitive sensing and electromagnetic induction and signal detection and switching method

The invention relates to a dual-mode input device and a signal detecting and switching method thereof, and particularly relates to an input device and a signal detecting and switching method with capacitive sensing and electromagnetic induction.

With the rapid development of technology, the input type of human-machine interface has also increased. In addition to the past keyboard and mouse input devices, a touch input method has been proposed. In general, the types of touch inputs can also be classified into electromagnetic touch, resistive touch, and capacitive touch.

Electromagnetic touch is the interaction between the touchpad and the digital pen to get the corresponding input signal. Usually, the sensing antennas are laid in the touch panel in a two-dimensional array. The principle of electromagnetic touch operation is the change of the distance between the touch panel and the digital pen, so that the magnetic force between the sensing antenna and the digital pen will also change. The touchpad can further obtain the position of the digital pen on the touchpad according to the magnetic change of the sensing antenna.

The capacitive touch and resistive touch operation is caused by static electricity or pressing on the finger, so that the potential of the finger position on the touch panel changes. A two-dimensional induction coil is also placed in the touchpad. When a certain potential on the touch panel changes, the position corresponding to the finger can be determined through the induction coil.

The sensing antenna and the induction coil used in electromagnetic touch and capacitive touch are different structures. Therefore, in the prior art, in order to combine the two touch modes, the sensing antenna and the induction coil are respectively disposed on the touch panel. Due to the sensing antenna and sense The coil should be divided into two layers, so the volume of the touch panel is difficult to be reduced, and the manufacturing cost is also increased.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an input device having capacitive sensing and electromagnetic induction, which can realize capacitive touch and electromagnetic touch input devices through the same set of antenna arrays.

The input device with capacitive sensing and electromagnetic induction disclosed by the invention comprises: a plurality of sets of first antenna series, a plurality of sets of second antenna series, a first switching switch, a second switching switch and a processing module. Each of the first antenna strings is serially connected by a plurality of antenna elements, each of the first antenna strings has a first end and a second end; each second antenna string is composed of a plurality of antenna elements The first antenna switch has a plurality of first pins, and each of the first pins is connected to the first antenna string. The second switching switch has a plurality of second pins, each of the second pins is connected to the third end of the second antenna string; the processing module has a plurality of receiving pins and a plurality of transmitting pins. According to the order of the first end, each receiving pin is sequentially connected to the second end of each first antenna string, and each transmission pin is sequentially connected to each second day according to the order of the third end The fourth end of the line string. When the processing module performs the capacitive touch mode, the processing module drives the first switching switch and the second switching switch to set the first antenna series and the second antenna series to be open; when the processing module performs the electromagnetic scanning mode, The processing module selects at least one set of two first ends from the first switch, and connects the two first ends of each group, so that the corresponding first antenna series forms a loop state, and the processing module Select at least one of the two switches in the second switch And connecting the two third ends of each group such that the corresponding second antenna series form a loop state.

The invention further provides a signal detecting and switching method for an input device with capacitive sensing and electromagnetic induction, which comprises the steps of: switching an input device into a capacitive touch mode and detecting whether a touch input signal is received; In the touch mode and after the first period, the input device switches the electromagnetic fast scan mode, and detects whether there is electromagnetic touch signal input during the second period of operation of the electromagnetic fast scan mode; if not in the second period To the electromagnetic touch signal, the electromagnetic fast scan mode is switched to the capacitive touch mode; if the electromagnetic touch signal is received in the second period, the electromagnetic fast scan mode is switched to the electromagnetic precise scan mode; in the electromagnetic precise scan mode and When the electromagnetic touch signal is not received after the third period, the electromagnetic precise scanning mode is switched to the capacitive touch mode.

The input device with the capacitive sensing and the electromagnetic induction and the signal detecting and switching method of the present invention can realize the input of the electromagnetic touch and the capacitive touch through the same set of antenna arrays. Therefore, the present invention can reduce the volume of the touch panel. Simultaneous switching of the two touch inputs is also achieved.

The features and implementations of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the input device of the present invention. The input device 100 includes an antenna array 110, a first changeover switch 120, a second changeover switch 130, and a processing module 140. The processing module 140 is connected to the antenna array 110, first The switch 120 and the second changeover switch 130 are switched. The processing module 140 has a microcontroller 141, a plurality of transmission pins 142 and a plurality of receiving pins 143. The processing module 140 in Fig. 1 is framed by a black dotted line. The microcontroller 141 is coupled to the transmit pin 142 and the receive pin 143. The transmission pins 142 in Figure 1 are illustrated in terms of squares of busbars (and the busbars may be, but are not limited to, DuPont connectors). Similarly, the receiving pin 143 can also be implemented in the foregoing manner. In addition to the foregoing implementations, the transmission pin 142 and the reception pin 143 can also be implemented by means of multiple pins.

The first changeover switch 120 has a plurality of first pins 122. The first changeover switch 120 can connect the selected two first pins 122. The second changeover switch 130 has a plurality of second pins 132. The second switch 130 can also connect or disconnect the selected two second pins 132. The foregoing determination of connecting the selected pins will be described later in detail.

The antenna array 110 of the present invention is constructed by arranging a plurality of sets of first antenna strings 111 and a plurality of sets of second antenna strings 112 in a two-dimensional array. The diamond structure in Fig. 1 is regarded as an antenna unit. Each set of laterally aligned antenna elements (solid line frames) constitutes a first antenna string 111. Each set of longitudinally aligned antenna elements (dashed boxes) constitutes a second antenna string 112. The first antenna string 111 has a first end (not labeled) and a second end (not labeled), and the second antenna string 112 has a third end (not labeled) and a fourth end (not labeled). In the first figure, the first antenna series 111 and the second antenna series 112 belong to the same layer, but the wirings of the two antenna strings do not interfere with each other.

The number of the first antenna string 111 and the second antenna string 112 in FIG. Only the schematic descriptions in this specification are not limited thereto. For convenience, the number of first antenna strings 111 is herein defined as a first number, and the number of second antenna strings 112 is a second number. The antenna array 110 is connected to the first changeover switch 120 and the second changeover switch 130, respectively.

The first end of the first antenna string 111 is connected to the first pin 122 of the first switch 120, and the second end of the first antenna string 111 is connected to the receiving pin 143 of the processing module 140. The number of the first pin 122 and the receiving pin 143 is equal to the first number. In other words, each of the first antenna strings 111 connects the respective first pin 122 and the receiving pin 143. The third end of the second antenna string 112 is connected to the second pin 132 of the second switch 130, and the fourth end of the second antenna string 112 is connected to the transmission pin 142 of the processing module 140. The number of the second pin 132 and the transmission pin 142 are both equal to the second number. Each of the second antenna strings 112 is connected to a respective second pin 132 and a transmission pin 142.

The input device 100 of the present invention has an operation mode of a capacitive touch mode and an electromagnetic scan mode, and the electromagnetic scan mode can be further divided into an electromagnetic fast scan mode and an electromagnetic precise scan mode. In the capacitive touch mode, the processing module 140 selects the receiving pin 143 and drives the first switching switch 120 to switch the corresponding first pin 122 to a floating state. The way to select the pin can be to select two adjacent pins, or to select two pins with a certain interval. Please refer to FIG. 2A, which is a schematic diagram of switching the selected first pin 122 of the present invention to floating. In Fig. 2A, the receiving pins 143 are RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, RX5, RX6, RX7 and RX8, respectively. And receiving pins RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, RX5, RX6, RX7 and RX8 correspond to the first pins α, β, γ, δ, ε, ζ, η, and θ. Assuming that the microcontroller 141 selects the receiving pins RX1, RX3, RX5, and RX7, the microcontroller 141 issues a floating command to the first pins α, γ, ε, and n of the first changeover switch 120. After the first switch 120 receives the floating command, the first switch 120 floats the second end of the selected first antenna string 111 with the first pins α, γ, ε, and η (at In Fig. 2A, the selected first antenna string 111 is represented by a thick black line for floating).

Similarly, the processing module 140 can also select the transfer pin 142 and perform the floating process of the corresponding second pin 132. Please refer to FIG. 2B, which is a schematic diagram of the floating connection of the second pin of the present invention. In Figure 2B, transmission pins 142 are TX1, TX2, TX3, TX4, TX5, TX6, TX7, and TX8, respectively. The second pin 132 corresponding to each transmission pin is A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, respectively. Assuming that the microcontroller 141 selects the transmission pins TX1, TX3, TX5, and TX7, the microcontroller 141 issues a floating command to the second pins A, C, E, and G of the second changeover switch 130. The microcontroller 141 can detect the location of the touch input signal according to the first floating antenna array 111 and the second antenna serial array 112. The touch input signal is a position signal generated when the user touches the input device 100 through a finger press or a related tool.

In addition to the aforementioned floating mode, the processing module 140 of the present invention communicates the selected two first pins 122 (or two second pins 132) in the electromagnetic scanning mode. Please refer to FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D , which are respectively a schematic diagram of the connection between the first pin and the second pin of the present invention. In the 2C figure, the microcontroller 141 selects the receiving pin. When RX1, RX3, RX5, and RX7, the microcontroller 141 issues a command to connect the first pins α, γ, ε, and η of the first changeover switch 120. After the first switch 120 receives the connection command, the first switch 120 connects the selected two first pins 122, so that the microcontroller 141, the two first antenna strings 111 and the first A switch 120 forms a loop. In Fig. 2C, RX1 and RX3 are connected, and RX5 and RX7 are connected to each other.

In the second diagram, the microcontroller 141 selects the transmission pins TX1, TX3, TX5 and TX7, and the microcontroller 141 issues a command to connect the second pins A, C, E and G of the second changeover switch 130. The second switch 130 connects TX1 and TX3 to each other, and TX5 and TX7 are connected to each other. The microcontroller 141 can receive the electromagnetic touch signal according to the first antenna string 111 and the second antenna string 112 of the loop. The electromagnetic touch signal is generated by a position signal generated when the digital pen clicks (or touches) on the input device 100.

The difference between the electromagnetic fast scan mode and the electromagnetic precise scan mode is the manner in which the two first pins 122 (and the two second pins 132) are selected. Since the number of the first pins 122 (and the second pins 132) is too large, if the scanning is performed successively by the two adjacent first pins 122, such an operation time will cause the scanning time to be too long. Therefore, in the electromagnetic fast scan mode, the microcontroller 141 can select two first pins 122 (or two second pins 132) in a manner of N pins at a certain interval, where N is greater than or equal to 2.

Further exemplified in the foregoing, the microcontroller 141 can select RX1 from the transmission pins RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, RX5, RX6, RX7 and RX8. As a group with RX4, RX4 and RX7 are a group of methods as the basis for selecting the electromagnetic fast scan mode.

Compared with the electromagnetic fast scan mode, the electromagnetic precise scan mode can accurately detect the position of the digital pen on the input device 100. Therefore, the microcontroller 141 selects the first pin 122 (second pin 132) with a small adjacent pitch for detection. The adjacent spacing may be determined according to the overall number of the first pins 122 (second pins 132) of the input device 100.

Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 at the same time, which are respectively a schematic diagram of the operational flow diagram and state switching of the present invention. The operation process of the present invention includes the following steps: Step S310: Switching the input device to the capacitive touch mode and detecting whether the touch input signal is received; Step S320: Entering in the capacitive touch mode and after each first period of time The device switches the electromagnetic fast scan mode and detects whether there is electromagnetic touch signal input during the second period of operation of the electromagnetic fast scan mode; step S330: if the electromagnetic touch signal is not received during the second period, the electromagnetic quick scan is performed The mode is switched to the capacitive touch mode; step S340: if the electromagnetic touch signal is received in the second period, the electromagnetic fast scan mode is switched to the electromagnetic precise scan mode; and step S350: in the electromagnetic precise scan mode and after the third When the electromagnetic touch signal is not received after the period, the electromagnetic precise scanning mode is switched to the capacitive touch mode.

The input device 100 of the present invention can perform a capacitive touch mode or an electromagnetic scan mode after activation. In this embodiment, the capacitive touch mode is used as the preset touch mode at the time of booting, and the order of operation of the field can be changed by those skilled in the art.

First, the microcontroller 141 switches to the capacitive touch mode, and the microcontroller 141 will select the first pin 122 and the second pin 132 to be floated. The way to select the pin can be to select two adjacent pins, or to select two pins with a certain interval. After the microcontroller 141 selects the first pin 122 and the second pin 132, the microcontroller 141 will connect the corresponding first antenna string 111 according to the selected first pin 122 and second pin 132. The second antenna string 112 performs floating processing (refer to the definition of the previous floating connection).

In the capacitive touch mode and after the first period of time, the microcontroller 141 switches from the capacitive touch mode to the electromagnetic fast scan mode regardless of whether the touch input signal is received. The microcontroller 141 switches to the electromagnetic fast scan mode, and the microcontroller 141 continues to perform the electromagnetic fast scan mode until the second period has elapsed. If, during the second period, a digital pen moves closer to the input device 100 or touches the input device 100, the microcontroller 141 switches from the electromagnetic fast scan mode to the electromagnetic precision scan mode.

In the electromagnetic precise scanning mode, if there is an electromagnetic touch signal input, the microcontroller 141 will continue to receive the processing. When the microcontroller 141 does not receive an input of the electromagnetic touch signal, the microcontroller 141 will begin counting for the third period. If there is a new electromagnetic touch signal input during the third period, the microcontroller 141 will recount the third period. If there is no electromagnetic touch signal input after the third period, the microcontroller 141 will switch from the electromagnetic precise scanning mode to the capacitive touch mode.

The input device 100 with capacitive touch sensing and electromagnetic induction and the signal detecting and switching method of the present invention can realize electromagnetic touch and capacitive touch input through the same set of antenna arrays 110, so the present invention can reduce touch. The volume of the board also enables instant switching of the two touch inputs.

While the present invention has been described above in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to limit the invention, and the invention may be modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The patent protection scope of the invention is subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached to the specification.

100‧‧‧ input device

110‧‧‧Antenna array

111‧‧‧First antenna string

112‧‧‧Second antenna series

120‧‧‧First switch

122, α, β, γ, δ, ε, ζ, η, θ‧‧‧ first pin

130‧‧‧Second switch

132, A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H‧‧‧ second pin

140‧‧‧Processing module

141‧‧‧Processing module

142, TX1, TX2, TX3, TX4, TX5, TX6, TX7, TX8‧‧‧ transmission pin

143, RX1, RX2, RX3, RX4, RX5, RX6, RX7, RX8‧‧‧ receiving pins

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the architecture of an input device of the present invention.

Figure 2A is a schematic illustration of the selected first pin of the present invention being switched to floating.

Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of the floating of the selected second pin of the present invention.

Figure 2C is a schematic view of the connection of the first pin of the present invention.

The 2D figure is a schematic diagram of the connection of the second pin of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the operational flow of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of state switching of the present invention.

Claims (4)

An input device having capacitive sensing and electromagnetic induction, comprising: a plurality of sets of first antenna strings, each of the first antenna strings being serially connected by a plurality of antenna elements, each of the first antennas The series has a first end and a second end; a plurality of sets of second antenna strings, each of the second antenna strings being serially connected by the antenna elements, and each of the second antenna strings The column has a third end and a fourth end; a first switch having a plurality of first pins, each of the first pins being connected to the first end of each of the first antenna strings a second switch having a plurality of second pins, each of the second pins being coupled to the third end of each of the second antenna strings; and a processing module having a microcontroller a plurality of receiving pins, a plurality of transmitting pins, the microcontroller is connected to the receiving pins and the transmitting pins, and the processing module is in accordance with the order of the first ends and each of the receiving pins Connected to the second end of each of the first antenna strings in sequence, according to the order of the third end, and each of the transmission pins is sequentially connected to each of the first The fourth end of the antenna string; wherein, when the processing module performs a capacitive touch mode, the processing module drives the first switch and the second switch to string the first antennas The second antenna string is set to be an open circuit; when the processing module executes an electromagnetic scanning mode, the processing module selects at least two first antenna strings, and the microcontroller drives the first switching switch to enable the The first switch is connected to at least two of the first antenna strings of the selected first antenna series, and the microcontroller is connected to the first end. One of the second ends of the first antenna strings connected to the ground, the processing module selects at least two of the second antenna strings, and selects the selected second antennas in the series And at least two of the second antenna strings are connected to at least two of the third ends. The input device with capacitance sensing and electromagnetic induction according to claim 1, wherein the processing module drives the second switching switch when the electromagnetic scanning mode is executed, so that the second switching switch is selected At least two of the second antenna strings of the second antenna series are connected, the microcontroller and the second antenna strings to which the third ends are connected One of the fourth ends of the column is grounded. The method for detecting and switching the signal of the application item 1 includes the steps of: switching the input device to the capacitive touch mode, and detecting whether a touch input signal is received; and in the capacitive touch mode After a first period of time, the input device switches an electromagnetic fast scan mode, and detects whether there is an electromagnetic touch signal input during a second period of operation of the electromagnetic fast scan mode; if not in the second period Receiving the electromagnetic touch signal, switching the electromagnetic fast scan mode to the capacitive touch mode; if the electromagnetic touch signal is received during the second period, switching the electromagnetic fast scan mode to an electromagnetic precise scan mode And switching to the capacitive touch mode from the electromagnetic precision scan mode when the electromagnetic touch signal is not received after the third period of time. The method for detecting and switching a signal according to claim 3, wherein the third period is re-counted when the electromagnetic touch signal is received in the third period.