公开(公告)号：US20240134449A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-25

申请号：US18403599

申请日：2024-01-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Erdrin AZEMI ,  Ali MOIN ,  Christoph H. KRAH ,  Joseph Yitan CHENG ,  Kaan Emre DOGRUSOZ ,  Mohammad YEKE YAZDANDOOST

IPC: G06F3/01 ,  G06F1/3203 ,  G06F1/3234

CPC classification number: G06F3/013 ,  G06F1/3203 ,  G06F1/325 ,  G06F3/015 ,  G06F3/017 ,  G06F1/3206

Abstract: A head-mounted device having a plurality of electrodes configured to detect optical events such as the movement of one or more eyes or coarse eye gestures is disclosed. In some examples, the one or more electrodes can be coupled to dielectric elastomer materials whose shape can be changed to vary contact between a user of the head-mounted device and the one or more electrodes to ensure sufficient contact and electrode signal quality. In some examples, the one or more electrodes can be coupled to pressure sensors and control circuitry to monitor and adjust the applied pressure. In some examples, the optical events can be used as triggers for operating the device, including transitioning between operational power modes. In some examples, the triggers can invoke higher resolution sensing capabilities of the head-mounted device. In some examples, the electrodes can be used as an on-head detector to wake-up and/or unlock the device.

公开(公告)号：US20200326813A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-15

申请号：US16911212

申请日：2020-06-24

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Christoph H. KRAH ,  Minh-Dieu Thi VU ,  Thomas James WILSON

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G06F1/3203 ,  G06F1/3234 ,  G06F3/044

Abstract: A system and method for autonomously scanning a sensor panel device is disclosed. A sensor panel processor can be disabled after a first predetermined amount of time has elapsed without the sensor panel device sensing any events. One or more system clocks can also be disabled to conserve power. While the processor and one or more system clocks are disabled, the sensor panel device can periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel for touch activity. If one or more results from the autonomous scans exceed a threshold, the sensor panel device re-enables the processor and one or more clocks to actively scan the sensor panel. If the threshold is not exceeded, the sensor panel device continues to periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel without intervention from the processor. The sensor panel device can periodically perform calibration functions to account for any drift that may be present in the system.

公开(公告)号：US20190102004A1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-04

申请号：US16134651

申请日：2018-09-18

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Christoph H. KRAH

IPC: G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F1/16

Abstract: A multi-modal touch controller configured to operate in different modes. In some examples, the multi-modal touch controller can be operated in a first mode corresponding to a guarded self-capacitance scan. In some examples, the multi-modal touch controller can be operated in a second mode corresponding to offset-compensated mutual capacitance scan. In some examples, the multi-modal controller can be operated in a third mode corresponding to a mutual and self-capacitance scan. The multi-modal touch controller can advantageously allow one touch sensing chipset to be used across different types of guarded touch sensor panels and across different modes of operation.

公开(公告)号：US20190095006A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-28

申请号：US16114023

申请日：2018-08-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shahrooz SHAHPARNIA ,  Christopher Tenzin MULLENS ,  Martin Paul GRUNTHANER ,  Adam GEBOFF ,  Vivek PANT ,  Marduke YOUSEFPOR ,  Christoph H. KRAH ,  Shwetabh VERMA ,  Sumant RANGANATHAN

IPC: G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F1/32

Abstract: Power consumption of touch sensing operations for touch sensitive devices can be reduced by implementing a coarse scan (e.g., banked common mode scan) to coarsely detect the presence or absence of an object touching or proximate to a touch sensor panel and the results of the coarse scan can be used to dynamically adjust the operation of the touch sensitive device to perform or not perform a fine scan (e.g., targeted active mode scan). In some examples, the results of the coarse scan can be used to program a touch controller for the next touch sensing frame to idle when no touch event is detected or to perform a fine scan when one or more touch events are detected. In some examples, the results of the coarse scan can be used to abort a scheduled fine scan during the current touch sensing frame when no touch event is detected.

公开(公告)号：US20180348957A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-06

申请号：US16056180

申请日：2018-08-06

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Thomas James WILSON ,  Christoph H. KRAH ,  Minh-Dieu Thi VU

IPC: G06F3/041

CPC classification number: G06F3/0418 ,  G06F3/0416

Abstract: A channel scan architecture for detecting touch events on a touch sensor panel is disclosed. The channel scan architecture can combine drive logic, sense channels and channel scan logic on a single monolithic chip. The channel scan logic can be configured to implement a sequence of scanning processes in a panel subsystem without intervention from a panel processor. The channel scan architecture can provide scan sequence control to enable the panel processor to control the sequence in which individual scans are implemented in the panel subsystem. Type of scans that can be implemented in the panel subsystem can include a spectral analysis scan, touch scan, phantom touch scan, ambient light level scan, proximity scan and temperature scan.

公开(公告)号：US20180032176A1

公开(公告)日：2018-02-01

申请号：US15663271

申请日：2017-07-28

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Christoph H. KRAH ,  Christian M. SAUER

IPC: G06F3/044 ,  G02F1/1343 ,  G02F1/1333 ,  G06F3/041

CPC classification number: G06F3/044 ,  G02F1/13338 ,  G02F1/1343 ,  G06F3/0412 ,  G06F3/0418

Abstract: A touch sensing system is disclosed. The touch sensing system includes a guard signal generation chip operating in a first power domain referenced to a first voltage, the guard signal generation chip configured to generate a guard signal. A touch sensing chip operates in a second power domain, different from the first power domain, referenced to the guard signal, the touch sensing chip configured to sense touch at one or more touch electrodes included in a touch sensor panel operating in the second power domain referenced to the guard signal, and the touch sensing chip a different chip than the guard signal generation chip. A voltage regulator is configured to selectively regulate a voltage of the guard signal at the touch sensing chip.

公开(公告)号：US20170097736A1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-06

申请号：US15384202

申请日：2016-12-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Steven P. HOTELLING ,  Christoph H. KRAH ,  Brian Q. HUPPI

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/044

CPC classification number: G06F3/0418 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F2203/04104

Abstract: A multipoint touch surface controller is disclosed herein. The controller includes an integrated circuit including output circuitry for driving a capacitive multi-touch sensor and input circuitry for reading the sensor. Also disclosed herein are various noise rejection and dynamic range enhancement techniques that permit the controller to be used with various sensors in various conditions without reconfiguring hardware.

公开(公告)号：US20160266679A1

公开(公告)日：2016-09-15

申请号：US14993017

申请日：2016-01-11

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shahrooz SHAHPARNIA ,  Vivek PANT ,  Christoph H. KRAH

IPC: G06F3/044

Abstract: A multi-chip touch architecture for scalability can include one or more touch controller application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and one or more switching circuits coupled between the one or more touch controller ASICs and the touch sensor panel. The number of touch controller ASICs and switching circuits can be scaled based on the size of the touch sensor panel. The touch controller ASICs can include an interface for data transfer between the touch controller ASICs to allow for parallel processing of an image of touch by more than one touch controller ASIC. The touch controller ASIC can also include a memory directly accessible by more than one processing circuit (e.g., hardware accelerators), and circuitry to dynamically adjust the coupling between portions (e.g., banks) of memory and inputs of the one or more processing circuits to minimize data transfer and improve processing speeds.

Abstract translation: 用于可扩展性的多芯片触摸架构可以包括一个或多个触摸控制器专用集成电路（ASIC）以及耦合在一个或多个触摸控制器ASIC和触摸传感器面板之间的一个或多个开关电路。 触摸控制器ASIC和开关电路的数量可以基于触摸传感器面板的尺寸来缩放。 触摸控制器ASIC可以包括用于触摸控制器ASIC之间的数据传输的接口，以允许多于一个触摸控制器ASIC的触摸图像的并行处理。 触摸控制器ASIC还可以包括可由多于一个的处理电路（例如，硬件加速器）直接访问的存储器和用于动态调整存储器的部分（例如，存储体）与一个或多个处理电路的输入之间的耦合的电路， 最小化数据传输并提高处理速度。

公开(公告)号：US20140347306A1

公开(公告)日：2014-11-27

申请号：US14455604

申请日：2014-08-08

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Christoph H. KRAH ,  Minh-Dieu Thi Vu ,  Thomas James Wilson

IPC: G06F3/041

CPC classification number: G06F3/0418 ,  G06F1/3203 ,  G06F1/3262 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/0416 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F2203/04104

Abstract: A system and method for autonomously scanning a sensor panel device is disclosed. A sensor panel processor can be disabled after a first predetermined amount of time has elapsed without the sensor panel device sensing any events. One or more system clocks can also be disabled to conserve power. While the processor and one or more system clocks are disabled, the sensor panel device can periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel for touch activity. If one or more results from the autonomous scans exceed a threshold, the sensor panel device re-enables the processor and one or more clocks to actively scan the sensor panel. If the threshold is not exceeded, the sensor panel device continues to periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel without intervention from the processor. The sensor panel device can periodically perform calibration functions to account for any drift that may be present in the system.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种用于自主扫描传感器面板装置的系统和方法。 传感器面板处理器可以在经过第一预定量的时间之后被禁用，而传感器面板装置不会感测任何事件。 还可以禁用一个或多个系统时钟来节省电力。 当处理器和一个或多个系统时钟被禁用时，传感器面板设备可以周期性地自动扫描传感器面板以进行触摸活动。 如果自主扫描的一个或多个结果超过阈值，则传感器面板设备重新启用处理器和一个或多个时钟来主动扫描传感器面板。 如果不超过阈值，则传感器面板设备将继续周期性地自动扫描传感器面板而无需处理器的介入。 传感器面板设备可以周期性地执行校准功能，以解决系统中可能存在的漂移。

公开(公告)号：US20220004284A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-06

申请号：US17480905

申请日：2021-09-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Minh-Dieu Thi VU ,  Thomas James WILSON ,  Christoph H. KRAH

IPC: G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/0354 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F1/3234

Abstract: A device that can autonomously scan a sensor panel is disclosed. Autonomous scanning can be performed by implementing channel scan logic. In one embodiment, channel scan logic carries out many of the functions that a processor would normally undertake, including generating timing sequences and obtaining result data; comparing scan result data against a threshold value (e.g., in an auto-scan mode); generating row count; selecting one or more scanning frequency bands; power management control; and performing an auto-scan routine in a low power mode.