Active stylus with passive mutual measurements
Granted: February 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9563304
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…
Configurable clear channel assessment
Granted: January 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9560673
An example method of assessing one more communication channels includes receiving an indication to initiate channel assessment, receiving a user-selected first set of assessment parameters, and determining whether or not the first communication channel is busy based on the first set of assessment parameters. The method also includes replacing the first set of assessment parameters with a user-selected second set of assessment parameters, and determining whether or not the second…
Dynamic adjustment of received signal threshold in an active stylus
Granted: January 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9557833
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.
Edgeless single-layer touch sensor
Granted: January 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9557361
A touch sensor includes a substrate and a plurality of columns of electrodes disposed on a first side of the substrate. The substrate includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The columns each include a sense electrode and drive electrodes. The columns include a first column adjacent to the first end, a second column adjacent to the second end, and one or more interior columns. The touch sensor also includes a plurality of channels for routing tracks coupled to the…
Centralized peripheral access protection
Granted: January 24, 2017
Patent Number:
9552385
Implementations are disclosed for a centralized peripheral access controller (PAC) that is configured to protect one or more peripheral components in a system. In some implementations, the PAC stores data that can be set or cleared by software. The data corresponds to an output signal of the PAC that is routed to a corresponding peripheral component. When the data indicates that the peripheral is “unlocked” the PAC will allow write transfers to registers in the peripheral component.…
Touchscreen electrode configuration
Granted: January 24, 2017
Patent Number:
9551904
A touchscreen includes touchscreen electrode elements distributed across an active area of a substrate, and the touchscreen overlays a display. The touchscreen electrode elements are configured to avoid creating moiré patterns between the display and the touchscreen, such as angled, wavy, zig-zag, or randomized lines. In a further example, the electrodes form a mesh pattern configured to avoid moiré patterns.
Permitting coexistence of data transfer of interferring wireless signals
Granted: January 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9544813
A system and method of permitting coexistence of WiFi and Bluetooth® data transfer on a single chip in UE including a transceiver includes using CTS data packets to protect Bluetooth® signals for SCO communication links; using only WiFi circuitry in the chip to determine when Bluetooth® data transfer is required by the UE; establishing a specified period of the Bluetooth® data transfer; and starting WiFi medium contention only upon an end of the specified period of the Bluetooth®…
Changing the detection range of a touch sensor
Granted: January 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9542046
In one embodiment, a method for changing the detection range of a touch sensor includes receiving a signal associated with an operation of a device having a touch sensor, and in response to the signal, determining that a detection mode of the touch sensor associated with the device is to be changed. In response to the determination, decreasing sensitivity of a portion, but not all, of the touch sensor.
Common mode noise suppression during hovering and proximity detection
Granted: January 3, 2017
Patent Number:
9535545
In one embodiment, a touch sensor includes a touch screen having a plurality of electrodes and a controller. The controller is operable to detect that an object is in proximity to the touch screen by measuring capacitance values from a reference area of the touch screen, determining a reference capacitance value using the measured capacitance values from the reference area, measuring capacitance values from a main area of the touch screen, and suppressing noise from the measured…
Capacitive sensing
Granted: December 27, 2016
Patent Number:
9531380
A multi-channel capacitive sensor comprises a sample capacitor having first and second terminals, a first diode having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the sample capacitor and a second terminal coupled to a first sense electrode, and a second diode having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the sample capacitor and a second terminal coupled to a second sense electrode. The sample capacitor and diodes are coupled to a control circuit. The control circuit…
Microcontroller input/output connector state retention in low-power modes
Granted: December 6, 2016
Patent Number:
9513691
A microcontroller is operable in a low-power mode and includes one or more I/O connectors, as well as an I/O controller operable to provide control signals for controlling a state of a particular one of the I/O connectors. The I/O controller is powered off or deactivated during the low-power mode. The microcontroller also includes I/O connector state control logic operable to control the state of the particular one of the I/O connectors in accordance with the control signals from the I/O…
Touch sensor with inductive charging
Granted: November 29, 2016
Patent Number:
9507447
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a touch sensor, and an inductive-charging element. The FPC is coupled to the substrate. The touch sensor is disposed on the substrate. The touch sensor includes electrodes made of conductive material. The inductive-charging component is disposed on the substrate or the FPC.
Configuring power domains of a microcontroller system
Granted: November 29, 2016
Patent Number:
9507406
A microcontroller system is organized into power domains. A power manager of the microcontroller system can change the power configuration of a power domain in response to event from an event generating module without activating a processor of the microcontroller system.
Non-volatile floating gate memory cells
Granted: November 22, 2016
Patent Number:
9502581
A storage transistor for non-volatile memory can be fabricated to create controlled sharp polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) edges. The edges concentrate the electric field in the storage transistor and are used to enhance tunneling between layers of polysilicon for both program and erase operations. The storage transistor includes first and second polysilicon layers and a tunneling dielectric layer between the first and second polysilicon layers, and the second polysilicon layer…
Touch sensor for curved or flexible surfaces
Granted: November 22, 2016
Patent Number:
9501179
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substantially flexible substrate configured to bend at an edge between a first surface and a second surface of a device. The edge has an angle of deviation between the first and second surfaces of at least approximately 45°. The apparatus includes a touch sensor disposed on the substantially flexible substrate and configured to bend with the substantially flexible substrate at the edge between the first and second surfaces. The touch sensor…
Voltage reference with low sensitivty to package shift
Granted: November 22, 2016
Patent Number:
9501078
In a bandgap voltage reference with low package shift, a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) voltage is generated using a single diode biased at two different current levels at two different times. Using the same diode for both current density measurements removes the absolute value of the base-emitter junction voltage (Vbe) and any package shift in the PTAT voltage. The bandgap voltage reference can be implemented in a single or differential circuit topology. In some…
Secure contactless data communication
Granted: November 15, 2016
Patent Number:
9496936
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a first device, a first signal transmitted from a first antenna and receiving a second signal after receiving the first signal. The second signal is transmitted from a second antenna after the first signal was transmitted from the first antenna. The method includes determining expected characteristics of an expected signal based on combining the first signal and the second signal. The method includes receiving, at the first device, a…
Two-dimensional position sensor
Granted: November 15, 2016
Patent Number:
9495042
A two dimensional position sensor having a touch-sensitive panel defined by a single-layer electrode pattern arranged on one side of a substrate. The electrode pattern is made up of ‘n’ electrode units extending row-wise over the panel. Each electrode unit is made up of a single drive electrode extending across the touch-sensitive area of the panel and a plurality of ‘m’ sense electrodes, which collectively laterally extend across the touch-sensitive area and individually each…
Noise reduction in capacitive touch sensors
Granted: November 8, 2016
Patent Number:
9489072
In touch sensitive display devices, the display scanning circuitry responsible for driving images of the panel screen can cause noise on the electrodes of nearby touch sensors. The display controller circuit and/or the touch sensor controller circuit of the exemplary touchscreen display devices may be configured to reduce such noise during the touch sensor acquisition cycle by implementing one or more of several techniques in which a portion of each of the sensor acquisition cycles…
Breaking code execution based on time consumption
Granted: November 8, 2016
Patent Number:
9489287
An on-chip system uses a time measurement circuit to trap code that takes longer than expected to execute by breaking code execution on excess time consumption.
