Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100006349 | SENSOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - Provided are a sensor device and a method of operating the same. The sensor device includes a plurality of semiconductor devices connected in series. When a semiconductor device does not sense a state of contact with an object and receives first sensing data from a preceding semiconductor device, the semiconductor device outputs the first sensing data to a succeeding semiconductor device. When the semiconductor device senses the state of contact with the object and receives the first sensing data from the preceding semiconductor device, the semiconductor device generates second sensing data and outputs the first and second sensing data to the succeeding semiconductor device. When the semiconductor device senses the state of contact with the object and does not receive the first sensing data from the preceding semiconductor device, the semiconductor device generates the second sensing data and outputs the second sensing data to the succeeding semiconductor device. The method includes the steps of: generating, by at least one semiconductor device for generating a sense signal, identification (ID) information, storing and outputting the ID information to the succeeding semiconductor device after a supply voltage is initially applied to the semiconductor device; outputting first sensing data to the succeeding semiconductor device when a state of contact with an object is not sensed and the first sensing data is received from a preceding semiconductor device; generating second sensing data when the state of contact with the object is sensed, and outputting the first sensing data and the second sensing data when the first sensing data is received from the preceding semiconductor device; and outputting the second sensing data when the first sensing data is not received from the preceding semiconductor device. | 01-14-2010 |
20100212975 | TOUCH SENSOR AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF - Provided are a touch sensor and a method of operating the same. The touch sensor includes: a pulse signal generator for generating a pulse signal of which pulse width is calibrated in response to a control code; a pulse signal transmitter for transmitting the pulse signal when a touch object is out of contact with a touch pad and stopping transmitting the pulse signal when the touch object is in contact with the touch pad; a pulse signal detector for detecting the pulse signal transmitted through the pulse signal transmitter; and a controller recognizing a non-contact state and adjusting the control code to calibrate the pulse width of the pulse signal when the pulse signal detector detects the pulse signal. In the above-described configuration, the contact of the touch object with the touch pad can be sensed more precisely, and the occurrence of a malfunction in the touch sensor due to changed operating conditions can be prevented. As a result, the operating reliability of the touch sensor can be enhanced. | 08-26-2010 |
20100327953 | AUTOMATIC IMPEDANCE ADJUSTER AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - Provided are an automatic impedance adjuster and a control method thereof. The automatic impedance adjuster includes: a pulse signal generating part for generating a pulse signal having a pulse width varied in response to a pulse width control signal; a signal processing part including a plurality of channels having a plurality of first input sensors and a pulse width correction channel having a second input sensor, not outputting the pulse signal when a touch object is in contact with the first and second input sensors, and outputting the pulse signal when the touch object is not in contact with the first and second input sensors; and a controller for outputting a non-contact state when the pulse signal is detected and outputting a contact state when the pulse signal is not detected during a normal mode, entering an automatic impedance adjustment mode to control the pulse width control signal when a pre-determined time elapses, and entering the automatic impedance adjustment mode to control the pulse width control signal when the pulse signal is not detected through all the plurality of channels or the pulse width correction channel. The automatic impedance adjuster includes a specific channel for checking an operating environment. When an operation signal of the specific channel is detected or operation signals of all the channels are detected, the automatic impedance adjustment operation is performed to prevent malfunction of the impedance adjustment operation. In addition, malfunction of a touch sensor due to variation of the operating environment can be prevented to improve operating reliability of the touch sensor. | 12-30-2010 |
20110035632 | COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC RESTORING FUNCTION AGAINST FAULTY OPERATION AND RESTORING METHOD THEREOF - Provided are a communication system and a method of restoring the communication system. The communication system includes a master device for transmitting a reference clock through a clock line, transmitting and receiving data through a data line, and requesting and receiving input data and error detection data, and a slave device for detecting human touch input data, transmitting and receiving the data in synchronization with the reference clock or generating and transmitting the input data, and transmitting the error detection data in response to the request for error detection data. Here, the master device compares stored error detection data with the received error detection data and initializes the slave device when the stored error detection data is not the same as the received error detection data. Therefore, in the master-slave communication system capable of automatic restoration from a malfunction and the method of restoring the communication system, a master device recognizes malfunction of a slave device having a volatile storage due to its surroundings, initializes the slave device, and thus can restore the slave device to its normal operating state. | 02-10-2011 |
20110156800 | SENSOR, SENSING METHOD THEREOF, AND FILTER THEREFOR - A sensor, a sensing method of the sensor, and a filter of the sensor are provided. The sensor includes a sensing data output unit configured to output sensing data that varies depending on touch or proximity of an object, and a determiner configured to compare a threshold value with the sensing data to recognize touch or proximity, vary a first strength value indicating the sensing data in a state of no touch or no proximity and a second strength value indicating the sensing data in a state of touch or proximity, vary the threshold value using the first and second strength values, and output an output signal indicating touch or proximity. | 06-30-2011 |
20110175626 | PORTABLE DEVICE WITH PROXIMITY SENSORS - A portable device with a proximity sensor is provided. The portable device with a proximity sensor of the present invention includes a shielding plate for shielding impedance applied in a direction opposite to the direction that the proximity sensor detects the proximity such that the proximity sensor is not affected by a change in the surrounding environment and can detect the proximity at the same sensitivity at all times. Moreover, when the portable device is placed upside down on a conductive surface that causes low impedance, a proximity sensor placed adjacent to the conductive surface is deactivated to prevent malfunction. | 07-21-2011 |
20110199327 | TOUCH SENSOR DEVICE - A touch sensor device is provided. The touch sensor device includes a touch panel including a plurality of touch mark-keys indicating a position touched by a touch object, a plurality of first touch pads disposed at positions corresponding to the plurality of touch mark-keys of the touch panel and generating touch information of the touch object as a first electrical signal, a plurality of second touch pads disposed between the plurality of first touch pads and generating touch information of a conductive material on the touch object as a second electrical signal, and a touch sensing unit receiving the first electrical signal, outputting a plurality of sensing signals to allow an electronic device to perform predetermined operations corresponding to the touched touch mark-keys, and determining whether the touch of the touch object is a normal one using the first and second electrical signals. | 08-18-2011 |
20120146944 | INPUT APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE CONTACT POSITION OF INPUT APPARATUS - Provided are an input device and a touch position detecting method thereof. The input device includes a touch panel having a plurality of first touch patterns, each of which is disposed in a first direction and outputs a first touch signal at a touch position of the first direction, and a plurality of second touch patterns, each of which is disposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and outputs a second touch signal at a touch position of the second direction, and a touch sensor, where the touch sensor calculates a coordinates of touch position based on the first and second touch signals and storing the coordinates of touch position according to time, wherein the touch sensor performs a first sensing operation of detecting a coordinates of real touch position using the coordinates of touch position previously stored when the number of the touch position is at least two and a time difference between the at least two touch positions is greater than a reference value and performs a second sensing operation of detecting a coordinates of real touch position using an impedance of the touch pattern which vary depending on the touch position when a number of the touch position is at least two and the elapsed time between touching of the at least two touch positions is smaller than or equal to the reference value. | 06-14-2012 |
20120194476 | TOUCH PANEL CAPABLE OF MULTI-TOUCH SENSING, AND MULTI-TOUCH SENSING METHOD FOR THE TOUCH PANEL - Provided are a touch panel capable of detecting a multi-touch and a multi-touch detecting method thereof. Since the touch panel and the multi-touch detecting method thereof can measure and store each resistance of a plurality of first and second touch pads varied depending on the touch position of a contact object and capacitance of the contact object using a variation in detection time to determine an actual touch position of the contact object, it is possible to determine the actual touch position even when a ghost pattern occurs. | 08-02-2012 |
20130134995 | TOUCH SENSOR AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF - A touch sensor includes: a pulse signal generator for generating a pulse signal of which pulse width is calibrated in response to a control code; a pulse signal transmitter for transmitting the pulse signal when a touch object is out of contact with a touch pad and stopping transmitting the pulse signal when the touch object is in contact with the touch pad; a pulse signal detector for detecting the pulse signal transmitted through the pulse signal transmitter; and a controller recognizing a non-contact state and adjusting the control code to calibrate the pulse width of the pulse signal when the pulse signal detector detects the pulse signal. In the above-described configuration, the contact of the touch object with the touch pad can be sensed more precisely, and the occurrence of a malfunction in the touch sensor due to changed operating conditions can be prevented. | 05-30-2013 |
20130214798 | CAPACITANCE MEASUREMENT CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR MEASURING CAPACITANCE THEREOF - Provided are a capacitance measurement circuit and method. In the capacitance measurement circuit and method, a control unit generates a control code a predetermined number of times according to designated rules regardless of the level of a sensing signal, and the control code is changed to measure a capacitance value when the level of the sensing signal corresponding to the generated control code is determined to be normal. Consequently, the measured capacitance value is hardly affected by noise and can be stably output. | 08-22-2013 |
20130290761 | METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TOUCH SIGNAL BY TOUCH SENSOR CONTROLLER - Provided are an apparatus and method by which a touch sensor controller of a touch screen apparatus may efficiently process a touch signal in response to a touch event to reduce power consumption of the entire system. An apparatus including a touch screen includes a touch sensor controller configured to generate a touch signal in response to a touch event and process the touch signal and a system controller configured to receive the touch signal from the touch sensor controller and perform an operation in response to the touch signal. The touch sensor controller determines whether the touch event is a multi-touch, generates touch signals having different types depending on whether the touch event is the multi-touch, and transmits the touch signals to the system controller. Thus, power consumption of the apparatus including the touch screen may be efficiently reduced. | 10-31-2013 |