USOO8659566B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Liu et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,659,566 B2
`Feb. 25, 2014
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`(54)
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`(75)
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`TOUCH SENSING METHOD AND
`ELECTRONIC APPARATUS USING THE
`SAME
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`Inventors: Jui-Ming Liu, Tainan (TW);
`Chung-Wen Chang, Tainan (TW);
`Shen-Feng Tai, Tainan (TW): Feng-Wei
`Yang, Tainan (TW)
`Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited, Tainan
`(TW)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 157 days.
`
`Notice:
`
`Appl. No.: 13/274,170
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 14, 2011
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2013/OO93712 A1
`Apr. 18, 2013
`
`(2006.01)
`
`Int. C.
`G06F 3/044
`U.S. C.
`USPC ........................................... 345/173; 34.5/179
`Field of Classification Search
`USPC .......................................................... 34.5/173
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`2006/0267953 A1* 11/2006 Peterson et al. .............. 345,173
`2010, 0079393 A1* 4, 2010 DeWS .................
`... 345,173
`2010/0333011 A1* 12/2010 Kornev et al. .
`715/773
`2011/0084926 A1* 4/2011 Chang et al. ...
`... 345,173
`2011/0102334 A1* 5/2011 Colley et al. .......
`... 345,173
`2012/0062474 A1* 3/2012 Weishaupt et al.
`... 345,173
`2012/0068954 A1* 3/2012 Chang et al. .................. 345,173
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner — Van Chow
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — J.C. Patents
`
`
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A touch sensing method adapted for an electronic apparatus
`including a touch panel is provided. The touch sensing
`method includes the following steps: driving the touch panel
`by a mutual capacitance mode and a self capacitance mode;
`sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel, wherein the
`gesture forms at least one touch area on the touch panel;
`determining at least one geometric center of the at least one
`touch area based on self-mode data obtained in the self
`capacitance mode; and determining at least one touch loca
`tion associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on
`the at least one geometric center of the at least one touch area.
`Furthermore, an electronic apparatus to which the foregoing
`touch sensing method is applied is also provided.
`
`14 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
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`.
`X
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`X
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`110
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`X-dxis
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`110
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 25, 2014
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`Sheet 1 of 6
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`US 8,659,566 B2
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`under low ground State
`
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`-->
`P1| O
`V
`f
`N -- 1
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`Error points
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`11
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`- N
`M
`N
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`P2
`W
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`O
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`-
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`-
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`f
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`FIG. 1 (RELATED ART)
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 25, 2014
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`Sheet 2 of 6
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`
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`120
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`touch Sensing
`Controller
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`130
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`touch panel
`driving module
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`touch ponel
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`110
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`FIG. 2
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`s
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`sensing frame
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`e--se
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`e-ele- e.
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`second period
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`first period
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`FIG. 3
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 25, 2014
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`Sheet 3 of 6
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`s
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`200
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`110
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`X O X is
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`110
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 25, 2014
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`Sheet 4 of 6
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`driving the touch panel 110 by a mutual
`Capacitance mode during the first period and
`O Self Copacitance mode during the Second
`period in each Sensing frame
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`S500
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`Sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel
`110
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`S502
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`determining a geometric Center C of the
`touch dred 200 bosed on the Self-mode
`data obtained in the Self capacitance mode
`
`
`
`
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`determining the touch location OSSOciated
`with the gesture on the touch panel 110
`based on the geometric center C of the
`touch Ored 200
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`FIG. 5
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`S504
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`S506
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 25, 2014
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`Sheet 5 of 6
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`s
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`110
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`X O X is
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`110
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`FIG. 6
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 25, 2014
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`Sheet 6 of 6
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`US 8,659,566 B2
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`
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`driving the touch panel 110 by a mutual
`Capacitance mode during the first period and
`O Self CopacitOnce mode during the Second
`period in each sensing frame
`
`S700
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`Sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel
`110
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`S702
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`determining geometric Centers C1 and C2 of
`the touch OreoS 2000 Ond 200b bosed On
`the Self-mode dotO Obtained in the Self
`capacitance mode
`
`determining the touch locations OSSociated
`with the gesture on the touch panel 110
`based on the geometric Centers C1 and C2
`Of the touch OreOS 2000 Ond 200b
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`FIG. 7
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`S704
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`S7O6
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`US 8,659,566 B2
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`1.
`TOUCH SENSING METHOD AND
`ELECTRONIC APPARATUS USING THE
`SAME
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`tion associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on
`the at least one geometric center of the at least one touch area.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the electronic apparatus
`is not connected with a power core.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the at least one geo
`metric center is located inside the at least one touch area.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the gesture forms a
`plurality of touch areas on the touch panel. Each of the touch
`areas has a geometric center.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the step of determining
`the at least one geometric center of the at least one touch area
`comprises includes the following step: determining the geo
`metric centers of the plurality of touch areas based on the
`self-mode data obtained in the self capacitance mode or
`mutual-mode data obtained in the mutual capacitance mode.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the step of determining
`the at least one touch location associated with the gesture
`includes the following step: determining the touch locations
`associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on the
`geometric centers of the plurality of touch areas.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of touch
`areas separate from each other.
`The invention provides an electronic apparatus including a
`touch panel, a touch panel driving module, and a touch sens
`ing controller. The touch panel senses a gesture applied
`thereon. The gesture forms at least one touch area on the touch
`panel. The touch panel driving module is connected to the
`touch panel and drives the touch panel by a mutual capaci
`tance mode and a self capacitance mode. The touch sensing
`controller is connected to the touch panel and the touch panel
`driving module. The touch sensing controller determines at
`least one geometric center of the at least one touch area based
`on self-mode data obtained in the self capacitance mode and
`determines at least one touch location associated with the
`gesture on the touch panel based on the at least one geometric
`center of the at least one touch area.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the touch sensing con
`troller determines the geometric centers of the plurality of
`touch areas based on the self-mode data obtained in the self
`capacitance mode or mutual-mode data obtained in the
`mutual capacitance mode.
`In an embodiment of the invention, the touch sensing con
`troller determines the touch locations associated with the
`gesture on the touch panel based on the geometric centers of
`the plurality of touch areas.
`In order to make the aforementioned and other features and
`advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodi
`ments accompanying figures are described in detail below.
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The invention relates to a sensing method and an electronic
`apparatus using the same, and more particularly relates to a
`touch sensing method and an electronic apparatus using the
`SaC.
`2. Description of Related Art
`In this information era, reliance on electronic products is
`increasing day by day. The electronic products including
`notebook computers, mobile phones, personal digital assis
`tants (PDAs), digital walkmans, and so on are indispensable
`in our daily lives. Each of the aforesaid electronic products
`has an input interface for a user to input his or her command,
`Such that an internal system of each of the electronic product
`spontaneously runs the command. At this current stage, the
`most common input interface includes a keyboard and a
`OUS.
`From the user's aspect, it is sometimes rather inconvenient
`to use the conventional input interface including the keyboard
`and the mouse. Manufacturers aiming to resolve said issue
`thus start to equip the electronic products with touch input
`interfaces, e.g. touchpads or touch panels, so as to replace the
`conditional keyboards and mice. At present, the users’ com
`mands are frequently given to the electronic products by
`30
`physical contact or sensing relationship between users’ fin
`gers or styluses and the touch input interfaces.
`However, for some applications, undesired issues may hap
`pen in touch devices. For example, the touch devices may
`have an undesired hollow effect under a low ground state.
`FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the hollow effect in the
`related art. Referring to FIG. 1, the low ground state means
`that a touch device does not have a reference ground. That is
`to say, the touch device is put on a car holder or a table without
`connecting to a power core. When the touch panel 11 of the
`touch device is under the low ground state, the touch sensing
`controller (not shown) may report two error points P1 and P2
`whereas the users' gesture simply touches the touch panel 11
`with a big area 20 which should correspond to a single point.
`This phenomenon is called the hollow effect. The hollow
`effect detaches a single touch point from several touchpoints.
`Accordingly, how to prevent the touch sensing controller
`from reporting error points is one of the important issues at
`present.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`The invention is directed to a touch sensing method
`capable of preventing the touch controller from reporting
`error points.
`The invention is directed to an electronic apparatus capable
`of preventing the touch controller thereoffrom reporting error
`points.
`The invention provides a touch sensing method adapted for
`an electronic apparatus including a touch panel. The touch
`sensing method includes the following steps: driving the
`touch panel by a mutual capacitance mode and a self capaci
`tance mode; sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel,
`wherein the gesture forms at least one touch area on the touch
`panel; determining at least one geometric center of the at least
`one touch area based on self-mode data obtained in the self
`capacitance mode; and determining at least one touch loca
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The accompanying drawings are included to provide a
`further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated
`in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings
`illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the
`description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
`FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the hollow effect in
`the related art.
`FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an electronic apparatus
`according to an embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 3 shows a timing diagram of each sensing according
`to an embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the touchpanel of the
`electronic apparatus working under the low ground state
`according to an embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the touch sensing method
`according to an embodiment of the invention.
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`FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the touchpanel of the
`electronic apparatus working under the low ground state
`according to another embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the touch sensing method
`according to another embodiment of the invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an electronic apparatus
`according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to
`FIG. 2, the electronic apparatus 100 of the present embodi
`ment has multi-touch function for sensing users' gestures and
`includes a touch panel 110, a touch sensing controller 120,
`and a touch panel driving module 130. The touchpanel 110 is
`configured to sense users' gestures applied thereon, and the
`touch sensing controller 120 is connected to the touch panel
`110 and configured to control the electronic apparatus 100 to
`perform various functions associated with the users' gestures.
`The touch panel driving module 130 drives the touch panel
`110 to sense users' gestures. In order to prevent the touch
`controller 120 from reporting error touch locations, a touch
`sensing method combining a self capacitance mode and a
`mutual capacitance mode is adopted for sensing users ges
`tures in the electronic apparatus 100.
`FIG. 3 shows a timing diagram of each sensing according
`to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 2 and
`FIG. 3, the touch panel driving module 130 of the present
`embodiment drives the touch panel 110 to sense users' ges
`tures in a mutual capacitance mode during a first period of
`each sensing frame and senses the users' gestures in a self
`capacitance mode during a second period of each sensing
`frame. The touch sensing controller 120 receives a self-mode
`data and a mutual-mode data respectively obtained in the self
`capacitance mode and the mutual capacitance mode to deter
`mine touch locations associated with the users' gestures. In
`the present embodiment, the first period is longer than the
`second period in the sensing frame.
`Herein, the electronic apparatus 100 may be a portable
`product (e.g. a mobile phone, a camcorder, a camera, a laptop
`computer, a game player, a watch, a music player, an e-mail
`receiver and sender, a map navigator, a digital picture, or the
`like), an audio-video product (e.g. an audio-video player or
`the like), a screen, a television, a bulletin, or a panel in a
`projector.
`FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the touchpanel of the
`electronic apparatus working under the low ground state
`according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 shows a
`flowchart of the touch sensing method according to an
`embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 2 to FIG. 5,
`the low ground state means that the touch device 100 is put on
`a car holder or a table without connecting to a power core and
`thus does not have a reference ground in the present embodi
`ment. In step S500, the touchpanel driving module 130 drives
`the touch panel 110 by a mutual capacitance mode during the
`first period and a self capacitance mode during the second
`period in each sensing frame. Accordingly, the touch panel
`110 senses a gesture applied thereon in step S502 so that the
`touch sensing controller 120 receives a mutual-mode data and
`a self-mode data respectively obtained in the self capacitance
`mode and the mutual capacitance mode. In the present
`embodiment, the gesture forms a big touch area 200 on the
`touch panel 110. If the touch sensing controller 120 deter
`mines the touch location associated with the gesture simply
`based on the mutual-mode data, the hollow effect may hap
`pen. As a result, the touch sensing controller 120 erroneously
`reports two points P1 and P2 as the touch location associated
`with the gesture. In order to prevent from the hollow effect,
`
`4
`the touch sensing controller 120 determines the touch loca
`tion associated with the gesture at least based on the self
`mode data.
`In step S504, the touch sensing controller 120 determines a
`geometric center C of the touch area 200 based on the self
`mode data obtained in the self capacitance mode. For
`example, the X-coordinate of the geometric center C is deter
`mined based on the sensing waveform of the self-mode data in
`the X-axis and Substantially corresponds to the peak value of
`the sensing waveform. Similarly, the y-coordinate of the geo
`metric center C substantially corresponds to the peak value of
`the sensing waveform in the y-axis. In this manner, the coor
`dinate point of C is thus determined. It should be noted that
`the coordinate of the geometric center C corresponding to the
`peak value of the sensing waveform is exemplary, and the
`invention is not limited thereto.
`Next, in step S506, the touch sensing controller 120 deter
`mines the touch location associated with the gesture on the
`touch panel 110 based on the geometric center C of the touch
`area 200. For a single touch area, the geometric center C is
`located inside the single touch area 200. The touch sensing
`controller 120 reports a single point P as the touch location
`instead of the two points P1 and P2. The touch location is
`exactly determined, and the hollow effect is avoided.
`In this embodiment, the electronic apparatus 100 is under
`the low ground state, and one point is touched on the touch
`panel 110. However, the touch sensing method of the inven
`tion can also be applied to another case in which multi-points
`are touched on the touch panel 110.
`FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the touchpanel of the
`electronic apparatus working under the low ground state
`according to another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7
`shows a flowchart of the touch sensing method according to
`another embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 2,
`FIG. 6, and FIG. 7, the electronic apparatus 100 still works
`under the low ground state, and multi-points are touched on
`the touch panel 110. Two touch areas 200a and 200b separat
`ing from each other are exemplary for description in the
`present embodiment.
`In step S700, the touch panel driving module 130 drives the
`touchpanel 110 by a mutual capacitance mode during the first
`period and a self capacitance mode during the second period
`in each sensing frame. Accordingly, in step S702, the touch
`panel 110 senses a gesture applied thereon, and thus the touch
`sensing controller 120 receives a mutual-mode data and a
`self-mode data respectively obtained in the self capacitance
`mode and the mutual capacitance mode.
`In the present embodiment, the touch areas 200a and 200b
`respectively have geometric centers C1 and C2. The common
`geometric center C" of the touch areas 200a and 200b is
`determined based on the geometric centers C1 and C2 and
`located on a straight line connecting the geometric centers C1
`and C2. In step S704, the touch sensing controller 120 deter
`mines the geometric centers C1 and C2 based on the self
`mode data obtained in the self capacitance mode. That is to
`say, based on the sensing waveforms of the self-mode data,
`the X-coordinate and y-coordinate of the geometric center C1
`is determined and Substantially corresponds to the peak val
`ues of the left sensing waveform in the X-axis and the upper
`sensing waveform in the y-axis in FIG. 6. Similarly, the
`X-coordinate and y-coordinate of the geometric center C2
`Substantially corresponds to the peak values of the right sens
`ing waveform in the X-axis and the lower sensing waveform in
`the y-axis.
`Next, in step S706, the touch sensing controller 120 deter
`mines the touch locations associated with the gesture on the
`touch panel based on the geometric centers C1 and C2 of the
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`5
`touch areas 200a and 200b. The touch sensing controller 120
`reports the two correct points P1 and P2’ as the touch loca
`tions. It should be noted that the touch areas 200a and 200b in
`FIG. 6 are small enough so that the hollow effect does not
`happen. In other words, the geometric centers C1 and C2 may
`also be determined by the touch sensing controller 120 based
`on the mutual-mode data obtained in the mutual capacitance
`mode in step S704.
`Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the common geo
`metric center C" of the touch areas 200a and 200b does not lie
`in any peak of the sensing waveform, and the coordinate of the
`common geometric center C" is not determined as the touch
`location.
`In Summary, in the exemplary embodiments of the inven
`tion, the touch sensing method combines the self capacitance
`mode and the mutual capacitance mode during each sensing
`frame. Under the low ground state, the touch controller deter
`mines the touch location associated with users' gestures at
`least based on self-mode data obtained in the self capacitance
`mode to prevent from reporting error touch locations due to
`the hollow effect.
`Although the invention has been described with reference
`to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of the
`ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described
`embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit
`of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will
`be defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed
`descriptions.
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`What is claimed is:
`1. A touch sensing method, adapted for an electronic appa
`ratus comprising a touch panel, the touch sensing method
`comprising:
`driving the touch panel by a mutual capacitance mode and
`a self capacitance mode:
`sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel, wherein the
`gesture forms at least one touch area on the touch panel;
`if the at least one touch area is larger than a threshold area,
`determining at least one geometric center of the at least
`one touch area based on a self-mode data obtained in the
`self capacitance mode, wherein if the at least one touch
`area is larger than the threshold area, a hollow effect
`occurs; and
`determining at least one touch location associated with the
`gesture on the touch panel based on the at least one
`geometric center of the at least one touch area,
`wherein the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are
`obtained under different sensing modes, and one of the
`Self-mode data and the mutual-mode data is not gener
`ated from another one of the self-mode data and the
`mutual-mode data.
`2. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein
`the electronic apparatus is not connected with a power core.
`3. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein
`the at least one touch geometric center is located inside the at
`least one touch area.
`4. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein
`the gesture forms a plurality of touch areas on the touch panel,
`each of the plurality of touch areas has a geometric center.
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`5. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein
`the step of determining the at least one geometric center of the
`at least one touch area comprises:
`if each of the plurality of touch areas is not larger than the
`threshold area, determining the geometric centers of the
`plurality of touch areas based on the self-mode data
`obtained in the self capacitance mode or a mutual-mode
`data obtained in the mutual capacitance mode.
`6. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein
`the step of determining the at least one touch location asso
`ciated with the gesture comprises:
`determining the touch locations associated with the gesture
`on the touch panel based on the geometric centers of the
`plurality of touch areas.
`7. The touch sensing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein
`the plurality of touch areas separate from each other.
`8. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
`a touch panel sensing a gesture applied thereon, wherein
`the gesture forms at least one touch area on the touch
`panel;
`a touch panel driving module connected to the touch panel
`and driving the touch panel by a mutual capacitance
`mode and a self capacitance mode; and
`a touch sensing controller connected to the touch panel and
`the touch panel driving module, if the at least one touch
`area is larger than a threshold area, determining at least
`one geometric center of the at least one touch area based
`on a self-mode data obtained in the self capacitance
`mode, wherein if the at least one touch area is larger than
`the threshold area, a hollow effect occurs, and determin
`ing at least one touch location associated with the ges
`ture on the touch panel based on the at least one geomet
`ric center of the at least one touch area,
`wherein the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data are
`obtained under different sensing modes, and one of the
`self-mode data and the mutual-mode data is not gener
`ated from another one of the self-mode data and the
`mutual-mode data.
`9. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein
`the electronic apparatus is not connected with a power core.
`10. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim8, wherein
`the at least one geometric center is located inside the at least
`one touch area.
`11. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim8, wherein
`the gesture forms a plurality of touch areas on the touch panel,
`each of the plurality of touch areas has a second geometric
`Center.
`12. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 11.
`wherein if each of the plurality of touch areas is not larger than
`the threshold area, the touch sensing controller determines the
`geometric centers of the plurality of touch areas based on the
`self-mode data obtained in the self capacitance mode or a
`mutual-mode data obtained in the mutual capacitance mode.
`13. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 12,
`wherein the touch sensing controller determines the touch
`locations associated with the gesture on the touch panel based
`on the geometric centers of the plurality of touch areas.
`14. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 11,
`wherein the plurality of touch areas separate from each other.
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`ck
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