Systems and methods for determining user input using position information and force sensing

Abstract

The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the devices and methods provide improved resistance to the effects of errors that may be caused by the motion of detected objects on such input devices, and in particular, to the effect of aliasing errors on input devices that use capacitive techniques to generate images of sensor values. The devices and methods provide improved resistance to the effects of aliasing errors by using force values indicative of force applied to the input surface. Specifically, the devices and methods use the force value to disambiguate determined position information for objects detected in the images of sensor values. This disambiguation of position information can lead to a reduction in the effects of aliasing errors and can thus improve the accuracy and usability of the input device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processing system for an input device, the processing system comprising:
 a sensor module comprising sensor circuitry configured to:
 operate a plurality of sensor electrodes to generate images of sensor values indicative of objects in a sensing region proximate to an input surface at a first rate; 
 operate at least one force sensor to generate force values indicative of force applied to the input surface at a second rate; 
   a determination module configured to:
 determine if an input object detected in a first image of sensor values and an input object detected in a second image of sensor values remained in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image based at least in part on the force values. 
   
     
     
         2 . The processing system of  claim 1  wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate. 
     
     
         3 . The processing system of  claim 1  wherein the first image of sensor values and the second image of second values comprise consecutive images generated by the determination module. 
     
     
         4 . The processing system of  claim 1  wherein the force sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The processing system of  claim 1  wherein the determination module is further configured to determine positional information for an input object based on the force values. 
     
     
         6 . The processing system of  claim 1  wherein the determination module is further configured to determine an initial contact location for an input object first detected in the first image of sensor values based at least in part on at least one force value preceding the first image of sensor values and the first image of sensor values. 
     
     
         7 . The processing system of  claim 1  wherein the determination module is configured to generate a first user interface action in response to a determination that the input object detected in the second image of sensor values remained in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image and generate a second user interface action in response to a determination that the input object detected in the second image of sensor values did not remain in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image. 
     
     
         8 . A processing system for an input device, the processing system comprising:
 a sensor module comprising sensor circuitry configured to:
 operate a plurality of sensor electrodes to generate images of sensor values indicative of objects in a sensing region proximate to an input surface at a first rate; 
 operate at least one force sensor to generate force values indicative of force applied to the input surface at a second rate; 
   a determination module configured to:
 determine an initial contact location for an input object first detected in a first image of sensor values based at least in part on at least one force value preceding the first image of sensor values and the first image of sensor values. 
   
     
     
         9 . The processing system of  claim 8  wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate. 
     
     
         10 . The processing system of  claim 8  wherein the determination module is further configured to initiate an edge user interface action based on the initial contact location in response to the initial contact location being in an edge region. 
     
     
         11 . The processing system of  claim 8  wherein the determination module is further configured to not initiate an edge user interface action in response to a determination that an initial contact within an edge region did not occur prior to the first image of sensor values. 
     
     
         12 . The processing system of  claim 8  wherein the force sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The processing system of  claim 8  wherein the determination module is further configured to generate positional information for the input object using the force values. 
     
     
         14 . The processing system of  claim 8  wherein the determination module is further configured to determine if an input object detected in the first image of sensor values and an input object detected in a second image of sensor values remained in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image based at least in part on the force values. 
     
     
         15 . An input device comprising:
 an input surface   a plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes proximate to the input surface;   at least one force sensor coupled to the input surface;   a processing system operatively coupled to the plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes and the at least one force sensor, the processing system configured to:
 operate the plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes to generate images of sensor values indicative of objects in a sensing region proximate to the input surface at a first rate; 
 operate the at least one force sensor to generate force values indicative of force applied to the input surface at a second rate; 
 determine if an input object detected in a first image of sensor values and an input object detected in a second image of sensor values remained in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image based at least in part on the force values. 
   
     
     
         16 . The input device of  claim 15  wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate. 
     
     
         17 . The input device of  claim 15  wherein the first image of sensor values and the second image of second values comprise consecutive images generated by the processing system. 
     
     
         18 . The input device of  claim 15  wherein the force sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The input device of  claim 15  wherein the processing system is further configured to determine positional information for an input object based on the force values. 
     
     
         20 . The input device of  claim 15  wherein the processing system is further configured to determine an initial contact location for an input object first detected in the first image of sensor values based at least in part on at least one force value preceding the first image of sensor values and the first image of sensor values. 
     
     
         21 . The input device of  claim 15  wherein the processing system is configured to generate a first user interface action in response to a determination that the input object detected in the second image of sensor values remained in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image and generate a second user interface action in response to a determination that the input object detected in the second image of sensor values did not remain in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image. 
     
     
         22 . A method of determining input in an input device, the method comprising:
 operating a plurality of sensor electrodes to generate images of sensor values indicative of objects in a sensing region proximate to an input surface at a first rate;   operating at least one force sensor to generate force values indicative of force applied to the input surface at a second rate;   determining an initial contact location for an input object first detected in a first image of sensor values based at least in part on at least one force value preceding the first image of sensor values and the first image of sensor values; and   generating a user interface action based at least in part on the initial contact location.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the second rate is greater than the first rate. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the generating the user interface action based at least in part on the initial contact location comprises initiating an edge user interface action based on the initial contact location in response to the initial contact location being in an edge region. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the force sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising generating positional information for the input object using the force values. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising determining if an input object detected in the first image of sensor values and an input object detected in a second image of sensor values remained in contact with the input surface between the first image and the second image based at least in part on the force values.