Abstract:
The invention discloses a touch sensing circuit applied to a capacitance touch panel for detecting the position of a sensed object touching the capacitance touch panel. The touch sensing circuit includes a first signal supplying module, a second signal supplying module, a first measurement module, a second measurement module and a processing module. The first signal supplying module inputs signals in turn to first sensing lines arranging along the first direction. The second signal supplying module inputs signals in turn to second sensing lines arranging along the second direction. The first measurement module and the second measurement module are used for measuring the first equivalent capacitances of the first sensing lines and that of the second sensing lines. The processing module is coupled to first measurement module and the second measurement module for determining the position of the sensed object.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a touch panel, and more particularly, to a touch sensing circuit and a touch sensing method capable of really determining multiple touch points on the capacitance touch panel by sensing the equivalent capacitances. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    In general, the touch panels can be divided into different types, such as the resistance type, the capacitance type, the ultrasonic type, optical type, according to their sensing theorems. Wherein, the capacitance touch panel can sense a slight touch, and there is almost no wearing damage generated by the touch between the finger and the touch panel, so that it is stable and has long life. Therefore, compared to the conventional resistance type touch panel, 
         [0005]    Please refer to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B .  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  show the conventional touch sensing circuit  1  and its control signal input timing diagram. As shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , the conventional touch sensing circuit will orderly input pulsed square waves from the signal input module  12  to the touch pads X 1 ˜X 6  and Y 1 ˜Y 6  on the touch panel from the X-axis direction to the Y-axis direction (or from the Y-axis direction to the X-axis direction) in a time sharing way. Then, the sensing module  14  will sense the change of the parasitic capacitance generated when the pointing object (e.g., a finger or a touch pen tip) touches the panel, and further detect the touch action of the user and the position of the touch point formed on the panel. 
         [0006]    However, when the user performs multiple touches on the capacitance type touch panel, the above-mentioned conventional sensing circuit structure and its sensing method will only sense the range of the touch points, but fail to determine the real positions of the touch points. For example, when the user uses two fingers to touch the capacitance touch panel, the conventional sensing circuit will detect two maximum values of the parasitic capacitance changes. However, since these two maximum values can be generated through two different touch ways, the system can not precisely determine it is which one of the two ways, and these points not really touched are called “ghost points”. 
         [0007]      FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  show scheme diagrams of the conventional touch sensing circuit sensing two touch points. As shown in  FIG. 2A , if the user forms two touch points A and B on the touch panel  10 , the sensing circuit will detect two maximum values of the parasitic capacitance changes on the X-axis, and also detect two maximum values of the parasitic capacitance changes on the Y-axis. At this time, the touch sensing circuit fails to determine the above-mentioned parasitic capacitance changes are caused by the two touch points A and B, or the two touch points A′ and B′. The touch points A′ and B′ shown in  FIG. 2A  are ghost points. Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 2B , when the user forms two touch points C and D on the touch panel  10 , two ghost points C′ and D′ will be generated. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Therefore, the invention provides a touch sensing circuit and a touch sensing method to solve the aforementioned problems. 
         [0009]    An embodiment of the invention is a touch sensing circuit. In practical applications, the touch sensing circuit can be applied to a capacitance touch panel, for detecting a position of the capacitance touch panel touched by a pointing object. Wherein, the capacitance touch panel includes (M*N) touch points, M first touch pad sets are aligned along a first direction, and N second touch pad sets are aligned along a second direction, each first touch pad set includes at least one first touch pad, each second touch pad set includes at least one second touch pad, the first touch pads and the second touch pads are distributed at the (M*N) touch points respectively, M and N are positive integers respectively. 
         [0010]    In this embodiment, the touch sensing circuit includes a first signal input module, a second signal input module, a first sensing module, a second sensing module, and a processing unit. The first signal input module inputs a first signal to the M first touch pad sets orderly along the first direction; the second signal input module inputs a second signal to the N second touch pad sets orderly along the second direction. The first sensing module and the second sensing module are used for sensing a first equivalent capacitance of the M first touch pad sets and a second equivalent capacitance of the N second touch pad sets respectively. The processing unit is coupled to the first sensing module and the second sensing module, and used for determining the position of the capacitance touch panel touched by the pointing object according to the first equivalent capacitance and the second equivalent capacitance. 
         [0011]    Another embodiment of the invention is a touch sensing method. The touch sensing method is used for detecting a position of a capacitance touch panel touched by a pointing object. Wherein, the capacitance touch panel includes (M*N) touch points, M first touch pad sets are aligned along a first direction, and N second touch pad sets are aligned along a second direction, each first touch pad set includes at least one first touch pad, each second touch pad set includes at least one second touch pad, the first touch pads and the second touch pads are distributed at the (M*N) touch points respectively, M and N are positive integers respectively. 
         [0012]    In this embodiment, the touch sensing method includes the steps of: at first, inputting a first signal to the M first touch pad sets orderly along the first direction of the capacitance touch panel, and inputting a second signal to the N second touch pad sets orderly along the second direction synchronously; then, sensing a first equivalent capacitance of the M first touch pad sets, and sensing a second equivalent capacitance of the N second touch pad sets; at last, determining the position of the capacitance touch panel touched by the pointing object according to the first equivalent capacitance and the second equivalent capacitance. Wherein, the first equivalent capacitance and the second equivalent capacitance are changed according to the position, the first signal, and the second signal. 
         [0013]    The objective of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a scheme diagram of the conventional capacitance type touch sensing circuit. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  illustrates the control signal input timing diagram of the conventional touch sensing circuit. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  illustrate scheme diagrams of the conventional touch sensing circuit sensing two touch points. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a scheme diagram of the touch sensing circuit and the capacitance type touch panel in an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3B  illustrates the control signal input timing diagram of the touch sensing circuit in  FIG. 3A . 
           [0019]    FIG.  4 A 1  and FIG.  4 A 2  illustrate scheme diagrams of the input signal and equivalent capacitance when the touch sensing circuit of  FIG. 3A  senses no touch points. 
           [0020]    FIG.  4 B 1  and FIG.  4 B 2  illustrate scheme diagrams of the input signal and equivalent capacitance when the touch sensing circuit in  FIG. 3A  is touched by the pointing object. 
           [0021]    FIG.  4 C 1  and FIG.  4 C 2  illustrate scheme diagrams of another input signal and equivalent capacitance when the touch sensing circuit in  FIG. 3A  is touched by the pointing object. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of the touch sensing method of an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    The invention provides a touch sensing circuit. In practical applications, the touch sensing circuit can be applied to a capacitance touch panel, for detecting a position of the capacitance touch panel touched by a pointing object. 
         [0024]    Please refer to  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 3A  illustrates a scheme diagram of the touch sensing circuit  3  and the capacitance type touch panel  30  in an embodiment of the invention. As shown  FIG. 3A , the capacitance type touch panel  30  includes (6*6)=36 touch points 300, 6 first touch pad sets Y 1 ˜Y 6  and 6 second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6 . It should be noticed that the number of touch pad sets and touch points of the capacitance type touch panel is not limited by this case; it depends on the practical needs. Then, the structures of the capacitance type touch panel  30  and the touch sensing circuit  3  will be introduced respectively. 
         [0025]    At first, in the capacitance type touch panel  30 , the first touch pad sets Y 1 ˜Y 6  are aligned along the Y direction, while the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  are aligned along the X direction. In addition, the first touch pad sets Y 1 ˜Y 6  and the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  include at least one first touch pad and at least one second touch pad, and the first touch pads and the second touch pads are distributed on (6*6)=36 touch points 300 respectively. 
         [0026]    The touch sensing circuit  3  includes a first signal input module  32 , a second signal input module  33 , a first sensing module  34 , a second sensing module  35 , and a processing unit  36 . Wherein, the first signal input module  32  and the first sensing module  34  are coupled to the first touch pad sets Y 1 ˜Y 6  of the capacitance type touch panel  30  respectively; the second signal input module  33  and the second sensing module  35  are coupled to the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  respectively. It should be noticed that some touch sensing circuits can also have the function of the sensing module at the same time, that is to say, the input module and the sensing module can be practically integrated into the same module, but not limited to this case. 
         [0027]    In this embodiment, the first signal input module  32  of the touch sensing circuit  3  will orderly input a first signal to the first touch pad sets Y 1 ˜Y 6  along the Y direction; the second signal input module  33  will orderly input a second signal to the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  along the X direction. Please refer to  FIG. 3B .  FIG. 3B  illustrates the control signal input timing diagram of the touch sensing circuit  3  in  FIG. 3A . It should be noticed that the wave form shown in  FIG. 3B  represents that the first signal input module  32  and the second signal input module  33  are sensing the touch points, it is not a real sensing signal. In fact, the sensing signal relates to the touch sensing circuit. Different touch sensing circuits will have different signal wave forms. The pulsed square wave is only one of the possible signal types, not limited by this case. 
         [0028]    In this embodiment, since the pulse width of the first signal will be six times to that of the second signal, that is to say, the inputting time of the first signal will be six times to that of the second signal. Therefore, the second signal input module  33  can orderly input the second signal to the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  within the pulse width of the first signal respectively. For example, in the time range of the first signal input module  32  inputting the first signal to the first touch pad set Y 1 , the second signal input module  33  can orderly input the second signal to the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  along the X direction respectively; then, when the first signal input module  32  inputs the first signal to the first touch pad set Y 2 , the second signal input module  33  can orderly input the second signal to the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  along the X direction respectively; in this way, until the first signal input module  32  inputs the first signal to the first touch pad set Y 6 , and the second signal input module  33  orderly input the second signal to the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  along the X direction respectively. 
         [0029]    In this embodiment, the first signal and the second signal synchronously inputted by the first signal input module  32  and the second signal input module  33  will charge and discharge the parasitic capacitance of the touch pad of the capacitance type touch panel  30 . When the user uses his/her finger and indication unit to touch the capacitance type touch panel  30 , the equivalent parasitic capacitance of the touch pad under the touch points will further change. Therefore, in order to control the change of the equivalent parasitic capacitance of the touch pad caused by touch, the main function of the first sensing module  34  and the second sensing module  35  of the touch sensing circuit  3  is to sense the first equivalent capacitance of the first touch pad sets Y 1 ˜Y 6  and the second equivalent capacitance of the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6 . The main function of the processing unit  36  coupled to the first sensing module  34  and the second sensing module  35  is to determine the position of the capacitance type touch panel  30  touched by the indication unit according to the first equivalent capacitance and the second equivalent capacitance. 
         [0030]    Please refer to FIG.  4 A 1  and FIG.  4 A 2 . FIG.  4 A 1  and FIG.  4 A 2  illustrate scheme diagrams of the input signal and equivalent capacitance when the touch sensing circuit of  FIG. 3A  senses no touch points. FIG.  4 A 2  illustrates a cross-sectional diagram of the touch panel  30  along the dotted line in FIG.  4 A 1 . As shown in FIG.  4 A 1 , if the first signal input module  32  and the second signal input module  33  input the 2.5V synchronous square wave to the first touch pad set Y 1  and the second touch pad set X 1 , and 0V to other touch pad sets, then the equivalent mutual capacitances between the first touch pad set Y 1  and the second touch pad sets X 1 ˜X 6  shown in FIG.  4 A 2  can be obtained. After simulation calculating the stored charge amount of all touch pad sets, it can be found that the total equivalent mutual capacitance is 9.1 pF. 
         [0031]    Please refer to FIG.  4 B 1  and FIG.  4 B 2 . FIG.  4 B 1  and FIG.  4 B 2  illustrate scheme diagrams of the input signal and equivalent capacitance when the touch sensing circuit in  FIG. 3A  is touched by the pointing object. As shown in FIG.  4 B 1 , when the indication unit  38  touches the touch pads on (X 4 ,Y 1 ) and (X 2 ,Y 4 ), if the user wants to detect whether the touch pad on (X 4 ,Y 1 ) is touched by the indication unit  38 , the first signal input module  32  and the second signal input module  33  can input the 2.5V synchronous square wave to the first touch pad set Y 1  and the second touch pad set X 1 , and 0V to other touch pad sets, so that the result that the equivalent mutual capacitance between the indication unit and the first touch pad set Y 1  is 4.84 pF can be calculated by simulation, as shown in FIG.  4 B 2 . However, the equivalent mutual capacitance between the touch pad sets X 4  and Y 1  will be reduced from 0.91 pF to 0.72 pF due to the reduced capacitor fringe effect because the indication unit is also 0V. Finally, it can be obtained that the total equivalent mutual capacitance is 13.56 pF. 
         [0032]    Please refer to FIG.  4 C 1  and FIG.  4 C 2 . FIG.  4 C 1  and FIG.  4 C 2  illustrate scheme diagrams of another input signal and equivalent capacitance when the touch sensing circuit in  FIG. 3A  is touched by the pointing object. As shown in FIG.  4 C 1 , when the indication unit  38  touches the touch pads on (X 4 ,Y 1 ) and (X 2 ,Y 4 ), if the user wants to detect whether the touch pad on (X 4 ,Y 1 ) is touched by the indication unit  38 , the first signal input module  32  and the second signal input module  33  can input the 2.5V synchronous square wave to the first touch pad set Y 1  and the second touch pad set X 4 , and 0V to other touch pad sets, so that the result that the equivalent mutual capacitance between the indication unit and the first touch pad set Y 1  is 4.84 pF can be also calculated by simulation, as shown in FIG.  4 C 2 . However, because the equivalent mutual capacitance between the touch pad sets X 1  and Y 1  maintains 9.1 pF, finally, it can be obtained that the total equivalent mutual capacitance is 13.94 pF. In comparison, the total equivalent mutual capacitance obtained by the signal input way shown in FIG.  4 B 1  and FIG.  4 B 2  is 13.56 pF, but the total equivalent mutual capacitance obtained by the signal input way shown in FIG.  4 C 1  and FIG.  4 C 2  is 13.94 pF, so that 13.94 pF is the largest equivalent mutual capacitance. By doing so, it can be determined that the real touch point position is (X 4 ,Y 1 ). 
         [0033]    Another embodiment of the invention is a touch sensing method. The touch sensing method is used for detecting a position of a capacitance touch panel touched by a pointing object. Wherein, the capacitance touch panel includes (M*N) touch points, M first touch pad sets are aligned along a first direction, and N second touch pad sets are aligned along a second direction, each first touch pad set includes at least one first touch pad, each second touch pad set includes at least one second touch pad, the first touch pads and the second touch pads are distributed at the (M*N) touch points respectively, M and N are positive integers respectively. 
         [0034]    Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of the touch sensing method of an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the touch sensing method includes the following steps. At first, in the step S 50 , inputting a first signal to the M first touch pad sets orderly along the first direction of the capacitance touch panel, and inputting a second signal to the N second touch pad sets orderly along the second direction synchronously. Wherein, the first signal and the second signal are pulsed square waves respectively and inputted synchronously. 
         [0035]    It should be noticed that the pulse width of the first signal in the step S 50  is N times to the pulse width of the second signal, that is to say, the inputting time of the first signal is N times to that of the second signal. Therefore, the touch sensing method of the invention further includes the following steps. In the step S 500 , inputting the second signal to the N second touch pad sets orderly within the pulse width of the first signal. More specifically, in the time range of the first signal input module inputting the first signal to a certain first touch pad set along the first direction, the second signal input module can orderly input the second signal to N second touch pad sets respectively along the second direction; in the time range of the first signal input module inputting the first signal to another first touch pad set, the second signal input module can orderly input the second signal to N second touch pad sets respectively along the second direction. 
         [0036]    Then, the step S 52  is performed to sense a first equivalent capacitance of the M first touch pad sets and a second equivalent capacitance of the N second touch pad sets respectively. At last, the step S 54  is performed to determine the position of the capacitance touch panel touched by the pointing object according to the first equivalent capacitance and the second equivalent capacitance. Wherein, the first equivalent capacitance and the second equivalent capacitance are changed according to the position, the first signal, and the second signal. 
         [0037]    Above all, the touch sensing circuit of the invention inputs synchronous measurement signals along X-direction and Y-direction of the capacitance type touch panel, so that the X-direction and Y-direction equivalent capacitances corresponding to the touch pads located on the touch point positions will be different from the X-direction and Y-direction equivalent capacitances corresponding to the touch pads not located on the touch point positions. By doing so, the touch sensing circuit can effectively distinguish the real touch points and ghost points via the difference of the equivalent capacitance under the multiple touch point sensing condition, and further position the actual positions of the touch points located on the capacitance touch panel. 
         [0038]    Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.