Patent ID: 8692781

Claim:
A capacitive touchscreen system comprising, a touchscreen comprising a first plurality of electrically conductive traces arranged in rows or columns, and a second plurality of electrically conductive traces arranged in rows or columns arranged at an angle with respect to the rows or columns of the first plurality of electrodes, mutual capacitances existing between the first and second pluralities of traces at locations where the first and second pluralities of traces intersect, such mutual capacitances changing in the presence of one or more fingers or other touch devices brought into proximity thereto; a first multiplexer connected to both the first plurality of electrically conductive traces and to the second plurality of electrically conductive traces for selecting either the first plurality of electrically conductive traces or the second plurality of electrically conductive traces; a second multiplexer connected to both the first plurality of electrically conductive traces and to the second plurality of electrically conductive traces for selecting either the first plurality of electrically conductive traces or the second plurality of electrically conductive traces; a plurality of sense circuits operably connected to the first multiplexer, one each of such sense circuits being operably and selectably connectable to a corresponding one of the first plurality of traces or second plurality of traces under the control of a drive/sense processor operably connected thereto, each sense circuit comprising a charge integrator circuit operably connected to a corresponding comparator, and a drive circuit operably connected to the second multiplexer and configured to drive at least some of the first plurality of traces or second plurality of traces therethrough; wherein the drive/sense processor operably is connected to the first and second multiplexers, the plurality of sense circuits and the drive circuit, the drive/sense processor being configured to control the operation of the plurality of sense circuits to sense at least some of the mutual capacitances through the first or second pluralities of traces, the sense circuits, and the first multiplexer, and to control the operation of the drive circuit to drive at least some of the first or second pluralities of traces through the second multiplexer, the drive circuit and the first and second multiplexers being controlled by the drive/sense processor such that when the mutual capacitances are being sensed by the sense circuits through the first plurality of traces the drive circuit is driving the second plurality of traces, and further such that when the mutual capacitances are being sensed by the sense circuits through the second plurality of traces the drive circuit is driving the first plurality of traces.