Rf pulse synchronization for data acquisition operations

Abstract

Data acquisition from a touch-surface input unit may be disrupted during the generation of radio frequency (“RF”) pulses. To mitigate this problem, touch-surface data acquisition is temporarily halted during RF pulse generation. Data collected prior to temporarily halting is retained, with subsequently acquired data being added to prior collected data.

1 . A method to acquire sensor data from a touch-surface, the touch-surface being used for user-input in an electronic device that provides radio frequency (“RF”) communications capability, comprising:
 acquiring first data from a first set of sensors associated with the touch-surface; 
 initiating acquisition of second data from a second set of sensors associated with the touch-surface if a RF pulse is not currently being generated by the electronic device, and, if a RF pulse is currently being generated by the electronic device, initiating acquisition of the second data from the second set of sensors after the RF pulse has terminated. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the electronic device generates a RF pulse during the act of acquiring the second data, discarding the second data and repeating the act of acquiring the second data after the RF pulse terminates.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising acquiring additional data from each of one or more additional sets of sensors associated with the touch-surface, wherein the combination of the first, second and additional data comprise a first frame of data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising initiating acquisition of a second frame of data a specified time period after the first frame of data is acquired. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising initiating acquisition of a second frame of data a specified time period after the act of acquiring the first data was initiated. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touch-surface comprises a two-dimensional array of sensors and each of the first and second sets of sensors comprise at least one row of sensors. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each sensor associated with the touch-surface is in a single set of sensors. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the act of acquiring data from the second set of sensors comprises acquiring data from two or more rows of sensors. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RF communications capability includes RF transmission of digital data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each act of acquiring comprises acquiring data at two or more sampling frequencies. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of recording comprises storing acquired data in a memory. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RF communications capability includes telephone functionality. 
     
     
         14 . A program storage device, readable by a programmable control device, comprising instructions stored on the program storage device for causing the programmable control device to perform acts in accordance with  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . An electronic device for providing radio frequency (“RF”) communication capability, comprising:
 a touch-surface having a plurality of sets of sensors; 
 a RF generation circuit for generating RF pulses; 
 a RF detection circuit for detecting when a RF pulse is being generating by the RF generation circuit; 
 a sense circuit, operatively coupled to sensors in the touch-surface sensor array, for acquiring data from the sensors in the touch-surface sensor array; and 
 a control circuit that initiates acquisition of first data from a first set of sensors associated with the touch-surface, initiates, if a RF pulse is not currently being generated by the electronic device, acquisition of second data from a second set of sensors associated with the touch-surface, and initiates, if a RF pulse is currently being generated by the electronic device, acquisition of the second data from the second set of sensors after the RF pulse has terminated. 
 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein if the electronic device generates a RF pulse during the act of acquiring the second data, the control circuit further operates to discard the second data and repeat the initiating acquisition of the second data after the RF pulse terminates. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the control circuit further operates to acquire additional data from each of one or more additional sets of sensors associated with the touch-surface, wherein the combination of the first, second and additional data comprise a first frame of data. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein acquisition of a second frame of data is initiated a specified time period after the first frame of data is acquired. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein acquisition of a second frame of data is initiated a specified time period after the act of acquiring the first data was initiated. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the touch-surface comprises a two-dimensional array of sensors and each of the first and second sets of sensors comprise at least one row of sensors. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein each sensor associated with the touch-surface is in a single set of sensors. 
     
     
         23 . The electronic device of  claim 21 , wherein the act of acquiring data from the second set of sensors comprises acquiring data from two or more rows of sensors. 
     
     
         24 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the RF communications circuit includes a digital RF transmission circuit. 
     
     
         25 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein each act of acquiring comprises acquiring data at two or more sampling frequencies. 
     
     
         26 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a memory, wherein the act of recording comprises storing acquired data in the memory.   
     
     
         27 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the RF communications circuit includes a circuitry that transmits telephone communications.