Pcap system with enhancements due to contaminants

Abstract

System, method, and computer program product embodiments are provided that can support touch interaction on a projective capacitive (PCAP) display system in the presence of water contamination. According to an embodiment, a system includes a touchscreen coupled to a controller. The controller determines the presence of water contamination on the touchscreen, and obtains measurements during a mixed-mode measurement frame that includes a self-mode measurement and a mutual-mode measurement. Based on the measurements obtained, the controller determines a touch on the touchscreen in the presence of the water contamination on the touchscreen. In some embodiments, the self-mode measurement includes measurements collected at a both lower and a higher drive frequency, the higher drive frequency may be in the frequency range of 100 kHz to 500 kHz. In another embodiment, the self-mode measurement includes simultaneously measuring both horizontal-electrodes and vertical-electrodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A projected capacitive (PCAP) touch system comprising:
 a touchscreen;   a controller coupled to the touchscreen; and   a computing device communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
 during a mixed-mode measurement frame, collect self-mode data and mutual-mode data, wherein the mutual-mode data comprises both positive and negative measurements relative to baseline mutual capacitance values corresponding to a first area of the touchscreen; 
 determine based on the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data that a touch does not exist in the first area; and 
 transmit the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data to a computing device, wherein the computing device adjusts an application to avoid the first area of the touchscreen. 
   
     
     
         2 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 1 , wherein to determine that a touch does not exist, the controller is further configured to:
 determine that the self-mode data comprises minimal signals compared to the mutual-mode data corresponding to the area of the touchscreen.   
     
     
         3 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 1 , wherein based on the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data, the controller is further configured to:
 determine that the first area includes water contamination; and   determine that a second area of the touchscreen is dry, wherein the adjustment includes the application utilizing the second area of the touchscreen.   
     
     
         4 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller comprises: firmware configured to transmit the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data to the computing device. 
     
     
         5 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 3 , wherein the application is configured to: move critical selectable items from the first area to the second area. 
     
     
         6 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 3 , wherein the application is configured to: display a message regarding the determination of water contamination in the first area, or activate removal of the water contamination. 
     
     
         7 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 6 , wherein to activate removal of the water contamination, the controller is configured to: activate wipers, initiate a spray, or activate an air blower on the touchscreen. 
     
     
         8 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-mode data comprises lower drive frequency measurements and higher drive frequency measurements. 
     
     
         9 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 measure water contamination of the touchscreen, based on the lower drive frequency measurements and the higher drive frequency measurements.   
     
     
         10 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 8 , wherein the collection of the self-mode data precedes collection of the mutual-mode data. 
     
     
         11 . The PCAP touch system of  claim 8 , wherein the self-mode data comprises a third drive frequency measurement, wherein a corresponding third drive frequency of the third drive frequency measurement is between frequencies corresponding to the lower drive frequency measurements and the higher drive frequency measurements. 
     
     
         12 . A method for a controller coupled to a touchscreen and a computing device, comprising:
 during a mixed-mode measurement frame, collecting self-mode data and mutual-mode data, wherein the self-mode data comprises lower drive frequency measurements and higher drive frequency measurements, and wherein the mutual-mode data comprises both positive and negative measurements relative to baseline mutual capacitance values corresponding to a first area of the touchscreen;   determining based on the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data that a touch does not exist in the first area; and   transmitting the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data to a computing device, wherein the computing device adjusts an application to avoid the first area of the touchscreen.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determining that a touch does not exist, comprises: determining that the self-mode data comprises minimal signals compared to the mutual-mode data corresponding to the area of the touchscreen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein based on the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data, the method further comprises:
 determining that the first area includes water contamination; and   determining that a second area of the touchscreen is dry, wherein the adjustment includes the application utilizing the second area of the touchscreen.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the controller comprises firmware, the method comprises the firmware transmitting the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data to the computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the application comprises: moving critical selectable items from the first area to the second area. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the application is configured to: displaying a message regarding the determination of water contamination in the first area, activating wipers, initiating a spray, or activating an air blower on the touchscreen. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: measuring water contamination of the touchscreen based on the lower drive frequency measurements and the higher drive frequency measurements. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the collection of the self-mode data precedes collection of the mutual-mode data. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first electronic device, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 during a mixed-mode measurement frame, collecting self-mode data and mutual-mode data, wherein the self-mode data comprises lower drive frequency measurements and higher drive frequency measurements, and wherein the mutual-mode data comprises both positive and negative measurements relative to baseline mutual capacitance values corresponding to a first area of the touchscreen;   determining based on the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data that a touch does not exist in the first area; and   wherein the controller comprises firmware, the method comprises the firmware transmitting the self-mode data and the mutual-mode data to a computing device, wherein the computing device adjusts an application to avoid the first area of the touchscreen.