Capacitive touch sensor solution provides a flexible alternative to mechanical controls
29 June 2005
DSP, Micros & Memory
Information from Analog Data Products
Cypress Semiconductor's CapSense technology is a new capacitive touch sensor interface based on its programmable system-on-chip (PSoC) mixed-signal arrays. A single PSoC device can replace dozens of mechanical switches and controls with simple, touch-sensitive controls.
CapSense-based buttons and slider controls are more reliable than their mechanical counterparts because they are not prone to the environmental wear-and-tear that affects exposed buttons and switches.
Cypress' CapSense solution offers system designers numerous advantages over capacitive touch sensor products built around modules and sub-assemblies, including increased flexibility, reduced board space and lower cost. Because of the unique PSoC architecture, designers can easily integrate multiple functions (eg, LED drivers and LCD displays), in addition to touch sensing. The PSoC CapSense solution also delivers benefits such as easy serial communications using either I²C or SPI interfaces, the ability to implement both trackpad (x-y matrix) and linear slider applications with the same device, and the ability to make quick design changes using the flash-based PSoC architecture.
Capacitive sensing is fast becoming the solution of choice for front-panel display and media control applications. Increased durability, decreased bill of materials (BOM) and a clean, minimalist appearance make this elegant interface attractive to a wide range of designs. With CapSense technology, a finger on the interface forms an electrical connection with embedded sensors, which work with the PSoC device to translate data about the finger's position into various system control functions. Cellphone users can slide a finger along their screen to change the volume of a call, the brightness of the screen or the loudness of a ring tone without having to end the call and click through complicated menu structures. In notebook computers, 'touchpad' sensors have already replaced external mice for cursor movement. Applications abound in consumer, industrial, white goods, automotive and medical devices - in short, any area where durability, ease of use and price are major considerations.
CapSense is built around Cypress' CY8C21x34 family of PSoC devices. PSoC mixed-signal arrays are programmable SOCs that integrate a microcontroller and the analog and digital components that typically surround it in an embedded system. A single PSoC device can integrate as many as 100 peripheral functions and a microcontroller, saving customers design time, board space, power consumption, and system costs.
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