Bruce D Bohn

US Patent:

20100102832, Apr 29, 2010

Filed:

Sep 9, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/555956

Inventors:

James E. Bartling - Phoenix AZ, US
Jason Tollefson - Phoenix AZ, US
Bruce Bohn - Chandler AZ, US

Assignee:

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED - CHANDLER AZ

International Classification:

G01R 27/26

US Classification:

324679

Abstract:

A scan module of an electronic device scans a capacitive keypad for detection of the actuation of any capacitive touch sensor. This scan module remains in operation even when major power consuming circuits of the electronic device are in a sleep mode, and will not wake up the major power consuming circuits until an action requiring the circuits is needed, thereby, reducing overall power consumption of the electronic device while still maintaining scanning of the capacitive keypad. Upon detection of a valid key press of a capacitive touch sensor, an interrupt to the electronic device brings it out of a sleep mode and into an operating mode for further processing and appropriate action commensurate with the actuation of the specific capacitive touch sensor.