CapSense Technology
AN64846 - Getting Started with CapSense
®
Doc. No. 001-64846 Rev. *X
18
2.4.1 Definitions
Raw Count:
, sensor capacitance is converted into a count value by the CapSense
algorithm. The unprocessed count value is referred to as raw count. Processing of the raw count results in ON/OFF
states for the sensor.
Baseline:
The raw count value of a sensor may vary gradually due to changes in the environment such as
temperature and humidity. Therefore, the raw count is low-pass filtered to create a new count value known as
baseline that keeps track of and compensates for the gradual changes in raw count. The baseline is less sensitive
to sudden changes in the raw count caused by a touch. Therefore, the baseline value provides the reference level
for computing the signals (explained below).
shows the concept of raw count, baseline and signal.
Figure 2-15. Raw Count and Baseline
baseline
raw count
signal = raw count - baseline
sensor OFF
sensor OFF
sensor ON
Difference Count or Signal:
Subtracting the baseline level from the raw count produces the difference count that
is used in the ON/OFF decision process.
The thresholds are offset by a constant amount from the baseline level. The thresholds have the following
functions:
Noise Threshold:
A parameter used to differentiate signal from noise. If the raw count is above noise threshold,
then the baseline is not updated and the difference count indicates the difference between raw count and baseline.
If the raw count is below the noise threshold, then the baseline is updated and the difference count is zero.
See
Finger Threshold
: A parameter used with Hysteresis to determine the state of the sensor, as Equation 6 and
Sensor State = {
ON if (Signal ≥ Finger Thr Hysteresis)
OFF if (Signal ≤ Finger Threshold − Hysteresis)
Equation 6
Hysteresis:
A parameter used with Finger Threshold to determine the state of the sensor, as Equation 6 and
shows. Hysteresis provides immunity against noisy transitions of sensor state.