QUANTUM QT401

QT401
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QSLIDE™ TOUCH SLIDER IC
z 1-dimensional finger-touch slider
z Extremely simple circuit - no external active components
VDD
1
14
GND
z Completely passive sensing strip: no moving parts
SDO
2
13
DRDY
/SS
3
QT401 12
SCLK
4
11
PROX
SDI
5
10
N/A
SNS1A
6
9
SNS2A
SNS1B
7
8
SNS2B
z Compatible with clear ITO over LCD construction
z SPI slave-mode interface
z Self-calibration and drift compensation modes
z Proximity mode for wake up of a product
z Spread-spectrum operation for optimal EMC compliance
z 2.5 - 5.5V single supply operation; very low power
z 14-pin SOIC, TSSOP lead-free packages
DETECT
z Inexpensive, simple 1-sided PCB construction possible
z E401 reference design board available
APPLICATIONS
y Lighting controls
y Appliance controls
y Touch-screens
y Automotive controls
The QT401 QSlide™ IC is a 1-dimensional position sensor IC designed for human interfaces. This unique IC allows designers
to create speed or volume controls, menu bars, and other more exotic forms of human interface on the panel of an appliance
or over an LCD display.
The device uses a simple, inexpensive resistive sensing strip between two connection end points. The strip element can be an
arc or a semicircle or simply linear. The strip can also be used as a proximity sensor out to several centimeters, to wake up an
appliance or display from a sleep mode in a dramatic fashion.
The QT401 can report a single rapid touch anywhere along the slider element, or, it can track a finger moving laterally along
the slider strip in real time. The device self-calibrates under command from a host controller in one of two modes.
The QT401 is a new type of capacitive sensor based on Quantum’s patented charge-transfer methods. This device uses two
channels of simultaneous sensing across a resistive element to determine finger position, using mathematical analysis. The
accuracy of QSlide™ is theoretically the same as a conventional potentiometer. A positional accuracy of 5% (or better) is
relatively easy to achieve.
The acquisitions are performed in a burst mode which uses proprietary spread-spectrum modulation for superior noise
immunity and low emissions.
The output of the QT401 can also be used to create discrete controls on a strip, by interpreting sets of number ranges as
buttons. For example, the number range 0..19 can be button A, 30..49 button B, 60..79 button C etc. Continuous slider action
and discrete controls can be mixed on a single strip, or, the strip can be reinterpreted differently at different times, for example
when used below or on top of an LCD to act as a menu input device that dynamically changes function in context. In this
fashion the QT401 can be used to create ultra-simple, extremely inexpensive ‘touch screens’. The device is compatible with
ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) overlays on top of various displays.
TA
AVAILABLE OPTIONS
SO-14
TSSOP-14
-400C ~ +850C
QT401-ISG
QT401-ISSG
LQ
Copyright © 2004 QRG Ltd
QT401 R10.04/0505
1 Operation
Figure 1-1 QT401 Wiring Diagram
The QT401 uses a SPI slave mode interface for control
and data communications with a host controller.
Acquisition timings and operating parameters are
under host control; there are no option jumpers and the
device cannot operate in a stand-alone mode.
Regulator
VIN
VIN
C1
VOUT
C2
GND
R1
22k
2.2uF
2.2uF
R2
100k
13
2
3
4
5
The positional output data is a 7-bit binary integer
(0...127) indicating position from left (0) to right (127).
Like all QProx™ devices, the QT401 operates using
bursts of charge-transfer pulses; burst mode permits
an unusually high level of control over spectral
modulation, power consumption, and response time.
The QT401 modulates its bursts in a spread-spectrum
fashion in order to heavily suppress the effects of
external noise, and to suppress RF emissions.
R3
1K
SPI BUS
Proximity
SNS2A 9
DRDY
SDO
/SS
SCLK
SDI
11 PROX
Touch Detect
Cs2
100nF
127
Slider Element
60K~150K ohms
total resistance
SNS1A 6
SNS1B 7
Cs1
100nF
0
12 DETECT
VSS
14
C4 1nF
C3 1nF
1.1 Synchronized Mode
1 QT401
VDD
8
SNS2B
Refer also to Figure 3-1, page 6.
Mains Sync: Sync mode can be used to sync to mains
frequency via the host controller, if mains interference is
possible (ie, running as a lamp dimmer control). The host
should issue SPI commands synchronously with the mains
frequency. This form of operation will heavily suppress
interference from low frequency sources (e.g. 50/60Hz),
which are not easily suppressed using spread-spectrum burst
modulation.
Sync mode allows the host device to control the rep etition
rate of the acquisition bursts, which in turn govern response
time and power consumption. The maximum spacing from the
end of one burst to the start of the next in this mode is 1
second.
In sync mode, the device will wait for the SPI slave select line
/SS to fall and rise and will then do an acquisition burst;
actual SPI clocks and data are optional. The /SS pin thus
becomes a ‘sync’ input in addition to acting as the SPI
framing control.
Cross-talk suppression: If two more QT401’s are used in
close proximity, or there are other QTouch™ type device(s)
close by, the devices can interfere strongly with one another
to create position jitter or false triggering. This can be
suppressed by making sure that the devices do not perform
acquisition bursts at overlapping times. The host controller
can make sure that all such devices operate in distinctly
different timeslots, by using a separate /SS line or Sync
signal for each part.
Within 35µs of the last rising edge of CLK, the device will
enter a low power sleep mode. The rising edge of /SS must
occur after this time; when /SS rises, the device wakes from
sleep, and shortly thereafter does an acquisition burst. If a
more substantial sleep time is desired, /SS should be made
to rise some delay period later.
By increasing the amount of time spent in sleep mode, the
host can decrease the average current drain at the expense
of response time. Since a burst typically requires 31ms (at
3.3V, reference circuit), and an acceptable response time
might be ~100ms, the power duty cycle will be 31/100 or 31%
of peak current.
1.2 Free-Run Mode
If /SS stays high, the device will acquire on its own
repetitively approximately every 60ms (Figure 1-2). This
mode can be used to allow the part to function as a prox or
touch detector first, perhaps to wake a host controller. Either
the PROX or DETECT can be used as a wakeup.
If power is not an issue the device can run constantly under
host control, by always raising /SS after 35µs from the last
rising edge of CLK. Constant burst operation can be used by
the host to gather more data to filter the position data further
to suppress noise effects , if required.
In free-run mode, the device does not sleep between acquire
bursts. In this mode the QT401 performs automatic drift
compensation at the maximum rate of one count per 180
acquisition burst cycles, or about one count every 3 seconds
without host intervention. It is not possible to change this
Figure 1-2 Free-Run Timing Diagram ( /SS = high )
~31ms
~31ms
Acquire Bur
~3.8ms
~30us
DRDY from QT
~25ms
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QT401 R10.04/0505
Table 1-1 Pin Descriptions
PIN
NAME
TYPE
DESCRIPTION
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
VDD
SDO
/SS
SCLK
SDI
SNS1A
SNS1B
SNS2B
SNS2A
N/A
PROX
DETECT
DRDY
VSS
Power
O
I
I
I
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
O
O
O
O
Ground
Positive power pin (+2.5 .. +5V)
Serial data output
Slave Select pin. Active low input to enable serial clocking. 1K ohms in series recommended.
Serial clock input. Clock idles high
Serial data input
Sense pin (to Cs1)
Sense pin (to Cs1, Rs1); connects to ‘0’ end of slider element
Sense pin (to Cs2, Rs2); connects to ‘127’ end of slider element
Sense pin (to Cs2)
Leave open
Active high when a hand is near the slider. May be left unconnected. Note (1)
Active high when slider is touched. May be left unconnected. Note (1)
Data ready output. Goes high to indicate it is possible to communicate with the QT401. Note (1)
Negative power pin
Note (1): Pin floats briefly after wake from Sleep mode.
setting of drift compensation in Free-Run mode. See also
Section 3.3.4.
1.5 Position Data
The position value is internally calculated and can be
accessed only when the slider is touched (Detect pin is high).
1.3 Sleep Mode
The position data is a 7-bit number (0..127) that is computed
in real time; the end numbers (0, left; 127, right) map to the
physical ends by one of two possible calibration methods
(see Section 1.6). The position data will update either with a
single rapid touch or will track if the finger is moved
lengthwise along the surface of the slider element. The
position data ceases to be reported when touch detection is
no longer sensed.
After an SPI transmission, the device will enter a low power
sleep state; see Figure 3-1, page 6, and Section 3.2.4, page
7 for details. This sleep state can be extended in order to
lower average power, by simply delaying the rise of /SS.
Coming out of sleep state when /SS rises, the PROX,
DETECT, and DRDY pins will float for ~400µs; it is
recommended that these pins be pulled low to Vss to avoid
false signalling if they being monitored during this time .
1.6 Calibration
Note: Pin /SS clamps to Vss for 250ns after coming out of
sleep state as a diagnostic pulse. To prevent a possible pin
drive conflict, /SS should either be driven by the host as an
open-drain pull-high drive (e.g. with a 100K pullup resistor), or
there should be a ~1K resistor placed in series with the /SS
pin. See Figure 1-1, R3.
Calibration is possible via two methods:
1) Power up or power cycling (there is no reset input).
2) On command from host via SPI (Command 0x01: see
Section 3.3.2).
The calibration period requires 10 burst cycles, which are
executed automatically without the need for additional SPI
commands from the host. The spacing between each Cal
burst is 2ms, and the bursts average about 23ms each when
Cs1, Cs2 are 100nF, ie the Cal command requires ~220ms to
execute. Lower values of Cs will result in shorter bursts and
hence shorter cal times.
1.4 PROX, DETECT Outputs
There are two active-high output pins for detection of hand
proximity and slider position:
PROX output: This pin goes high when a hand is detected
in free space near the slider. This condition is also found
as bit 0 in the standard response when there is no touch
detection (Section 3.3).
In addition to the basic calibration, it is also possible to
request that the QT401 adjust its reported data to achieve
physically calibrated end points (0, 127) via a serial command
(command 0x02: Section 3.3.3). This requires an immediately
preceding reference calibration command (command 0x01:
see Section 3.3.2) in order to work correctly.
DETECT output: This pin goes high when the signal is
large enough to allow computation of finger position. This
condition is also found as bit 7 in the standard response
(Section 3.3).
Calibration should be performed when there is no hand
proximity to the element, or the results may be in error.
Should this happen, the error flag (bit 1 of the standard
response, see Section 3.3) will activate when the hand is
withdrawn again. In most cases this condition will self-correct
if drift compensation is used, and it can thus be ignored. See
also Section 1.8 below.
The sensitivities of these functions can be set using serial
commands (Sections 3.3.5 and 3.3.6).
These outputs will float for ~400µs after wake from Sleep
mode (see Section 1.3). If Sleep mode is used, it is
recommended that PROX and DETECT (if used) be shunted
to ground with 1nF capacitors to hold their states during the
400µs float interval when emerging from Sleep.
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QT401 R10.04/0505
Figure 1-3 E401 PCB Layout (1-sided, 144 x 20 x 0.6mm)
glass. The worst panel is thick plastic. Granularity due to poor
coupling can be compensated for by the use of larger values
of Cs1 and Cs2.
1.7 Drift Compensation
The device features an ability to compensate for slow drift
due to environmental factors such as temperature changes or
humidity. Drift compensation is performed completely under
host control via a special drift command. See Section 3.3.4
for further details.
A table of suggested values for Cs1 and Cs2 for no missing
position values is shown in Table 1-2. Values of Cs smaller
than those shown in the table can cause skipping of position
codes. Code skipping may be acceptable in many
applications where fine position data is not required. Smaller
Cs capacitors have the advantage of requiring shorter
acquisition bursts and hence lower power drain.
1.8 Error Flag
An error flag bit (bit 1) is provided in the standard response
byte but only when there is no touch detection present
(Section 3.3); if the Error bit is high, it means the signal has
fallen significantly below the calibration level when not
touched. If this happens the device could report somewhat
inaccurate position values when touched.
Larger values of Cs1 and Cs2 improve granularity at the
expense of longer burst lengths and hence more average
power. Conversely where power is more important than
granularity, Cs1 and Cs2 can be reduced to save power at
the expense of resolution. Optimal values depends on the
user application, and some experimentation is necessary.
This condition can self-correct via the drift compensation
process after some time under host control (Section 3.3.4).
Alternatively, the host controller can cause the device to
recalibrate immediately by issuing a calibration command
(Section 3.3.2), perhaps also followed by an end-calibrate
command (Section 3.3.3) if desired.
Cs1 and Cs2 should be matched to within 10% of each other
(ie, 5% tolerance, X7R dielectric) for best left-right end zone
balance, using the E401 reference layout (Figure 1-3). See
also Section 2.3. Linearity is not greatly affected by Cs
mismatching. If the error is too extreme, one of the end
locations could attempt to exceed the physical limits of the
slider. At or below this 10% guideline, the device will correctly
calibrate the end locations to within 1 or 2 millimeters for a
100mm slider.
2 Wiring & Parts
The device should be wired according to Figure 1-1. An
example PCB layout (of the E401 eval board) is shown in
Figure 1-3.
In critical applications, the capacitors should be sort-matched,
or, the host device should store end location calibration
correction data based on a one-time factory calibration
procedure. Alternatively the Rs end resistors can be factory
adjusted to determine end locations more precisely.
2.1 Slider Strip Construction
The slider should be a resistive strip of about 100K ohms
+/-50%, from end to end, of a suitable length and width. Arcs
and semicircles are also possible. There are no known length
restrictions.
2.3 Rs End Resistors
In auto end-cal mode, Rs1 and Rs2 are used only for EMC
and ESD protection; they should be no more than ~1K ohms.
However they are optional, and in the E401 eval board they
are set to 0.
The slider can be made of a series chain of discrete resistors
with copper pads on a PCB, or from ITO (Indium Tin Oxide, a
clear conductor used in LCD panels and touch screens) over
a display. Carbon thick-film paste can also be used, however
linearity might be a problem as these films are notoriously
difficult to control without laser trimming or scribing.
In fixed cal mode, Rs1 and Rs2 can be varied to adjust the
ends of the slider outwards. Typically they will range from 10K
to 20K each. In fixed cal mode, the end resistors should be
selected to achieve a reasonable 0..127 position
correspondence with the desired mechanical range; in
particular, they should be adjusted so that the reported
The linearity of the slider is governed largely by the linearity
and consistency of the resistive slider element. Positional
accuracy to within 5% is routinely achievable with good grade
resistors and a uniform construction method.
Table 1-2 Recommended Cs vs. Materials
2.2 Cs Sample Capacitors
Thickness,
mm
0.4
0.8
1.5
2.5
3.0
4.0
Cs1 and Cs2 are the charge sensing capacitors , of type X7R.
The optimal values of Cs1 and Cs2 depend on the thickness
of the panel and its dielectric constant. Lower coupling to a
finger caused by a low dielectric constant and/or thicker panel
will cause the position result to become granular and more
subject to position errors. The ideal panel is made of thin
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4
Acrylic
(εR =2.8)
10nF
22nF
47nF
100nF
-
Borosilicate glass
(εR =4.8)
5.6nF
10nF
22nF
39nF
47nF
100nF
QT401 R10.04/0505
Other geometries are possible, for example arcs and
semicircles over a small scale (50mm radius max
recommended semicircle, or any radius as a shallow arc).
The strip can be made longer or shorter and with a different
width. The electrode strip should be about 10mm wide or
more, as a rule. Other features of the PCB layout are:
values 0 and 127 can be easily achieved by both large and
small fingers at the ends.
Increasing the Rs values will move the reported ends
‘outwards’. If they are too large, the values 0 and/or 127 will
not be reportable. The Rs resistors can have differing values.
Having well-defined ends is important in most applications, so
that the user can select the absolute minimum and maximum
values (ie OFF, MAX etc) reliably. If the numerical ends
cannot be achieved the user can have difficulty in controlling
the product.
Š The components are oriented perpendicular to the strip
length so that they do not fracture easily when the PCB is
flexed during bonding to the panel.
Š The slider end connections should have a symmetrical
layout; note the dummy end trace connected to Rs1 just
below the slider element, to replicate the upper end trace
connected to Rs2. Without this the slider will be
unbalanced and will tend to skew its result to one side.
The end zones should be defined to be physically large
enough so that over a wide range of values of Cs, Rslider etc
a usable set of ends are always preserved.
End zone tolerances can be affected by Cs1 / Cs2
capacitance matching and the values of Rs1 and Rs2 if fixed
end-cal is used. See also Section 2.2.
Š The ground ring around the slider measures 2mm thick
and is spaced 1mm from the long end traces. The end
traces should be placed as close as possible to the slider
element and be of the thinnest possible trace thickness.
2.4 Power Supply
Š 0-ohm 0805 jumpers are used to connect the ground ring
back to circuit ground. These bridge over the two end
traces.
The usual power supply considerations with QT parts applies
also to the QT401. The power should be very clean and come
from a separate regulator if possible. This is particularly
critical with the QT401 which reports continuous position as
opposed to just an on/off output.
Š Additional ground area or a ground plane on the PCB’s
rear will compromise signal strength and is to be avoided.
Š The slider should normally be used in a substantially
horizontal orientation to reduce tracking accuracy
problems due to capacitive ‘hand shadow’ effects. Thinner
panels and an electrode strip on the back of the PCB (so
it has less material to penetrate) will reduce these effects.
A ceramic 0.1uF bypass capacitor should be placed very
close to the power pins of the IC.
Regulator stability: Most low power LDO regulators have
very poor transient stability, especially when the load
transitions from zero current to full operating current in a few
microseconds. With the QT401 this happens when the device
comes out of sleep mode. The regulator output can suffer
from hundreds of microseconds of instability at this time,
which will have a deleterious effect on acquisition accuracy.
‘Handshadow’ effects: With thicker or wider panels an effect
known as ‘handshadow’ can become noticeable. If the
capacitive coupling from finger to electrode strip is weak, for
example due to a narrow electrode strip or a thick, low
dielectric constant panel, the remaining portion of the human
hand can contribute a significant portion of the total
detectable capacitive load. This will induce an offset error,
which will depend on the proximity and orientation of the hand
to the remainder of the strip. Thinner panels will reduce this
effect since the finger contact surface will strongly domina te
the total signal and the remaining handshadow capacitance
will not contribute significantly to create an error offset.
To assist with this problem, the QT401 waits 500µs after
coming out of sleep mode before acquiring to allow power to
fully stabilize. This delay is not present before an acquisition
burst if there is no preceding sleep state.
Use an oscilloscope to verify that Vdd has stabilized to within
5mV or better of final settled voltage before a burst begins.
2.5 PCB Layout and Mounting
Slider strips placed in a vertical position are more prone to
handshadow problems than those that are horizontal.
The E401 PCB layout (Figure 1-3) should be followed if
possible. This is a 1-sided, 144 x 20 x 0.6mm board; the
blank side is simply adhered to the inside of a 2mm thick (or
less) control panel. Thicker panels can be tolerated with
additional positional error due to capacitive ‘hand shadow’
effects and will also have poorer EMC performance.
PCB Cleanliness: All capacitive sensors should be treated
as highly sensitive circuits which can be influenced by stray
conductive leakage paths. QT devices have a basic
resolution in the femtofarad range; in this region, there is no
such thing as ‘no clean flux’. Flux absorbs moisture and
becomes conductive between solder joints, causing signal
drift and resultant false detections or temporary loss of
sensitivity. Conformal coatings will trap in existing amounts of
moisture which will then become highly temperature
sensitive.
This layout uses 18 copper pads connected with 17
intervening series resistors in a chain. The end pads are
larger to ensure a more robust reading of 0 (left) and 127
(right). The finger interpolates between the copper pads (if
the pads are narrow enough) to make a smooth, 0..127 step
output with no apparent stair-casing. A wide ground border
helps to suppress the sense field outside of the strip area,
which would otherwise affect position accuracy.
The designer should specify ultrasonic cleaning as part of the
manufacturing process, and in extreme cases, the use of
conformal coatings after cleaning.
The small electrodes of this PCB measure about 12.5 x
5.2mm. The lateral (eg 5.2mm) dimension of these electrodes
should be no wider than the expected smallest diameter of
finger touch, to prevent stair-casing of the position response.
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2.6 ESD Protection
Since the electrode is always placed behind a dielectric
panel, the IC will be protected from direct static discharge.
However even with a panel transients can still flow into the
5
QT401 R10.04/0505
FR =
electrode via induction, or in extreme cases via dielectric
breakdown. Porous materials may allow a spark to tunnel
right through the material. Testing is required to reveal any
problems. The device has diode protection on its terminals
which will absorb and protect the device from most ESD
events; the usefulness of the internal clamping will depending
on the panel's dielectric properties and thickness.
1
2✜R S C S
If for example Cs = 22nF, and Rs = 1K, the EMI rolloff
frequency is ~7.2kHz, which is vastly lower than most noise
sources (except for mains frequencies i.e. 50 / 60 Hz). The
resistance from the sensing strip itself is actually much higher
on average, since the strip is typically 100K ohms from end to
end. A more credible value for Rs is about 10K.
One method to enhance ESD suppression is to insert
resistors Rs1, Rs2 in series with the strip as shown in Figure
1-1; these can be as high as 1K ohms. Normally these are
not required, and in the E401 eval board they are 0 ohms.
Rs and Cs must both be placed very close to the body of the
IC so that the lead lengths between them and the IC do not
form an unfiltered antenna at very high frequencies.
Diodes or semiconductor transient protection devices or
MOV's on the electrode trace are not advised; these devices
have extremely large amounts of nonlinear parasitic
capacitance which will swamp the capacitance of the
electrode and cause false detections and other forms of
instability. Diodes also act as RF detectors and will cause
serious RF immunity problems.
PCB layout, grounding, and the structure of the input circuitry
have a great bearing on the success of a design to withstand
electromagnetic fields and be relatively noise-free.
These design rules should be adhered to for best ESD and
EMC results:
See also Section 2.7, below
2.7 EMC and Related Noise Issues
External AC fields (EMI) due to RF transmitters or electrical
noise sources can cause false detections or unexplained
shifts in sensitivity.
The influence of external fields on the sensor can be reduced
by means of the 1K series end resistors described in Section
2.6. The Cs capacitor and Rs1, Rs2 (Figure 1-1) form a
natural low-pass filter for incoming RF signals; the roll-off
frequency of this network is defined by -
1.
Use only SMT components.
2.
Keep all Cs, Rs, and the Vdd bypass cap close to the IC.
3.
Do not place the electrode or its connecting trace near
other traces, or near a ground plane.
4.
Do use a ground plane under and around the QT401
itself, back to the regulator and power connector (but not
beyond the Cs capacitor).
5.
Do not place an electrode (or its wiring) of one QT401
device near the electrode or wiring of another device, to
prevent cross interference.
6.
Keep the electrode (and its wiring) away from other
traces carrying AC or switched signals.
Figure 3-1 SPI Timing Diagram
~31ms
Acquire Burst
<1ms, ~920µs typ
awake
Sleep State
sleep state: 1s max
awake
400µs typ
3-state
DRDY from QT
>13µs, <100µs
>12µs, <100µs
>12µs, <100µs
<30µs
/SS from host
>35µs
Data sampled on rising edge
CLK from Host
Data shifts out on falling edge
Host Data Output
(Slave Input - MOSI)
?
7
6
5
4
3
data hold >12µs
after last clock
2
1
0
2
1
0
command byte
response byte
QT Data Output
(Slave Out - MISO)
3-state
? 7
6
5
4
3
3-state
output driven
<11µs after /SS
goes low
lQ
output floats
before DRDY
goes low
6
QT401 R10.04/0505
7.
If there are LEDs or LED wiring near the electrode or its
wiring (ie for backlighting of the key), bypass the LED
wiring to ground on both its ends.
8.
Use a voltage regulator just for the QT401 to eliminate
noise coupling from other switching sources via Vdd.
Make sure the regulator’s transient load stability provides
for a stable voltage just before each burst commences.
9.
If Mains noise (50/60 Hz noise) is present, use the Sync
feature to suppress it if possible (see Section 1.1).
If /SS is held high all the time, the device will burst in a
free-running mode at a ~17Hz rate. In this mode a valid
position result can be obtained quickly on demand, and/or
one of the two OUT pins can be used to wake the host. This
rate depends on the burst length which in turn depends on
the value of each Cs and load capacitance Cx. Smaller
values of Cs or higher values of Cx will make this rate faster.
Dummy /SS Burst Triggers: In order to force a single burst,
a dummy ‘command’ can be sent to the device by pulsing /SS
low for 10µs to 10ms; this will trigger a burst on the rising
edge of /SS without requiring an actual SPI transmission.
DRDY will fall within 56µs of /SS rising again, and then a
burst will occur 1mS later (while DRDY stays low).
For further tips on construction, PCB design, and EMC issues
browse the application notes and faq at www.qprox.com
After the burst completes, DRDY will rise again to indicate
that the host can get the results.
3 Serial Communications
Note: Pin /SS clamps to Vss for 250ns after coming out of
sleep state as a diagnostic pulse. To prevent a possible pin
drive conflict, /SS should either be driven by the host as an
open-drain pull-high drive (e.g. with a 100K pullup resistor), or
there should be a ~1K resistor placed in series with the /SS
pin.
The serial interface is a SPI slave-only mode type which is
compatible with multi-drop operation, ie the MISO pin will float
after a shift operation to allow other SPI devices (master or
slave) to talk over the same bus. There should be one
dedicated /SS line for each QT401 from the host controller.
A DRDY (‘data ready’) line is used to indicate to the host
controller when it is possible to talk to the QT401.
3.2.2 DRDY Line
The DRDY line acts primarily as a way to inhibit the host from
clocking to the QT401 when the QT401 is busy. It also acts to
signal to the host when fresh data is available after a burst.
The host should not attempt to clock data to the QT401 when
DRDY is low, or the data will be ignored or cause a framing
error.
3.1 Power-up Timing Delay
Immediately after power-up, DRDY floats for approximately
20ms, then goes low. The device requires ~525ms thereafter
before DRDY goes high again, indicating that the device has
calibrated and is able to communicate.
On power-up, DRDY will first float for about 20ms, then pull
low for ~525ms until the initial calibration cycle has
completed, then drive high to indicate completion of
calibration. The device will be ready to communicate in
typically under 600ms (with Cs1 = Cs2 = 100nF).
3.2 SPI Timing
The SPI interface is a five-wire slave-only type; timing is
found in Figure 3-1, page 6.
The phase clocking is as follows:
Clock idle:
Data out changes on:
Input data read on:
Slave Select /SS:
Data Ready DRDY:
Bit length & order:
Clock rate:
While DRDY is a push-pull output, it does float for ~400µs
after power-up and after wake from Sleep mode. It is
desirable to use a pulldown resistor on DRDY to prevent false
signalling back to the host controller; see Figure 1-1 and
Section 1.3.
High
Falling edge of CLK from host
Rising edge of CLK from host
Negative level frame from host
Low from QT inhibits host
8 bits, MSB shifts first
5kHz min, 40kHz max
3.2.3 MISO / MOSI Data Lines
MISO and MOSI shift on the falling edge of each CLK pulse.
The data should be clocked in on the rising edge of CLK. This
applies to both the host and the QT401. The data path follows
a circular buffer, with data being mutually transferred from
host to QT, and QT to host, at the same time. However the
return data from the QT is always the standard response byte
regardless of the command.
The host can shift data to and from the QT on the same cycle
(overlapping commands). Due to the nature of SPI, the return
data from a command or action is always one SPI cycle
behind.
An acquisition burst always happens about 920µs after /SS
goes high after coming out of Sleep mode .
The setup and hold times should be observed per Figure 3-1.
3.2.4 Sleep Mode
3.2.1 /SS Line
Please refer to Figure 3-1, page 6.
/SS acts as a framing signal for SPI data clocking under host
control. See Figure 3-1.
The device always enters low-power sleep mode after an SPI
transmission (Figure 3-1), at or before about 35µs after the
last rising edge of CLK. Coincident with the sleep mode, the
device will lower DRDY. If another immediate acquisition
burst is desired, /SS should be raised again at least 35 µs
after the last rising edge of CLK. To prolong the sleep state, it
is only necessary to raise /SS after an even longer duration.
After a shift operation /SS must go high again, a minimum of
35µs after the last clock edge on CLK. The device
automatically goes into sleep state during this interval, and
wakes again after /SS rises. If /SS is simply held low after a
shift operation, the device will remain in sleep state up to the
maximum time shown in Figure 3-1. When /SS is raised,
another acquisition burst is triggered.
lQ
In sleep mode, the device consumes only a few microamps of
current. The average current can be controlled by the host, by
7
QT401 R10.04/0505
adjusting the percentage of time that the device spends in
sleep.
3.3.2 0x01 - Calibrate
The delay between the rising edge of /SS and the following
burst is <1ms to allow Vdd to stabilize. If the maximum spec
on /SS low (1s) is exceeded, the device will eventually come
out of sleep and calibrate again on its own. The 1s is a
minimum design guide, not a precise number; the actual time
can vary considerably from device to device and should not
be relied upon.
This command takes ~525ms to complete with the circuit
shown in Figure 1-1. This time can be reduced by using
smaller Cs capacitors. Smaller Cs capacitors may result in
loss of resolution unless the panel thickness is also reduced.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0x01 causes the sensor to do a basic recalibration. After the
command is given the device will execute 10 acquisition
bursts in a row in order to perform the recalibration, without
the need for /SS to trigger each of the bursts. The host should
wait for DRDY to rise again after the calibration has
completed before shifting commands again.
The DETECT, PROX, and DRDY lines will float for ~400µs
after wake from Sleep mode; see Section 1.3 for details.
After each acquisition burst, DRDY will rise again to indicate
that the host can do another SPI transmission.
Commands are summarized in Table 3-1. Commands can be
overlapped, i.e. a new command can be used to shift out the
results from a prior command.
This command should be given if there is an error flag (bit 1
of the response byte when no touch detection is present ).
Note that this command cancels the 0x02 ‘End Calibrate’
command if 0x02 was previously issued to the part; if end
calibration is desired, the 0x02 command must be reissued
again after the 0x01 command.
All commands cause a new acquisition burst to occur when
/SS is raised again after the command byte is fully clocked.
On power-up the device calibrates itself automatically and so
a 0x01 command is not required on startup.
3.3 Commands
The response to this command is the Standard Response
byte.
Standard Response: All SPI shifts return a ‘standard
response’ byte which depends on the touch detection state:
No touch detection:
Bit 7 = 0 (0= not touched)
Bits 6, 5, 4, 3, 2: unused
Bit 1 = 1 if signal polarity error
Bit 0 = 1 if prox detection only
Is touch detection:
3.3.3 0x02 - End Calibrate
7
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0
3
0
2
0
1
1
0
0
0x02 causes the sensor to relocate the reported endpoints of
the slider to automatically correspond to the physical ends,
using a special calibration process. After the command is
given the device will execute 20 acquisition bursts in a row in
order to perform the calibration, without the need for /SS
cycles to trigger each of the bursts.
3.3.1 0x00 - Null Command
5
0
4
0
The 0x02 command should preferably only be performed
after the basic calibration (0x01) is done. If it is done at
another time, the end calibration may be inaccurate.
There are 6 commands as follows.
6
0
5
0
The command takes ~500ms to complete.
Bit 7 = 1 (1= is touched)
Bits 0..6: Contain calculated position
Note that touch detection calculated position is based on the
results of the prior burst, which is triggered by the prior /SS
rising edge (usually, from the prior command, or, from a
dummy /SS trigger - see Section 3.2.1).
7
0
6
0
0
0
The host should remain quiet during this period and obey
DRDY which will remain low until the process is done before
shifting the next command.
The Null command will trigger a new acquisition (if /SS rises),
otherwise, it does nothing. The response to this command is
the Standard Response byte.
This command is optional, however if it is not used, two Rs
resistors should be used to set the end zones of the slider
(See Section 2.3).
This command is predominant once the device has been
calibrated and is running normally.
Executing a calibrate command (0x01) cancels the End
Calibrate mode, and therefore the End Calibrate command
has to be performed again if desired. However, once the
0x01 / 0x02 command sequence is performed, it should
TABLE 3-1 - Command Summary
Hex
Command
0x00
Null
0x01
Calibrate
0x02
End Calibrate
0x03
Drift Comp
0x4P
Prox Thresh
0x8T
Touch Thresh
What it does
Shift out data; cause acquire burst (if /SS rises again)
Force recalibration of reference using fixed slider ends; cause 10 sequential bursts
Power up default value = calibrated
Auto-find slider end points; cause 20 sequential bursts.
Power up default value = disabled
Drift compensation request; causes acquire burst. Max drift rate is 1 count per ten 0x03’s.
Set prox threshold; causes acquire burst. Bottom 6 bits (‘P’) are the prox threshold value. (01PP PPPP)
Power up default value = 10
Set touch threshold; causes acquire burst. Bottom 6 bits (‘T’) are the touch threshold value. (10TT TTTT)
Power up default value = 10
lQ
8
QT401 R10.04/0505
P is normally in the range from 6 to 10. The prox threshold
has no hysteresis and should only be used for non-critical
applications where occasional detection bounce is not a
problem, like power activation (i.e. to turn on an appliance or
a display).
normally not be necessary to ever repeat the sequence
unless an error flag is found or the part is powered down and
back up again.
3.3.4 0x03 - Drift Compensate
7
0
6
0
5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
1
0
1
Both the prox bit in the standard response and the PROX pin
will go high if the signal exceeds this threshold. The PROX
pin can be used to wake an appliance or display as a hand
approaches the slider, however the /SS line must remain high
so that the device acquires continuously, or /SS has to be at
least pulsed regularly (see Section 3.2.1) for this to work.
0x03 causes the sensor to perform incremental drift
compensation. This command must be given periodically in
order to allow the sensor to compensate for drift. The more
0x03 commands issued as a percentage of all commands,
the faster the drift compensation will be.
0x4P power-up default setting: 10
The 0x03 command must be given 10 times in order for the
device to do one count of drift compensation in either
direction. The 0x03 command should be used in substitution
of the Null command periodically.
3.3.6 0x8T - Set Touch Threshold
7
1
6
0
5
T5
4
T4
3
T3
2
T2
1
T1
0
T0
Example: The host causes a burst to occur by sending a
0x00 Null command every 50ms (20 per second). Every 6th
command the host sends is a 0x03 (drift) command.
The lower 6 bits of this command (T5..T0) are used to set the
touch threshold level. Higher numbers are less sensitive (ie
the signal has to travel further to cross the threshold).
The maximum drift compensation slew rate in the reference
level is -
Operand ‘T’ can range from 0 to 63. Internally the number is
multiplied by 4 to achieve a wider range. 0 should never be
used.
50ms x 6 x 10 = 3.0 seconds
This number is normally set to 10, more or less depending on
the desired sensitivity to touch and the panel thickness.
Touch detection uses a hysteresis equal to 12.5% of the
threshold setting.
The actual rate of change of the reference level depends on
whether there is an offset in the signal with respect to the
reference level, and whether this offset is continuous or not.
It is possible to modulate the drift compensation rate
dynamically depending on circumstances, for example a
significant rate of change in temperature, by varying the mix
of Drift and Null commands.
Both the touch bit (bit 7) in the standard response and the
DETECT pin will go high if this threshold is crossed. The
DETECT pin can be used to indicate to the host that the
device has detected a finger, without the need for SPI polling.
However the /SS line must remain high constantly so that the
device continues to acquire continuously, or /SS has to be at
least pulsed regularly (see Section 3.2.1) for this to work.
If the Drift command is issued while the device is in touch
detection (ie bit 7 of the Standard Response byte =1), the drift
function is ignored.
Drift compensation during Free-Run mode is fixed at 6, which
results in a maximum rate of drift compensation rate of about
3secs / count; see Section 1.2.
0x8T power-up default setting: 10
The drift compensation rate should be made slow, so that it
does not interfere with finger detection. A drift compensation
rate of 3s ~ 5s is suitable for almost all applications. If the
setting is too fast, the device can become u nnecessarily
desensitized when a hand lingers near the strip. Most
environmental drift rates are of the order of 10's or 100's of
seconds per count.
The host should execute the following commands after
powerup self-cal cycle has completed: (assuming a 50ms SPI
repetition rate):
3.4 SPI - What to Send
1. 0x01 - Basic calibration (optional as this is done
automatically on power-up)
2. 0x02 - End calibration (optional)
3. 0x4P - Set prox threshold (optional)
3.3.5 0x4P - Set Proximity Threshold
7
0
6
1
5
P5
4
P4
3
P3
2
P2
1
P1
4. 0x8T - Set touch threshold (optional)
0
P0
5. An endlessly repeating mixture of:
a. 0x00 (Null) - all commands except:
b. 0x03 (Drift compensate) - replace every nth Null
command where typically, n = 6
c. If there is ever an error bit set, send a 0x01 and
optionally, a 0x02.
This command is optional, but if it is not given, the proximity
detection function will work at a default setting of 10.
The lower 6 bits of this command (P5..P0) are used to set the
proximity threshold level. Higher numbers are less sensitive
(ie the signal has to travel further to cross the threshold).
If the error occurs frequently, then perhaps the ratio of drift
compensation to Nulls should be increased.
Operand ‘P’ can range in value from 0 to 63. Zero (0) should
never be used. Very low settings can cause excessive flicker
in the proximity result due to low level noise and drift.
Note: the Null can be replaced by an empty /SS pulse if there
is no need for fast updates.
The host device can require that the Proximity output be
active many times in a row to confirm a detection, to make
prox detection more robust.
lQ
9
QT401 R10.04/0505
4.1 Absolute Maximum Specifications
Operating temperature range, Ta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -40OC to +85OC
Storage temperature range, Ts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -55OC to +125OC
VDD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -0.5 to +7.0V
Max continuous pin current, any control or drive pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ±20mA
Short circuit duration to ground, any pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . infinite
Short circuit duration to V DD, any pin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . infinite
Voltage forced onto any pin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -0.6V to (Vdd + 0.6) Volts
4.2 Recommended Operating Conditions
VDD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +2.5 to 5.0V
Supply ripple+noise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5mV p-p max
Cs1, Cs2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22nF to 100nF
Cs1, Cs2 relative matching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10%
Output load, max. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ±0.5mA
4.3 DC Specifications
Vdd = 5.0V, Cs1 = Cs2 = 100nF, 100ms rep rate, Ta = recommended range, all unless otherwise noted
Parameter
Typ
Max
Units
IDD5P
Peak supply current
Description
0.75
1.5
mA
@ 5V
IDD3P
Peak supply current
0.45
0.6
mA
@ 3V
IDD5A
Average supply current
180
µA
@ 5V
IDD3A
Average supply current
110
µA
@ 3V
VDDS
Supply turn-on slope
V/s
Required for proper startup and calibration
VIL
Low input logic level
VHL
High input logic level
VOL
Low output voltage
VOH
High output voltage
Min
100
Notes
0.8
V
0.6
V
4mA sink
V
1mA source
2.2
V
Vdd-0.7
IIL
Input leakage current
±1
µA
AR
Acquisition resolution
7
bits
4.4 AC Specifications
Vdd = 5.0V, Cs1 = Cs2 = 100nF, Ta = recommended range, unless otherwise noted
Parameter
Description
Min
Typ
Tr
Response time
Sp
Prox Sensitivity
Ss
Slide Sensitivity
Fqt
Sample frequency
75
87
Tqt
QT Pulse width
1.8
2
Tbs
QT Burst spacing
500
Td
Power-up delay to operate
Fspi
SPI clock rate
Max
-
Units
Notes
ms
Under host control
0.15
pF
Variable parameter under host control
0.6
pF
Variable parameter under host control
100
kHz
Modulated spread-spectrum (chirp)
2.4
µs
Modulated spread-spectrum
µs
500
ms
5
40
kHz
Max
Units
4.5 Signal Processing and Output
Parameter
Description
Min
Typ
DI
Detection integrator counts
Tp
Threshold, prox
1
63
Tt
Threshold, slider touch
1
63
Hp
Hysteresis, prox sensing
0
%
Ht
Hysteresis, touch sensing
12.5
%
% of threshold setting
Dr
Drift compensation rate
%
% of bursts; host controlled
L
Position linearity
%
Depends on element linearity, layout
lQ
1
counts
Notes
±10
±3
10
Both prox and touch detection
Host controlled variable
Host controlled variable
% of threshold setting
QT401 R10.04/0505
4.6 Typical Position Response - Raw Cal (0x01) Only
120
REPORTED POSITION
100
80
60
40
20
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
90
100
DISTANCE FROM END (mm)
4.7 Typical Position Response - After Auto End Cal (0x01 + 0x02)
120
REPORTED POSITION
100
80
60
40
20
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
DISTANCE FROM END (mm)
lQ
11
QT401 R10.04/0505
4.8 Small Outline (SO) Package
D
L
ß×45º
e
2a W
ø
E
M
Base level
Seating level
h H
SYMBOL
Package Type: 14 Pin SOIC
Millimeters
Max
Notes
Min
Min
M
W
2a
H
h
D
L
E
e
B
o
8.56
5.79
3.81
1.35
0.10
1.27
0.36
0.41
0.20
0.25
0
8.81
6.20
3.99
1.75
0.25
1.27
0.51
1.27
0.25
0.51
8
BSC
Inches
Max
0.337
0.228
0.150
0.31
0.004
0.050
0.014
0.016
0.008
0.014
0
Notes
0.347
0.244
0.157
0.33
0.010
0.050
0.020
0.050
0.010
0.020
8
BSC
4.9 TSSOP Package
E
E1
D
2
B
n
a
1
A
c
Units
Dimension Limits
Number of Pins
Pitch
Overall Height
Standoff
Overall W idth
Moulded Package W idth
Moulded Package Length
Foot Length
Foot Angle
Lead Thickness
Lead W idth
Mould Draft Angle Top
Mould Draft Angle Bottom
lQ
A1
L
MIN
n
p
A
A1
E
E1
D
L
c
B
a
INCHES
NOM
14
0.026
0.002
0.246
0.169
0.193
0.020
0
0.004
0.007
0
0
0.004
0.251
0.173
0.197
0.024
4
0.006
0.010
5
5
12
MAX
MIN
0.043
0.006
0.256
0.177
0.201
0.028
8
0.008
0.012
10
10
0.05
6.25
4.30
4.90
0.50
0
0.09
0.19
0
0
MILLIMETERS
NOM
MAX
14
0.65
1.10
0.10
0.15
6.38
6.50
4.40
4.50
5.00
5.10
0.60
0.70
4
8
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
5
10
5
10
QT401 R10.04/0505
4.10 Ordering Information
PART NO.
TEMP RANGE
PACKAGE
MARKING
QT401-ISG
QT401-ISSG
-400C ~ +850C
-400C ~ +850C
SO-14
TSSOP-14
QT401
QT401
lQ
13
QT401 R10.04/0505
5 Product Pictures
Figure 5.1 - E401 Eval Product (front, back, pcb rear)
Figure 5.2 - A Clear ITO Slider Sensing Strip
(Courtesy Click-Touch NV, Belgium)
lQ
14
QT401 R10.04/0505
NOTES
lQ
15
QT401 R10.04/0505
lQ
Copyright ©2004 QRG Ltd. All rights reserved.
Patented and patents pending
Corporate Headquarters
1 Mitchell Point
Ensign Way, Hamble SO31 4RF
Great Britain
Tel: +44 (0)23 8056 5600 Fax: +44 (0)23 80565600
www.qprox.com
North America
651 Holiday Drive Bldg. 5 / 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15220 USA
Tel: 412-391-7367 Fax: 412-291-1015
This device covered under one or more of the following United States and international patents: 5,730,165, 6,288,707, 6,377,009, 6,452,514,
6,457,355, 6,466,036, 6,535,200. Numerous further patents are pending which may apply to this device or the applications thereof.
The specifications set out in this document are subject to change without notice. All products sold and services supplied by QRG are subject
to our Terms and Conditions of sale and supply of services which are available online at www.qprox.com and are supplied with every order
acknowledgment. QProx, QTouch, QMatrix, QLevel, QWheel, QView, QScreen, and QSlide are trademarks of QRG. QRG products are not
suitable for medical (including lifesaving equipment), safety or mission critical applications or other similar purposes. Except as expressly set
out in QRG's Terms and Conditions, no licenses to patents or other intellectual property of QRG (express or implied) are granted by QRG in
connection with the sale of QRG products or provision of QRG services. QRG will not be liable for customer product design and customers
are entirely responsible for their products and applications which incorporate QRG's products.
Development Team: Martin Simmons, Samuel Brunet, Luben Hristov