Controllers are a key component of capacitive touchscreens. All touchscreens have a controller — and capacitive touchscreens are no exception. The controller is used to detect touch commands so that the touchscreen can respond with the appropriate action. Capacitive touchscreens, however, use a different type of controller than other types of touchscreens. To learn more about capacitive touchscreen controllers and how they work, keep reading.
What Is a Capacitive Touchscreen Controller?
A capacitive touchscreen controller is a device that’s used to process touch commands. When you perform a touch command, one or more sensors will detect the location of your touch command. This analog location data is then sent to the touchscreen controller where it’s converted into digital location data before being passed down to the touchscreen’s computer.
Capacitive touchscreen controllers are those used specifically in capacitive touchscreens. Resistive touchscreens use a different type of controller, and surface acoustic wave (SAW) touchscreens typically have their own type of controller as well. The bottom line is that a capacitive touchscreen controller is a device that processes touch commands in capacitive touchscreens.
Different Types of Capacitive Touchscreen Controllers
There are several types of capacitive touchscreen controllers. One of the most common types is a metal-oxide-semiconductor chip. Another common type of capacitive touchscreen controller is an application-specific integrated circuit chip.
Both types of capacitive touchscreen controllers serve the same purpose of processing touch commands. In capacitive touchscreens, touch commands are performed using a conductive object. You can’t control a capacitive touchscreen using an electrically resistive object. Rather, you can only control them with a conductive object, such as a bare finger. When exposed to a conductive object, the electrical charge on a capacitive touchscreen’s interface will change. The conductive object will essentially draw some of the touchscreen’s electrical charge, which the sensor or sensors will detect. The capacitive touchscreen controller will then receive this location data, after which it will process it.
Overview of How Capacitive Touchscreen Controllers Work
All capacitive touchscreens have a single controller. As previously mentioned, there are two primary types of capacitive touchscreen controllers: metal-oxide-semiconductor chip and application-specific integrated circuit chip. While they feature different hardware, they both work in the same way. The sensor or sensors will send location data to the capacitive touchscreen controller. This integrated chip will then process the data before sending it to the touchscreen’s computer.
