1. A position detecting device including a sensor in which a plurality of electrodes that receive by electric field coupling an alternating current signal from a capacitive stylus pen that transmits the alternating current signal from a tip, the position detecting device detecting a position indicated by the stylus pen on the sensor, the position detecting device comprising:
an electrode selection circuit that selects at least one electrode from the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to a positive terminal and selects at least one electrode from the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to a negative terminal;
a differential amplifier that amplifies and outputs a differential signal indicating a difference between signals generated at the positive terminal and the negative terminal;
a height detector that obtains a height of the stylus pen from a sensor surface; and
a control unit that carries out control to change a selection pattern of the electrodes selected for connection to the positive terminal and the negative terminal by the electrode selection circuit according to the height obtained by the height detector.
2. The position detecting device according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit carries out control to change an interval between at least two electrodes selected for connection to the positive terminal and the negative terminal by the electrode selection circuit according to the height obtained by the height detector.
3. The position detecting device according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit carries out control to cause the electrode selection circuit to select at least two adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to the positive terminal and the negative terminal when the control unit detects that the height of the stylus pen obtained by the height detector is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.
4. The position detecting device according to claim 3,
wherein the control unit carries out control to cause the electrode selection circuit to select a selection region including the at least two adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to the positive terminal and the negative terminal and to sequentially shift the selection region when the control unit detects that the height of the stylus pen obtained by the height detector is equal to or lower than the predetermined value, and
an output level of the differential amplifier when the selection region is sequentially shifted is sequentially detected and the position indicated by the stylus pen on the sensor is obtained from a distribution pattern and level values of a plurality of detected output levels.
5. The position detecting device according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit carries out control to change a number of electrodes selected for connection to the positive terminal and the negative terminal by the electrode selection circuit according to the height obtained by the height detector.
6. The position detecting device according to claim 1,
wherein the height detector obtains the height of the stylus pen based on an intensity of the differential signal output from the differential amplifier.
7. The position detecting device according to claim 6,
wherein the position detecting device notifies an external device that a determination has been made that the stylus pen is disposed over the sensor surface of the sensor.
8. The position detecting device according to claim 1,
wherein the sensor includes a plurality of transparent electrodes provided on a transparent substrate provided over a display device.
9. A position detecting device including a plate-shaped sensor in which a plurality of electrodes that receive by electric field coupling an alternating current signal from a capacitive stylus pen that transmits the alternating current signal from a tip, the position detecting device detecting a position indicated by the stylus pen on one surface of the sensor, the position detecting device comprising:
an electrode selection circuit that selects at least each one electrode from the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to a positive terminal and selects at least each one electrode from the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to a negative terminal;
a differential amplifier that amplifies and outputs a differential signal indicating a difference between signals generated at the positive terminal and the negative terminal;
a contact detector that detects whether the stylus pen is in contact with the one surface of the sensor; and
a control unit that carries out control to cause the electrode selection circuit to select two adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to the positive terminal and the negative terminal when contact of the stylus pen with the one surface of the sensor is detected by the contact detector, and carries out control to cause the electrode selection circuit to select two electrodes separated from each other by a certain interval among the plurality of electrodes provided in the sensor for connection to the positive terminal and the negative terminal when contact of the stylus pen with the one surface of the sensor is not detected by the contact detector.
10. The position detecting device according to claim 9,
wherein the stylus pen includes a writing pressure detector that detects writing pressure from the one surface of the sensor and a circuit that transmits a writing pressure value detected by the writing pressure detector, and
the contact detector receives the writing pressure value from the stylus pen and detects contact of the stylus pen with the one surface of the sensor based on the received writing pressure value.
11. A position detecting device comprising:
a sensor in which a plurality of electrodes is disposed in at least a first direction;
a differential amplifier circuit that includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal and that outputs a differential signal based on signals supplied to the first input terminal and the second input terminal; and
an electrode selection circuit that selects electrodes for connection to the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit from the plurality of electrodes disposed in the sensor,
wherein a position indicated by a stylus pen that generates an electric field based on electric field coupling between the stylus pen and the sensor is detected based on the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit, and
wherein if the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit corresponding to a first electrode selection pattern set by the electrode selection circuit satisfies a set predetermined condition, a second electrode selection pattern different from the first electrode selection pattern is set by the electrode selection circuit to detect the position indicated by the stylus pen.
12. The position detecting device according to claim 11,
wherein whether or not the set predetermined condition is satisfied is determined based on the differential signal that is generated corresponding to a height of the stylus pen in a height direction relative to a sensor surface of the sensor and is output from the differential amplifier circuit.
13. The position detecting device according to claim 12,
wherein the position detecting device notifies an external device that a determination has been made that the stylus pen is disposed over the sensor surface of the sensor when the differential signal output corresponding to the first electrode selection pattern satisfies the predetermined condition.
14. The position detecting device according to claim 11,
wherein the first electrode selection pattern is a pattern formed by selecting a first predetermined number of electrodes in the sensor for connection to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit and selecting a second predetermined number of electrodes in the sensor for connection to the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit.
15. The position detecting device according to claim 14,
wherein the second predetermined number of electrodes is disposed on each of a first side and a second side of the first predetermined number of electrodes, with the first predetermined number of electrodes disposed in an intervening manner.
16. The position detecting device according to claim 11,
wherein the electrode selection circuit carries out electrode selection in such a manner that a first number of electrodes connected to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit is the same as a second number of electrodes connected to the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit.
17. The position detecting device according to claim 11,
wherein the second electrode selection pattern is a pattern formed by selecting a first electrode for connection to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit and selecting a second electrode different from the first electrode for connection to the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit, and a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is changed based on the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit.
18. The position detecting device according to claim 17,
wherein the distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is changed based on the differential signal that is generated corresponding to a height of the stylus pen in a height direction relative to the sensor surface of the sensor and is output from the differential amplifier circuit.
19. The position detecting device according to claim 17,
wherein the electrode selection circuit selects electrodes adjacent to each other for connection to the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit in response to a determination that the stylus pen is close to a sensor surface of the sensor based on the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit.
20. The position detecting device according to claim 17,
wherein the position detecting device detects a pressure applied from a sensor surface of the sensor to the stylus pen, and the electrode selection circuit selects electrodes adjacent to each other for connection to the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit if the position detecting device detects that a predetermined pressure is applied to the stylus pen.
21. The position detecting device according to claim 11,
wherein the electrode selection circuit sequentially changes the electrodes connected to respective ones of the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit, and the position detecting device detects the position indicated by the stylus pen based on at least one of a distribution pattern of a signal level of the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit and the signal level.
22. A position detecting method of a position detecting device including a sensor in which a plurality of electrodes is disposed in at least a first direction, a differential amplifier circuit that includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal and that outputs a differential signal based on signals supplied to the first input terminal and the second input terminal, and an electrode selection circuit that selects electrodes for connection to the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit from the plurality of electrodes disposed in the sensor, the position detecting device detecting a position indicated by a stylus pen that generates an electric field based on electric field coupling between the stylus pen and the sensor based on the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit, the position detecting method comprising:
selecting a first electrode to connect to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit; and
selecting a second electrode different from the first electrode to connect to the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit,
wherein a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is changed based on the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit.
23. The position detecting method according to claim 22,
wherein the distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is changed based on the differential signal that is generated corresponding to a height of the stylus pen in a height direction relative to a sensor surface of the sensor and is output from the differential amplifier circuit.
24. The position detecting method according to claim 22,
wherein the electrode selection circuit selects electrodes adjacent to each other for connection to the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit in response to a determination that the stylus pen is close to a sensor surface of the sensor based on the differential signal output from the differential amplifier circuit.
25. The position detecting method according to claim 22, further comprising:
wherein a pressure applied from a sensor surface of the sensor to the stylus pen detected, the electrode selection circuit selects electrodes adjacent to each other for connection to the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit if a determination is made that a predetermined pressure is applied to the stylus pen.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A well pump assembly for pumping a well fluid having a mixed flow of liquid and gas, comprising:
a conditioning impeller having a hub with a bore for engaging a shaft for rotating the conditioning impeller with the shaft in a forward rotation direction;
a stationary conditioning diffuser juxtaposed with the conditioning impeller to receive the well fluid from the impeller, the diffuser having a plurality of blades that incline from a downstream side to an upstream side of the diffuser in a rearward rotational direction; and
a plurality of impeller vanes extending from the outer circumference of the hub of the conditioning impeller, each of the vanes inclining in the forward rotational direction from a downstream side of the impeller, defining a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein a radial line passing through an outer end of the leading edge of each of the vanes is rotationally forward of an inner end of the leading edge of each of the vanes for forcing liquid and gas radially inward and into the diffuser.
2. The well pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the leading and trailing edges of each of the impeller vanes are straight and substantially parallel to each other.
3. The well pump assembly of claim 1, wherein each impeller vane is curved from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
4. The well pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the leading and trailing edges of each impeller vane are substantially parallel to and are offset from a radial line of the impeller that is located rotationally forward of the vane.
5. The well pump assembly of claim 1, wherein each diffuser blade is curved from the upstream side to the downstream side.
6. The well pump assembly of claim 1, wherein each diffuser blade comprises a portion that is curved in more than one ef plane.
7. The well pump assembly of claim 1, wherein each impeller vane has a straight median line that is offset from the axis of the hub.
8. The well pump assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of pumping impellers located downstream of the conditioning impeller for receiving the well fluid from the conditioning impeller and increasing the well fluid pressure, the pumping impellers having a plurality of curved passages; and
a pumping diffuser located between each pumping impeller and having a plurality of curved passages.
9. The well pump assembly of claim 1, further comprising a gas separator located downstream of the conditioning impeller, the separator having a rotating blade for forcing liquid in the well fluid outward relative to gas in the well fluid within a central bore.
10. A well pump assembly for pumping a well fluid having a mixed flow of liquid and gas, comprising:
an outer casing with an axial centerline;
a shaft extending through a portion of the outer casing along the axial centerline of the casing;
a conditioning impeller having a hub with a bore engaging the shaft for rotating the conditioning impeller with the shaft;
a conditioning diffuser stationarily mounted in the outer casing to receive the well fluid from the impeller, the diffuser having a plurality of blades that curve in an outward direction from an upstream side to a downstream side; and
a plurality of impeller vanes extending from the hub the impeller, each of the vanes having a straight edge that is substantially parallel to and offset from a radial line of the impeller.
11. The well pump assembly of claim 10, wherein each impeller vane includes a leading edge and a trailing edge and is curved from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
12. The well pump assembly of claim 10, wherein the straight edge defines a leading edge having an outer end that is upstream of an inner end of the leading edge.
13. The well pump assembly of claim 10, wherein each diffuser blade is curved in an axial direction from the upstream side to the downstream side.
14. The well pump assembly of claim 10, wherein each diffuser blade comprises a portion that is curved in more than one plane.
15. The well pump assembly of claim 10, further comprising:
a plurality of pumping impellers located downstream of the conditioning impeller for receiving the well fluid from the conditioning impeller and increasing the well fluid pressure, the pumping impellers having a plurality of curved passages; and
a pumping diffuser located between each pumping impeller and having a plurality of curved passages.
16. The well pump assembly of claim 10, further comprising a gas separator located downstream of the conditioning impeller, the separator having a rotating blade for forcing liquid in the well fluid outward relative to gas in the well fluid within a central bore.
17. A well pump assembly for pumping a gaseous well fluid having a mixed flow of liquid and gas, comprising:
an outer casing with an axial centerline;
a shaft extending through a portion of the outer casing along the axial centerline of the casing;
a conditioning section for mixing the gaseous well fluid entering the well pump assembly comprising: a conditioning impeller having a hub with a bore for engaging a shaft for rotating the conditioning impeller with the shaft in a forward rotation direction, a stationary conditioning diffuser juxtaposed with the conditioning impeller to receive fluid from the impeller, the diffuser having a plurality of blades that incline from a downstream side to an upstream side of the diffuser in a rearward rotational direction, and a plurality of impeller vanes extending from the outer circumference of the hub of the conditioning impeller, each of the vanes inclining in the forward rotational direction from a downstream side of the impeller, defining a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein a radial line passing through an outer end of the leading edge of each of the vanes is rotationally forward of an inner end of the leading edge of each of the vanes for forcing liquid and gas radially inward and into the diffuser; and
a pump section for pumping the gaseous well fluid from the well, comprising: a plurality of pump impellers and pump diffusers.
18. The well pump assembly of claim 17, wherein each impeller vane is curved from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
19. The well pump assembly of claim 17, wherein the leading and trailing edges of each impeller vane are substantially parallel to and are offset from a radial line of the impeller that is located rotationally forward of the vane.
20. The well pump assembly of claim 17, wherein each diffuser blade is curved from the upstream side to the downstream side.
21. A method for pumping a well fluid with mixed flow of liquid and gas, comprising:
rotating a conditioning impeller having a hub with a bore for engaging a shaft for rotating the conditioning impeller with the shaft in a forward rotation direction;
creating turbulence by forcing the well fluid radially inward against centrifugal forces with a plurality of impeller vanes extending from the outer circumference of the hub of the conditioning impeller that have an outer end of a leading edge of each of the vanes that is rotationally forward of an inner end of the leading edge of each of the vanes; and
continuing to force the well fluid radially inward with a stationary conditioning diffuser receiving well fluid from the impeller and having a plurality of blades that incline from an upstream side to a downstream side of the diffuser in a rearward rotational direction.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising conveying the well fluid to a set of pumping impellers for pumping the well fluid up a conduit.