Active proximity sensor with adaptive electric field control

• US 10,337,886 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Harper, Marc, Shankle, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoai-An D.
• Application Number:
  US15/413,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20180209817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 324600, 324649, 324658, 324660, 324661, 324662, 324686
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/14 influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/12 Measuring electrostatic fields or voltage-potential
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960705 Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe

Abstract

A proximity sensor assembly includes a proximity sensor, an insulating layer, and at least one segmented electrode. The proximity sensor is configured to generate an electric field emanating from the proximity sensor assembly. The insulating layer is in overlapping contact with at least one surface of the proximity sensor. A segmented electrode having two or more segments is in overlapping contact with the insulating layer and overlapping the proximity sensor. At least a first segment of the segmented electrode is configured to direct the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor and at least a second segment of the segmented electrode is configured to direct the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor differently than the first segment.

Claims

1. A proximity sensor assembly comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to generate an electric field emanating from the proximity sensor assembly, the proximity sensor having a first side surface, a second opposite side surface, and a sensor pad having an applied conductive material;

an insulating layer in overlapping contact with the first side surface of the proximity sensor; and

a segmented electrode having two or more segments, the two or more segments in overlapping contact with the insulating layer and overlapping the applied conductive material of the sensor pad at the first side surface of the proximity sensor, at least a first segment of the segmented electrode being configured to direct the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor and at least a second segment of the segmented electrode being configured to direct the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor differently than the first segment by repelling point charges through the applied conductive material from the first segment and concentrating the point charges in the applied conductive material at the second segment.

2. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein the first segment and the second segment overlap the proximity sensor at different locations of the proximity sensor.

3. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein the first segment is driven to operate as a shield segment in a first sweep time period to shield the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor from emanating through the shield segment and the second segment is configured as a window segment in the first sweep time period to allow the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor to emanate through the window segment from the proximity sensor assembly.

4. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 3 wherein the proximity sensor assembly is configured to concentrate the point charges in proximity to the window segment.

5. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 3 wherein the proximity sensor assembly is configured to concentrate the point charges in proximity to the window segment, concentration of the point charge amplifying the electric field emanating through the window segment.

6. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 3 wherein the two or more segments of the segmented electrode are configured to be toggled between a shield segment and a window segment at different sweep time periods.

7. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 3 wherein the segmented electrode includes a third segment in overlapping contact with the insulating layer and overlapping the first side surface of the proximity sensor, the first segment and the second segment being configured as shield segments in a second sweep time period, the third segment configured as a window segment in the second sweep time period.

8. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 3 wherein the proximity sensor assembly is configured to sweep the window segment along at least one dimension of the proximity sensor assembly over a sequence of sweep time periods.

9. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein the first segment and the second segment are concurrently driven, the first segment being driven to operate as a first electric field directing segment to direct the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor and the second segment being driven as a second electric field directing segment to direct the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor.

10. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 9 wherein the first electric field directing segment is driven differently than the second electric field directing segment to steer the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor.

11. The proximity sensor assembly of claim 9 wherein the first electric field directing segment is driven differently than the second electric field directing segment over a sequence of sweep time periods to angularly sweep the electric field along at least one dimension of the proximity sensor assembly.

12. A method comprising:

generating an electric field emanating from a proximity sensor of a proximity sensor assembly, the proximity sensor having a first side surface, a second opposite side surface, and a sensor pad having an applied conductive material; and

directing the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor of the proximity sensor assembly via a segmented electrode having two or more segments overlapping at least the applied conductive material of one surface of the sensor pad of the proximity sensor and being in overlapping contact with an insulating layer, the insulating layer being between and in overlapping contact with the proximity sensor and the segmented electrode, the two or more segments including a window segment and a shield segment, the directing including repelling point charges through the applied conductive material of the proximity sensor from the shield segment and concentrating the point charges in the applied conductive material at the window segment.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein at least a first segment of the segmented electrode directs the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor and at least a second segment of the segmented electrode directs the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor differently than the first segment.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the directing operation comprises:

driving at least a first segment of the segmented electrode to operate as the shield segment in a first sweep time period to shield the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor from emanating through the shield segment; and

configuring at least a second segment of the segmented electrode as the window segment in the first sweep time period to allow the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor to emanate through the window segment from the proximity sensor assembly.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the directing operation further comprises:

amplifying the electric field emanating through the window segment by driving at least one shield segment of the segmented electrode to concentrate the point charges in proximity to the window segment.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the directing operation further comprises:

driving the first segment of the segmented electrode to operate as a shield segment in a second sweep time period to shield the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor from emanating through the first segment;

driving the second segment of the segmented electrode as a shield segment in the second sweep time period to shield the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor from emanating through the second segment; and

configuring a third segment of the segmented electrode as a window segment in the second sweep time period to allow the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor to emanate through the third segment from the proximity sensor assembly, the third segment being in overlapping contact with the insulating layer and overlapping the proximity sensor.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the proximity sensor assembly is configured to sweep the window segment along at least one dimension of the proximity sensor assembly over a sequence of sweep time periods.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

driving a first segment and a second segment of the segmented electrode concurrently, the first segment being driven to operate as a first electric field directing segment to direct the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor and the second segment being driven as a second electric field directing segment to direct the electric field generated by the point charges in the proximity sensor.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the driving operation comprises:

driving the first electric field directing segment differently than the second electric field directing segment over a sequence of sweep time periods to angularly sweep the electric field along at least one dimension of the proximity sensor assembly.

20. A proximity sensor assembly comprising:

means for generating an electric field emanating from the proximity sensor assembly; and

means for directing the electric field emanating from the proximity sensor assembly.