Matrix electrode design for three-dimensional e-filed sensor

• US 10,352,976 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Aubauer, Roland, Kaltner, Claus, Rosca, Lucian
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said, Mansour
• Application Number:
  US14/197,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

An electrode arrangement has a transmitting electrode configured to generate a quasi-static alternating electric field which extends into an observation area, a first electrode extending in a first direction and configured to be connected to an evaluation device as a receiving electrode, and a second electrode extending in a second direction different from the first direction wherein for evaluating disturbances of the quasi-static alternating electric field an enhanced sensitivity profile is obtained by combining the first and second electrode.

Claims

1. An electrode arrangement comprising:

a single transmitting electrode configured to generate a quasi-static alternating electric field which extends into an observation area;

a first receiving electrode extending in a first direction and configured to be connected to an evaluation device as a receiving electrode;

a second receiving electrode extending in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the single transmitting electrode covers or surrounds at least an area defined by the first and second receiving electrodes;

wherein for evaluating disturbances of the quasi-static alternating electric field caused by an object entering the electric field without touching the electrode arrangement, an enhanced sensitivity profile is obtained by combining signals from the first and second receiving electrodes to generate an electrode signal having the enhanced sensitivity profile.

2. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first and second receiving electrodes are combined by capacitively coupling the second receiving electrode with the first receiving electrode wherein the second receiving electrode is electrically floating or has a high impedance.

3. The electrode arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the capacitive coupling is realized by a discrete capacitor connected between the first and second receiving electrode.

4. The electrode arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the capacitive coupling is realized by a capacitive coupling path between the first and second receiving electrodes.

5. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first receiving electrode generates a first receiving signal and the second receiving electrode generates a second receiving signal and wherein the first and second signals are summed with controllable individual weights.

6. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the single transmitting electrode is arranged in a layer under the first and second receiving electrodes and being configured to generate the quasi-static electric field which is received by the first and second receiving electrodes.

7. The electrode arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the first and second receiving electrodes are arranged in different layers above the single transmitting electrode.

8. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, comprising

a plurality of parallel arranged first electrodes comprising the first receiving electrode;

a plurality of parallel arranged second electrodes arranged perpendicular to the first receiving electrode and comprising said second receiving electrode,

wherein first and second electrodes form a matrix.

9. The electrode arrangement according to claim 8, wherein each receiving electrode comprises a plurality of electrode segments connected in series.

10. The electrode arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each segment has the shape of a diamond.

11. The electrode arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each segment has the shape of a rhombus.

12. The electrode arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of parallel arranged first and second electrodes each comprise inner electrodes and outer electrodes, and wherein the outer electrodes form main receiving electrodes which are electrically connected with an evaluation device.

13. The electrode arrangement according to claim 12, wherein an outer electrode is capacitively coupled with inner electrodes that are arranged perpendicular to the outer electrode wherein the capacitive coupling between electrode segments of the inner electrodes is different to the respective capacitive coupling between the electrode segments of the inner electrodes and the outer electrode.

14. The electrode arrangement according to claim 12, wherein adjacent electrode segments of said plurality of parallel arranged first and second electrodes have a capacitive coupling defined by a distance between respective electrode segments and a first distance between the electrode segments of an outer electrode and the electrode segments of inner electrodes that are adjacent to the electrode segments of the outer electrode is different to a second distance between remaining adjacent electrode segments.

15. The electrode arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of parallel arranged first and second electrodes are arranged in different layers above the single transmitting electrode and wherein electrode segments of an outer electrode overlap partially with electrode segments of the inner electrodes being arranged perpendicular to the respective outer electrode.

16. The electrode arrangement according to claim 9, further comprising floating electrode segments arranged in spaces defined by the matrix.

17. The electrode arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of parallel arranged first and second electrodes each comprise inner electrodes and outer electrodes, and wherein the outer electrodes form receiving electrodes and the inner electrodes are each formed by a plurality of electrode segments connected in series.

18. The electrode arrangement according to claim 17, wherein each segment has the shape of a diamond.

19. The electrode arrangement according to claim 17, wherein each segment has the shape of a rhombus.

20. The electrode arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged in different layers above the single transmitting electrode.

21. A system comprising an electrode structure capable of evaluating three dimensional gestures and touching, comprising:

a controller having at least a first, second and third port, and

wherein the electrode structure comprises;

a single transmit electrode coupled with the first port;

a first electrode extending in a first direction and being coupled with the second port; and

a second electrode extending in a second direction different from said first direction and being coupled with the third port, wherein the second electrode is arranged with respect to the first electrode to provide for a capacitive coupling between the first and second electrode, and

wherein the single transmitting electrode covers or surrounds at least an area defined by the first and second receiving electrodes;

wherein the controller is configured to operate in either a first or a second operating mode, and wherein in a first operation mode;

the first port of the controller is configured to drive the transmit electrode to generate an alternating electric field;

the second port of the controller is configured to connect the first electrode with a detection unit for evaluating a signal received from said transmit electrode; and

the third port of the controller is configured to be in a high impedance state or electrically floating, wherein the capacitive coupling between the first and second electrode is chosen such that signals from the first electrode have a sensitivity profile which is enhanced by the second electrode;

and wherein in a second operation mode;

the second and third port of the controller are configured to couple the first and second electrode with a capacitance measurement unit.

22. The system according to claim 21, further comprising a plurality of third electrodes extending in the second direction.

23. The system according to claim 22, further comprising a plurality of second electrodes extending in the first direction, wherein first and second electrodes are arranged in a matrix.

24. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a multiplexer unit for selectively coupling one of the pluralities of second electrodes and one of the pluralities of third electrodes with said capacitance measurement unit when operating in said second mode.

25. The system according to claim 22, further comprising a multiplexer unit operable to either disconnect the pluralities of third electrodes from said controller or switch a ports connected with the pluralities of third electrodes into a high impedance state.

26. An electrode matrix structure for use in a three-dimensional positioning and gesture sensor arrangement and/or a projected capacitive touch sensor arrangement, comprising:

a first layer comprising a single transmit electrode;

a second layer comprising electrode elements arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein the electrode elements of each row and each column are connected to each other such that each row and column define a separate electrode line, respectively wherein the outer electrode lines define a left and right vertical electrode and a upper and lower horizontal electrode and wherein inner electrode lines formed by the inner rows and columns are arranged with respect to the left, right, upper, and lower horizontal electrodes such that the inner vertical electrode lines are capacitively coupled to the upper and lower electrodes to enhance the sensitivity of the upper and lower electrode lines and the inner horizontal electrode lines are capacitively coupled to the left and right electrodes to enhance the sensitivity of the left and right electrode lines, wherein the single transmit electrode covers or surrounds at least an area defined by the plurality of rows and columns, wherein a distance between electrode segments of the left or right electrode line and adjacent segments of an inner horizontal electrode line or a distance between electrode segments of the upper or lower electrode line and adjacent segments of an inner vertical electrode line is different than a distance between adjacent electrode segments of the inner vertical and horizontal electrode lines.

27. The electrode matrix according to claim 26, wherein electrode elements surrounded by the left and right vertical electrode and the upper and lower horizontal electrode are smaller than electrode elements of the left and right vertical electrode and the upper and lower horizontal electrode.

28. The electrode matrix according to claim 26, wherein each electrode of the matrix is rhombus shaped.

29. The electrode matrix according to claim 26, wherein each electrode of the matrix is diamond shaped.

30. The electrode matrix according to claim 26, comprising a third layer arranged between the first and second layer, wherein horizontal electrode lines are arranged in the second layer and vertical electrode lines are arranged in the third layer.

31. The electrode matrix according to claim 26, comprising a third layer arranged between the first and second layer, wherein vertical electrode lines are arranged in the second layer and horizontal electrode lines are arranged in the third layer.

32. The electrode matrix according to claim 26, comprising floating electrodes in spaces formed by said rows and columns.