One layer capacitive sensing apparatus having varying width sensing elements
First Claim
1. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
- a first sensing element having varying width; and
a second sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element and second sensing element are conductive and form a loop, each of said first sensing element and said second sensing element is located such that said first sensing element and second sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine an angular position of an object relative to said loop in a two-dimensional space.
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Abstract
One embodiment in accordance with the invention includes a two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus. The two-dimensional capacitive sensor can include a first sensing element having varying width, a second sensing element having varying width, and a third sensing element having varying width. Additionally, the first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are substantially parallel to a first axis. Furthermore, each of the first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element can be located such that they are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along the first axis of a two-dimensional space. Moreover, the first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element can have a cumulative width that is substantially constant.
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Citations
67 Claims
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1. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
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a first sensing element having varying width; and
a second sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element and second sensing element are conductive and form a loop, each of said first sensing element and said second sensing element is located such that said first sensing element and second sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine an angular position of an object relative to said loop in a two-dimensional space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
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a first sensing element having varying width;
a second sensing element having varying width; and
a third sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element form a substantially circular pattern, and are located such that said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine an angular position of an object relative to said substantially circular pattern in a two-dimensional space, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element provide a cumulative output signal that is substantially constant at different locations along said substantially circular pattern. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus which does not require overlapping sensing elements comprising:
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a first sensing element that is conductive;
a second sensing element that is conductive; and
a third sensing element that is conductive, wherein the shape of said second sensing element is defined by the shape of said first sensing element and the shape of said third sensing element, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element form a loop for determining an angular location of an object relative to said loop within a two-dimensional space. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
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a first sensing element having varying width;
a second sensing element having varying width; and
a third sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are conductive and substantially parallel to a first axis, each of said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are located such that said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space, and wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element have a cumulative width that is substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
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a first sensing element having varying width and is conductive;
a second sensing element having varying width and is conductive; and
a third sensing element having varying width and is conductive, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are substantially parallel to a first axis and are located such that said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element provide a cumulative output signal that is substantially constant at different locations along said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus that does not require overlapping sensing elements comprising:
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a first conductive trace including a first plurality of extensions that are substantially parallel to each other and are substantially non-parallel to a first axis of said first conductive trace, said first plurality of extensions cumulatively defines an envelope in the shape of a first waveform;
a second conductive trace including a second plurality of extensions that are substantially parallel to each other and are substantially non-parallel to said first axis of said second conductive trace, said second plurality of extensions cumulatively defines an envelope in the shape of a second waveform; and
a third conductive trace including a third plurality of extensions that are substantially parallel to each other and are substantially non-parallel to said first axis of said third conductive trace, said third plurality of extensions cumulatively defines an envelope in the shape of a third waveform, wherein said first, second, and third conductive traces are used for determining a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a two-dimensional capacitive sensor; and
a processor coupled with said two-dimensional capacitive sensor;
wherein said two-dimensional capacitive sensor comprises;
a first sensing element having varying width;
a second sensing element having varying width; and
a third sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are each conductive and substantially parallel to a first axis, each of said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element is located such that said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element have a cumulative width that is substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a two-dimensional capacitive sensor; and
a processor coupled with said two-dimensional capacitive sensor;
wherein said two-dimensional capacitive sensor comprises;
a first sensing element having varying width;
a second sensing element having varying width; and
a third sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are conductive and disposed along a loop, each of said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element is located such that said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine an angular location of an object relative to said loop within a two-dimensional space, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element have a cumulative width that is substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
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a substrate;
a first conductive trace having varying width and disposed above said substrate;
a second conductive trace having varying width and disposed above said substrate; and
a third conductive trace having varying width and disposed above said substrate, wherein said first, second, and third conductive traces are substantially parallel to a first axis and are located such that each does not require overlap of said first, second, and third conductive traces to determine a first axis location. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
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a first sensing element having varying width;
a second sensing element having varying width; and
a third sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are conductive and form a curved path, each of said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element is located such that said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a radial location along said curved path of a two-dimensional space, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element have a cumulative width that is substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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Specification