Capacitive-based rotational positioning input device
First Claim
1. An input device of an electronic device comprising:
- an electrode base including a first array of circumferentially spaced sense electrodes, an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective sense electrodes, and at least one drive electrode;
a code wheel rotatably mounted and vertically spaced relative to the electrode base, the code wheel including an array of circumferentially spaced apart conductive portions and an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective conductive portions of the code wheel; and
a controller configured to capture user inputs based on an output signal produced via capacitive coupling of the at least one drive electrode of the electrode base, via the code wheel, to the respective sense electrodes of the electrode base.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An input device includes an electrode base and a code wheel rotatably mounted and vertically spaced relative to the electrode base. The electrode base includes a first array of circumferentially spaced sense electrodes, an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective sense electrodes, and at least one drive electrode. The code wheel includes an array of circumferentially spaced apart conductive portions and an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective conductive portions of the code wheel. The controller is configured to capture user inputs based on an output signal produced via capacitive coupling of the at least one drive electrode of the electrode base, via the code wheel, to the respective sense electrodes of the electrode base.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An input device of an electronic device comprising:
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an electrode base including a first array of circumferentially spaced sense electrodes, an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective sense electrodes, and at least one drive electrode; a code wheel rotatably mounted and vertically spaced relative to the electrode base, the code wheel including an array of circumferentially spaced apart conductive portions and an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective conductive portions of the code wheel; and a controller configured to capture user inputs based on an output signal produced via capacitive coupling of the at least one drive electrode of the electrode base, via the code wheel, to the respective sense electrodes of the electrode base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of capturing rotational user inputs for an electronic device, the method comprising:
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mounting an electrically passive disc in a rotatable, vertically spaced relationship relative to a stationary base, the disc including a plurality of spaced apart radially oriented conductive portions and the base including a first sense electrode and a first drive electrode arranged along a common radial orientation relative to each other; sensing a rotational position of the disc relative to the stationary base to capture a rotational user input signal that corresponds to a position signal based on a capacitively coupled overlap between at least one of the conductive portions of the disc relative to both the first sense electrode and the first drive electrode of the base; and activating a function of the electronic device via a tilting movement of the disc to apply a releasable force against one dome switch of a plurality of dome switches mounted on the first disc, the respective dome switches mounted underneath the disc on the base adjacent to the first sense electrode and the first drive electrode. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electronic device comprising:
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a display including a positional identifier viewable on the display; an input device comprising; an electrode base including an array of circumferentially spaced apart spokes and an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective spokes, wherein each respective spoke comprises at least one sense electrode and a drive electrode; a code wheel rotatably mounted and vertically spaced relative to the electrode base, the code wheel including an array of circumferentially spaced apart conductive spokes and an array of non-conductive portions interposed between adjacent respective conductive spokes of the code wheel; and a controller configured to direct movement of the positional identifier in at least one of a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction, the movement based on a rotational position of the code wheel relative to the electrode base, the rotational user input being determined from an output signal produced via capacitive coupling of the drive electrode of the electrode base, via the code wheel, to the at least one sense electrode of the electrode base, wherein a magnitude of the output signal is determined from a degree of overlap of the respective conductive spokes of the code wheel relative to the respective at least one sense electrodes of the respective spokes of the electrode base. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification