Capacitive sensing using a repeated pattern of sensing elements
First Claim
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1. A capacitance sensing apparatus for sensing an object proximate to a sensing region, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of different-sized first sensing elements coupled to a first electrical conductor, wherein a first measure of a sensor signal output on said first electrical conductor corresponds at least in part to the size of a first sensing element proximate to said object;
a plurality of different-sized second sensing elements coupled to a second electrical conductor, wherein a second measure of a sensor signal output on said second electrical conductor corresponds at least in part to the size of a second sensing element proximate to said object; and
a plurality of different-sized third sensing elements coupled to a third electrical conductor, wherein a third measure of a sensor signal output on said third electrical conductor corresponds at least in part to the size of a third sensing element proximate to said object;
wherein said first sensing elements, said second sensing elements and said third sensing elements are arranged stripe-like in a repeating pattern along an axis in said sensing region and wherein said first, second and third measures together indicate an unambiguous position along said axis.
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Abstract
A repeated pattern of sensing elements can be used to indicate an unambiguous position along an axis in a sensing region. For example, different-sized sensing elements can be arranged in a repeating pattern, and the relative measures of their respective output signals can be used to identify a position in the sensing region.
18 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A capacitance sensing apparatus for sensing an object proximate to a sensing region, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of different-sized first sensing elements coupled to a first electrical conductor, wherein a first measure of a sensor signal output on said first electrical conductor corresponds at least in part to the size of a first sensing element proximate to said object; a plurality of different-sized second sensing elements coupled to a second electrical conductor, wherein a second measure of a sensor signal output on said second electrical conductor corresponds at least in part to the size of a second sensing element proximate to said object; and a plurality of different-sized third sensing elements coupled to a third electrical conductor, wherein a third measure of a sensor signal output on said third electrical conductor corresponds at least in part to the size of a third sensing element proximate to said object; wherein said first sensing elements, said second sensing elements and said third sensing elements are arranged stripe-like in a repeating pattern along an axis in said sensing region and wherein said first, second and third measures together indicate an unambiguous position along said axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A capacitance sensing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of sensing elements arranged side-by-side along an axis in a sensing region and comprising; a plurality of first sensing elements coupled in parallel to a first electrical conductor; a plurality of second sensing elements interdigitated with said first sensing elements and coupled in parallel to a second electrical conductor; and a plurality of third sensing elements interdigitated with said first sensing elements and said second sensing elements and coupled in series to a third electrical conductor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of sensing an object proximate to a sensing region, said method comprising:
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receiving a first measure of a sensor signal that is output on a first electrical conductor coupled to a plurality of different-sized first sensing elements, wherein said first measure corresponds to the sizes of said first sensing elements in sensing range of said object; receiving a second measure of a sensor signal that is output on a second electrical conductor coupled to a plurality of different-sized second sensing elements, wherein said second measure corresponds to the sizes of said second sensing elements in sensing range of said object; receiving a third measure of a sensor signal that is output on a third electrical conductor coupled to a plurality of different-sized third sensing elements, wherein said third measure corresponds to the sizes of said third sensing elements in sensing range of said object, wherein said first sensing elements, said second sensing elements and said third sensing elements are arranged stripe-like in a repeating pattern along an axis in said sensing region; and identifying an unambiguous position along said axis using said first, second and third measures. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification