Information processing apparatus, position detecting apparatus and sensing part for performing a detection operation

• US 20090207150A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Obi, Katsuhito, Horie, Toshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a casing, an operation surface disposed at a predetermined location of the casing and being operable from outside the casing, a first sense unit disposed under the operation surface to electrically detect contact on the operation surface, and a second sense unit disposed under the operation surface and the first sense unit to detect a position of an external position pointing device with respect to the operation surface based on electromagnetic interaction generated between said second sense unit and said external position pointing device, and an auxiliary conductor disposed between the first sense unit and the second sense unit, the auxiliary conductor including a flat surface portion and a slit portion extending from one end of said flat surface portion to an inside of the flat surface portion.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a casing;

an operation surface disposed at a predetermined location of the casing and being operable from outside the casing;

a first sense unit disposed under said operation surface to electrically detect contact on said operation surface;

a second sense unit disposed under said operation surface and said first sense unit to detect a position of an external position pointing device with respect to the operation surface based on electromagnetic interaction generated between said second sense unit and an external position pointing device; and

an auxiliary conductor disposed between said first sense unit and said second sense unit, said auxiliary conductor having a flat surface portion and a slit portion extending from one end of the flat surface portion to an inside of said flat surface portion.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said second sense unit is an electromagnetic sense unit including a plurality of loop coils to detect the position of the external position pointing device based on electromagnetic interaction generated between the external position pointing device and said loop coils; and

the slit portion provided in said auxiliary conductor does not hinder electromagnetic interaction generated between said external position pointing device and said loop coils.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said first sense unit is a sense unit for detecting change of electrostatic capacitance generated between a first detecting electrode and a second detecting electrode when said operation surface is touched from outside the casing; and

said auxiliary conductor is a ground electric potential portion of said first sense unit.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a shield member provided on a lower portion of said second sense unit.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a display portion and a display control unit for controlling a position of the pointer displayed on said display portion based on detection by said first and second sense units.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said display control unit reflects a change in a contact position detected by said first sense unit on said operation surface by changing a relative display position of the pointer and also reflects a change in a close position or a contact position detected by said second sense unit on said operation surface by changing an absolute display position of the pointer.

7. A computer apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a plurality of electronic components disposed therein; and

a position detecting unit having an operation surface exposed outside the housing, the position detecting unit including an electrostatic component, an electromagnetic component, and a reference conductor disposed between the electrostatic component and the electromagnetic component, the reference conductor having a planar shape and at least one elongated cut-out portion extending into the planar shape from one side of the reference conductor toward another side of the reference conductor.

8. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the position detecting unit is capable of detecting when the operation surface is contacted and is capable of detecting when an external pointing device having a corresponding electromagnetic component approaches the operation surface.

9. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the position detecting unit detects a position of contact on the operation surface.

10. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an eddy current is generated in the reference conductor by operation of the electromagnetic component, the eddy current being limited in magnitude by the elongated cut-out portion.

11. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a display screen for displaying a pointer that is moved therealong based on a position of contact on the operation surface detected by the positioned detecting unit.

12. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electrostatic component comprises a capacitive sensor that detects contact on the operation surface based on changes in capacitance.

13. The computer apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises:

a first array of elongated conductors disposed below the operation surface and extending in a first direction; and

a second array of elongated conductors disposed below the first array of elongated conductors and extending in a second direction, the first and second directions being different from each other, and the changes in capacitance being detected between the first and second elongated conductors with reference to an electrostatic potential of the reference conductor.

14. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic component comprises an electromagnetic sensor that detects electromagnetic interaction with an external pointing device.

15. The computer apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic sensor comprises:

a first array of loop coils disposed below the electrostatic component and extending in a first direction; and

a second array of loop coils disposed below the first array of elongated conductors and extending in a second direction, the first and second directions being different from each other, and the first and second loop coils interacting with the external pointing device via electromagnetic waves.

16. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the electronic components is disposed beneath the position detecting unit in the casing.

17. The computer apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a conductive shield plate is disposed between the position detecting unit and the at least one electronic component disposed beneath the position detecting unit.

18. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electrostatic and electromagnetic components of the position detecting unit comprise a plurality of conductive and insulative layers alternatingly formed under the operation surface.

19. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reference conductor is a ground plate.

20. The computer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one elongated cut-out portion extends diagonally across the reference conductor.

21. A position detecting apparatus, comprising:

an operation surface;

a first sense unit to detect contact on said operation surface; and

a second sense unit to detect a position of an external position pointing device with respect to the operation surface based on electromagnetic interaction generated between the external position pointing device and said second sense unit; and

an auxiliary conductor disposed between said first sense unit and said second sense unit, said auxiliary conductor including a flat surface portion and a slit portion extending from one end of said flat surface portion to an inside of said flat surface portion.

22. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said auxiliary conductor has a plurality of slit portions formed in said flat surface portion.

23. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said plurality of slit portions include straight slits extending parallel to each other.

24. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

said second sense unit is an electromagnetic sense unit including a plurality of loop coils to detect the position of said external position pointing device based on the electromagnetic interaction generated between said external position pointing device and said loop coils; and

said loop coils and the slit portion provided on said auxiliary conductor do not hinder the electromagnetic interaction generated between said external position pointing device and said loop coils.

25. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

said first sense unit is an electrostatic capacitance detecting unit to detect an operation applied to said operation surface based on a change in electrostatic capacitance between a first detecting electrode and a second detecting electrode; and

said auxiliary conductor is a ground electric potential portion of said electrostatic capacitance detecting unit.

26. A position detecting apparatus, comprising:

at least one inductive component having electromagnetic characteristics;

at least one capacitive component disposed adjacent to the at least one inductive component and having electrostatic characteristics; and

at least one ground plate disposed between the at least one inductive component and the at least one capacitive component, the at least one ground plate having at least one elongated slit formed therein,

wherein the at least one inductive component generates an eddy current in the at least one ground plate, and the at least one elongated slit prevents the eddy current from flowing around the entire ground plate.

27. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising:

a detecting surface being engageable by an external object,

wherein the at least one capacitive component detects a position of the external object if the external object contacts the detecting surface and the at least one inductive component detects a position of the external object if the external object includes another inductive component that interacts therewith.

28. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the elongated slit extends across a majority of the ground plate without extending through the entire ground plate.

29. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the elongated slit is curved.

30. The position detecting apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the ground plate comprises:

a first ground plate having a comb shape with a first plurality of elongated conductors defining a first plurality of slits therebetween; and

a second ground plate having a comb shape with a second plurality of elongated conductors defining a second plurality of slits therebetween, the first and second ground plates being arranged such that the first elongated conductors are disposed in the second slits without contacting the second elongated conductors, and the second elongated conductors are disposed in the first slits without contacting the first elongated conductors.

31. A position detecting device usable with a computer apparatus, the device comprising:

an operation surface;

a sensing unit to detect interactions with the operation surface, the sensing unit including a first sensor disposed under the operation surface and a second sensor disposed below the first sensor; and

a reference voltage plate associated with at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor, the reference voltage plate having a cut out area.

32. A position detecting device usable with a computer apparatus, the device comprising:

an operation surface;

an electromagnetic sensing part disposed below the operation surface to detect an external object having an inductive component as the external object approaches or contacts the operation surface; and

a ground plate disposed adjacent to the electromagnetic sensing part, the ground plate having a shape that corresponds to the operation surface with at least one elongated slit extending thereacross.

33. An operation detecting sense part disposed under an operation surface, comprising:

a first sense unit to detect contact on said operation surface;

a second sense unit to detect a position of an external position pointing device with reference to said operation surface based on electromagnetic interaction generated between said sense unit and the external position pointing device; and

an auxiliary conductor disposed between said first sense unit and said second sense unit, the auxiliary conductor including a flat surface portion and a slit portion extending from one end of said flat surface portion to an inside of said flat surface portion.

34. A position detecting device usable with a computer apparatus, the device comprising:

an electromagnetic pointing device;

an operation surface;

an electromagnetic sensing part disposed below the operation surface to detect said electromagnetic pointing device as said electromagnetic pointing device approaches or contacts the operation surface;

an electrostatic sensing part disposed above said electromagnetic sensing part and below the operation surface for detecting contact of said operation surface by a user'"'"'s finger; and

a ground plate disposed adjacent to the electromagnetic sensing part, the ground plate having a shape that corresponds to the operation surface and at least one elongated slit extending thereacross.