CAPACITIVE MOTION DETECTION DEVICE AND INPUT DEVICE USING THE SAME

• US 20090284465A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takai, Daisuke, Inagaki, Kazuya, Haga, Nobuaki, Oki, Toshiyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/511,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284465A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

When the mode is switched to a motion detection mode, using a changeover switch, the mode is switched to the motion detection mode by pressing the changeover switch. In this mode, motion detection is performed by moving a hand in an area to be operated. When the mode is switched from the motion detection mode to a normal mode, the hand is moved away from the area to be operated, or the changeover switch is again pressed. Moreover, when the hand is distant from a capacitive sensor, it is determined that a motion input operation is being performed. When the hand is close to the capacitive sensor, it is determined that no motion input operation is being performed, and thus the motion detection mode is changed.

Claims

1. A capacitive motion detection device comprising:

two or more detection electrode/drive electrode pairs in each of which a capacitance is formed between a detection electrode and a drive electrode;

motion detecting means for performing noncontact motion detection of an object to be detected in an area to be operated in two or more axis directions from a variation in a capacitance obtained in each of the detection electrode/drive electrode pairs; and

switching means for switching a mode to a mode of the motion detection.

2. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 1, wherein the switching means is a capacitive sensor, and when a capacitance detected by the capacitive sensor is less than a predetermined threshold value, the mode is switched to the mode of the motion detection.

3. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 2, further comprising:

input means operated by the object to be detected,

wherein the capacitive sensor is disposed near the input means.

4. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 3, wherein the threshold value is set so that the capacitance detected by the capacitive sensor exceeds the threshold value while the input means is being operated.

5. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 3, wherein the input means is a capacitive position input device and also functions as the capacitive sensor.

6. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 3, wherein the input means is a keyboard, and at least one of electrodes of the capacitive sensor is disposed on a front side of the keyboard.

7. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 1, wherein the switching means is a capacitive sensor, and when a capacitance detected by the capacitive sensor is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, the mode is switched to a mode in which the motion detection is not performed.

8. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 7, further comprising:

input means operated by the object to be detected,

wherein the capacitive sensor is disposed near the input means.

9. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 8, wherein the threshold value is set so that the capacitance detected by the capacitive sensor exceeds the threshold value while the input means is being operated.

10. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 8, wherein the input means is a capacitive position input device and also functions as the capacitive sensor.

11. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 8, wherein the input means is a keyboard, and at least one of electrodes of the capacitive sensor is disposed on a front side of the keyboard.

12. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 1, wherein an electrode in at least one of the detection electrode/drive electrode pairs is set as a drive electrode when a motion in one axis direction is detected and is set as a detection electrode when a motion in another axis direction is detected.

13. The capacitive motion detection device according to claim 1, wherein the switching means is a changeover switch, and when the changeover switch has been operated or when the changeover switch is being operated, the mode is switched to the mode of the motion detection.

14. An input device comprising:

a device main body that includes the capacitive motion detection device according to claim 1; and

control means for operating the device main body on the basis of detection of a motion of the object to be detected, the detection being performed by the capacitive motion detection device, the control means being included in the device main body.