MULTI-AXIS CAPACITIVE SENSOR
First Claim
1. A capacitive sensing apparatus configured to enable the determination of positions of multiple objects concurrently disposed within a capacitive sensing region, said capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
- a capacitive sensor array comprising;
a first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a first axis;
a second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a second axis; and
a third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a third axis, wherein said first axis, said second axis, and said third axis are oriented sufficiently non-parallel with respect to each other such that indicia received from said first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, said second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, and said third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes can be used to enable said determination of said positions of said multiple objects concurrently disposed within said capacitive sensing region.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for determining the position of multiple objects concurrently disposed within a capacitive sensing region are described. In one embodiment, indicia are received from a first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a first axis. Indicia are received from a second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a second axis, wherein the second axis is oriented non-parallel to the first axis. Indicia are received from a third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a third axis, wherein the third axis is oriented non-parallel to the first axis and the second axis. Then, the indicia received from the first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, the indicia received from the second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, and the indicia received from the third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes is used to determine the positions of the multiple objects concurrently disposed within the capacitive sensing region.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A capacitive sensing apparatus configured to enable the determination of positions of multiple objects concurrently disposed within a capacitive sensing region, said capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:
a capacitive sensor array comprising; a first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a first axis; a second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a second axis; and a third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a third axis, wherein said first axis, said second axis, and said third axis are oriented sufficiently non-parallel with respect to each other such that indicia received from said first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, said second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, and said third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes can be used to enable said determination of said positions of said multiple objects concurrently disposed within said capacitive sensing region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
8. A capacitive sensing device comprising:
-
a capacitive sensor array configured to enable the determination of positions of n objects concurrently disposed within a capacitive sensing region wherein n is at least 2, said capacitive sensor array comprising; n+1 sets of capacitive sensor electrodes, each of said n+1 sets of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a respective axis of n+1 axes;
said n+1 axes oriented sufficiently non-parallel with respect to each other such that indicia received from said n+1 sets of capacitive sensor electrodes can be used to enable said determination of said positions of said n objects concurrently disposed within said capacitive sensing region; anda controller coupled to receive said indicia from said n+1 sets of capacitive sensor electrodes, said controller configured to utilize said indicia to determine said positions of said n objects concurrently disposed within said capacitive sensing region. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for determining the position of multiple objects concurrently disposed within a capacitive sensing region, said method comprising:
-
receiving indicia from a first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a first axis; receiving indicia from a second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a second axis, wherein said second axis is oriented non-parallel to said first axis; receiving indicia from a third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes oriented along a third axis, wherein said third axis is oriented non-parallel to said first axis and said second axis; and determining from said indicia received from said first plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, said indicia received from said second plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, and said indicia received from said third plurality of capacitive sensor electrodes, positions of said multiple objects concurrently disposed within said capacitive sensing region. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A controller configured to determine the position of multiple objects concurrently disposed within a capacitive sensing region, said controller comprising:
-
a receiving portion, said receiving portion configured to receive indicia from at least three sets of capacitive sensing electrodes; and a multiple position determiner coupled to said receiving portion, said multiple position determiner configured to utilize said indicia from said least three sets of capacitive sensing electrodes to determine said position of said multiple objects concurrently disposed within said capacitive sensing region. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
-
Specification