CAPACITIVE SENSOR DEVICE
First Claim
1. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
- a first sensor electrode;
a second sensor electrode; and
a processing system coupled to said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode, said processing system configured to;
acquire a first capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a first electrical signal with said first sensor electrode,acquire a second capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a second electrical signal, wherein one of said first and second sensor electrodes performs said emitting and the other of said first and second sensor electrodes performs said receiving, wherein said first and second capacitive measurements are non-degenerate, anddetermine first positional information using said first and second capacitive measurements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive sensor device comprises a first sensor electrode, a second sensor electrode, and a processing system coupled to the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a first capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a first electrical signal with the first sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a second capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a second electrical signal, wherein one of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the emitting and the other of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the receiving, and wherein the first and second capacitive measurements are non-degenerate. The processing system is configured to determine positional information using the first and second capacitive measurements.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
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a first sensor electrode; a second sensor electrode; and a processing system coupled to said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode, said processing system configured to; acquire a first capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a first electrical signal with said first sensor electrode, acquire a second capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a second electrical signal, wherein one of said first and second sensor electrodes performs said emitting and the other of said first and second sensor electrodes performs said receiving, wherein said first and second capacitive measurements are non-degenerate, and determine first positional information using said first and second capacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of determining positional information using a capacitive sensor device comprising a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode, said method comprising:
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emitting and receiving a first electrical signal with said first sensor electrode to acquire a first capacitive measurement; emitting and receiving a second electrical signal to acquire a second capacitive measurement, wherein one of said first and second sensor electrodes performs said emitting and the other of said first and second sensor electrodes performs said receiving, and wherein said first and second capacitive measurements are non-degenerate; determining positional information using said first and second capacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
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a first plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a first axis; a second plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a second axis non-parallel to said first axis; and a processing system coupled to said first plurality of sensor electrodes and said second plurality of sensor electrodes, said processing system configured to; acquire a first plurality of capacitive measurements by emitting electrical signals from a first set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes and receiving said electrical signals from said first set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes with said first set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes, and acquire a second plurality of capacitive measurements by emitting electrical signals from a first set of said second plurality of sensor electrodes and receiving said electrical signals from said first set of said second plurality of sensor electrodes with a second set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said first and second sets of said first plurality of sensor electrodes have at least one sensor electrode in common. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of sensing using a capacitive sensor device comprising a first plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a first axis and a second plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a second axis non-parallel to said first axis, said method comprising:
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emitting electrical signals from a first set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes; receiving said electrical signals from said first set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes with a second set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes to acquire a first plurality of capacitive measurements; emitting electrical signals from said second set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein said first and second sets of said first plurality of sensor electrodes have at least one sensor electrode in common; and receiving second electrical signals from said second set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes with a first set of said second plurality of sensor electrodes to acquire a second plurality of capacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
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a first plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a first axis; a second plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a second axis non-parallel to said first axis, said second plurality of sensor electrodes forming a matrix pattern with said first plurality of sensor electrodes; and a processing system coupled to said first plurality of sensor electrodes and said second plurality of sensor electrodes, said processing system configured to; acquire a first plurality of capacitive measurements by emitting and receiving first electrical signals with said first plurality of sensor electrodes, make a first estimate of a position of at least one input object using said first plurality of capacitive measurements, select a first set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes and a first set of said second plurality of sensor electrodes using said first estimate, acquire a second plurality of capacitive measurements by emitting second electrical signals with one of said first sets of said first and second plurality of sensor electrodes and receiving said second electrical signals with another of said first sets of said first and second plurality of sensor electrodes, and make a second estimate of said position of said at least one input object using said second plurality of capacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of sensing using a capacitive sensor device comprising a first plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a first axis and a second plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a second axis non-parallel to said first axis, said method comprising:
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emitting and receiving first electrical signals with said first plurality of sensor electrodes to acquire a first plurality of capacitive measurements; making a set of first estimates of positions of at least one input object using said first plurality of capacitive measurements; determining a first set of said first plurality of sensor electrodes and a first set of said second plurality of sensor electrodes using said first set of estimates of said positions; emitting second electrical signals with one of said first sets of said first and second plurality of sensor electrodes and receiving said second electrical signals with the other of said first sets of first and second plurality of sensor electrodes to acquire a second plurality of capacitive measurements; and making a second estimate of said position of said at least one input object using said second plurality of capacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
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a first plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a first axis; a second plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a second axis non-parallel to said first axis, said second plurality of sensor electrodes forming a matrix pattern with said first plurality of sensor electrodes; and a processing system coupled to said first plurality of sensor electrodes and said second plurality of sensor electrodes, said processing system configured to; emit and receive first electrical signals with said first plurality of sensor electrodes during a first time period to acquire a first plurality of capacitive measurements, electrically guard said first plurality of sensor electrodes by modulating said second plurality of sensor electrodes during said first time period, emit second electrical signals with said second plurality of sensor electrodes during a second time period different from said first time period, receive said second electrical signals with said first plurality of sensor electrodes during said second time period to acquire a second plurality of capacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of sensing using a capacitive sensor device comprising a first plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a first axis and a second plurality of sensor electrodes aligned along a second axis non-parallel to said first axis, said method comprising:
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emitting and receiving first electrical signals with said first plurality of sensor electrodes during a first time period to acquire a first plurality of capacitive measurements; modulating sensor electrodes of said second plurality of sensor electrodes during said first time period, to electrically guard said first plurality of sensor electrodes; emitting second electrical signals with said second plurality of sensor electrodes during a second time period different from said first time period; and receiving said second electrical signals with said first plurality of sensor electrodes during said second time period to acquire a second plurality of capacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
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a transmitting assembly comprising a plurality of transmitting sensor electrodes; and a receiving assembly comprising; at least one receiving sensor electrode; a switching mechanism configured for charging said at least one receiving sensor electrode to a charged voltage; and a charge measurement mechanism adapted to control said charged voltage applied to an input of said charge measurement mechanism using a reference voltage, wherein said reference voltage has a substantially constant voltage; wherein said capacitive sensor device is configured for use with both absolute and transcapacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A capacitive sensor device comprising:
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a transmitting assembly comprising a plurality of transmitter sensor electrodes coupled with at least two electric potentials via a plurality of switches; and a receiving assembly comprising; at least one receiving sensor electrode; a switching mechanism configured for charging said at least one receiving sensor electrode to a charged voltage; and a charge measurement mechanism adapted to control said charged voltage applied to an input of said charge measurement mechanism using a reference voltage, wherein said reference voltage has a substantially constant voltage, and wherein said charge measurement mechanism comprises; an amplifier; a reset; and an integrating feedback capacitance coupled with said amplifier adapted to accumulate charge relative to said reference voltage, wherein said reference voltage has a substantially constant voltage; wherein said charge measurement mechanism uses said amplifier to control a charge on said integrating feedback capacitance based at least in part on said reference voltage; wherein said capacitive sensor device is configured for use with both absolute and transcapacitive measurements. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification