DUAL- SIDED TRACK PAD
First Claim
1. A track pad device, comprising:
- a capacitive array element and a display element connected to and physically configurable with respect to each other, the capacitive array element having a first surface and an opposing second surface;
wherein the capacitive array element further comprises;
a plurality of first sensing lines for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the first surface,a plurality of second sensing lines for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object come into close proximity to, or touches the second surface, anda plurality of driving lines formed between the first and second sensing lines on a single layer and configured for interacting with the plurality of first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second surfaces.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system including a capacitive array element capable of sensing touch from either side is described. A connected processor unit, either in the device or the host system, may be adapted to interpret signals from the capacitive array element as a cursor or view movement with six degrees of freedom. The track pad device may include a display element and the capacitive array element may be translucent. The display element and the array element may be configured with respect to each other, where different configurations can be associated with different operating modes. For example, when the array element lies over the display screen so that the display screen is viewable through the array element, the array element can function as a touch screen. In another configuration, the array element may generate signals indicating a user'"'"'s touch from one or the other or both sides of the array element.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A track pad device, comprising:
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a capacitive array element and a display element connected to and physically configurable with respect to each other, the capacitive array element having a first surface and an opposing second surface; wherein the capacitive array element further comprises; a plurality of first sensing lines for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the first surface, a plurality of second sensing lines for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object come into close proximity to, or touches the second surface, and a plurality of driving lines formed between the first and second sensing lines on a single layer and configured for interacting with the plurality of first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 37)
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24. A control apparatus for an electronic device comprising:
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a translucent panel including one or more layers, the translucent panel having a first side and an opposing second side, with the translucent panel including capacitive arrays for producing signals in response to contact, the contact being either on the first side or on the second side; and a display screen, wherein the translucent panel and the display screen are physically configurable with respect to one another and the control apparatus may be configured for viewing the display screen through the translucent panel; and wherein the translucent panel further comprises a plurality of first sensing lines for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the first side, a plurality of second sensing lines for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the second side, and a plurality of driving lines formed between the first and second sensing lines on a single layer and configured for interacting with the first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second sides. - View Dependent Claims (25, 39)
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26. A method of graphical user interface manipulation comprising:
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capacitively coupling drive signals from a plurality of drive lines in a single drive layer positioned between first and second sense layers of a capacitive array element onto a plurality of sense lines on each of the first and second sense layers to form capacitive sensing nodes, the first and second sense layers adjacent to first and second surfaces; receiving from the capacitive array element a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance generated when an object comes into close proximity, or touches, the first surface of the capacitive array element and a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance generated when an object comes into close proximity, or touches, the second surface of the capacitive array element; and manipulating the graphical user interface according to the first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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31. (canceled)
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38. (canceled)
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40. A method of forming a dual-sided substantially transparent capacitive touch sensitive array element, comprising:
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sandwiching a single driving layer containing a plurality of driving lines formed from a substantially transparent conductive material between a first sensing layer containing first sensing lines formed from the substantially transparent conductive material and a second sensing layer containing second sensing lines formed from the substantially transparent conductive material; wherein the driving lines are oriented non-parallel with respect to the first sensing lines and the second sensing lines to form touch sensing nodes for first and second sides of the touch sensitive array element, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A track pad device, comprising:
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a display element; and a capacitive array element connected to and physically configurable with respect to the display element, the capacitive array element having a first surface and an opposing second surface; wherein the track pad device is adapted to enable or disable control apparatus functions according to a configuration of the capacitive array element and the display element, the control apparatus functions being programmably variable; wherein the capacitive array element further comprises a plurality of first sensing lines for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the first surface, a plurality of second sensing lines for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the second surface and a plurality of driving lines formed between the first and second sensing lines on a single layer and configured for interacting with the first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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46. A dual touch surface capacitive array element, comprising:
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a plurality of first sensing lines in a first sensing layer for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches a first surface; a plurality of second sensing lines in a second sensing layer for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches a second surface; and a plurality of driving lines in a first driving layer between the first and second sensing layers and configured for interacting with the first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A method for providing dual surface touch sensing, comprising:
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capacitively coupling drive signals from a plurality of drive lines in a drive layer positioned between first and second sense layers onto a plurality of sense lines in each of the first and second sense layers, the first and second sense layers adjacent to first and second opposing surfaces of a capacitive array element; and generating a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance between a drive line in the drive layer and a sense line in the first sense layer when an object comes in close proximity to, or touches, the first surface, and generating a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance between a drive line in the drive layer and a sense line in the second sense layer when an object comes in close proximity to, or touches, the second surface.
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Specification