Off-Center Sensor Target Region

• US 20140267133A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Steuer, Paul R., Merrell, Thomas Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,506,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

In embodiments of an off-center sensor target region, a capacitive sensor can include a target region that is located off-center relative to a center of the sensor. A touch input to the target region of the capacitive sensor can be determined to be valid sensor input and a touch contact that correlates to the center of the capacitive sensor can be determined to be false sensor input. The target region of the capacitive sensor can correspond to a selectable control that is selectable by a user to initiate a device function.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensor comprising a target region located off-center relative to a center of the capacitive sensor, a touch input to the target region determinable as a valid sensor input and a touch contact that correlates to the center of the capacitive sensor determinable as a false sensor input.

2. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the target region comprises less than an entirety of the capacitive sensor.

3. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the target region is located off-center relative to the center of the capacitive sensor in one of an x-direction from the center of the capacitive sensor, or a y-direction from the center of the capacitive sensor.

4. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the target region is located off-center relative to the center of the capacitive sensor in both an x-direction and a y-direction from the center of the capacitive sensor.

5. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the touch input to the target region is determinable as the valid sensor input if a center of the touch input correlates to a center of the target region.

6. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 5, wherein the touch input to the target region is further determinable as the valid sensor input if the center of the touch input does not correlate to the center of the capacitive sensor.

7. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 6, wherein the touch input to the target region is further determinable as the valid sensor input if a contact area of the touch input does not extend beyond a boundary of the target region.

8. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the touch contact proximate the center of the capacitive sensor is determinable as the false sensor input when a center of the touch contact correlates to the center of the capacitive sensor.

9. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the target region corresponds to a selectable control that is configured for user selection to initiate a device function.

10. A device, comprising:

a capacitive sensor including a target region located off-center relative to a center of the capacitive sensor, the capacitive sensor configured to detect a touch input;

a selectable control that is located at the target region and configured for user selection to initiate a device function;

a processing system to implement a sensor input module that is configured to;

determine a center of the touch input based on a contact area of the touch input on the capacitive sensor; and

determine that the touch input to the selectable control is a valid sensor input if the center of the touch input correlates to a center of the target region.

11. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the sensor input module is further configured to determine that the touch input to the selectable control is a valid sensor input if the center of the touch input does not correlate to the center of the capacitive sensor.

12. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the sensor input module is further configured to determine that the touch input to the selectable control is a valid sensor input if the contact area of the touch input does not extend beyond a boundary of the target region.

13. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the target region is located off-center relative to the center of the capacitive sensor in one of an x-direction or a y-direction from the center of the capacitive sensor.

14. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the target region is located off-center relative to the center of the capacitive sensor in both an x-direction and a y-direction from the center of the capacitive sensor.

15. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the sensor input module is configured to determine that a touch contact proximate the center of the capacitive sensor is a false sensor input if a center of the touch contact correlates to the center of the capacitive sensor.

16. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein:

a touch contact that covers the target region and the capacitive sensor has a touch contact center that correlates to the center of the capacitive sensor; and

the sensor input module is configured to determine that the touch contact that covers the target region and the capacitive sensor is a false sensor input.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving a sensor input from a capacitive sensor that detects a touch input, the capacitive sensor including a target region located off-center relative to a center of the capacitive sensor;

determining a center of the touch input based on a contact area of the touch input on the capacitive sensor;

comparing the center of the touch input to a center of the target region; and

determining that the touch input is a valid sensor input if the center of the touch input correlates to the center of the target region.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising determining that the touch input is a valid sensor input if the center of the touch input does not correlate to the center of the capacitive sensor.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

comparing the center of the touch input to the center of the capacitive sensor; and

determining that the touch input is a false sensor input if the center of the touch input correlates to the center of the capacitive sensor.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising determining that a touch contact on the capacitive sensor that covers the target region and the capacitive sensor is a false sensor input.

21. A capacitive sensor comprising a target region that is offset relative to a particular location of the capacitive sensor, a touch input to the target region determinable as a valid sensor input and a touch contact that correlates to the particular location of the capacitive sensor determinable as false sensor input.

22. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 21, wherein the particular location of the capacitive sensor does not correspond to a center of the capacitive sensor.

23. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 21, wherein the particular location of the capacitive sensor corresponds to a center of the capacitive sensor.

24. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 21, wherein the target region corresponds to a selectable control comprising a physical indicator on a device and configured for user selection to initiate a device function.

25. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 21, wherein the target region corresponds to a selectable control comprising a visual indicator on a device and configured for user selection to initiate a device function.

26. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 21, wherein the target region is offset relative to the particular location of the capacitive sensor in one of an x-direction from the particular location of the capacitive sensor, or a y-direction from the particular location of the capacitive sensor.

27. The capacitive sensor as recited in claim 21, wherein the target region is offset relative to the particular location of the capacitive sensor in both an x-direction and a y-direction from the center of the capacitive sensor.