PROJECTOR ELECTRODES FOR EXTENDING SENSITIVITY RANGE OF PROXIMITY SENSOR
First Claim
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1. A system for increasing sensitivity of a capacitance sensitive proximity sensor, said system comprised of:
- touch sensor including a substantially orthogonal array of X and Y electrodes disposed on two layers of a touch sensor substrate, the X and Y electrodes being capable of functioning as drive and sense electrodes;
at least one projector electrode disposed adjacent to the touch sensor so as to generate an electric field that is detectable by the touch sensor; and
a capacitance detection circuit for sending signals to and receiving signals from the touch sensor and the at least one projector electrode.
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Abstract
A system and method for extending a sensitivity range of a touch and proximity sensor that uses mutual capacitance sensing, the system and method providing projecting electrodes that generate an electric field in a three dimensional volume of space above a touch and proximity sensor to thereby enable the touch and proximity sensor to accurately detect the presence of one or more objects at a greater distance as compared to a touch and proximity sensor that does not have the projecting electrodes to generate a stronger electric field.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for increasing sensitivity of a capacitance sensitive proximity sensor, said system comprised of:
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touch sensor including a substantially orthogonal array of X and Y electrodes disposed on two layers of a touch sensor substrate, the X and Y electrodes being capable of functioning as drive and sense electrodes; at least one projector electrode disposed adjacent to the touch sensor so as to generate an electric field that is detectable by the touch sensor; and a capacitance detection circuit for sending signals to and receiving signals from the touch sensor and the at least one projector electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for increasing sensitivity of a capacitance sensitive proximity sensor, said system comprised of:
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touch sensor including a substantially orthogonal array of X and Y electrodes disposed on two layers of a touch sensor substrate, the X and Y electrodes being capable of functioning as drive and sense electrodes; a plurality of projector electrodes disposed co-planar with and within gaps formed by the orthogonal array of X and Y electrodes on the touch sensor so as to generate an electric field that is detectable by the touch sensor, wherein the plurality of projector electrodes are all coupled to each other using a projector interconnect so as to form a single segmented projector electrode; and a capacitance detection circuit for sending signals to and receiving signals from the touch sensor and the plurality of projector electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method for increasing sensitivity of a capacitance sensitive proximity sensor, said system comprised of:
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providing a touch sensor including a substantially orthogonal array of X and Y electrodes disposed on two layers of a touch sensor substrate, the X and Y electrodes being capable of functioning as drive and sense electrodes; providing at least one projector electrode disposed adjacent to the touch sensor so as to generate an electric field that is detectable by the touch sensor; and providing a capacitance detection circuit for sending signals to and receiving signals from the touch sensor and the at least one projector electrode. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for increasing sensitivity of a capacitance sensitive proximity sensor, said system comprised of:
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touch sensor including a substantially orthogonal array of X and Y electrodes disposed on two layers of a touch sensor substrate, the X and Y electrodes being capable of functioning as drive and sense electrodes; at least one projector electrode disposed adjacent to the touch sensor so as to generate an electric field that is detectable by the touch sensor; and a capacitance detection circuit for sending signals to the at least one projector electrode and for receiving signals from the touch sensor.
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Specification