Object position detector
First Claim
1. A method for providing an electrical signal representative of the position of an object in a two dimensional plane, including the steps of:
- providing a sensing plane including a matrix of conductors arranged as a plurality of rows and columns of spaced apart row conductive lines and column conductive lines, said sensing plane characterized by an inherent capacitance on the various ones of said row conductive lines and column conductive lines, said capacitance varying with the proximity of an object to said row and column conductors;
simultaneously developing a first set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each of said row conductive lines when no object is located proximate to said sensing plane;
simultaneously developing a second set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each column conductive lines when no object is located proximate to said sensing plane;
simultaneously developing a third set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each of said row conductive lines when an object is located proximate to said sensing plane;
simultaneously developing a fourth set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each column conductive lines when said object is located proximate to said sensing plane;
computing a first weighted average of the difference between said first set of digital signals and said third set of digital signals;
computing a second weighted average of the difference between said second set of digital signals and said fourth set of digital signals.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A proximity sensor system includes a sensor matrix array having a characteristic capacitance on horizontal and vertical conductors connected to sensor pads. The capacitance changes as a function of the proximity of an object or objects to the sensor matrix. The change in capacitance of each node in both the X and Y directions of the matrix due to the approach of an object is converted to a set of voltages in the X and Y directions. These voltages are processed by digital circuitry to develop electrical signals representative of the centroid of the profile of the object, i.e, its position in the X and Y dimensions. Noise reduction and background level setting techniques inherently available in the architecture are employed.
378 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A method for providing an electrical signal representative of the position of an object in a two dimensional plane, including the steps of:
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providing a sensing plane including a matrix of conductors arranged as a plurality of rows and columns of spaced apart row conductive lines and column conductive lines, said sensing plane characterized by an inherent capacitance on the various ones of said row conductive lines and column conductive lines, said capacitance varying with the proximity of an object to said row and column conductors; simultaneously developing a first set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each of said row conductive lines when no object is located proximate to said sensing plane; simultaneously developing a second set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each column conductive lines when no object is located proximate to said sensing plane; simultaneously developing a third set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each of said row conductive lines when an object is located proximate to said sensing plane; simultaneously developing a fourth set of digital signals proportional to the value of said capacitance for each column conductive lines when said object is located proximate to said sensing plane; computing a first weighted average of the difference between said first set of digital signals and said third set of digital signals; computing a second weighted average of the difference between said second set of digital signals and said fourth set of digital signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification