Single-layer touchpad having touch zones
First Claim
1. A single-layer touchpad for providing input to a device, said single-layer touchpad comprised of:
- a transparent substrate;
a first active electrode disposed on the transparent substrate in at least two discrete regions of a touch-sensitive area, wherein the first active electrode is generally transparent;
a sense electrode disposed on a same side of the transparent substrate and adjacent to the first active electrode in the at least two discrete regions, wherein the sense electrode is generally transparent, and wherein the sense electrode does not overlap the first active electrode; and
a touchpad sensing circuit coupled to the first active electrode and to the sense electrode to thereby provide at least some touchpad functionality to the device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A single-layer touchpad comprised of a relatively clear substrate, a first active electrode disposed thereon, and a sense electrode disposed thereon, wherein the first active electrode and the sense electrode are comprised of a conductive material, wherein the first active electrode in combination with the sense electrode are used to detect the presence of a pointing object in a zone, determining in which zone the pointing object has been detected, or the simultaneous presence of multiple pointing objects in multiple zones, and wherein the first active electrode and/or the sense electrode are made sufficiently visible so that a pattern is visually detectable to the user when looking at the display screen.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A single-layer touchpad for providing input to a device, said single-layer touchpad comprised of:
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a transparent substrate; a first active electrode disposed on the transparent substrate in at least two discrete regions of a touch-sensitive area, wherein the first active electrode is generally transparent; a sense electrode disposed on a same side of the transparent substrate and adjacent to the first active electrode in the at least two discrete regions, wherein the sense electrode is generally transparent, and wherein the sense electrode does not overlap the first active electrode; and a touchpad sensing circuit coupled to the first active electrode and to the sense electrode to thereby provide at least some touchpad functionality to the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for providing a single-layer touchpad in an electronic appliance in order to provide limited touchpad functionality, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) providing a transparent substrate; (2) disposing a first active electrode on the transparent substrate in at least two discrete regions of a touch-sensitive area, wherein the first active electrode is generally transparent; (3) disposing a sense electrode on a same side of the transparent substrate and adjacent to the first active electrode in the at least two discrete regions, wherein the sense electrode is generally transparent, and wherein the sense electrode does not overlap the first active electrode; (4) coupling a touchpad sensing circuit to the first active electrode and to the sense electrode; and (5) determining in which of the least two discrete regions a user makes contact with the touch-sensitive area to thereby provide limited touchpad functionality to the electronic appliance. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification