User interface devices, methods, and computer readable media for sensing movement of an actuator across a surface of a window

• US 8,400,409 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Francis, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERMANN, KIRK W
• Application Number:
  US12/218,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

An interface device and method are provided for sensing movement of an actuator across a surface of a window in an enclosure thereof. The interface device comprises an optical navigation sensor including an illuminator within the interface to illuminate at least a portion of the actuator through the window when the actuator is positioned in contact with or proximal to the surface of the window, and a detector to receive light reflected through the window from the actuator. The interface device further includes a number of capacitive guard-sensors in the enclosure adjacent to the optical navigation sensor to disable the optical navigation sensor when a conductive body is sensed in proximity to the guard-sensors.

Claims

1. An interface device for sensing movement of an actuator across a surface of a window in an enclosure thereof, the interface device comprising:

an optical navigation sensor including;

an illuminator enclosed within the enclosure to illuminate at least a portion of the actuator through the window when the portion of the actuator is positioned in contact with the surface of the window; and

a detector to receive light reflected through the window from the portion of the actuator;

a proximity sensor comprising a number of guard-sensors in the enclosure adjacent to the optical navigation sensor and circumscribing the window programmed to distinguish between a threshold change in capacitance induced by a finger acting as the actuator and a threshold change in capacitance induced by a hand acting as the actuator, the proximity sensor configured to disable the optical navigation sensor when the threshold change in capacitance detected by the number of guard-sensors indicates the hand acting as the actuator; and

a number of additional capacitive sensors circumscribing the window and positioned between the window and the number of guard-sensors, the additional capacitive sensors configured to detect threshold changes in capacitance that are lower than threshold changes in capacitance detectable by the guard-sensors and to affirmatively enable or disable the optical navigation sensor.

2. An interface device according to claim 1, where the number of guard-sensors comprise at least two capacitive sensors on different sides of the optical navigation sensor.

3. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein the number of guard-sensors comprise a guard-ring.

4. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein the number of touch sensitive sensors comprise capacitive sensors in the enclosure between the number of guard-sensors and the window.

5. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein the number of touch sensitive sensors comprise a transparent touch sensitive sensor overlying the optical navigation sensor that is substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of light emitted from the illuminator.

6. An interface device according to claim 5, wherein the transparent touch sensitive sensor comprises a capacitive sensor between the window and the optical navigation sensor.

7. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein the number of guard-sensors comprise a number of capacitive sensors further configured to execute additional input operations on sensing the actuator in proximity thereto.

8. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein the optical navigation sensor is a speckle-based sensor and the illuminator comprises a coherent light source.

9. An interface device according to claim 8, wherein the window is a multilayer filter-window including one or more anti-reflective layers and filter layers to attenuate light with wavelengths different from those of the coherent light source.

10. A method for using an interface device for sensing movement of an actuator across a surface of a window in an enclosure of the device, the method comprising:

illuminating with an illuminator of an optical navigation sensor within the enclosure at least a portion of the actuator through the window when the portion of the actuator is positioned in contact with the surface of the window;

receiving with a detector of the optical navigation sensor light reflected through the window from the portion of the actuator;

sensing the actuator with a proximity sensor comprising a number of guard-sensors in the enclosure adjacent to the optical navigation sensor and circumscribing the window;

disabling the optical navigation sensor when a threshold change in capacitance is detected by the proximity sensor as being induced by a hand as the actuator;

detecting threshold changes in capacitance that are lower than threshold changes in capacitance detectable by the guard-sensors using a number of additional capacitive sensors circumscribing the window and positioned between the window and the number of guard-sensors; and

using the additional capacitive sensors to disable or enable the optical navigation sensor.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the number of guard-sensors include at least two capacitive sensors on different sides of the optical navigation sensor, and wherein disabling the optical navigation sensor comprises disabling the optical navigation sensor when the threshold change in capacitance is detected by both of the at least two capacitive sensors.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the number of guard-sensors comprise a guard-ring of one or more capacitive sensors circumscribing the window, and wherein disabling the optical navigation sensor comprises disabling the optical navigation sensor when a change in capacitance above a predetermined threshold is sensed in the guard-ring.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the interface device includes a number of touch sensitive sensors adjacent to the optical navigation sensor, and wherein the method further comprises sensing and additional input operation using the number of touch sensitive sensors.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the additional capacitive sensors are disposed in the enclosure between the number of guard-sensors and the window.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the number of touch sensitive sensors comprise a transparent touch sensitive sensor overlying the optical navigation sensor that is substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of light emitted from the illuminator.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the transparent touch sensitive sensor comprises a capacitive sensor between the window and the optical navigation sensor.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, containing a set of instructions that causes a computer to perform a process comprising:

illuminating at least a portion of an actuator through a window in an enclosure when a portion of the actuator is positioned in contact with a surface of the window;

receiving light reflected through the window from the portion of the actuator by a detector;

sensing the actuator with a proximity sensor comprising a number of guard-sensors in the enclosure adjacent to the optical navigation sensor and circumscribing the window;

disabling signals from the detector when a threshold change in capacitance is detected by the proximity sensor as being induced by the hand as the actuator;

detecting threshold changes in capacitance that are lower than threshold changes in capacitance detectable by the guard-sensors using a number of additional capacitive sensors circumscribing the window and positioned between the window and the number of guard-sensors; and

using the additional capacitive sensors to disable or enable the optical navigation sensor.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the number of guard-sensors comprise a guard-ring of one or more capacitive sensors circumscribing the window.