Driven shield for capacitive to touchpads
First Claim
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1. A method for shielding a portion of a capacitive sensor used in a touchpad, said method comprising:
- 1) providing a plurality of drive electrodes for generating a signal and a plurality of sense electrodes, each one of the plurality of sense electrodes disposed between each of the plurality of drive electrodes for measuring a portion of the signal that is coupled to each of the plurality of sense electrodes;
2) providing a plurality of driven shield electrodes in sets of two, wherein one driven shield electrode is disposed immediately adjacent to and on each side of each of the plurality of sense electrodes to thereby separate the plurality of sense electrodes from the plurality of drive electrodes, each set of the plurality of driven shield electrodes being electrically coupled to the sense electrode between them for receiving a modified signal from the sense electrode between them, the two immediately adjacent driven shield electrodes at least partially shielding the sense electrode between them from undesired electrical and capacitive signals, including stray capacitive signals from the plurality of drive electrodes; and
3) providing a buffer between each of the sense electrodes and the two immediately adjacent driven shield electrodes to generate the modified signal and to thereby increase a signal to noise ratio on each of the sense electrodes by reinforcing the signal on each of the sense electrodes.
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Abstract
A conductive shield that is disposed near the sensor, wherein a signal is driven on the shield that is similar to the signal induced on the sensor, thereby reducing stray capacitances and protecting the sensor from external noise sources, and resulting in a stronger signal reaching the sensor.
31 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method for shielding a portion of a capacitive sensor used in a touchpad, said method comprising:
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1) providing a plurality of drive electrodes for generating a signal and a plurality of sense electrodes, each one of the plurality of sense electrodes disposed between each of the plurality of drive electrodes for measuring a portion of the signal that is coupled to each of the plurality of sense electrodes; 2) providing a plurality of driven shield electrodes in sets of two, wherein one driven shield electrode is disposed immediately adjacent to and on each side of each of the plurality of sense electrodes to thereby separate the plurality of sense electrodes from the plurality of drive electrodes, each set of the plurality of driven shield electrodes being electrically coupled to the sense electrode between them for receiving a modified signal from the sense electrode between them, the two immediately adjacent driven shield electrodes at least partially shielding the sense electrode between them from undesired electrical and capacitive signals, including stray capacitive signals from the plurality of drive electrodes; and 3) providing a buffer between each of the sense electrodes and the two immediately adjacent driven shield electrodes to generate the modified signal and to thereby increase a signal to noise ratio on each of the sense electrodes by reinforcing the signal on each of the sense electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification