Two-dimensional position sensor
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- a graphical display;
a sensing area-defined on a surface of a substrate that overlays the graphical display, the graphical display being visible through the sensing area; and
a plurality of sensing cells arranged in the sensing area in a plurality of rows and columns, the sensing cells being configured to sense a position of an object within the sensing area, each of the sensing cells comprising a row-sensing electrode and a column-sensing electrode, the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its row, the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its column, the column-sensing electrode and the row-sensing electrode in each sensing cell being spirally interleaved with one another; and
a processor in communication with the plurality of sensing cells and operable to correlate the position of the object within the sensing area with a virtual button associated with the graphical display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive position sensor comprises a substrate having an arrangement of electrodes mounted on a single surface thereof, the electrodes arranged so as to define an array of sensing cells arranged in columns and rows to form a sensing area. Each sensing cell includes a column sensing electrode and a row sensing electrode. The column sensing electrodes of sensing cells in the same column are electrically coupled together, and the row sensing electrodes of sensing cells in the same row are electrically coupled together. Row sensing electrodes of sensing cells at opposing ends of at least one of the rows are connected together by an electrical connection made outside of the sensing area so that there is no requirement for electrical connections to cross within the sensing area, providing a capacitive position sensor having a sensing area with electrodes on only one side of a substrate.
30 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a graphical display; a sensing area-defined on a surface of a substrate that overlays the graphical display, the graphical display being visible through the sensing area; and a plurality of sensing cells arranged in the sensing area in a plurality of rows and columns, the sensing cells being configured to sense a position of an object within the sensing area, each of the sensing cells comprising a row-sensing electrode and a column-sensing electrode, the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its row, the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its column, the column-sensing electrode and the row-sensing electrode in each sensing cell being spirally interleaved with one another; and a processor in communication with the plurality of sensing cells and operable to correlate the position of the object within the sensing area with a virtual button associated with the graphical display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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displaying a plurality of virtual buttons on a graphical display; sensing a position of an object within a sensing area defined on a surface of a substrate that overlays the graphical display, the graphical display being visible through the sensing area, the sensing area comprising a plurality of sensing cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, the sensing cells being configured to sense a position of an object within the sensing area, each of the sensing cells comprising a row-sensing electrode and a column-sensing electrode, the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its row, the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its column, the column-sensing electrode and the row-sensing electrode in each sensing cell being spirally interleaved with one another; communicating a plurality of signals resulting from a capacitance sensed by the row-sensing and column-sensing electrodes and indicative of the position of the object within the sensing area; and correlating the position of the object within the sensing area with a selected one of the plurality of virtual buttons displayed on the graphical display. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to:
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display a plurality of virtual buttons on a graphical display; sense a position of an object within a sensing area defined on a surface of a substrate that overlays the graphical display, the sensing area comprising a plurality of sensing cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, the sensing cells being configured to sense a position of an object within the sensing area, each of the sensing cells comprising a row-sensing electrode and a column-sensing electrode, the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the row-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its row, the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells being continuous with respect to the column-sensing electrode of each of one or more of the sensing cells adjacent to it in its column, the column-sensing electrode and the row-sensing electrode in each sensing cell being spirally interleaved with one another; communicate a plurality of signals resulting from a capacitance sensed by the row-sensing and column-sensing electrodes indicative of the position of the object within the sensing area; and correlate the position of the object within the sensing area with a selected one of the plurality of virtual buttons displayed on the graphical display. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification