Capacitive sensing control knob
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a plurality of signals from a sensor array disposed on a side wall of a non-movable, non-mechanical protrusion, wherein the protrusion is integrated into a surface of a control panel of a device as one integrated piece and physically resembles a mechanical knob that protrudes from the surface of the control panel of the device, wherein the protrusion extends out from the surface of the control panel such that a user'"'"'s hand can at least grab an outer surface of the protrusion or move over the outer surface to operate the device and includes an opening on a back side of the protrusion that allows access to the side wall of the protrusion; and
detecting interaction of the user'"'"'s hand with the sensor array based on the plurality of signals when the user'"'"'s hand grabs the protrusion or moves over the outer surface;
wherein detecting the interaction comprises;
detecting presences of multiple conductive objects on the sensor array;
determining positions of the multiple conductive objects; and
identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as a finger and isolating the finger as a reference indicator based on the positions of the multiple conductive objects,wherein identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as the reference indicator comprises;
determining a distance between each directly adjacent position of the multiple conductive objects based on a capacitance maximum for each of the multiple conductive objects, wherein each capacitance maximum corresponds to the positions of the multiple conductive objects; and
identifying a reference position using two greatest distances between the directly adjacent positions of the multiple conductive objects, wherein the one of the multiple conductive objects that is located at the reference position is identified as the finger.
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Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for detecting interaction of a user with a sensor array disposed on the wall of a protrusion from the surface of a control panel of a device that physically resembles a mechanical knob protruding from the surface of the control panel of the device. The method may include receiving a plurality of signals from the sensor array and detecting interaction of a user with the sensor array based on the plurality of signals.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of signals from a sensor array disposed on a side wall of a non-movable, non-mechanical protrusion, wherein the protrusion is integrated into a surface of a control panel of a device as one integrated piece and physically resembles a mechanical knob that protrudes from the surface of the control panel of the device, wherein the protrusion extends out from the surface of the control panel such that a user'"'"'s hand can at least grab an outer surface of the protrusion or move over the outer surface to operate the device and includes an opening on a back side of the protrusion that allows access to the side wall of the protrusion; and detecting interaction of the user'"'"'s hand with the sensor array based on the plurality of signals when the user'"'"'s hand grabs the protrusion or moves over the outer surface; wherein detecting the interaction comprises; detecting presences of multiple conductive objects on the sensor array; determining positions of the multiple conductive objects; and identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as a finger and isolating the finger as a reference indicator based on the positions of the multiple conductive objects, wherein identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as the reference indicator comprises; determining a distance between each directly adjacent position of the multiple conductive objects based on a capacitance maximum for each of the multiple conductive objects, wherein each capacitance maximum corresponds to the positions of the multiple conductive objects; and identifying a reference position using two greatest distances between the directly adjacent positions of the multiple conductive objects, wherein the one of the multiple conductive objects that is located at the reference position is identified as the finger. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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2. An apparatus comprising:
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a control panel having a non-movable, non-mechanical protrusion integrated with a surface of the control panel, as one integrated piece, that physically resembles a mechanical knob protruding from the surface of the control panel, wherein the protrusion is cylindrical or conical, wherein the protrusion extends out from the surface of the control panel such that a user'"'"'s hand can interact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the protrusion to operate the control panel and includes an opening on a back side of the protrusion that allows access to a side wall of the protrusion; a sensor array disposed on a side wall of the protrusion to detect the interaction of the user'"'"'s hand with the sensor array when the user'"'"'s hand grabs the protrusion or moves over the outer surface; and a processing device coupled to the sensor array to detect the interaction of the user'"'"'s hand with the sensor array by; detecting presences of multiple conductive objects on the sensor array; determining positions of the multiple conductive objects; and identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as a finger and isolating the finger as a reference indicator based on the positions of the multiple conductive objects, wherein identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as the reference indicator comprises; determining a distance between each directly adjacent position of the multiple conductive objects based on a capacitance maximum for each of the multiple conductive objects, wherein each capacitance maximum corresponds to the positions of the multiple conductive objects; and identifying a reference position using two greatest distances between the directly adjacent positions of the multiple conductive objects, wherein the one of the multiple conductive objects that is located at the reference position is identified as the finger. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processing device to receive a plurality of signals from a sensor array, wherein the sensor array is disposed on a side wall of a non-movable, non-mechanical protrusion integrated with a surface of a control panel of a device as one integrated piece, wherein the protrusion extends out from the surface of the control panel such that a user'"'"'s hand can interact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the protrusion to operate the device and includes an opening on a back side of the protrusion that allows access to the side wall of the protrusion; wherein the processing device is configured to detect the interaction of the user'"'"'s hand with the sensor array based on signals received from the sensor array by; detecting presences of multiple conductive objects on the sensor array; determining positions of the multiple conductive objects; and identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as a finger and isolating the finger as a reference indicator based on the positions of the multiple conductive objects, wherein identifying one of the multiple conductive objects as the reference indicator comprises; determining a distance between each directly adjacent position of the multiple conductive objects based on a capacitance maximum for each of the multiple conductive objects, wherein each capacitance maximum corresponds to the positions of the multiple conductive objects; and identifying a reference position using two greatest distances between the directly adjacent positions of the multiple conductive objects, wherein the one of the multiple conductive objects that is located at the reference position is identified as the finger. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification