Capacitive control interface device having display integration

• US 9,151,791 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quickstep Technologies, LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nanotec Corporation
• Inventors: Roziere, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US14/082,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20140070823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 324/688, 324/600, 324/500, 324/518, 324/519, 324/750.17, 324/754.28, 324/548, 324/658, 324/661, 324/686, 324/76.66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960765 Details of shielding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

A capacitive detection control interface device is provided, including at least one measurement electrode including an active surface, a guard made from an electrically conductive material placed adjacent to the measurement electrodes, the guard is excited up to an alternating electric potential substantially identical to that of the measurement electrodes, a first electronic component for exciting the electrodes and processing the measurement signals from the capacitive coupling of the electrodes with an object laced adjacent thereto, the electronic component is at least partly referenced to the electric potential of the guard, and a second electronic component for performing another functional display, placed adjacent to the active surface which second electronic component is at least partly referenced to the electric potential of the guard.

Claims

1. A capacitive control interface device comprising:

at least one measurement electrode including an active surface;

a guard made from an electrically conductive material placed adjacent to said at least one measurement electrodes which guard is excited up to an alternating electric potential substantially identical to that of the at least one measurement electrode;

first electronic means for exciting the at least one electrode and processing the measurement signals from the capacitive coupling of said at least one electrode with an object placed adjacent thereto, which electronic means are at least partly referenced to the electric potential of the guard;

second electronic means for performing a display, placed adjacent to said active surface, and at least partly referenced to the electric potential of the guard.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic means comprises a display screen.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the display screen comprises at least one of the following components:

liquid crystals (LCD),

organic light emitting diodes (OLED).

4. The device according to claim 2, which comprises a plurality of measurement electrodes placed above, according to the front face, of the display screen.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the measurement electrodes are disposed as an array.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the display screen is driven by second electronic means referenced to the electric potential of the guard, and is used as a guard.

7. The device according to claim 6, which comprises measurement electrodes directly deposited above the display screen.

8. The device according to claim 1, which comprises transparent measurement electrodes in ITO.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic means include scrutinizing means enabling the measurement signals from the measurement electrodes to be sequentially read, the electrodes which are not being scrutinized being connected to the potential of the guard.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic means include means for electrically gathering the measurement electrodes, such that said gathered electrodes make up a single measurement electrode.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic means include decoupling means, such that at the guard excitation alternating electric potential frequency, they appear to be substantially at this same potential.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one part of the electronic means referenced to the electric potential of the guard is integrated on the same support as the measurement electrodes.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one part of the electronic means referenced to the electric potential of the guard is substantially provided in a plane consisting of the active surface of at least one part of the measurement electrodes.

14. The device according to claim 1, which further includes a dielectric material provided on the active surface side of the measurement electrodes.

15. An apparatus integrating a control interface device of a tactile screen type according to claim 1.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, being a smartphone type.