Projected capacitive touch sensing
First Claim
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1. A projected capacitive touch sensing system comprising:
- a first substrate on which a common plate electrode is positioned;
an electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation that is coupled into the first substrate, such that at least a portion of the emitted electromagnetic radiation experiences total internal reflection within the first substrate;
a second substrate on which patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes that are oriented in a plane are positioned, the plane parallel and spaced apart from the common plate electrode, and the patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes positioned such that each of a plurality of pairs of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes in the plane experience a capacitance therebetween, wherein the capacitance between a pair of the plurality of pairs of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes in the plane changes in response to changes in a distance between the first substrate on which the common plate electrode is positioned and the second substrate on which the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes in the plane are positioned, and wherein the common plate electrode is common to the patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes;
a photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer positioned on the second substrate, wherein the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer causes chances in capacitance or conductance in response to chances in the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate on which the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer is positioned;
deformable dielectric material positioned between the common plate electrode and the patterned electrodes; and
electronic circuitry configured to sense changes in capacitance between the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes and chances in capacitance or conductance of the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer in response to changes in the distance between the first substrate on which the common plate electrode is positioned and the second substrate on which the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes and the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer are positioned, and determine an input based on the sensed change in capacitance between the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes and chance in capacitance or conductance of the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer.
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus relate to touch sensors that are configured to measure input applied to the sensor from a user. Some implementations involve the measurement of changes in capacitance between pairs of adjacent patterned electrodes to detect input at a touch sensor.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A projected capacitive touch sensing system comprising:
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a first substrate on which a common plate electrode is positioned; an electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation that is coupled into the first substrate, such that at least a portion of the emitted electromagnetic radiation experiences total internal reflection within the first substrate; a second substrate on which patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes that are oriented in a plane are positioned, the plane parallel and spaced apart from the common plate electrode, and the patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes positioned such that each of a plurality of pairs of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes in the plane experience a capacitance therebetween, wherein the capacitance between a pair of the plurality of pairs of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes in the plane changes in response to changes in a distance between the first substrate on which the common plate electrode is positioned and the second substrate on which the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes in the plane are positioned, and wherein the common plate electrode is common to the patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes; a photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer positioned on the second substrate, wherein the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer causes chances in capacitance or conductance in response to chances in the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate on which the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer is positioned; deformable dielectric material positioned between the common plate electrode and the patterned electrodes; and electronic circuitry configured to sense changes in capacitance between the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes and chances in capacitance or conductance of the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer in response to changes in the distance between the first substrate on which the common plate electrode is positioned and the second substrate on which the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes and the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer are positioned, and determine an input based on the sensed change in capacitance between the pair of adjacent patterned capacitive touch sensing electrodes and chance in capacitance or conductance of the photo-capacitive or photo-conductive layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification