Touch sensor

• US 9,344,084 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U-Shin Limited (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: U-Shin Limited (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukushima, Kazuyuki, Kawase, Tomo, Tokudome, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US13/687,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 307/116
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96073 Amplitude comparison

Abstract

Provided is a touch sensor having a simple structure and enabling a driver to appropriately and quickly manipulate the touch sensor as intended without looking at a manipulation surface of the touch sensor. The touch sensor includes: multiple electrodes; detection means for detecting touch on any of electrodes and for outputting a detection signal for each electrode; touch judgment means for judging whether each of the electrodes is touched or untouched based on the detection signal; a switch having a manipulation button; control mode judgment means for determining a control function for a controlled device in accordance with an input signal transmitted from the switch when the manipulation button is manipulated; and permission means for permitting the touch judgment means to judge touch on each electrode in response to the input signal from the switch.

Claims

1. A touch sensor comprising:

a plurality of electrodes;

detection means for detecting touch on any of the electrodes and for outputting a detection signal for each electrode;

touch judgment means for judging whether each of the electrodes is touched or untouched based on the detection signal;

a switch having a manipulation button;

control mode judgment means for determining a control function for a controlled device in accordance with an input signal transmitted from the switch when the manipulation button is manipulated;

permission means for permitting the touch judgment means to judge touch on each electrode in response to the input signal from the switch;

manipulation input judgment means for;

setting a first one of the electrodes on which the touch is detected firstly by the touch judgment means as a start electrode;

when touch on a second one of the electrodes is detected without detection of touch on the start electrode, resetting the start electrode, and newly setting as the start electrode the second electrode on which the touch is secondly detected; and

judging a positional relationship between the new start electrode and the electrode on which the touch is firstly detected, and thereby determining a manipulation input mode of the controlled device,

wherein at least two of the electrodes are arranged in an arc shape along an outer periphery of the manipulation button, and

wherein after detection of touch on the start electrode,

if no touch on the other electrode is detected within a predetermined time period, the detection means cancels touch detection on all the electrodes, and

if touch on one of the electrodes is detected again later, the detection means sets the electrode as the start electrode;

a case including the electrodes and the switch which are arranged on a back side of the case, and provided with the manipulation button exposed to outside; and

a recessed guide portion arranged in a region of a front surface of the case inside outer peripheries of the electrodes, the guide portion indicating where the electrodes are arranged.

2. The touch sensor comprising:

a plurality of electrodes;

detection means for detecting touch on any of the electrodes and for outputting a detection signal for each electrode;

touch judgment means for judging whether each of the electrodes is touched or untouched based on the detection signal;

a switch having a manipulation button;

control mode judgment means for determining a control function for a controlled device in accordance with an input signal transmitted from the switch when the manipulation button is manipulated;

permission means for permitting the touch judgment means to judge touch on each electrode in response to the input signal from the switch; and

manipulation input judgment means for;

setting a first one of the electrodes on which the touch is detected firstly by the touch judgment means as a start electrode;

when touch on a second one of the electrodes is detected without detection of touch on the start electrode, resetting the start electrode, and newly setting as the start electrode the second electrode on which the touch is secondly detected; and

judging a positional relationship between the new start electrode and the electrode on which the touch is firstly detected, and thereby determining a manipulation input mode of the controlled device.

3. The touch sensor according to claim 2, wherein at least two of the electrodes are arranged in an arc shape along an outer periphery of the manipulation button.

4. The touch sensor according to claim 2, wherein

after detection of touch on the start electrode,

if no touch on the other electrode is detected within a predetermined time period, the detection means cancels touch detection on all the electrodes, and

if touch on one of the electrodes is detected again later, the detection means sets the electrode as the start electrode.

5. The touch sensor according to claim 2, comprising:

a case including the electrodes and the switch which are arranged on a back side of the case, and provided with the manipulation button exposed to outside; and

a recessed guide portion arranged in a region of a front surface of the case inside outer peripheries of the electrodes, the guide portion indicating where the electrodes are arranged.