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Pressure dependent capacitive sensing circuit switch construction

  • US 9,948,297 B2
  • Filed: 04/08/2011
  • Issued: 04/17/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A user interface for a product, wherein the user interface comprises a construction including a projected, charge transfer based capacitance measurement circuit connected to at least first and second sense plates of a sense plate structure for measuring the projected capacitance between said first and second sense plates, said sense plate structure being covered by an electrically conductive and electrically floating cover member, that at least forms an area above said sense plate structure, and the construction is such that force applied to the conductive cover member or a layer of material, that is attached to the conductive cover member, causes a deflection that changes a distance between the sense plate structure and the conductive cover member under the point of the applied force, wherein the projected capacitance measurement circuit provides measurement data to identify and differentiate between the following events:

  • a. an object coming into proximity of the conductive cover member, without making physical contact therewith or said object coming into contact with the conductive cover member or material attached to the conductive cover member, and causing a decrease in the magnitude of the projected capacitance of the sense plate structure between the first and second sense plates measured by the projected capacitance measurement circuit; and

    b. an object coming into contact with and applying more than a minimum force to the conductive cover member or material attached to the conductive cover member so that the conductive cover member or the material attached to the conductive cover member deflects and comes within a predetermined distance or makes contact with the sense plate structure in a way that causes an increase in the magnitude of the projected capacitance of the sense plate structure between the first and second sense plates measured by the projected capacitance measurement circuit.

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