Apparatus and methods for detecting a conductive object at a location
First Claim
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1. A capacitance sensor comprising:
- a capacitive sensor array for detecting a presence of a conductive object, the capacitive sensor array comprising at least one first sensor element, at least one second sensor element, and at least one third sensor element, wherein the at least one first sensor element and the at least one second sensor element are single and independent sensor element respectively, wherein the third sensor element comprises of a first portion and a second portion having sensing area equal to sensing area of the first portion, wherein a sensing area of the first sensor element, a sensing area of the second sensor element, and a sensing area of the third sensor element are equal to each other, wherein the sensing area of the first portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element, and the sensing area of the second portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element, wherein the first sensor element and the first portion of the third sensor element are permanently connected together, and the second sensor element and the second portion of the third sensor element are permanently connected together that is electrically isolated from the first conductive material, wherein the first and second portions of the third sensor element are electrically isolated;
a relaxation oscillator respectively coupled to the first sensor element and the second sensor element to receive input signals representing capacitances on the first, second and third sensor elements, the relaxation oscillator further configured to generate an output signal, wherein the capacitances on the third sensor element is represented by simultaneously receiving the capacitances on the first and second sensor elements; and
a digital counter coupled to receive the output signal of the relaxation oscillator, the digital counter configured to measure at least one of a frequency and a period of the output signal of the relaxation oscillator.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus to determine capacitance variations of a first number of two or more sense elements of a touch screen device. A processing device is configured to detect a presence of a conductive object on any one of a second number of three or more button areas of the touch screen device. The first number of sense elements is less than the second number of button areas. The processing device is further configured to recognize an activation of one of the three or more button areas using the determined capacitance variations of the first number of two or more sense elements.
159 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A capacitance sensor comprising:
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a capacitive sensor array for detecting a presence of a conductive object, the capacitive sensor array comprising at least one first sensor element, at least one second sensor element, and at least one third sensor element, wherein the at least one first sensor element and the at least one second sensor element are single and independent sensor element respectively, wherein the third sensor element comprises of a first portion and a second portion having sensing area equal to sensing area of the first portion, wherein a sensing area of the first sensor element, a sensing area of the second sensor element, and a sensing area of the third sensor element are equal to each other, wherein the sensing area of the first portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element, and the sensing area of the second portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element, wherein the first sensor element and the first portion of the third sensor element are permanently connected together, and the second sensor element and the second portion of the third sensor element are permanently connected together that is electrically isolated from the first conductive material, wherein the first and second portions of the third sensor element are electrically isolated; a relaxation oscillator respectively coupled to the first sensor element and the second sensor element to receive input signals representing capacitances on the first, second and third sensor elements, the relaxation oscillator further configured to generate an output signal, wherein the capacitances on the third sensor element is represented by simultaneously receiving the capacitances on the first and second sensor elements; and a digital counter coupled to receive the output signal of the relaxation oscillator, the digital counter configured to measure at least one of a frequency and a period of the output signal of the relaxation oscillator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a capacitive sensor array comprising at least one first sensor element, at least one second sensor element, and at least one third sensor element, wherein the at least one first sensor element and the at least one second sensor element are single and independent sensor element respectively, wherein the third sensor element comprises of a first portion and a second portion having sensing area equal to sensing area of the first portion, wherein a sensing area of the first sensor element, a sensing area of the second sensor element, and a sensing area of the third sensor element are equal to each other, wherein the sensing area of the first portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element, and the sensing area of the second portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element, wherein the first sensor element and the first portion of the third sensor element are permanently connected together, and the second sensor element and the second portion of the third sensor element are permanently connected together that is electronically isolated from the first conductive material, wherein the first and second portions of the third sensor element are electrically isolated; a processing device configured to detect presence of a conductive object on the capacitive sensor array; and a capacitance sensor coupled to the processing device and to the capacitive sensor array, wherein the capacitance sensor comprises; a relaxation oscillator configured to receive input signals, from the first and second sensor elements, representing capacitances on the first, second, and third sensor elements, the relaxation oscillator further configured to generate an output signal, wherein the capacitances on the third sensor element is represented by simultaneously receiving the capacitances on the first and second sensor elements; and a digital counter coupled to receive the output signal of the relaxation oscillator, the digital counter coupled to receive the output signal of the relaxation oscillator, the digital counter configured to measure at least one of a frequency and a period of the output signal of the relaxation oscillator. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a relaxation oscillator, input signals from a first sensor element and a second sensor element representing capacitances on a first sensor element, a second sensor element, and a third sensor element wherein the third sensor element comprises of a first portion and a second portion having sensing area equal to sensing area of the first portion, wherein a sensing area of the first sensor element, a sensing area of the second sensor element, and a sensing area of the third sensor element are equal to each other, wherein the sensing area of the first portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element, and the sensing area of the second portion of the third sensor element is less than the sensing area of the first sensor element; generating, by the relaxation oscillator, an output signal based on one or more of the received input signals; applying the output signal of the relaxation oscillator to a digital counter; and measuring, by the digital counter, at least one of a frequency and a period of the output signal of the relaxation oscillator; detecting a presence of a conductive object on the third sensor element by simultaneously receiving the capacitances on the first and second sensor elements. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification