MULTIPLE-SENSOR-ELECTRODE CAPACITIVE BUTTON

• US 20090107737A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Feland, John M III, Reynolds, Joesph K, Fravel, John C, Dattalo, Tracy Scott, Baharav, Izhak
• Application Number:
  US12/259,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20090107737A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.60
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

Methods for determining actuation of a capacitive button having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with at least three distinct sensor electrodes are described. In one embodiment, indicia from the at least three distinct sensor electrodes associated with the at least three sensor electrode elements comprising the capacitive button are received. At least three electrode values are generated from the indicia. The at least three electrode values are then utilized to determine actuation of the capacitive button.

Claims

1. A capacitive button arrangement comprising:

a first capacitive button comprising;

a first set of sensor electrode elements, said first set of sensor electrode elements having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with distinct sensor electrodes, wherein said first set of sensor electrode elements is configured to enable the generation of at least three electrode values for determining actuation of said first capacitive button; and

a second capacitive button disposed noncontiguously with respect to said first capacitive button, said second capacitive button comprising;

a second set of sensor electrode elements, said second set of sensor electrode elements having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with distinct sensor electrodes, wherein said second set of sensor electrode elements is configured to enable the generation of at least three electrode values for determining actuation of said second capacitive button.

2. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 further comprising:

a tactile feature disposed proximate said first capacitive button, said tactile feature for providing tactile feedback for said first capacitive button.

3. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein at least one of said distinct sensor electrodes associated with said at least three sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements is capable of emitting electrical signals.

4. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein at least one of said distinct sensor electrodes associated with said at least three sensor electrode elements of said first set is capable of both emitting and receiving electrical signals.

5. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein said second capacitive button is disposed noncontiguously with respect to said first capacitive button by spacing said first set of sensor electrode elements from said second set of sensor electrode elements by no less than one-half of a finger width.

6. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 further comprising:

a disambiguating electrode disposed proximate said first set of sensor electrode elements, said disambiguating electrode configured to enable distinguishing of user input intended to actuate said first capacitive button from user input not intended to actuate said first capacitive button.

7. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1, wherein said first set of sensor electrode elements has no more than four sensor electrode elements.

8. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein at least two sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements are physically interdigitated with each other.

9. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein a sensor electrode element of said first set of sensor electrode elements and a sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements are associated with a same sensor electrode.

10. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sensor electrode element of said first set of sensor electrode elements is physically closer to said sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements than to any other sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements.

11. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sensor electrode element of said first set of sensor electrode elements is physically farther away from said sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements than to any other sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements.

12. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sensor electrode element of said first set of sensor electrode elements and said sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements are disposed on a same side of said capacitive button arrangement.

13. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first capacitive button has a size that enables actuation by a human digit.

14. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein said sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements are disposed symmetrically.

15. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least two sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements have centers that are substantially equidistant from a center of said first capacitive button.

16. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first capacitive button has a circular shape, and wherein said sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements occupy substantially equal sectors of said circular shape.

17. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first capacitive button has a central region, and wherein said sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements are disposed outside of said central region.

18. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first capacitive button has rectilinear portions, and wherein said sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements have angular sections.

19. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 wherein said sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements have substantially equal areas.

20. The capacitive button arrangement of claim 1 further comprising:

a third capacitive button comprising;

a third set of sensor electrode elements disposed between said first set of sensor electrode elements and said second set of sensor electrode elements, said third set of sensor electrode elements having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with distinct sensor electrodes, wherein no sensor electrode element of said third set of sensor electrode elements is associated with any sensor electrodes associated with any sensor electrode element of said first set of sensor electrode elements, and wherein no sensor electrode element of said third set of sensor electrode elements is associated with any sensor electrodes associated with any sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements.

21. A capacitive sensing device comprising:

a substrate;

a first capacitive button coupled to said substrate, said first capacitive button comprising;

a first set of sensor electrode elements disposed on said substrate, said first set of sensor electrode elements having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with distinct sensor electrodes of a plurality of sensor electrodes;

a second capacitive button coupled to said substrate, said second capacitive button comprising;

a second set of sensor electrode elements disposed on said substrate, said second set of sensor electrode elements having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with distinct sensor electrodes of said plurality of sensor electrodes; and

a controller coupled to said first capacitive button and said second capacitive button, said controller configured to receive indicia from said plurality of sensor electrodes, to generate at least three electrode values using indicia received from sensor electrodes associated with said first set of sensor electrode elements, and to utilize said at least three electrode values to determine actuation of said first capacitive button.

22. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21 wherein at least one of said distinct sensor electrodes associated with said at least three sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements is capable of emitting electrical signals.

23. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein said first capacitive button has no more than four sensor electrode elements.

24. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements have a symmetric layout.

25. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein sensor electrode elements of said first set of sensor electrode elements have substantially equal areas.

26. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21, wherein a sensor electrode element of said first set of sensor electrode elements and a sensor electrode element of said second set of sensor electrode elements are associated with a same sensor electrode.

27. The capacitive sensing device of claim 21 wherein said first capacitive button has a size configured to be actuated by a human finger.

28. A method for determining actuation of a capacitive button having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with at least three distinct sensor electrodes, said method comprising:

receiving indicia from said at least three distinct sensor electrodes comprising said capacitive button;

generating at least three electrode values from said indicia; and

utilizing said at least three electrode values to determine actuation of said capacitive button.

29. The method for determining actuation of a capacitive button as recited in claim 28, wherein said utilizing said at least three electrode values to determine actuation of said capacitive button comprises:

comparing at least one of said at least three electrode values to an activation threshold value.

30. The method for determining actuation of a capacitive button as recited in claim 28, wherein said utilizing said at least three electrode values to determine actuation of said capacitive button comprises:

determining a position of an input object with respect to said capacitive button.

31. The method for determining actuation of a capacitive button as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

receiving indicia from a disambiguating electrode disposed proximate to said capacitive button;

generating a disambiguating value from said indicia from said disambiguating electrode; and

utilizing said disambiguating value to determine a false actuation of said capacitive button.

32. The method for determining actuation of a capacitive button as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

emitting electrical signals using at least one of said at least three distinct sensor electrodes, said electrical signals for effecting said indicia from said at least three distinct sensor electrodes.

33. The method for determining actuation of a capacitive button as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

emitting electrical signals using at least two of said at least three distinct sensor electrodes, said electrical signals for effecting said indicia from said at least three distinct sensor electrodes.

34. An electronic system comprising:

an output device capable of providing human-observable output;

a plurality of capacitive buttons comprising;

a substrate;

a first set of sensor electrode elements disposed on said substrate, said first set of sensor electrode elements having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with distinct sensor electrodes of a plurality of sensor electrodes;

a second set of sensor electrode elements disposed on said substrate, said second set of sensor electrode elements having at least three sensor electrode elements associated with distinct sensor electrodes of said plurality of sensor electrodes; and

a controller coupled to said plurality of capacitive buttons, said controller configured to receive indicia from said plurality of sensor electrodes, to generate at least three electrode values using indicia received from sensor electrodes associated with said first set of sensor electrode elements, to utilize said at least three electrode values to determine actuation of said first capacitive button, and to effect human-observable output using said output device in response to actuation of said first capacitive button.

35. The electronic system of claim 34, wherein

said output device capable of providing human-observable output is a sound device, and wherein

said controller is configured to effect human-observable output using said output device in response to actuation of said first capacitive button by producing a sound using said sound device in response to actuation of said first capacitive button.

36. The electronic system of claim 34, wherein

said output device capable of providing human-observable output is a force feedback device, and wherein

said controller is configured to effect human-observable output using said output device in response to actuation of said first capacitive button by providing haptic feedback using said force feedback device in response to actuation of said first capacitive button.