Uninterrupted radial capacitive sense interface

• US 7,253,643 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Seguine, Ryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J.
• Application Number:
  US11/489,944
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 324/686, 345/173, 345/174, 345/184
• US Class Current: 324/686
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A technique for implementing a center key in a capacitive sense radial slider interface without use of center mechanical button. A user interaction with an array of capacitive sensors within the radial slider interface is sensed. It is determined whether at least a threshold number greater than one of the capacitive sensors within the array are concurrently actuated by the user interaction. A center key actuation is registered if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sensing a user interaction with an array of capacitive sensors within a radial slider interface;

determining whether at least a threshold number greater than one of the capacitive sensors within the array are concurrently actuated by the user interaction; and

registering a center key actuation of the radial slider interface, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number is equal to at least three of the capacitive sensors within the array.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the center key actuation comprises registering the center key actuation, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated and at least two of the concurrently actuated capacitive sensors are physically non-radially adjacent and separated by unactuated capacitance sensors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the center key actuation comprises registering the center key actuation, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated and at least two of the concurrently actuated capacitive sensors are physically located opposite of each other within the radial slider interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the radial slider interface does not include a center mechanical button.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensors of the array of capacitive sensors are physically oriented radially about a center of the radial slider interface.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sensing a mechanical actuation of at least one mechanical button positioned under the array of capacitive sensors, the at least one mechanical button positioned off-center of the radial slider interface,

wherein registering the center key actuation of the radial slider interface comprises registering the center key actuation, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated while sensing the mechanical actuation of the at least one mechanical button positioned off-center.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one mechanical button comprises four mechanical buttons positioned under the array of capacitive sensors in up, down, left, and right positions.

9. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a machine, will cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

sensing a user interaction with an array of capacitive sensors within a radial slider interface;

determining whether at least a threshold number greater than one of the capacitive sensors within the array are concurrently actuated by the user interaction; and

registering a center key actuation of the radial slider interface, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the threshold number is equal to at least three of the capacitive sensors within the array.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein registering the center key actuation comprises registering the center key actuation, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated and at least two of the concurrently actuated capacitive sensors are physically non-radially adjacent and separated by unactuated capacitance sensors.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein registering the center key actuation comprises registering the center key actuation, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated and at least two of the concurrently actuated capacitive sensors are physically located opposite of each other within the radial slider interface.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, further providing instructions that, if executed by the machine, will cause the machine to perform further operations, comprising:

sensing a mechanical actuation of at least one mechanical button positioned under the array of capacitive sensors, the at least one mechanical button positioned off-center of the radial slider interface,

wherein registering the center key actuation of the radial slider interface comprises registering the center key actuation, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated while sensing the mechanical actuation of the at least one mechanical button positioned off-center.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein sensing the mechanical actuation of the at least one mechanical button comprises sensing the mechanical actuation of at least one of four off-center mechanical buttons position under the array of capacitive sensors in up, down, left, and right positions.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing device;

a radial slider user interface including an array of capacitive sensors coupled to the processing device; and

a memory unit coupled to the processing device, the memory unit having stored therein instructions that, if executed by the processing device, will cause the processing device to perform operations comprising;

sensing a user interaction with the array of capacitive sensors;

determining whether at least a threshold number greater than one of the capacitive sensors within the array are concurrently actuated by the user interaction; and

registering a center key actuation of the radial slider user interface, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing device includes:

a capacitance sensor coupled to measure values indicative of a capacitance of each of the capacitive sensors; and

an analog multiplexer bus coupled to sequentially couple the capacitive sensors within the array of capacitive sensors to the capacitance sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the capacitance sensor comprises a relaxation oscillator circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the threshold number is equal to at least three of the capacitive sensors within the array.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising four off-center mechanical buttons position under the array of capacitive sensors in up, down, left, and right positions.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the memory unit further stores instructions that, if executed by the machine, will cause the machine to perform further operations, comprising:

sensing a mechanical actuation of at least one of the off-center mechanical buttons,

wherein registering the center key actuation comprises registering the center key actuation, if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated while sensing the mechanical actuation of the at least one the off-center mechanical buttons.