Virtual buttons for a touch interface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- measuring capacitance of a plurality of sensors of an array, each of the sensors within a sensing area defined by a touchscreen display;
detecting a presence of a conductive object proximate to at least one of the plurality of sensors near an edge of the touchscreen display based on the measured capacitance;
assigning a capacitance value to at least one virtual sensor derived from the measured capacitance of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes near the edge of the touchscreen display, wherein the at least one virtual sensor is outside the sensing area defined by the touchscreen display; and
activating at least one control element associated with a location outside the sensing area defined by the touchscreen display area based on the assigned capacitance value of the at least one virtual sensor.
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Abstract
A circuit, method, and system is disclosed for measuring capacitance of a plurality of electrodes, detecting a presence of a conductive object proximate to at least one of the plurality of electrodes near an edge of a touchscreen display based on the measured capacitance, assigning a value to at least one virtual sensor derived from the measured capacitance of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes near the edge of the touchscreen display and activating at least one control element associated with a location outside the display area based on the value of the at least one virtual sensor.
25 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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measuring capacitance of a plurality of sensors of an array, each of the sensors within a sensing area defined by a touchscreen display; detecting a presence of a conductive object proximate to at least one of the plurality of sensors near an edge of the touchscreen display based on the measured capacitance; assigning a capacitance value to at least one virtual sensor derived from the measured capacitance of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes near the edge of the touchscreen display, wherein the at least one virtual sensor is outside the sensing area defined by the touchscreen display; and activating at least one control element associated with a location outside the sensing area defined by the touchscreen display area based on the assigned capacitance value of the at least one virtual sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A user interface device comprising:
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a first plurality capacitance sensing electrodes disposed along a first axis of an array; a second plurality of capacitance sensing electrodes disposed along a second axis of an array; a controller configured to; measure a mutual capacitance between the first and second pluralities of capacitance sensing electrodes; detect a presence of a conductive object proximate to an edge of the array; and assign a capacitance value to at least one virtual sensor derived from the measured capacitance between the first and second pluralities of capacitance sensing electrodes, the at least one virtual sensor located outside an area defined by the first and second pluralities of sensing electrodes and; a processor configured to determine activation of at least one control element along an edge of the user interface device based on the assigned capacitance value of the at least one virtual sensor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A handheld display device comprising:
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a display; a plurality of capacitance sensing electrodes disposed substantially over the display, the plurality of capacitance sensing electrodes forming capacitance sensing nodes; and a touch controller configured to measure capacitance on the plurality of capacitance sensing electrodes and determine activation states for at least one virtual sensor, wherein; the at least one virtual sensor is assigned a capacitance value derived from the measured capacitance of the at least one of a plurality of capacitance sensing electrodes near an edge of the touchscreen display, the at least one virtual sensor is positioned outside an area defined by the plurality of capacitance sensing nodes, and the touch controller is configured to detect a conductive object on an edge of the display. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification