Multiple input proximity detector and touchpad system
First Claim
1. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10), a first series of spaced apart wires (12) disposed on a first face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart wires (14) proximal to said membrane, there being no electrical contact between said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12, 14), each wire of said first and second series of spaced apart wires being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of the wire in proximity to the finger to detect the presence of the finger positioned in proximity to that wire each wire of said first and second series of wires having a diameter in the range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A touchpad is formed of an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a first face of membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of conductors (12, 14) Each conductor in the first and second series of conductors is sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of the proximate conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that conductor. A scanning system operative to sample one of the conductors in turn from both the first and second series of conductors (12, 14) in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor. The scanning system is operative to maintain all conductors (12-n, 14-n) at a common potential equal to the potential of the conductor being sampled when the remaining conductors are not actively being sampled by the scanning system.
46 Citations
100 Claims
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1. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10), a first series of spaced apart wires (12) disposed on a first face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart wires (14) proximal to said membrane, there being no electrical contact between said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12, 14), each wire of said first and second series of spaced apart wires being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of the wire in proximity to the finger to detect the presence of the finger positioned in proximity to that wire each wire of said first and second series of wires having a diameter in the range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns.
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2. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a first face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between said first and second series of conductors (12, 14), each conductor in said first and second series of conductors being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of said conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to said conductor, said first and second series of conductors (12, 14) comprising very fine wires, said wires being enamel coated and being in the range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns in diameter and a scanning system operative to sample each one of the conductors in turn from both said first and second series of conductors (12, 14) in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor, said scanning system being operative to maintain all conductors of said first and second series of conductors (12-n, 14-n) at a common potential when said conductors are not actively being sampled by said scanning system.
- 3. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart wires (12) on a first face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart wires (14) proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of spaced apart wires (12, 14), each wire of said first and second series of spaced apart wires being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of the wire to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that wire, said first and second series of wires having a diameter in the range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns, including a scanning system operative to sample a said one of said wires in turn from both said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12, 14) in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective wire, wherein the scanning system is operative to maintain all wires (12-n, 14-n) at a common potential equal to the potential of the wire being sampled when said first and second series of spaced apart wires are not actively being sampled by said scanning system.
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7. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart wires (12) on a first face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart wires (14) proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12, 14), each wire in said first and second series of spaced apart wires being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of the wire to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that wire, each wire of said first and second series of wires having a diameter in the range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns including a scanning system operative to sample a wire in turn from both said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12, 14) in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective wire, wherein said scanning system is operative to maintain all wires of said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12-n, 14-n) at a common potential equal to the potential of the wire being sampled when said first and second series of spaced apart wires are not actively being sampled by said scanning system and in which said scanning system comprises a multiplexer (75), individual inputs of which are respectively connected to a first end of each respective wire operative to scan each wire of said first and second series of spaced apart wires in a defined order such that only one wire is connected to the output of said multiplexer at any time instant and including voltage driving means an input of which is connected to the output of said multiplexer and an output of said voltage driving means is connected to all wires of said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12-n, 14-n), said voltage driving means thereby maintaining the voltage level on each wire of said first and second series of spaced apart wires (12-n, 14-n) at a common potential, which common potential is equal to the output voltage potential of the wire being sampled at that time instant.
- 8. A touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14), each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a width in the range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns, each conductor in said first and second series of spaced apart conductors being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that conductor characterized in that said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) comprise very fine insulation coated electrically conductive conductors.
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18. A touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, said second series of spaced apart conductors (14) being attached to said face of said insulating membrane (10), said first series of spaced apart conductors (12) being insulated from said second series of spaced apart conductors (14) by discrete regions of insulating material (13′
- ), the conductors of said first series of spaced apart conductors intersecting at intersections with the conductors of said second series of spaced apart conductors, each of the conductors of said first and second series of spaced apart conductors having a first width (22) for the larger part of their length, and a second width (24) being substantially smaller than the first width, which second width is coincidental with each of said intersections (20), each conductor in said first and second series of spaced apart conductors being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that conductor characterized in that said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) comprise very fine insulation coated electrically conductive conductors.
- 19. A touchpad system including a touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of conductors (12, 14), each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a width in the range of about 10 microns of about 25 microns, each conductor of said first and second series of spaced apart conductors being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of a conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that conductor characterized in that said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) comprise very fine insulation coated electrically conductive conductors including a scanning system operative to sample in turn each conductor from both said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor.
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23. A touchpad system including a touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of conductors (12, 14), each conductor of said first and second series of spaced apart conductors being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of a conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that conductor characterized in that said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) comprise very fine insulation coated electrically conductive conductors, a scanning system operative to sample in turn each conductor from both said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor and an active backplane device and wherein said scanning system is operative to maintain all conductors of said first and second series of spaced apart conductors at the same potential as said active backplane device when the conductors are not being actively sampled by said scanning system.
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24. A touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14), each conductor in said first and second series of spaced apart conductors being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that conductor characterized in that said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) comprise very fine insulation coated electrically conductive conductors oriented in a zig-zag manner.
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25. A multiple input proximity detector including at least one touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) being disposed on a face of said membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14), each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a width in the range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns each conductor in said first and second series of spaced apart conductors being sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of the conductor in proximity to the finger to detect the presence of the finger characterized in that said first and second series of spaced apart conductors (12, 14) comprise very fine insulation coated electrically conductive conductors and in which the juxtaposition of two or more independent capacitance inputs are used to detect the proximity of a finger, such detection only being accepted as valid when all the conductor capacitance inputs indicate a valid detection, where such inputs may be juxtaposed next to a range of other inputs in unique combination such that when any one combination gives a true detection for all its individual inputs, a unique valid detection is determined.
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26. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane, a first series of spaced apart electrical conductors disposed on a first face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart electrical conductors proximal to said membrane, said first and second series of electrical conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of electrical conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, and each conductor of said first and second series of electrical conductors having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns.
- 27. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane, a first series of spaced apart wires disposed on a first face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart wires proximal to said membrane, said first and second series of wires being insulated from one another, each wire of said first and second series of wires having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, and each wire of said first and second series of wires having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns.
- 29. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane, a first series of spaced apart electrical conductors disposed on a first face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart electrical conductors proximal to said membrane, said first and second series of electrical conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of electrical conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, and each conductor of said first and second series of electrical conductors having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns.
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31. A touchpad system comprising:
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an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart conductors on a first face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximal thereto, said first and second series of conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor in said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, and said first and second series of conductors comprising conductors having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns; and
a scanning system operative to sample each one of the conductors in turn from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor, said scanning system being operative to maintain all conductors of said first and second series of conductors at a common potential when said conductors are not actively being sampled by said scanning system.
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32. A touchpad system comprising:
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an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart electrical conductors on a first face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart electrical conductors proximal thereto, the first and second series of conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, and said first and second series of conductors having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns; and
a scanning system operative to sample a said one of said conductors in turn from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor, wherein the scanning system is operative to maintain all conductors that are not actively being sampled by said scanning system at a common potential equal to the potential of the conductor being sampled.
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33. A touchpad system comprising:
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an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart electrical conductors on a first face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart electrical conductors proximal thereto, said first and second series of conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor in said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, and each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns; and
a scanning system operative to sample a conductor in turn from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor, wherein said scanning system is operative to maintain all conductors of said first and second series of conductors that are not actively being sampled by said scanning system at a common potential equal to the potential of the conductor being sampled, said scanning system comprising;
a multiplexer, individual inputs of which are respectively connected to a first end of each respective conductor operative to scan each conductor of said first and second series of spaced apart conductors in a defined order such that only one conductor is connected to the output of said multiplexer at any time instant; and
voltage driving means an input of which is connected to the output of said multiplexer and an output of said voltage driving means is connected to all conductors of said first and second series of spaced apart conductors, said voltage driving means thereby maintaining the voltage level on each conductor of said first and second series of spaced apart conductors at a common potential, which common potential is equal to the output voltage potential of the conductor being sampled at that time instant.
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34. A touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximal thereto, the first and second series of conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns, and each conductor in said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, wherein said first and second series of spaced apart conductors comprise insulation coated electrically conductive conductors.
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35. A touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximal thereto, said second series of conductors being attached to said face of said insulating membrane, said first series of conductors being insulated from said second series of conductors by discrete regions of insulating material, the conductors of said first series of conductors intersecting at intersections with the conductors of said second series of conductors, each of the conductors of said first and second series of conductors having a first width for the larger part of their length, and a second width being substantially smaller than the first width, which second width is coincidental with each of said intersections, each conductor in said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, wherein said first and second series of spaced apart conductors comprise fine electrically conductive conductors.
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36. A touchpad system comprising:
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a touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximal thereto, the first and second series of conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns, and each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, wherein said first and second series of spaced apart conductors comprise fine electrically conductive conductors; and
a scanning system operative to sample in turn each conductor from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor.
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37. A touchpad system comprising:
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a touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximal thereto, the first and second series of conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, wherein said first and second series of conductors comprise fine electrically conductive conductors;
a scanning system operative to sample in turn each conductor from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor; and
an active backplane device;
wherein said scanning system is operative to maintain all conductors of said first and second series of conductors that are not being actively sampled by said scanning system at the same potential as said active backplane device.
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38. A touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane with a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane and a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximal thereto, the first and second series of spaced apart conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor in said first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, wherein said first and second series of spaced apart conductors comprise fine electrically conductive conductors oriented in a zig-zag manner.
- 39. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane, a first series of spaced apart conductors disposed proximal a first face of the membrane, a second series of spaced apart conductors disposed between the first series of conductors and the membrane and crossing over the first series of conductors at a plurality of crossover points, and non-continuous insulation disposed between the first and second series of conductors at least at each of the crossover points to prevent electrical contact between the first and second series of conductors, each conductor of the first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof.
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41. A touchpad comprising:
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an electrically insulating membrane;
a first series of spaced apart conductors disposed proximal a first face of the membrane;
a second series of spaced apart conductors disposed between the first series of conductors and the membrane and crossing over the first series of conductors at a plurality of crossover points;
non-continuous insulation disposed between the first and second series of conductors to prevent electrical contact between the first and second series of conductors;
wherein each conductor of the first and second series of conductors has a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof; and
wherein conductors of at least one of the first and second series of conductors comprise insulated wires, the non-continuous insulation comprising insulation around the insulated wires.
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- 42. A touchpad comprising an electrically insulating membrane, a first series of spaced apart electrical conductors disposed on a first face of the insulating membrane, and a second series of spaced apart electrical conductors disposed proximal to the membrane, said first and second series of conductors being insulated from one another, each conductor of the first and second series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, the membrane and the first and second series of conductors being encapsulated within a dielectric material.
- 48. A touchpad useable as a touch screen comprising an electrically insulating membrane with a series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane, each conductor in the series of conductors having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, the conductors following non-rectilinear paths so as to define respective detection areas on the membrane.
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53. A touchpad comprising
an electrically insulating membrane; -
a first grid of electrical conductors disposed proximate the membrane, the electrical conductors of the first grid having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof; and
at least a second grid of electrical conductors disposed between the first grid of conductors and the membrane, the electrical conductors of the second grid having a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, a grid spacing of the second grid being different from a grid spacing of the first grid. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A touchpad system comprising:
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a touchpad useable as a touch screen, comprising;
an electrically insulating membrane;
a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane; and
a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximate the membrane;
wherein the first and second series of conductors are insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of conductors has a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof, and no conducting backplane is present behind the first and second series of spaced apart conductors; and
a scanning system coupled to the touchpad to sample each conductor from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor, the scanning system maintaining all conductors of said first and second series of conductors at a first potential when the conductors are not being actively sampled by said scanning system, the first potential being related to a signal applied to the conductor being sampled. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60)
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61. A touchpad system comprising:
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a touchpad useable as a touch screen, comprising;
an electrically insulating membrane;
a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane; and
a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximate the membrane;
wherein the first and second series of conductors are insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of conductors has a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof; and
a conducting backplane disposed behind the first and second series of conductors, at least a portion of the conducting backplane extending in front of the first and second series of conductors; and
a scanning system coupled to the touchpad to sample each conductor from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor, the scanning system maintaining all conductors of said first and second series of conductors and the conducting backplane at a first potential when the conductors are not being actively sampled by said scanning system, the first potential being related to a signal applied to the conductor being sampled.
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62. A touchpad system comprising:
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a touchpad useable as a touch screen, comprising;
an electrically insulating membrane;
a first series of spaced apart conductors on a face of said membrane; and
a second series of spaced apart conductors on or proximate the membrane;
wherein the first and second series of conductors are insulated from one another, each conductor of said first and second series of conductors has a capacitance that is sensitive to proximity of a finger for detecting a presence thereof; and
a scanning system coupled to the touchpad to sample each conductor from both said first and second series of conductors in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor, the scanning system applying a probe signal to the respective conductor at a frequency dependent on the capacitance of the respective conductor and being coupled to apply a first potential to the conductors not being sampled, the first potential being derived from the probe signal applied to the respective conductor. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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64. A touchpad comprising:
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a dielectric medium;
a plurality of conductors disposed in proximity to the dielectric medium throughout a touch sensitive area, each of the conductors being transverse to at least one other of the conductors along respective segments thereof to establish a plurality of pairs of transverse conductive segments; and
a plurality of intervening insulating regions respectively disposed at least between the transverse conductive segments of the pairs;
wherein at least one segment within each pair of transverse conductive segments has an effective width in a range of about 10 microns to about 25 microns. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A touchpad comprising:
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a dielectric medium;
a plurality of conductors disposed in proximity to the dielectric medium throughout a touch sensitive area, each of the conductors being transverse to at least one other of the conductors along respective segments thereof to establish a plurality of pairs of transverse conductive segments; and
a plurality of intervening insulating regions respectively disposed at least between the transverse conductive segments of the pairs, wherein at least one segment within each pair of transverse conductive segments is a reduced width region of one of the conductors. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71)
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72. A touchpad system comprising:
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a surface;
a plurality of conductors, each of the conductors having at least a segment thereof disposed in proximity to the surface for capacitively coupling through the surface to a finger brought into proximity with the segment;
a capacitance-controlled oscillator having a frequency of oscillation that is sensitive to capacitance at an input thereof, and an amplitude of oscillation;
a switch for successively coupling the input of the oscillator to the conductors, wherein when at least one of the conductors is coupled to the input of the oscillator through the switch, at least one of the conductors is uncoupled to the input of the oscillator; and
a source of electric potential having an output for supplying a first potential to the uncoupled conductor or conductors. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. A touchpad system comprising:
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a surface;
a first plurality of wires disposed in proximity to the surface;
a second plurality of wires disposed in proximity to the surface;
a capacitance-controlled oscillator having a frequency of oscillation that is sensitive to capacitance at an input thereof; and
a switch for successively coupling the input of the oscillator to the wires;
wherein each of the wires of the first and second plurality of wires is disposed in proximity to the surface for capacitively coupling through the surface to a finger brought into proximity with the wire; and
wherein the first plurality of wires extends generally parallel to the surface in a first direction and the second plurality of wires extends generally parallel to the surface in a second direction, each of the wires in the first plurality of wires being transverse to the wires in the second plurality of wires and insulated therefrom at least where transverse, and each of the wires of the second plurality of wires being transverse to the wires of the first plurality and insulated therefrom at least where transverse. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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98. A touchpad comprising:
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a touch surface;
a plurality of insulation coated wires respectively having at least one zigzagged portion disposed in proximity to the touch surface for allowing a finger in proximity to the zigzagged portion to capacitively couple thereto through the touch surface. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100)
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Specification