Abstract: A device and system for automatically tracking a baseline input into a biometric sensor is provided. The device and system include a processing system with an amplifier having an input terminal and an output terminal for producing an output signal based on the input signal received by the input terminal. The processing system further includes at least one signal conditioning element coupled to the input terminal of the amplifier and configured to condition a compensation signal, and the processing system further includes a control circuit that adjusts one or more signal conditioning parameters of the at least one signal conditioning element based on the output signal of the amplifier. The at least one input signal received by the input terminal includes a combination of the at least one compensation signal and a signal from a first set of one or more receiver electrodes of the biometric sensor.

Abstract: A device and method for operating a capacitive touch screen input device configured to sense input objects and their applied force in a sensing region, the device including a pliable component having an input surface and characterized by a bending stiffness, and first and second arrays of sensor electrodes. The input device further includes a third array of sensor electrodes and a spacing layer disposed between the third array. The pliable component is characterized by a compressive stiffness and configured to deform in response to a force applied to the input surface and to deflect the second array of sensor electrodes towards the third array of sensor electrodes, wherein the deformation of the input surface and the deflection of the second array of sensor electrodes is a function of the ratio of the bending stiffness of the pliable component and the compressive stiffness of the spacing layer.

Abstract: An input device having a plurality of low-visibility sensor electrodes and method for fabricating the same are provided. In one example, an input device includes a display device having an array of pixels and a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed on a viewing side of the display device. At least a first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes a plurality of spaced apart conductive traces forming a conductive mesh, wherein mesh having a first periodicity defined by intersections of the conductive traces forming the mesh. A terminal portion of one of the conductive traces terminates at an edge of the first sensor electrode and has an attached light occluding element. The attached light occluding element is disposed over a subpixel having the same color as a subpixel which an intersecting trace would lay over when the intersection occurs in an interior region of the sensor electrode.

Abstract: This disclosure generally provides an input device that includes a multi-layered capacitive sensor which includes a first layer disposed over a second layer that contains a plurality of sensor electrodes coupled to respective traces. The first and second layers form a capacitive sensing stack where the first layer is between the second layer and a touch surface for interacting with the input object. The first and second layers may be disposed on either the same substrate or different substrates in the stack. In one embodiment, the first layer includes electrically floating electrodes and at least one guard electrode. These components may align with respective components in the second layer. For example, the electrically floating electrodes in the first layer may at least partially cover the sensor electrodes in the second layer.

Abstract: An input device having a plurality of low-visibility sensor electrodes and method for fabricating the same are provided. In one example, an input device includes a display device having an array of pixels and a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed on a viewing side of the display device. At least a first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes a plurality of spaced apart conductive traces forming a conductive mesh, wherein mesh having a first periodicity defined by intersections of the conductive traces forming the mesh. A terminal portion of one of the conductive traces terminates at an edge of the first sensor electrode and has an attached light occluding element. The attached light occluding element is disposed over a subpixel having the same color as a subpixel which an intersecting trace would lay over when the intersection occurs in an interior region of the sensor electrode.

Abstract: An input device having a plurality of low-visibility sensor electrodes and method for fabricating the same are provided. In one embodiment, an input device includes a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed over a display device. A first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes a conductive mesh having a first periodicity defined by intersections of conductive traces forming the mesh. A terminal portion of one of the conductive traces terminating at an edge of the first sensor electrode has an orientation that is different than an orientation of a corresponding portion of the mesh defining the first periodicity. An end of the terminal portion proximate the edge laying over a subpixel has the same color as a subpixel of the display device which the end would lay over if the end had the same orientation as the corresponding portion of the mesh defining the first periodicity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device having a plurality of sensor electrodes that can be configured to be scanned in a first direction or a second direction. The input device includes a set of sensor electrodes and first and second sets of buses. The first buses are oriented in a first direction and the second buses are oriented in a second direction. The input device also includes a set of switching elements that are each configured to couple one of the sensor electrodes to either a bus in the first set of buses or a bus in the second set of buses. These embodiments allow the sensor electrodes to be scanned in a variety of patterns for flexible sensing functionality.

Abstract: Patterns of sensor elements that can be used in capacitance sensing devices are described. A plurality of sensor elements extends in a radial direction from a shared center. A first subset of the sensor elements extend like spirals in a clockwise direction, and a second subset of the sensor elements extend like spirals in a counterclockwise direction.

Abstract: An input device having a plurality of low-visibility sensor electrodes and method for fabricating the same are provided. In one embodiment, an input device includes a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed over a display device. A first sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes includes a conductive mesh having a first periodicity defined by intersections of conductive traces forming the mesh. A terminal portion of one of the conductive traces terminating at an edge of the first sensor electrode has an orientation that is different than an orientation of a corresponding portion of the mesh defining the first periodicity. An end of the terminal portion proximate the edge laying over a subpixel has the same color as a subpixel of the display device which the end would lay over if the end had the same orientation as the corresponding portion of the mesh defining the first periodicity.

Abstract: An integrated display and touch sensor device comprises a plurality of display pixels and a processing system communicatively coupled with a plurality of common voltage electrode segments and with a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The plurality of display pixels is configured for displaying information on the display. The processing system is configured for driving a voltage transition onto a common voltage electrode segment of the plurality of common voltage electrode segments. The voltage transition provides a common voltage for refreshing at least one display pixel of the plurality of display pixels, and generates a first electrical signal on at least one receiver sensor electrode of the plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The processing system is also configured for acquiring a first measurement of a capacitive coupling between the driven common voltage electrode segment and the at least one receiver sensor electrode by measuring the first electrical signal.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor apparatus comprises a first sensing element and a second sensing element. The first sensing element has a length oriented along a first axis of a contactable capacitive sensing reference surface; has a substantially constant width along its length; and is configured to have varying capacitive coupling, along the first axis, to an object proximate to the contactable capacitive sensing reference surface. The second sensing element has a length oriented along the first axis; has substantially constant width along its length; and is configured to have varying capacitive coupling, along the first axis, to the object proximate to the contactable capacitive sensing reference surface. The first sensing and second sensing elements are conductive and are configured to provide information corresponding to a spatial location of the object relative to the first axis.

Abstract: An input device having a plurality of low-visibility sensor electrodes and method for using the same are provided. In one embodiment, an input device includes a display device and a plurality of sensor electrodes disposed over the display device. The sensor electrodes are configured to sense objects in a sensing region of the input device. The sensor electrodes include a plurality of spaced apart conductive traces, each conductive trace having a diameter less than about 10 um. The conductive traces are disposed such that the conductive traces form a moiré pattern with the display device, wherein said moiré pattern comprises a spatial frequency greater than about 10 cycles per centimeter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a position of an object in a sensing region are disclosed. One system includes a position sensor having an opaque capacitive proximity sensor, a light source, and a light conductor coupled to the light source and at least partially disposed over the opaque sensor, the light conductor configured to transmit at least a portion of the light from the light source to generate driven light effects in the sensing region. The system further includes a processor configured to control production of the light, and a display configured to illustrate a digital representation based on the position. A method includes the steps of sensing a position of an object in the sensing region based on a conductive property of the object, controlling light produced by a light source, and generating driven light effects in the sensing region using at least a portion of the light.

Abstract: A flexible circuit assembly is provided which includes a flexible circuit, a substrate of a capacitive-sensing device and an electronic component that are coupled to the flexible circuit. The flexible circuit includes a first portion having a first conductive contact pad, a second portion having a second conductive contact pad, and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion. The flexible circuit is configured to fold at the third portion between the first portion and the second portion so that the first conductive contact pad couples to a first conductor disposed along a first edge of the substrate and the second conductive contact pad couples to a second conductor disposed along a second edge of the substrate of the capacitive-sensing device. The first edge of the substrate of the capacitive-sensing device is non-parallel to the second edge of the substrate of the capacitive-sensing device.

Abstract: Capacitance sensing apparatuses are described. The apparatus includes capacitance sensor elements that traverse a sensing region. The apparatus also includes sensor circuitry that has multiple inputs. More than one of the capacitance sensor elements are electrically coupled to the same input. A position of an object along an axis of the sensing region is unambiguously identified according to which subset of the inputs senses a change in capacitance that is induced when the object is proximate to the sensing region.

Abstract: A flexible circuit assembly. The flexible circuit assembly includes a flexible circuit, a substrate of a capacitive-sensing device and an electronic component that are coupled to the flexible circuit. The flexible circuit includes a first portion having a first conductive contact pad, a second portion having a second conductive contact pad, and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion. The flexible circuit is configured to fold at the third portion between the first portion and the second portion so that the first conductive contact pad couples to a first conductor disposed along a first edge of the substrate and the second conductive contact pad couples to a second conductor disposed along a second edge of the substrate of the capacitive-sensing device. The first edge of the substrate of the capacitive-sensing device is non-parallel to the second edge of the substrate of the capacitive-sensing device.

Abstract: An integrated display and touch sensor device comprises a plurality of display pixels and a processing system communicatively coupled with a plurality of common voltage electrode segments and with a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The plurality of display pixels is configured for displaying information on the display. The processing system is configured for driving a voltage transition onto a common voltage electrode segment of the plurality of common voltage electrode segments. The voltage transition provides a common voltage for refreshing at least one display pixel of the plurality of display pixels, and generates a first electrical signal on at least one receiver sensor electrode of the plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The processing system is also configured for acquiring a first measurement of a capacitive coupling between the driven common voltage electrode segment and the at least one receiver sensor electrode by measuring the first electrical signal.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor apparatus comprises a first sensing element and a second sensing element. The first sensing element has a length oriented along a first axis of a contactable capacitive sensing reference surface; has a substantially constant width along its length; and is configured to have varying capacitive coupling, along the first axis, to an object proximate to the contactable capacitive sensing reference surface. The second sensing element has a length oriented along the first axis; has substantially constant width along its length; and is configured to have varying capacitive coupling, along the first axis, to the object proximate to the contactable capacitive sensing reference surface. The first sensing and second sensing elements are conductive and are configured to provide information corresponding to a spatial location of the object relative to the first axis.

Abstract: One embodiment in accordance with the invention includes a capacitive sensor apparatus that includes a first sensing element having substantially constant width along its length and configured to have varying capacitive coupling to an object proximate to a capacitive sensing reference surface, along a first axis of the capacitive sensing reference surface. The length of the first sensing element is oriented along the first axis. The capacitive sensor apparatus can include a second sensing element having substantially constant width along its length and configured to have varying capacitive coupling to the object proximate to the capacitive sensing reference surface along the first axis. The length of the second sensing element is oriented along the first axis. The first and second sensing elements are conductive, and are configured to provide information corresponding to a spatial location of the object relative to the first axis of the capacitive sensing reference surface.

Abstract: Embodiments for a capacitive sensing apparatus with attenuated electrical interference across a plurality of routing traces are provided. One embodiment forms a first sensor electrode on a substrate. In addition, a first routing trace is formed on the substrate, the first routing trace coupled with the first sensor electrode. One embodiment additionally forms a second sensor electrode on the substrate. A second routing trace differing in length from the first routing trace is also formed on the substrate, the second routing trace coupled with the second sensor electrode. To attenuate electrical interference, the second routing trace is formed having an approximately equal RC time constant characteristic as the first routing trace.