Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing defining an internal connector space and mateable with a mating housing of a second electrical connector in a mating direction parallel to a mating axis, a pair of electrical contacts housed in the internal connector space and mateable with a plurality of second electrical contacts of the second electrical connector, and a lever housed in the internal connector space. A mechanical contact between the housing and the lever establishes a fulcrum of the lever. The fulcrum is arranged between the electrical contacts. A pivoting of the lever moves a position of the electrical contacts relative to the housing.

Abstract: A stylus includes a timer; a signal generator coupled to a stylus tip; a switch; and a controller comprising one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic. The logic is operable when executed to: in response to the switch of the stylus being ON, initiate the signal generator to generate a signal having a pre-determined frequency and a pre-determined voltage from the stylus tip, and activate the timer, and stop the generating of the signal when a timing of the activated timer reaches a pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: A device includes a touch sensor and a touch-sensor controller. The touch-sensor may receive a signal associated with an operation of the device; in response to the signal, determine that a detection mode of the touch sensor associated with the device is to be changed, and in response to the determination, increase sensitivity of a first portion, but not all, of the touch sensor. A first portion of increased sensitivity may be an area of the touch sensor associated with a button. A first portion of increased sensitivity may be the top right portion of the touch sensor. In other examples, sensitivity may be decreased when an operation is a game played by a user on the device, a voicemail operation on the device, or an operation requiring an ear or face of a user to contact the touch sensor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a controller includes a storage unit and a processor unit. The processor unit is coupled to the storage unit and configured to receive a signal associated with an operation of a device that includes a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first plurality of electrodes oriented in a first direction in a first portion of the touch sensor, a second plurality of electrodes oriented in the first direction in a second portion of the touch sensor, and a third plurality of electrodes intersecting the first and second plurality of electrodes. The processor unit is further configured to determine, in response to the signal, that a detection mode of the touch sensor is to be changed and in response to the determination, couple the second plurality of electrodes to a fixed voltage source to decrease a detection range in the second portion of the touch sensor.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive touchscreen system may include a touchscreen cover layer, and a tactile structure formed in or coupled to the touchscreen cover layer and defining a non-planar surface texture (e.g., embodied as a ridge or other raised structure or a groove or other depression) that provides tactile feedback to a user's finger. In some embodiments, the tactile structure is formed from at least one material having a different dielectric constant than the touchscreen cover layer. A touchscreen display device arranged under the touchscreen cover may be configured to display a configurable graphical user interface (GUI) including a respective virtual user interface element at a location corresponding with the tactile structure. The system may include a processing unit configured to sense a touch at a location of a particular virtual user interface element, identify the particular virtual user interface element, and initiate an action associated with the virtual user interface element.

Abstract: A device includes a controller coupled to a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first array of capacitive nodes substantially aligned with a second array of capacitive nodes in a mechanical stack. The controller is configured, when in a self-capacitive mode of operation, to send a first drive signal to a plurality of the electrodes of the first array, send a shield signal to at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array at the same time as the first drive signal is sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array, and sense touch inputs based on signals received from the plurality of electrodes of the first array while the first drive signal is being sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array and the shield signal is being sent to the at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array.

Abstract: A device includes a controller coupled to a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first array of capacitive nodes substantially aligned with a second array of capacitive nodes in a mechanical stack. The controller is configured, when in a self-capacitive mode of operation, to send a first drive signal to a plurality of the electrodes of the first array, send a shield signal to at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array at the same time as the first drive signal is sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array, and sense touch inputs based on signals received from the plurality of electrodes of the first array while the first drive signal is being sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array and the shield signal is being sent to the at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array.

Abstract: A stylus includes a timer; a signal generator coupled to a stylus tip; a switch; and a controller comprising one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic. The logic is operable when executed to: in response to the switch of the stylus being ON, initiate the signal generator to generate a signal having a pre-determined frequency and a pre-determined voltage from the stylus tip, and activate the timer, and stop the generating of the signal when a timing of the activated timer reaches a pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: A device includes a controller coupled to a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first array of capacitive nodes substantially aligned with a second array of capacitive nodes in a mechanical stack. The controller is configured, when in a self-capacitive mode of operation, to send a first drive signal to a plurality of the electrodes of the first array, send a shield signal to at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array at the same time as the first drive signal is sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array, and sense touch inputs based on signals received from the plurality of electrodes of the first array while the first drive signal is being sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array and the shield signal is being sent to the at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array.

Abstract: A capacitive touch sensor wherein the touch sensitive panel has drive electrodes arranged on the lower side of a substrate and sense electrodes arranged on the upper side. The drive electrodes are shaped and dimensioned to substantially entirely cover the touch sensitive area with individual drive electrodes being separated from each other by small gaps, the gaps being so small as to be practically invisible. The near blanket coverage by the drive electrodes also serves to screen out interference from noise sources below the drive electrode layer, such as drive signals for an underlying display, thereby suppressing noise pick-up by the sense electrodes that are positioned above the drive electrodes.

Abstract: A capacitive touch sensor wherein the touch sensitive panel has drive electrodes arranged on the lower side of a substrate and sense electrodes arranged on the upper side. The drive electrodes are shaped and dimensioned to substantially entirely cover the touch sensitive area with individual drive electrodes being separated from each other by small gaps, the gaps being so small as to be practically invisible. The near blanket coverage by the drive electrodes also serves to screen out interference from noise sources below the drive electrode layer, such as drive signals for an underlying display, thereby suppressing noise pick-up by the sense electrodes that are positioned above the drive electrodes.

Abstract: A capacitive touch sensor wherein the touch sensitive panel has drive electrodes arranged on the lower side of a substrate and sense electrodes arranged on the upper side. The drive electrodes are shaped and dimensioned to substantially entirely cover the touch sensitive area with individual drive electrodes being separated from each other by small gaps, the gaps being so small as to be practically invisible. The near blanket coverage by the drive electrodes also serves to screen out interference from noise sources below the drive electrode layer, such as drive signals for an underlying display, thereby suppressing noise pick-up by the sense electrodes that are positioned above the drive electrodes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a timer, a signal generator, a signal activator input, and a controller. The controller includes one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to initiate a coupling, in response to an actuation of the signal activator input, of a power source to the signal generator to thereby cause the signal generator to generate a signal. The logic is further operable to initiate a coupling, in response to the actuation of the signal activator input, of the power source to the timer to thereby activate the timer.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive touchscreen system may include a touchscreen cover layer, and a tactile structure formed in or coupled to the touchscreen cover layer and defining a non-planar surface texture (e.g., embodied as a ridge or other raised structure or a groove or other depression) that provides tactile feedback to a user's finger. In some embodiments, the tactile structure is formed from at least one material having a different dielectric constant than the touchscreen cover layer. A touchscreen display device arranged under the touchscreen cover may be configured to display a configurable graphical user interface (GUI) including a respective virtual user interface element at a location corresponding with the tactile structure. The system may include a processing unit configured to sense a touch at a location of a particular virtual user interface element, identify the particular virtual user interface element, and initiate an action associated with the virtual user interface element.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a touch-sensitive device includes a controller, a shield sensor, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes. The plurality of first electrodes spans a first direction and the plurality of second electrodes spans a second direction that is different than the first direction. The controller electrically couples the plurality of first electrodes to the shield sensor. The shield sensor charges the plurality of first electrodes to cause substantially equal voltages to be present on the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a touch sensor controller estimates an area of a display screen that a display controller will update at a first time and estimates an area of a touch sensor that the touch sensor controller is expected to scan at the first time. The touch sensor controller further identifies an expected interference based on a comparison between the update of the estimated area of the display screen by the display controller at the first time and the scan of the estimated area of the touch sensor by the touch sensor controller at the first time. Based on the expected interference, the touch sensor controller suspends, for a first time period, the scan of the estimated area of the touch sensor for touch events based on the expected interference. The touch sensor controller resumes the scan after the first time period.

Abstract: A device includes a controller coupled to a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first array of capacitive nodes substantially aligned with a second array of capacitive nodes in a mechanical stack. The controller is configured, when in a self-capacitive mode of operation, to send a first drive signal to a plurality of the electrodes of the first array, send a shield signal to at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array at the same time as the first drive signal is sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array, and sense touch inputs based on signals received from the plurality of electrodes of the first array while the first drive signal is being sent to the plurality of electrodes of the first array and the shield signal is being sent to the at least a portion of the electrodes of the second array.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes a first substrate with sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on it and a second substrate with drive electrodes of the touch sensor disposed on it. One or more of the following is true: the sense electrodes of the first substrate are made of a first conductive mesh of conductive material such that the sense electrodes include the first conductive mesh; and the drive electrodes of the second substrate are made of a second conductive mesh of conductive material such that the drive electrodes include the second conductive mesh. The apparatus also includes an insulating layer between the sense electrodes of the first substrate and the drive electrodes of the second substrate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a sensor and a controller having a processor and a memory. The memory includes logic operable, when executed by the processor, to connect each electrode of a first subset of electrodes of the sensor and determine a first value associated with the first subset of electrodes. Based at least on the first value, the logic is further operable to alter the first subset of electrodes to a second subset of electrodes and connect, in response to determining to alter the first subset of electrodes to the second subset of electrodes, each electrode of the second subset of electrodes of the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sense unit operable to sense a plurality of first signals transmitted on one or more vertical lines and one or more horizontal lines of a touch sensor, the one or more vertical lines and the one or more horizontal lines operable to drive the plurality of first signals. The apparatus also includes a drive unit operable to transmit, in response to the sense unit sensing at least one of the plurality of first signals, a second signal to the one or more vertical lines and the one or more horizontal lines, the second signal changing an effective charge of the one or more vertical lines and the one or more horizontal lines.