Capacitive Switch Patents (Class 200/600)
  • Patent number: 9583087
    Abstract: A piezo pickup which detects a key depression vibration occurred by a key depression operation is provided on the center of the lower surface of a key switch board where key switches of a keyboard are arranged. A CPU acquires the key number of a depressed key and a distance between the key switch of this key number and the piezo pickup in response to the key depression operation, and controls the sound volume and the tone color of a musical sound at a pitch corresponding to the key number based on control data acquired by correcting the detection output level (piezo input envelope waveform) of the piezo pickup in accordance with the acquired distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Iwase
  • Patent number: 9575595
    Abstract: A mutual capacitance touch panel includes a substrate (4), a plurality of lower electrodes (10) provided in a form of wide bands formed of transparent conductive material and arranged parallel with each other and with narrow spacing therebetween along a first direction on a first face of the substrate (4), a plurality of upper electrodes (20) provided in a form of narrow bands formed of transparent conductive material and arranged parallel with each other and with wide spacing therebetween along a second direction intersecting the first direction on the first face of the substrate (4) and on the lower electrodes, and an insulating film (3) formed of photosensitive resin having adhesiveness and arranged between the upper electrodes (20) and the lower electrodes (10) to support the upper electrodes (20). The insulating film (3) includes a sloped side face (3b) sharing a long side with a support face (3a) which supports the upper electrode (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Nissha Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asako Sakashita, Kazuto Nakamura, Tomohiro Yamaoka, Keisuke Saito
  • Patent number: 9569022
    Abstract: A touch panel and a method thereof are provided. The touch panel includes a touch sensor, a shielding layer, and a plurality of conducting foils. The shielding layer is disposed on the touch sensor. The plurality of conducting foils is disposed via an Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF) on a surface of the shielding layer, which is on an opposite side of a surface of the touch sensor. Any two of the plurality of conducting foils, the ACF, and the shielding layer are connected in series as a signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (Xiamen) Inc.
    Inventors: Huilin Ye, Shiyou Huang, Zhuanyuan Zhang, Tsung-Ke Chiu
  • Patent number: 9568379
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring a tactile information, using a material having variable pressure dependent properties is disclosed. The apparatus for measuring the tactile information may include a plurality of pressure measurement units to measure a magnitude of an external pressure using a material having variable properties, and a tactile information measurement unit to measure a three-dimensional (3D) tactile information based on the external pressure using a location of the plurality of pressure measurement units and a pressure measured by the plurality of pressure measurement units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University
    Inventors: Soo-Chul Lim, Jong Baeg Kim, Joon Ah Park, Soon Jae Pyo, Min Ook Kim, Jae Ik Lee, Tae Young Chung
  • Patent number: 9557866
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a capacitive touch panel and a touch display apparatus, which includes a substrate and at least a transparent electrically conductive layer; the transparent electrically conductive layer includes a plurality of electrode groups, each of electrode groups includes a plurality of electrodes in series, each of electrode groups connects to a sensing lead at one side, at lease one of the electrode groups is arranged along a direction away from the sensing lead, and capacitances formed between the electrodes of the at least one of the electrode groups and common electrodes are reduced gradually along the direction. The capacitive touch panel and touch display apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention are configured such that the farther away from the sending lead the electrode is, the smaller the capacitance of the electrode is, thus the signal delay of the electrode far away from the sending lead is improved and the touch sensitivity is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yingming Liu, Haisheng Wang, Shengji Yang, Weijie Zhao
  • Patent number: 9546921
    Abstract: Highly expressive and flexibly programmable foot-operated controllers are described. Specific implementations are intended for musical applications and allow musicians an unprecedented degree of control of a wide variety of musical components and subsystems for recording and/or performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: BeBop Sensors, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. McMillen, Conner Lacy
  • Patent number: 9544996
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a capacitance touch panel module includes forming a plurality of first conductive patterns on a substrate comprising a touching area and a peripheral area along a first orientation, a plurality of second conductive patterns along a second orientation, and a plurality of connecting portions in the touching area; forming a plurality of insulated protrusions, in which each insulated protrusion covering one connecting portion, and forming an insulated frame on the peripheral area; and forming a bridging member on each insulated protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignees: INNOCOM TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kai Meng, Lien-Hsin Lee
  • Patent number: 9530586
    Abstract: A touch switch device with an illuminator for detecting a close approach or contact of a human body to an operation surface includes: a wiring board having a light-emitting device and a detection electrode on a one surface side; a light guide plate located on the one surface side of the wiring board to emit light from the light-emitting device to the outside from the operation surface opposite the wiring board; and a detector connected with the detection electrode to detect change in electrostatic capacity to be generated at the detection electrode when a human body closely approaches or contacts the operation surface to produce a detection signal corresponding to the detected condition. An operation part is displayable on a surface of the light guide plate to serve as the operation surface, and the operation part is positioned corresponding to a position of the detection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya Hanada, Nobuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9524065
    Abstract: A capacitance operation device includes an operation plate, an electrode, and an electrode film. The operation plate has an operation surface to be contact-operated by an operation body. The electrode outputs a detection signal according to a change in capacitance generated between the electrode and the operation body. The electrode film supports the electrode. The operation plate has a rear surface on a side opposite to the operation surface. The rear surface is formed with a groove. The groove is filled with an adhesive agent, and the electrode film is adhered to the operation plate with the adhesive agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Kawano, Hiroyuki Mimura, Atsushi Katoh
  • Patent number: 9513668
    Abstract: A mobile terminal disclosed herein includes a main body having front and side surfaces, a window curved from the front surface toward the side surfaces on a top of the main body to define at least a part of the side surfaces, a touch sensor curved along a shape of the window on a rear surface of the window, a display curved along a shape of the touch sensor on a rear surface of the touch sensor, a frame provided on a rear surface of the display and having a shape corresponding to the display for support, a rear case covering a rear surface of the main body, and a decoration member located at a lower or upper end of the window, and having a main surface portion covering a part of the front surface of the main body, and curved portions each extending from the main surface portion to cover a part of each side surface of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seungyong Shin, Inkuk Yeo, Sungkwon Jang, Kyoungtae Kim, Junghoon Hwang
  • Patent number: 9496793
    Abstract: A microchip for control of a switch mode power supply (SMPS), with said microchip also having the ability to measure capacitance of an electrode or sense plate structure or structures, and use of a low power, power supply structure to supply said microchip, said power supply structure distinct from the main energy path via said SMPS to a load. The microchip may control said SMPS to transition between an active state and an inactive state, with the measured capacitance used to determine a condition for state transition. In said SMPS inactive state, only the microchip draws power to operate its capacitive sensing circuitry, leading to a significant SMPS standby losses decrease compared to prior art. Further teachings by the present invention include capacitive sensing based data transfer, universal charging platforms for mobile devices, noise immunity enhancements, various lighting embodiments as well as SMPS operation improvements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: AZOTEQ (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Frederick Johannes Bruwer, Daniel Van Wyk, Willem Adriaan Doorduin
  • Patent number: 9490791
    Abstract: A system and method for efficient detection of Low Frequency Periodic Signaling (LFPS) input signals. A receiver receives two input differential signals that are LFPS input signals. The receiver increases the common-mode voltage for each of the two input differential signals and determines two polarity opposite differences between the level shifted intermediate differential signals. The differences are used to generate two series of relatively narrow pulses by comparisons with a given threshold. A wide continuous pulse is asserted when an initial pulse among the two series of pulses is detected. The wide continuous pulse is deasserted when a final pulse among the two series of pulses is detected. While the wide continuous pulse is asserted, control logic is awakened and performs a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol for processing data on the input differential signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Liu, Hai Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9483956
    Abstract: A real time performance pressure feedback system for a stringed instrument includes a pressure sensor, a desired pressure input device, a feedback device, and a controller. The pressure sensor is configured to be fixedly and removably attached to the stringed instrument on a pressure surface, and to generate a pressure signal indicative of a pressure being applied to the pressure surface. The desired pressure user input device is configured to receive a desired pressure input and to generate a desired pressure signal indicative of the desired pressure input. The feedback device is configured to generate feedback to a performer at least in part in response to a performance feedback signal. The controller is communicatively connected to the pressure sensor, the desired pressure user input, and the feedback device, and is configured to generate the performance feedback signal at least in part in response to the pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Inventor: Ann R. Winget
  • Patent number: 9459742
    Abstract: A method for designing a pattern of sensing channels is provided. The method is applied to a touch panel including a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of sections of sensing channels. The electrodes are connected to a plurality of sensors for the touch panel via the sections of sensing channels. According to a minimum sensing channel width, a minimum sensing channel gap, a maximum distribution width and lengths of the sections of sensing channels, a set of rules are established. According to the set of rules, a programming process is utilized to determine respective widths of the sections of sensing channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Lun Kuo, Chao-Cheng Wen, Meng-Che Tsai
  • Patent number: 9439283
    Abstract: Disclosed are a conductive sheet, a usage method of the conductive sheet and a capacitive type touch panel. For a first conductive sheet, two or more conductive first large grids are formed atop a first transparent base, wherein each first large grid is constituted by combining two or more small grids, and the shapes of facing sides of each first large grid are formed to alternate. For example, rectangular waveshapes of a first side portion of the first large grid and of a fourth side portion facing the first side portion are made to alternate, and rectangular waveshapes of a second side portion of the first large grid and of a third side portion facing the second side portion are made to alternate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Kuriki
  • Patent number: 9430050
    Abstract: Described herein are one or more techniques related to a touchsurface with level and planar translational travel responsiveness. One or more of the described implementations include an input device having a rigid body including a touchsurface configured to travel along a depression path in response to being depressed by a user. The input device also includes a leveling mechanism that operates in manner to keep the touchsurface substantially level as the touchsurface travels along the depression path in response to being depressed by the user. Furthermore, the input device has a planar-translation-effecting mechanism that defines a planar translation component of the depression path, such that the touchsurface exhibits planar translation as the touchsurface travels along the depression path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Cody G. Peterson, Douglas M. Krumpelman, Michael D. Levin
  • Patent number: 9432017
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a kit for making a touch-sensitive personalized display includes a first medium that is foldable according to score lines to form a cavity. The first medium includes an adhesion surface to receive a personalized second medium, and a back surface opposite the adhesion surface. The second medium includes a personalization surface to receive a user selected-image, and includes a rear surface opposite the personalization surface to adhere to the first medium's adhesion surface. The kit includes a conductive touch sensing system to detect a user touch at the personalization surface and to trigger an action at an electronic device responsive to detection of the touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David P Rossing, Stephen M Ledak, Xiaoqi Zhou, Steven L Webb
  • Patent number: 9423917
    Abstract: A capacitive touch panel includes a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and an isolation layer. First and second sensing electrode serials are disposed on surfaces of the first and second transparent substrates, respectively. The first sensing electrode serials are formed by cascading first sensing electrodes. A first hollow region is formed between two adjacent first sensing electrodes. A first compensating electrode is formed in the first hollow region on the surface of the first transparent substrate. The second sensing electrode serials are formed by cascading second sensing electrodes. A second hollow region is formed between two adjacent second sensing electrodes. A second compensating electrode is formed in the second hollow region on the surface of the second transparent substrate. The isolation layer is disposed between the first and second transparent substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Hsiang Huang, Chun-Jung Huang
  • Patent number: 9415576
    Abstract: A display device and a method of manufacturing the same, the display device including a display module including a display area and a circuit area; a window that faces the display module; a bonding member between the display area of the display module and the window, the bonding member bonding the display module and the window together; and a dam member along a boundary between the display area and the circuit area, the dam member separating the bonding member and the circuit area, wherein the dam member includes a foam element that absorbs at least a portion of the bonding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gwang Jea Seo, Dong Suk Choi
  • Patent number: 9398224
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting an object in a substrate is disclosed. The device has a sensor unit having a sensor element and at least one further sensor element, a control and evaluation unit, and a display unit. The method for detecting an object in a substrate includes simultaneous reception of a receive signal and at least one further receive signal and simultaneous calculation of a depth cross-sectional image from the receive signal and at least one further depth cross-sectional image from the at least one further receive signal by the control and evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Patrick Haldner, Christoph Wuersch, Wilfried Kaneider, Dietmar Schoenbeck, Sascha Korl
  • Patent number: 9395836
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes arranging a touch sensor over a first side of a display. The touch sensor comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion comprising a plurality of electrodes. The second portion comprising a plurality of tracks and a first plurality of connection pads. The method further includes folding the touch sensor around the display such that the second portion of the touch sensor is situated on a second side of the display. The second side of the display different than the first side of the display. Also, the method includes electrically coupling the first plurality of connection pads to a second plurality of connection pads. The second plurality of connection pads configured to be electrically coupled to a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald Ih
  • Patent number: 9389257
    Abstract: A method for producing a capacitive contact sensor and a capacitive contact sensor having a carrier plate made of plastic are described. The front surface of the sensor initiates a switching process when contacted, and the rear surface of the sensor has one or more capacitive sensor electrodes disposed thereon and connected via conductors to analysis electronics. The regions on the front surface of the carrier plate opposite the sensor electrodes thereby form contact zones. A plastic film supporting the sensor electrodes and conductors is placed on a first side wall of a cavity of an injection molding tool, wherein the sensor electrodes face the first side wall, and then a polycarbonate forming the carrier plate is injected into the cavity on the side of the plastic film facing away from the sensor electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Bolte, Till Fiegler
  • Patent number: 9367095
    Abstract: A consumer electronic product includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Scott A. Myers
  • Patent number: 9342105
    Abstract: A curved display including an external protective layer with an edge at least a part of which has a certain curvature, an opaque layer disposed at the edge of the external protective layer, and a panel module layer including an electrode trace area aligned under the opaque layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Min Choi, Soon Woong Yang, Jong Chul Choi
  • Patent number: 9345072
    Abstract: An induction cooking system and method that prevents a valid key touch from being rejected is provided. A noise rejection apparatus can prevent noise from influencing the determination of a valid key touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Vincent Brosnan, John L. Etheredge
  • Patent number: 9336761
    Abstract: A portable electronic drumhead sensor which converts impact forces exerted by a drumstick or hand into electrical pulses input to headphones to thereby simulate sounds of an acoustic drumhead includes a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) lamination coated with an electrically conductive polymer ink, a spacer lamination, and a flexible electrode lamination having on an inner surface thereof interdigitated electrodes, the electrode lamination elastically contacting the FSR lamination in response to impact forces on the outer surface of either lamination to momentarily reduce electrical resistance between the electrodes. An annular ring-shaped embodiment of the sensor positionable on an acoustic drumhead has an upwardly protruding resilient bumper strikable to produce electronically synthesized rim-shot sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Aquarian Coatings Corp.
    Inventors: Ronald G. Marquez, Franklin N. Eventoff, Mario J. DeCiutiis
  • Patent number: 9331691
    Abstract: The control unit, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a manually actuable control element (12) for selecting and optionally for activating a control function, wherein the control element (12) can be moved manually into a selection and/or trigger position for selecting and optionally for activating a control function. In addition, the control unit has a capacitive tactile sensor (41) for identifying manual touching contact with the control element (12) and optionally identifying the event of a hand approaching the control element (12), wherein the tactile sensor (41) has a first and a second electrode (38, 40), which have electrode sides which substantially face one another and are spaced apart from one another. The first electrode (38) is arranged on the control element (12). The second electrode (40) is arranged immovably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Winfried Fust, Frank Vogt
  • Patent number: 9323399
    Abstract: A capacitive touch pad includes an electrode board, a plurality of capacitive touch sensor pads, and a cover. The electrode board has touch sensor circuitry formed thereon. The plurality of capacitive touch sensor pads is formed in an array over the touch pad circuitry of the printed circuit board. The plurality of capacitive touch sensor pads is spaced apart by a predetermined distance to form spaces between the pads of the plurality of capacitive touch sensor pads. The cover is positioned over and covering substantially all of the plurality of capacitive touch sensor pads. The cover has a first cavity with a first depth, where the first cavity is shaped to form an air gap between the pads of the plurality of capacitive touch sensor pads to dampen capacitive coupling between adjacent touch pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Bryce T. Osoinach, Lawrence T. Roshak
  • Patent number: 9323295
    Abstract: A touch panel, including a substrate, first electrodes, second electrodes, first connecting lines, first pads, second connecting lines, and second pads, is provided. The first electrodes are arranged in an array to define a plurality of columns each parallel to a first direction and a plurality of rows each parallel to a second direction intersecting the first direction. Each of the second electrodes is extended in the first direction. The second electrodes are sequentially arranged in the second direction so that one column of the first electrodes is disposed between two adjacent second electrodes. The first connecting lines connect the first electrodes in the same row into a series connected to one first pad. The second electrodes are connected to the second pads through the second connecting lines. The first electrodes, the second electrodes, the first connecting lines, and the second connecting lines do not intersect one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: WINTEK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ting-Yu Chang, Kuo-Chang Su
  • Patent number: 9298220
    Abstract: A curved display including an external protective layer with an edge at least a part of which has a certain curvature, an opaque layer disposed at the edge of the external protective layer, and a panel module layer including an electrode trace area aligned under the opaque layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Min Choi, Soon Woong Yang, Jong Chul Choi
  • Patent number: 9300289
    Abstract: A switch device includes: a first touch sensor portion to which one end of a first wiring portion is connected; a second touch sensor portion to which one end of a second wiring portion is connected; and a touch wiring portion having one end of which is connected only to the second wiring portion and the other end of which is open; the touch wiring portion being arranged such that when one capacitance is produced between the touch surface and the first wiring portion by a touch operation, the other capacitance is produced between the touch surface and the touch wiring portion by the touch operation; and the touch operation is disabled when detecting the one capacitance and the other capacitance. A finger touches a portion other than a touch sensor portion (wiring portion), and the touch is disabled, and thereby, a high reliability is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TOYO DENSO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Noguchi, Hideaki Itoh, Kiyoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9300288
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a touch sensor panel with a reduced number of masks includes forming a first resist layer with both full and partial thickness patterns, the latter being at a region corresponding to a plurality of first sensor electrodes; etching a first transparent conductive layer and a first other conductive layer using the first resist layer patterns having both full and partial thicknesses; forming a second resist layer with both full and partial thickness patterns, the latter being at a region corresponding to a plurality of second sensor electrodes; and etching while using the second resist layer patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Duk-Sung Kim, Sung Man Kim, Jong Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9293278
    Abstract: A key assembly is for use in a keyboard of the type including a key guide having a planar translation effecting (PTE) feature. The key assembly includes a key base having a PTE mating feature configured to interact with the PTE feature during a key press, and a key cap configured to be attached to the key base. The key base is made of a first material and the key cap is made of a second material different from the first material. A conductive portion and/or a magnet may be wedged between or secured within the key base or the key cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Peter Bokma, Raymond Chin, Robert J. Bolender, Kirsten Etzold
  • Patent number: 9292138
    Abstract: An embodiment of a capacitive sensor array may comprise a first set of sensor electrodes each comprising one or more large subelements and a second set of sensor electrodes each comprising one or more small subelements. In one embodiment, each of the small subelements may be smaller than any of the large subelements, and the first set of sensor electrodes and the second set of sensor electrodes are formed from a single layer of conductive material. In one embodiment, the surface area of the capacitive sensor array may be divisible into a grid of N×M unit cells, wherein each of the N×M unit cells contains one of the large subelements and k of the small subelements, where k is greater than or equal to 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: PARADE TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Alexandre Gourevitch, Vladimir Korobov, Peter Vavaroutsos
  • Patent number: 9249606
    Abstract: An antenna unit incorporated into a door handle of a vehicle includes: an unlock sensor plate (first detection electrode) of a capacitive sensor configured to detect a driver's approaching or touching the door handle; and an antenna for wireless communications. The unlock sensor plate has an antenna fixing part for positioning and fixing the antenna. The antenna fixed on the antenna fixing part and the unlock sensor plate are molded into a unit with a molded resin. The unlock sensor plate has a circuit board fixing part for positioning and fixing a circuit board including a detection circuit of the capacitive sensor mounted thereon. An electrode fixing part for positioning and fixing a lock sensor plate (a second detection electrode) of the capacitive sensor is provided on an opposite surface of the circuit board from a surface on which the unlock sensor plate is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: U-SHIN LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Naka
  • Patent number: 9235309
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: James Dunphy, Bob Lee Mackey, Joseph Kurth Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9219478
    Abstract: A circuit switch for a keyboard is formed of a first plate and a second plate. A first sensitive portion and a second sensitive portion are mounted on a surface of the first plate, superposed on each other, and electrically insulated against each other. A first conductive wire is located on the first plate and electrically connected with the first sensitive portion. A conductive portion is located on the second plate. The second plate is parallel to the first plate in arrangement. The conductive portion corresponds to the second sensitive portion in a way that an interval is located therebetween. A second conductive wire is located on the second plate and electrically connected with the conductive portion. A grounded circuit is located between the first and second plates and spaced from the second sensitive portion. The grounded circuit partially overlaps or crosses the first or second conductive wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Inventor: Hui-Hu Liang
  • Patent number: 9203404
    Abstract: An operation device includes a cover and a substrate on which a plurality of electrodes which detects a capacitance and which is provided corresponding to each of a plurality of touch switches is mounted. The operation device includes a laminated structure in which at least an elastic sheet that is self-tacking and closely contacts a plurality of electrodes is inserted between the cover and the substrate. At least one through hole is formed at a location on the substrate facing the elastic sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhito Tsubakimoto, Hiroshi Ogushi, Noboru Shimoyama, Yasushi Ishida
  • Patent number: 9195348
    Abstract: A touch screen panel according to an embodiment includes an electrode forming part including a plurality of first electrode serials arranged in parallel on a substrate in a first direction and a plurality of second electrode serials arranged on the substrate to cross over the first electrode serials; and a routing wire forming part formed on the substrate, and including a plurality of first routing wires respectively connected to the plurality of first electrode serials and a plurality of second routing wires respectively connected to the plurality of second electrode serials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dongsup Kim, Byungkoo Kang, Sohaeng Cho
  • Patent number: 9195088
    Abstract: An operating device for an electric appliance has a plurality of display elements, a plurality of operating elements below a translucent operating surface in order to operate by applying a finger and drawing the finger over the operating surface. The operating elements are flat capacitive sensor elements and together with the display elements have common accommodation housings. The sensor elements are placed on top of the accommodation housings and the display elements are arranged in through-holes in the housings. The operating device has at least two accommodation housings that are arranged next to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventor: Carmelo Zarcone
  • Patent number: 9189033
    Abstract: Presented is a touchscreen panel sensor film with alignment marks or product information assigned thereto, this sensor film being formed so as to improve in post-processing accuracy. The touchscreen panel sensor film according to this invention includes a transparent base film and a transparent electrical conductor pattern provided on at least one surface of the base film, and achieves the improvement of post-processing accuracy by having alignment marks or product information in a non-active area on the sensor film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Mitsuru Iida, Yutaka Matsumoto, Junzo Matsuda, Kazuya Ogawa, Tatsuhiko Ishigami
  • Patent number: 9189016
    Abstract: A mobile terminal comprises: a body having a front surface, a rear surface and side surfaces; a window disposed on the front surface, and having its edge portion bent so as to form at least part of the side surfaces; a display disposed to face the window, and configured to output visual information; and a touch sensor disposed between the window and the display, configured to sense a touch input applied to the window, and covering a rear surface of the display as at least part thereof is folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sungkwon Jang, Kuangjun An, Junghoon Hwang, Taeho Kim
  • Patent number: 9170008
    Abstract: A disk having an illuminated switch surface is described. The disk has a transparent substrate, an electrically conductive structure, which forms a switch surface, a flat conductor, which is electrically connected to the electrically conductive structure by means of an electrical connecting element, a light-irradiation means, which has at least one light source and is arranged on the flat conductor and on a lateral edge of the substrate. Light is coupled into the disk from the lateral edge of the substrate and from a light-refracting means, which is arranged in the region of the disk irradiated by the light of the light-irradiation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Bernhard Reul, Klaus Schmalbuch
  • Patent number: 9170695
    Abstract: A seamless capacitive touch panel includes a substrate, a pattern layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The pattern layer is formed on the substrate. The first electrode is formed on the pattern layer. The second electrode is formed on the substrate. The first electrode and the second electrode are separated by the pattern layer for preventing conduction between the first and second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Kuei-Ching Wang, Hsing-Chiao Lin
  • Patent number: 9152279
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hardware tool for interacting with an “intelligent device” such as a “smart phone,” e.g., Apple Corporation's “iPhone”, or other devices with certain comparable capabilities, such as the Apple “iPad” tablet computer, and to a method for authorizing transactions based on successful interaction. More specifically, the invention relates to employment of a hardware tool having contact members for contacting the touch-sensitive screens of such devices at plural locations in specific spatial relation to one another. The device, running an application program or “app”, then detects the locations at which the screen has been thus contacted, and compares those locations to stored locations specific to a particular type of transaction, and, if the detected locations match a set of stored locations, authorizes the transaction to proceed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SnowShoeFood, Inc.
    Inventors: Claus Christopher Moberg, Matthew Charles Luedke, Ryan M. Brown
  • Patent number: 9130571
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method that initialize a capacitive sensing switch and detects a pushed button are described. The apparatus comprises a keypad, a logic component, an initialization threshold, a measured capacitive value, and a processor. The keypad comprises at least one capacitive sensing switch. The logic component is configured to determine a capacitive sensing range for each capacitive sensing switch, wherein the range corresponds to the difference between the maximum and minimum capacitance. Each capacitive sensing switch is initialized when the capacitive sensing range exceeds the initialization threshold. The measured capacitive value measures the capacitive value for each switch and a corresponding push-button threshold determines whether the button has been pushed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Thoma
  • Patent number: 9124275
    Abstract: A touch panel includes a transparent plate, an upper substrate having an upper surface situated on a lower surface of the transparent plate and stacked on the transparent plate in a downward direction, an upper conductive layer provided between the lower surface of the transparent plate and the lower surface of the upper substrate, a lower substrate having an upper surface situated on the lower surface of the upper substrate and stacked on the upper substrate in the downward direction, and a lower conductive layer provided between the lower surface of the upper substrate and the upper surface of the lower substrate and facing the upper conductive layer across the upper substrate. The upper surface of the transparent plate has a dome shape projecting upward on a cross section in a first direction perpendicular to the downward direction and on a cross section in a second direction perpendicular to the downward direction and the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMANT CO.,LTD.
    Inventors: Kouichi Santo, Hideaki Eto, Takuma Besshi, Tsutomu Yahagi
  • Patent number: 9122363
    Abstract: Disclosed is a touch panel including a first electrode substrate including a first conductive layer; and a second electrode substrate including a second conductive layer and being stacked with the first electrode substrate such that the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer face each other. The first conductive layer is composed of a first line of conductive areas and a second line of conductive areas adjacent to the first line where each of the first and the second lines includes an odd number greater than or equal to three of the conductive areas aligned in a second direction, and the conductive areas positioned in the middle of the first line and the second line are respectively connected with extracting areas extending toward different edges in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU COMPONENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yoshifusa, Koichi Kondoh, Takashi Nakajima, Genichi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9069388
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to implementing different key types on a keypad or keyboard. The implementation can be enabled e.g. by an apparatus including a substrate (28) including a capacitive sensor element (29), the capacitive sensor element having a first electrode (24) forming a first capacitor with an object touching or coming into proximity of the first electrode, wherein the capacitive sensor element is configured to generate a first signal responsive to the object touching or coming into proximity of the capacitive sensor element, a first capacitor circuit coupled to at least the first electrode, and a dome (26) configured to complete, responsive to the dome being depressed, an electric circuit including at least the first capacitor and the first capacitor circuit to form a second capacitor circuit, wherein the second capacitor circuit is configured to generate a second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Marko Karhiniemi, Juhani Tuovinen
  • Patent number: 9058084
    Abstract: A single-side touch-screen device includes a substrate having a cured layer with a patterned arrangement of micro-channels embossed therein and a cured electrically conductive micro-wire formed in each micro-channel. A patterned dielectric insulator is located over one or more middle portions of at least some of the micro-wires forming insulated micro-wire portions and exposed micro-wire portions. A plurality of patterned transparent conductors are conformally coated in an array over at least a part of the patterned dielectric insulator, at least a part of the insulated micro-wire portions, and at least a part of the exposed micro-wire portions, the at least a part of the exposed micro-wire portions electrically connected to at least a portion of the patterned transparent conductors. The transparent conductors and the micro-wires form an array of electrically connected horizontal electrodes and an array of electrically connected vertical electrodes electrically isolated from the horizontal electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Mitchell Stewart Burberry, Ronald Steven Cok