Patents Assigned to ALSENTIS, LLC
  • Patent number: 12429985
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a touch input are provided. The systems and methods generally include measuring the peak voltage at an electrode over a measurement period and determining a touch input based on the peak voltage. The systems and methods can conserve computing resources by deferring digital signal processing until after a peak electrode capacitance has been sampled. The systems and methods are suitable for capacitive sensors using self-capacitance and capacitive sensors using mutual capacitance. The systems and methods are also suitable for capacitive buttons, track pads, and touch screens, among other implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2025
    Assignee: ALSENTIS, LLC
    Inventor: David W. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 11730910
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a touch input are provided. The systems and methods generally include measuring the peak voltage at an electrode over a measurement period and determining a touch input based on the peak voltage. The systems and methods can conserve computing resources by deferring digital signal processing until after a peak electrode capacitance has been sampled. The systems and methods are suitable for capacitive sensors using self-capacitance and capacitive sensors using mutual capacitance. The systems and methods are also suitable for capacitive buttons, track pads, and touch screens, among other implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ALSENTIS, LLC
    Inventor: David W. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 11592942
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a touch input are provided. The systems and methods generally include measuring the peak voltage at an electrode over a measurement period and determining a touch input based on the peak voltage. The systems and methods can conserve computing resources by deferring digital signal processing until after a peak electrode capacitance has been sampled. The systems and methods are suitable for capacitive sensors using self-capacitance and capacitive sensors using mutual capacitance. The systems and methods are also suitable for capacitive buttons, track pads, and touch screens, among other implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ALSENTIS, LLC
    Inventor: David W. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 11592943
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a touch input are provided. The systems and methods generally include measuring the peak voltage at an electrode over a measurement period and determining a touch input based on the peak voltage. The systems and methods can conserve computing resources by deferring digital signal processing until after a peak electrode capacitance has been sampled. The systems and methods are suitable for capacitive sensors using self-capacitance and capacitive sensors using mutual capacitance. The systems and methods are also suitable for capacitive buttons, track pads, and touch screens, among other implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ALSENTIS, LLC
    Inventor: David W. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 11561652
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a touch input are provided. The systems and methods generally include measuring the peak voltage at an electrode over a measurement period and determining a touch input based on the peak voltage. The systems and methods can conserve computing resources by deferring digital signal processing until after a peak electrode capacitance has been sampled. The systems and methods are suitable for capacitive sensors using self-capacitance and capacitive sensors using mutual capacitance. The systems and methods are also suitable for capacitive buttons, track pads, and touch screens, among other implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ALSENTIS, LLC
    Inventor: David W. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 10248264
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor for detecting a stimulus. The capacitive sensor includes first and second electrodes defining a capacitive coupling, and a processing unit electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes to determine the presence of a stimulus based on the rate of change of the capacitive coupling. A substrate is positioned adjacent the first and second electrodes, wherein the stimulus corresponds to the placement of an object against the substrate. The processing unit is operative to determine a time rate of change based on successive measurements of the capacitive coupling and in response to the capacitive coupling being greater than a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Alsentis, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Caldwell, William D. Schaefer, Robert G. Bos, Stefan G. Kurek
  • Patent number: 10185439
    Abstract: A method for determining a stimulus is provided. The method includes determining a touch condition based on the rate of change of electrode capacitance, measuring a characteristic of the electrode capacitance in response to the touch condition being met, and evaluating the measured characteristic to determine the touch stimulus. The method can improve the ability to determine a touch stimulus over existing methods, including the ability to determine fingerprint and handprint biometrics, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Alsentis, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Caldwell, Robert G. Bos, Stefan G. Kurek
  • Patent number: 9851834
    Abstract: A method for determining a stimulus is provided. The method includes determining a touch condition based on the rate of change of electrode capacitance, measuring a characteristic of the electrode capacitance in response to the touch condition being met, and evaluating the measured characteristic to determine the touch stimulus. The method can improve the ability to determine a touch stimulus over existing methods, including the ability to determine fingerprint and handprint biometrics, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: AlSentis, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Caldwell, Robert G. Bos, Stefan G. Kurek
  • Patent number: 8866497
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor for detecting a stimulus. The capacitive sensor includes an electrode and a processing unit electrically coupled to the electrode and configured to determine the presence of a stimulus based on the rate of change of the electrode capacitance. A substrate is positioned adjacent the electrode, wherein the stimulus corresponds to the placement of an object against the substrate. The processing unit is operative to determine a time rate of change based on successive measurements of the electrode capacitance. In addition, the processing unit is operative to determine the presence of a stimulus in response to the time rate of change being less than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: AlSentis, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Caldwell, William D. Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20120068760
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor for detecting a stimulus. The capacitive sensor includes an electrode and a processing unit electrically coupled to the electrode and configured to determine the presence of a stimulus based on the rate of change of the electrode capacitance. A substrate is positioned adjacent the electrode, wherein the stimulus corresponds to the placement of an object against the substrate. The processing unit is operative to determine a time rate of change based on successive measurements of the electrode capacitance. In addition, the processing unit is operative to determine the presence of a stimulus in response to the time rate of change being less than a reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: ALSENTIS, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Caldwell, William D. Schaefer