Abstract: A system and method for measuring pressure by using two substrates that are separated by a distance, each substrate having at least one electrode, and wherein touch sensor capacitance circuitry coupled to electrodes on each of the substrates and transmitting a drive signal may be used to detect a bending or deflection of at least one of the substrates by measuring a change in distance between the electrodes on the different substrates when pressure is applied to one of the substrates, and wherein a compressible substrate may be disposed between the two substrates.

Abstract: A deformable sensor may detect changes in capacitance due to relative motion of electrodes in the deformable sensor, or due to a proximate object. In some cases, a controller circuit may communicate with a motion interface system to alter motion of system components when a deformation or proximate object is sensed.

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing a planar capacitive touch sensor that can be folded over a three-dimensional object that does not require substantial modification to function, wherein columns and rows of capacitive measurement nodes follow substantially linear designs, and wherein the algorithms used for detection and tracking objects are substantially the same as for a planar touch sensor design.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a touch sensor include a dynamic suspension system to enable the touch sensor to emulate the tactile sensation that a user feels when using pushbutton switches, wherein a touch sensor is combined with at least one snap dome and a post inside the snap dome to keep the touch sensor rigid until the touch sensor is allowed to be displaced when a force is applied, and then the post is retracted or released to enable movement of the touch sensor and the snap dome are disclosed. Also disclosed are systems and methods for a clickable touchpad that enables the clickable function to be selectively locked or unlocked in accordance with detected or sensed conditions are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a touch sensor, a touch region of the touch sensor that is free of sense electrodes, a first peripheral region of the touch sensor and a second peripheral region of the touch senor and the touch region is located between the first peripheral region and the second peripheral region, a first sense electrode is located in the first peripheral region, a second sense electrode is located in the second peripheral region.

Abstract: A system and method that combines skimmer detection technology with a waterproof and sealed touch sensor keypad that may be used outdoors in wet environments, and is capable of being operated by a user wearing gloves.

Abstract: A system and method that combines skimmer detection technology with a waterproof and sealed touch sensor keypad that may be used outdoors in wet environments, and is capable of being operated by a user wearing gloves.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling an entire touchpad surface to mechanically move if sufficient force is used to press on the touchpad to perform a mouse click function, such as a right click or a left click, when the touchpad is mechanically buttonless, such as a forcepad, in order to provide haptic feedback on a touchpad that otherwise has none.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling an entire touchpad surface to mechanically move if sufficient force is used to press on the touchpad to perform a mouse click function, such as a right click or a left click, when the touchpad is mechanically buttonless, such as a forcepad, in order to provide haptic feedback on a touchpad that otherwise has none.

Abstract: Improved driven shield electrodes used with capacitance sensors are described in this application. Typical capacitance sensors suffer from parasitic capacitance that can make proximity sensing difficult. The driven shield described herein is divided into multiple portions and an increased drive voltage is applied to at least one of these portions. This increase voltage enhances the electric field of the capacitance sensor and increases the proximity sensitivity. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling noise avoidance between multiple capacitive touch sensing circuits operating in a same device and which may interfere with each other, wherein a master controller is coupled to all of the capacitive touch sensing circuits to prevent them from using measurement frequencies and from jumping to new measurement frequencies that may interfere with each other, thereby allowing the capacitive touch sensing circuits to function properly.

Abstract: A system and method for injecting a signal on a sense electrode in order to increase the security of the touch sensor if signals are capable of being intercepted by a probe, the injected signals being capable of creating a signal on the sense electrode that replicates the signal of an actual finger, creating a signal on a sense electrode that is equal to but opposite of an actual finger in order to cancel out the signal from the actual finger and therefore hide its presence, and create a pseudo random signal on sense electrodes so that it is difficult to correlate measurable signals on sense electrodes to actual finger position.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing the number of electrodes needed to operate a touch sensor by arrangement of drive and sense electrodes on a single layer touch sensor, the electrodes being arranged such that drive signals that are sent to the electrodes are sent in a non-uniform pattern that enables selected regions of the touch sensor to generate a useful drive signal while the remaining regions do not. The arrangement of the drive and sense electrodes is such that the routing of signals to and from the electrodes may not interfere with operation of the touch sensor.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing interference caused by a near field communication antenna that is in close proximity of a touch sensor that the near field communication antenna will cause electromagnetic interference with operation of the touch sensor when the near field communication antenna is transmitting, wherein specific electrodes of the touch sensor are grounded when the near field communication antenna is actively transmitting a signal, thereby enabling the touch sensor to continue operating at the same time as the near field communication antenna.

Abstract: A method for detecting and tracking multiple fingers in a two dimensional set of results using oversampling hill climbing and descent with range.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a fluid flow strain gauge that may be mounted inside a pipe and connected to a base unit that uses capacitive or resistive technology to determine a direction and a rate of flow of a fluid through the pipe by measuring the force applied to the strain gauge by the flow of fluid.

Abstract: A system and method for activating a trigger on an input device, where a capacitive sensor is used for proximity detection of a finger, and wherein the trigger may provide a range of signal levels instead of an on/off signal.

Abstract: A method for determining what input should be accepted by a touch sensor after intentional and accidental lift-offs and slide-offs occur when gesturing or performing a function on the touch sensor by a finger or multiple fingers.

Abstract: A system and method for using data from a single-layer touch sensor to track a single object by using a coded stimulus drive pattern in order to multiplex data onto a sense electrode, measure the sense electrode, and then demultiplexing information from the measurement of the sense electrode in order to obtain position information regarding at least one object on the touch sensor.

Abstract: A touch sensor having a plurality of parallel drive electrodes that are being electrically driven, providing stimulus on one end or simultaneously on both ends, thus creating a linear or varying electric field across the length of the drive electrodes, wherein adjacent sensor electrodes are connected to a sense amplifier and analog-to-digital (ADC) converter to determine the position of an object that comes near to the drive and/or sense electrodes, wherein the system uses self-capacitance and measures the amount of current driven by each driver, wherein the system uses a mutual capacitance current divider in a first method by driving an electrode with a time varying voltage and measuring induced currents at each end of an adjacent sense electrode and using ratiometric equations to determine finger position, and using a mutual capacitance voltage divider in a second method.