Abstract: A processing system for capacitance sensing includes a sensor module and a determination module. The sensor module includes sensor circuitry coupled to sensor electrodes, the sensor module configured to generate sensing signals received with the sensor electrodes. The determination module is connected to the sensor electrodes and configured to obtain, for a predetermined timeframe, a profile from the sensing signals, obtain, for the predetermined timeframe, a noise statistic, and calculate, for the predetermined timeframe, a data signal statistic for the predetermined timeframe using the profile. The determination module is further configured to calculate a signal to noise ratio (SNR) by dividing the data signal statistic by the noise statistic. When the SNR satisfies a predetermined detection threshold, an input object is detected in a sensing region of the capacitance sensing input device.

Abstract: A processing system for a transcapacitive input device configured to detect input objects in a sensing region of the input device includes a transmitter module including transmitter circuitry, a receiver module, and a determination module. The transmitter module is configured to simultaneously transmit, using a plurality of transmitter electrodes, a plurality of transmitter signals according to a plurality of significantly non-orthogonal digital codes. At least two codes of the plurality of significantly non-orthogonal digital codes are significantly non-orthogonal. The receiver module is configured to receive, with a plurality of receiver electrodes, a plurality of resulting signals. Each resulting signal of the plurality of resulting signals comprises multiple effects corresponding to multiple transmitter signals of the plurality of transmitter signals. The determination module is configured to determine object information for input in the sensing region using the plurality of resulting signals.

Abstract: A capacitive input device has a sensor electrode pattern disposed on a first side of a substrate. The sensor electrode pattern comprises a plurality of sensor electrode elements disposed on the first side of a first substrate. A plurality of routing traces is disposed along a first edge of the sensor electrode pattern on the first side of the substrate and configured to communicatively couple at least some of the sensor electrodes with a processing system. A pair of guard traces is disposed in the same layer as and brackets the plurality of routing traces. A guard overlaps the routing traces, is disposed proximate the routing traces on the first side of the substrate, and ohmically couples the pair of guard traces with one another. A second insulator is disposed between the routing traces and the guard. The second insulator and the first insulator are disposed in the same layer.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide improved sensor devices. In one embodiment, an input device comprises a processing system, transmitter sensor electrodes, and a receiver sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to simultaneously transmit a first transmitter signal with a first transmitter electrode and a second transmitter signal with a second transmitter electrode. In one embodiment the first transmitter signal corresponds to an upper sideband and the second transmitter signal corresponds to a lower sideband. In another embodiment the first transmitter signal is in quadrature with the second transmitter signal. The processing system is further configured to receive a resulting signal with a receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects corresponding to both the first transmitter signal and the second transmitter signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a processing system for a display device integrated with a capacitive sensing device. The processing system includes a driver module, a receiver module, and a determination module. The driver module is coupled to a plurality of common electrodes configured to be driven for display updating and capacitive sensing. The receiver module is coupled to a plurality of receiver electrodes and configured for receiving resulting signals with the receiver electrodes. The determination module is configured for comparing a delta capacitive image to one or more saturation capacitance values and replacing the saturation capacitance values with one or more capacitance values from the delta capacitive image. The determination module is further configured for determining calibration values based on the saturation capacitance values. The calibration values calibrate for an air gap defined between a cover lens of a display device and the plurality of common electrodes.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for determining positional information for objects using an input device. The various embodiments provide improved user interface functionality by facilitating user input with input objects that are at the surface and objects that are away from the surface. The input device includes a processing system and an array of sensor electrodes adapted to capacitively sense objects in a sensing region.

Abstract: A processing system for a transcapacitive sensing device comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes sectioned by a seam, a first sensor electrode integrated circuit, and a second sensor electrode integrated circuit. The plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a plurality of transmitter electrodes intersecting a plurality of receiver electrodes. The first sensor electrode integrated circuit is communicatively coupled to a first subset of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The second sensor electrode integrated circuit is communicatively coupled to a second subset of the plurality of sensor electrodes. The first sensor electrode integrated circuit and the second sensor electrode integrated circuit are configured to operate the plurality of sensor electrodes in synchrony to transmit with the plurality of transmitter electrodes a set of transmitter signals and receive with the plurality of receiver electrodes a set of responses corresponding to the set of transmitter signals.

Abstract: A processing system includes transmitter module, receiver module, and a demodulating module. The transmitter module comprises transmitter circuitry and is configured to simultaneously transmit a first transmitter signal with a first transmitter electrode and a second transmitter signal with a second transmitter electrode. The first transmitter signal includes a combination of a first heterodyne frequency and a carrier frequency. The second transmitter signal comprises a combination of a second heterodyne frequency and the carrier frequency. The receiver module comprise receiver circuitry and is configured to receive a first resulting signal with a receiver electrode, wherein the first resulting signal comprises first effects corresponding to the first transmitter signal and second effects corresponding to the second transmitter signal.

Abstract: In a method of operating a touch screen, an object interaction is detected with the touch screen while in a first doze mode. It is determined if a detected object interaction with the touch screen is a valid input object interaction with the touch screen. In response to determining the object interaction is a valid input object interaction, the touch screen is transitioned from the first doze mode to a gesture recognition mode. The touch screen is transitioned from the gesture recognition mode to an active mode in response to a determination of a valid gesture interaction with the touch screen by the input object.

Abstract: A capacitive input device includes first and second pluralities of sensor electrodes disposed in a first region of a substrate. The first and second pluralities of sensor electrodes are substantially orthogonal to one another. The first region is configured to overlap a display screen. At least one routing trace is disposed in a second region of the substrate and is ohmically coupled to a sensor electrode of one of the first and second pluralities of sensor electrodes and also to a processing system. The second region comprises a non-display screen overlapping portion of the substrate. A compensation trace is disposed in the second region and ohmically coupled to the processing system. The compensation trace has substantially the same length as and is substantially parallel and proximate to the at least one routing trace. The compensation trace is not ohmically coupled to any sensor electrode located in the first region.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus that is configured to reduce the effects of interference that is undesirably provided to a transmitter signal that is delivered from a transmitter signal generating device to a sensor processor to determine if an input object is disposed within a touch sensing region of a touch sensing device. In one embodiment, the sensor processor includes a receiver channel that has circuitry that is configured to separately receive a transmitter signal delivered from a display processor and a sensor processor reference signal that is based on a display processor reference signal to reliably sense the presence of an object. Embodiments of the invention described herein thus provide an improved apparatus and method for reliably sensing the presence of an object by a touch sensing device.

Abstract: A method and system for driving capacitive pixels in a touch sensor device using a multi-level drive scheme. The drive scheme includes driving a transmitter electrode with a boosted voltage for a first period, and driving the transmitter electrode with a second voltage for a second period. The multi-level transmitter signal is determined based on different settling responses associated with the capacitive pixels of the touch sensor device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a methodology for producing modified nanoclays which, when added to an elastomer, provide elastomeric nanocomposites with improved ageing, rheological and mechanical properties, and which can be devoid of, or containing low amount of, a filler such as carbon black. The modified nanoclays are made of a nanoclay, such as organomodified nanoclay, modified so as to be in association with an amine-containing antioxidant and optionally also with a silyl-containing compound, such as mercaptosiloxane. Also disclosed herein are processes of preparing the modified nanoclays, elastomeric composites containing same and articles containing the elastomeric composites.

Abstract: A transcapacitive sensing device has and ohmic seam which sections a plurality of transmitter electrodes and also sections a plurality of receiver electrodes. A processing system is communicatively coupled with the transmitter electrodes and the receiver electrodes and configured to: transmit a first transmitter signal with a first transmitter electrode disposed on a first side of the ohmic seam; transmit a second transmitter signal with a second transmitter electrode disposed on a second side of the ohmic seam; receive a first response corresponding to said first transmitter signal with a first receiver electrode disposed on the first side of the ohmic seam; and receive a second response corresponding to said second transmitter signal with a second receiver electrode disposed on the second side of the ohmic seam.

Abstract: A differential amplifier has an output and differential first and second inputs. A switch disposed between a sensor electrode and the second input is opened to initiate a reset phase where the sensor electrode and the differential amplifier are decoupled. A feedback capacitance disposed between the second input and the output is reset to a first level of charge. The switch is closed to initiate a measurement phase where the second input and sensor electrode are coupled. In the measurement phase: charge is balanced between the sensor electrode and the feedback capacitance such that a sensor electrode voltage equals a voltage of the first input equals a voltage of the second input, and the sensor electrode is charged; and the differential amplifier is utilized to integrate charge on the sensor electrode, such that an absolute capacitance corresponding to a coupling between the sensor electrode and an input object is measured.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein thus provide devices and methods that facilitate improved input devices. Specifically, the devices, systems and methods provide the ability to accurately determine user input using multiple different sensing regimes. The different sensing regimes can be used to facilitate accurate position determination of objects both at the surface and away from the surface. For example, the different sensing regimes can be used to determine position information for both ungloved and gloved fingers. In one embodiment the first sensing regime uses a first duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing and a first duty cycle of transcapacitive sensing. The second sensing regime uses a second duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing and a second duty cycle of transcapacitive sensing, where the second duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing is greater than the first duty cycle of absolute capacitive sensing.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein provide input devices configured to selectively operate in two different sensing regimes. The first sensing regime is configured to determine positional information for ungloved fingers in the sensing region. The second sensing regime is configured to determine positional information for gloved fingers in the sensing region. The input devices are further configured to switch from operating in the first sensing regime to the second sensing regime responsive to detecting an input gesture that meets each of a set of criteria, where the set of criteria includes a measure of sensor value stability corresponding to the input gesture being beyond a sensor value stability threshold level. So implemented, the input device allows a user to easily switch between two different sensing regimes, and thus can facilitate the use of the device with both gloved and ungloved fingers providing input.

Abstract: A processing system for an input device includes a transmitter modules coupled to a plurality of transmitter electrodes including a first set and a second set of transmitter electrodes, the first set and second set being disjoint and having different sizes. The transmitter module is configured to simultaneously transmit a first plurality of transmitter signals with the first set of transmitter electrodes during a first period, and to simultaneously transmit a second plurality of transmitter signals with the second set of transmitter electrodes during a second period, wherein the first period and the second period are non-overlapping. Each of the first plurality of transmitter signals is based on a different sequence of a code, which includes a set of mathematically independent sequences and has a size equal to the size of the first set of transmitter electrodes.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide improved sensor devices. In one embodiment, an input device comprises a processing system, transmitter sensor electrodes, and a receiver sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to simultaneously transmit a first transmitter signal with a first transmitter electrode and a second transmitter signal with a second transmitter electrode. In one embodiment the first transmitter signal corresponds to an upper sideband and the second transmitter signal corresponds to a lower sideband. In another embodiment the first transmitter signal is in quadrature with the second transmitter signal. The processing system is further configured to receive a resulting signal with a receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects corresponding to both the first transmitter signal and the second transmitter signal.

Abstract: A nanoclay (NC) hybrid is provided as well as a method of producing the NC hybrid. The NC hybrid comprises silanized montmorillonite and an amine and is produced by mixing a silanizing agent and montmorillonite in a non-flammable solvent at elevated temperature. Also provided is a modified NC hybrid in which the montmorillonite is ammonium- or aminium-substituted.