Abstract: A capacitive position sensor has a two-layer electrode structure. Drive electrodes extending in a first direction on a first plane on one side of a substrate. Sense electrodes extend in a second direction on a second plane on the other side of the substrate so that the sense electrodes cross the drive electrodes at a plurality of intersections which collectively form a position sensing array. The sense electrodes are provided with branches extending in the first direction part of the way towards each adjacent sense electrode so that end portions of the branches of adjacent sense electrodes co-extend with each other in the first direction separated by a distance sufficiently small that capacitive coupling to the drive electrode adjacent to the co-extending portion is reduced. Providing sense electrode branches allow a sensor to be made which has a greater extent in the first direction for a given number of sense channels, since the co-extending portions provide an interpolating effect.

Abstract: A device includes a substrate, a top touch panel, and an electrode supported by the substrate including a conductive compressible material extending from the substrate to the top touch panel. Another electrode is supported by the substrate and arranged to form an electric field coupling with the electrode including the compressible material. A touch sensitive region is transferred from the substrate to the top touch panel by the compressible material.

Abstract: In a touch sensor, as well as providing touch position data, additional data is provided on the shape of the touch. This is achieved by having sampling nodes on a finer mesh than the size of the actuating object, typically a finger, so each finger touch activates a group of adjacent nodes on the sensor. In this way, each touch has a shape formed by the activated nodes. The shape allows the touch sensor to report an angle with each touch and data indicating how elongate the touch is, preferably both together as a vector in which the direction of the vector gives the angle and the magnitude of the vector gives the ellipticity. For each frame of data collected from the sensor array, the sensor outputs an (x, y) coordinate of touch position and a further (x, y) coordinate of a shape vector.

Abstract: A control panel for proximity and force sensing, includes a cover layer, a first electrode layer including a first force sensor electrode, a second force sensor electrode positioned in a second electrode layer or on a support layer, and a dielectric substrate at least a portion of which is compressible and is positioned between the first and second force sensor electrodes. The support layer is positioned to support at the vicinity of the second force sensor electrode support location so that compression of the dielectric substrate and the separation of the first and second force sensor electrodes depends on the magnitude of a force applied to the cover layer. Touch sensor electrodes are positioned on one or more of the electrode layers such that their capacitance depends on proximity of an object such as a finger. Controllers measure the capacitance of the force and touch sensor electrodes respectively and output force and touch proximity signals.

Abstract: A touch data set is acquired via signals from each sensing node in a capacitive sensor array having a plurality of sensing nodes. Touch presence and location on the capacitive sensor array is determined from the touch data set. In subsequent sampling periods while presence of a touch continues to be detected, touch data sets may be acquired from respective subsets of the sensing nodes, each subset being located at and adjacent to the touch location determined in the preceding sampling period.

Abstract: A capacitive touch sensor includes a layer of electro-luminescent (EL) material arranged between a first electrode and a second electrode, A controller includes a capacitance sensing circuit coupled to first and/or second electrode and arranged to measure a capacitive coupling associated with the first and/or second electrode. The controller is further operable to apply an EL drive signal across the first and second electrodes to cause the layer of EL material between the electrodes to illuminate. This provides a simple structure that is sensitive to objects adjacent a sensing region defined by the first and/or second electrodes, and which may also be readily illuminated by applying an EL drive signal across the electrodes.

Abstract: A sensor includes a first electrode and a second, compressible electrode. A dielectric layer separates the first electrode from the second electrode. At least one of the first and second electrodes compress responsive to force, increasing capacitance between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A touch data set is acquired via signals from each sensing node in a capacitive sensor array having a plurality of sensing nodes. Touch presence and location on the capacitive sensor array is determined from the touch data set. In subsequent sampling periods while presence of a touch continues to be detected, touch data sets may be acquired from respective subsets of the sensing nodes, each subset being located at and adjacent to the touch location determined in the preceding sampling period.

Abstract: A method and device receives signals from a plurality of nodes about a first touch of an array of touch screen sensor nodes. It is determined whether the received signals are representative of a finger touch or a stylus touch. A detect mode may be entered as a function of the type of touch determined.

Abstract: In a touch sensor, as well as providing touch position data, additional data is provided on the shape of the touch. This is achieved by having sampling nodes on a finer mesh than the size of the actuating object, typically a finger, so each finger touch activates a group of adjacent nodes on the sensor. In this way, each touch has a shape formed by the activated nodes. The shape allows the touch sensor to report an angle with each touch and data indicating how elongate the touch is, preferably both together as a vector in which the direction of the vector gives the angle and the magnitude of the vector gives the ellipticity. For each frame of data collected from the sensor array, the sensor outputs an (x, y) coordinate of touch position and a further (x, y) coordinate of a shape vector.

Abstract: Disclosed is a touch position sensor. Force detection circuitry can be included with the position sensor, for example, to determine an amount of force applied to a touch panel of the sensor.

Abstract: In a touch sensor, as well as providing touch position data, additional data is provided on the shape of the touch. This is achieved by having sampling nodes on a finer mesh than the size of the actuating object, typically a finger, so each finger touch activates a group of adjacent nodes on the sensor. In this way, each touch has a shape formed by the activated nodes. The shape allows the touch sensor to report an angle with each touch and data indicating how elongate the touch is, preferably both together as a vector in which the direction of the vector gives the angle and the magnitude of the vector gives the ellipticity. For each frame of data collected from the sensor array, the sensor outputs an (x, y) coordinate of touch position and a further (x, y) coordinate of a shape vector. This allows many novel gestures to be provided, such as single finger “drag and zoom” and single finger “drag and rotate”.

Abstract: A control panel for proximity and force sensing, includes a cover layer, a first electrode layer including a first force sensor electrode, a second force sensor electrode positioned in a second electrode layer or on a support layer, and a dielectric substrate at least a portion of which is compressible and is positioned between the first and second force sensor electrodes. The support layer is positioned to support at the vicinity of the second force sensor electrode support location so that compression of the dielectric substrate and the separation of the first and second force sensor electrodes depends on the magnitude of a force applied to the cover layer. Touch sensor electrodes are positioned on one or more of the electrode layers such that their capacitance depends on proximity of an object such as a finger. Controllers measure the capacitance of the force and touch sensor electrodes respectively and output force and touch proximity signals.

Abstract: A sensor includes a first electrode and a second, compressible electrode. A dielectric layer separates the first electrode from the second electrode. At least one of the first and second electrodes compress responsive to force, increasing capacitance between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A method and device receives signals from a plurality of nodes about a first touch of an array of touch screen sensor nodes. It is determined whether the received signals are representative of a finger touch or a stylus touch. A detect mode may be entered as a function of the type of touch determined.

Abstract: In a touch sensor, as well as providing touch position data, additional data is provided on the shape of the touch. This is achieved by having sampling nodes on a finer mesh than the size of the actuating object, typically a finger, so each finger touch activates a group of adjacent nodes on the sensor. In this way, each touch has a shape formed by the activated nodes. The shape allows the touch sensor to report an angle with each touch and data indicating how elongate the touch is, preferably both together as a vector in which the direction of the vector gives the angle and the magnitude of the vector gives the ellipticity. For each frame of data collected from the sensor array, the sensor outputs an (x, y) coordinate of touch position and a further (x, y) coordinate of a shape vector. This allows many novel gestures to be provided, such as single finger “drag and zoom” and single finger “drag and rotate”.

Abstract: A touch data set is acquired via signals from each sensing node in a capacitive sensor array having a plurality of sensing nodes. Touch presence and location on the capacitive sensor array is determined from the touch data set. In subsequent sampling periods while presence of a touch continues to be detected, touch data sets may be acquired from respective subsets of the sensing nodes, each subset being located at and adjacent to the touch location determined in the preceding sampling period.

Abstract: A capacitive touch sensor includes a layer of electro-luminescent (EL) material arranged between a first electrode and a second electrode, A controller includes a capacitance sensing circuit coupled to first and/or second electrode and arranged to measure a capacitive coupling associated with the first and/or second electrode. The controller is further operable to apply an EL drive signal across the first and second electrodes to cause the layer of EL material between the electrodes to illuminate. This provides a simple structure that is sensitive to objects adjacent a sensing region defined by the first and/or second electrodes, and which may also be readily illuminated by applying an EL drive signal across the electrodes.

Abstract: A device includes a substrate, a top touch panel, and an electrode supported by the substrate including a conductive compressible material extending from the substrate to the top touch panel. Another electrode is supported by the substrate and arranged to form an electric field coupling with the electrode including the compressible material. A touch sensitive region is transferred from the substrate to the top touch panel by the compressible material.

Abstract: A capacitive position sensor has a two-layer electrode structure. Drive electrodes extending in a first direction on a first plane on one side of a substrate. Sense electrodes extend in a second direction on a second plane on the other side of the substrate so that the sense electrodes cross the drive electrodes at a plurality of intersections which collectively form a position sensing array. The sense electrodes are provided with branches extending in the first direction part of the way towards each adjacent sense electrode so that end portions of the branches of adjacent sense electrodes co-extend with each other in the first direction separated by a distance sufficiently small that capacitive coupling to the drive electrode adjacent to the co-extending portion is reduced. Providing sense electrode branches allow a sensor to be made which has a greater extent in the first direction for a given number of sense channels, since the co-extending portions provide an interpolating effect.