Abstract: Devices and methods are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. The devices and methods utilize a first substrate with proximity sensor electrodes and at least a first force sensor electrode disposed on the first substrate. A second substrate is physically coupled to the first substrate, where the second substrate comprises a spring feature and an electrode component. The electrode component at least partially overlaps the first force sensor electrode to define a variable capacitance between the first force sensor electrode and the electrode component. The spring feature is configured to facilitate deflection of the electrode component relative to the first force sensor electrode to change the variable capacitance. A measure of the variable capacitance may be calculated and used to determine force information regarding the force biasing the input device.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. The devices and methods utilize a first electrode disposed on a first substrate, a second electrode coupled to a first side of a piezoelectric material and a third electrode coupled to a second side of the piezoelectric material. The second electrode and the third electrode are configured to facilitate actuation of the piezoelectric material, while the first electrode and the second electrode define at least part of a variable capacitance that facilitates force determination. A spacing element is coupled to the first substrate and defines a spacing between the first electrode and the second electrode. A transmission element is coupled to the third electrode and configured such that a force biasing the transmission element causes the second electrode to deflect relative to the first electrode, thus changing the variable capacitance.

Abstract: A passive stylus for capacitive sensors comprises a tip and a shaft. The tip is configured to couple electrically with a capacitive sensing device and to couple physically and electrically with the stylus shaft. The tip comprises a contact surface, a support region, and a flexible region. The contact surface is configured to contact a device surface associated with the capacitive sensing device. The flexible region is disposed between the contact surface and the support region. The flexible region comprises a hardness gradient. The support region is configured to provide structural support to the flexible region.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided that utilize a first electrode disposed on a first substrate and a second electrode disposed on a second substrate, where the first electrode and the second electrode define at least part of a variable capacitance. A third substrate is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, the third substrate having an opening arranged such that at least a portion of the first electrode and the second electrode overlap the opening. A transmission element is provided that partially overlaps the opening. The transmission element is physically coupled to the second electrode such that a force biasing the transmission element causes the second electrode to deflect relative to the first electrode, thus changing the variable capacitance. A measurement of the variable capacitance may then be used to determine force information.

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: Devices and methods are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the devices and methods facilitate input using a pressure-sensitive layer whose electrical admittivity changes in response to pressure applied to a touch surface. An input device is provided that comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes including a set of primary sensor electrodes and a set of secondary sensor electrodes. Each primary sensor electrode is electrically coupled to at least one secondary sensor electrode to form a set of electrical admittances. In one embodiment, the pressure-sensitive layer is located between the sensor electrodes and the touch surface, such that changes in the admittivity of the pressure-sensitive layer in response to pressure on the touch surface cause corresponding changes in the admittances between the primary and secondary sensor electrodes.

Abstract: A passive stylus for capacitive sensors comprises a tip and a shaft. The tip is configured to couple electrically with a capacitive sensing device and to couple physically and electrically with the stylus shaft. The tip comprises a contact surface, a support region, and a flexible region. The contact surface is configured to contact a device surface associated with the capacitive sensing device. The flexible region is disposed between the contact surface and the support region. The flexible region comprises a hardness gradient. The support region is configured to provide structural support to the flexible region.

Abstract: Input devices and methods are provided in which a sensing system is adapted to detect motion of an object on a surface and a processing system is coupled to the sensing system. The processing system is adapted to effect movement of a display pointer on a display in a first direction in response to motion of the object on the surface and effect continued movement of the display pointer in the first direction in response to the object being removed from the surface.

Abstract: One embodiment in accordance with the invention includes a capacitive sensor apparatus that includes a sensing element and a ground element. The capacitive sensor apparatus also includes a floating strike ring that is electrically isolated from the sensing element. The floating strike ring and the ground element form a spark gap. The spark gap is for reducing potential damage to the capacitive sensor apparatus that can be caused by an electrostatic discharge encountered by the capacitive sensor apparatus.

Abstract: A solid state navigation device comprises a solid state dielectric nub with an upper surface configured for being contacted by an object. The upper surface comprises an intervening dielectric layer. A plurality of conductor electrodes is disposed beneath at least a portion of the intervening dielectric layer. The plurality of conductor electrodes is configured to sense a change in capacitance coupling of the plurality of conductor electrodes to the object. The change in capacitance is caused by the object contacting and moving about the upper surface.

Abstract: A capacitive touch pad comprises a substrate material, such as a PC board type laminate material, having a plurality of first parallel conductive traces running in a first (X) direction disposed on a first face thereof, and a plurality of second parallel conductive traces running in a second (Y) direction, usually orthogonal to the first direction, disposed on an opposed second face thereof. A layer of pressure-conductive material is disposed over one of the faces of the substrate. A protective layer with a conductive coating on its back surface is disposed over the top surface of the pressure-conductive material to protect it. In an alternate embodiment, a capacitive touch sensor comprises a rigid substrate material having a conducting material disposed on one face thereof. A layer of pressure-conductive material is disposed over the conductive material on the substrate.

Abstract: An object proximity sensor includes a capacitive touch-sensitive transducer including row conductive lines insulated from column conductive lines to from a matrix. An insulating layer is disposed over the matrix and has a thickness selected to achieve significant capacitive coupling between an object placed on its surface and the matrix. Circuitry first drives each of the row conductive lines to a fixed voltage and then simultaneously injects a known amount of charge onto each of the row conductive lines, and then senses for each row conductive line a row-sense voltage created by the known amount of charge injected onto each of the row conductive lines, and, simultaneous with injected the known amount of charge, changes the voltage on all of the column conductive lines in the same direction as the row-sense voltage by an amount no greater than about twice the difference between the fixed voltage and an average of all row-sense voltage in the transducer.

Abstract: A force sensing touchpad comprises a substantially rigid touch surface; a substantially rigid frame; a plurality of spring structures formed integrally with the touch surface and mechanically connected to the reference frame; and a circuit for deriving force information from capacitances proportional to the distances between predetermined portions of the touch surface and portions of the frame in response to a force applied to the touch surfaces.

Abstract: An improved computer memory system based on a novel four transistor memory cell and an improved address decoder circuit is disclosed. The memory cell can be fabricated using currently available logic fabrication processes and requires a silicon area less than that required by prior art static memory cells. The improved decoder can be fabricated in significantly less silicon area than existing NOR gate decoder arrays and is faster than existing NOR gate decoder arrays.