Inductance Or Capacitance Sensor Patents (Class 73/862.626)
  • Patent number: 11906384
    Abstract: A pressure detection element of a capacitive system includes a dielectric having two opposing surfaces including a first surface and a second surface, a conductor layer provided on the first surface of the dielectric, a conductive elastic member provided on the second surface of the dielectric, a spacer that positions the conductive elastic member at a predetermined distance from the second surface of the dielectric, and a pressing member configured to push the conductive elastic member toward the dielectric. An end surface of the pressing member that presses the conductive elastic member has a predetermined curvature, with an apex at a center of the end surface. A protrusion is provided at the apex at the center of the end surface of the pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takenori Kaneda, Kenichi Ninomiya, Kohei Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11892378
    Abstract: A sensing device for measuring pressure, more particularly, a stretchable bidirectional capacitive pressure sensor 20 is disclosed. The sensor comprises a first elastomeric sheet 22 with a series of conductor lines 221 located on or in the first elastomeric sheet, a second elastomeric sheet 28 with a series of conductor lines 261 located on or in the second elastomeric sheet; and a microstructure comprising a plurality of elastomeric pillars 241 disposed between the elastomeric sheets; wherein the The microstructure is bonded to both the first and second elastomeric sheets to allow the bidirectional sensor to register positive and negative pressure by the movement of the first and second elastomeric sheets. A further aspect of the invention discloses a method of collecting data related to fluid flow over an object by using a two-dimensional capacitive pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: HYVE DYNAMICS HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventor: Juan Sebastian Tobon Conde
  • Patent number: 11872697
    Abstract: A collaborative device includes: a robotic arm including at least one motor; a tool secured to a free end of the robotic arm; a computer unit connected to the robotic arm to transmit instructions for controlling the robotic arm; and a joint having a flexible connection. The device integrates at least one sensor parameterised to detect forces exerted on the flexible connection. The computer unit is configured to: receive data from the sensor; translate the data into torques applied at the motor(s) of the robotic arm; generate instructions for attenuating the applied torques; and control the motor(s) of the robotic arm with the attenuation instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: FTS WELDING
    Inventors: Paul Foucault, Roland Devy
  • Patent number: 11767691
    Abstract: A door handle includes a handle body with an external surface, an internal portion, and a mounting feature configured to couple the handle body to a door. The door handle also includes a force sensing element disposed in the internal portion of the handle body. The first force sensing element is configured to measure a force applied to the external surface of the door handle. The door handle further includes a communication element coupled to the force sensing element. The force measured by the force sensing element is used to determine an output function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: INTERLINK ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chee Wai Lu, Cheng Seong Lee, Hock Cheng Ng, Wai Jye Chan
  • Patent number: 11766532
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for detecting a sealing condition between a patient interface and a patient, and adjusting the patient interface to maintain the patient interface in sealing contact with the patient. The patient interface may include a sealing structure to form a seal on the patient, and a positioning structure to secure the sealing structure to the patient. The patient interface may include a sensor coupled to the sealing structure. A processor determines the sealing condition between the sealing structure and the patient based on a signal from the sensor, and adjusts at least one of the sealing structure and the positioning structure to maintain the sealing structure in sealing contact with the patient. A prediction system predicts a leak between the sealing structure and the patient based on the sensor signal. A learning system learns how to fit the sealing structure to the patient to form a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventors: Timothy Tsun-Fai Fu, Sakeena De Souza
  • Patent number: 11673487
    Abstract: A passenger identification apparatus for vehicles is provided to identify a passenger through integration of a sensor that senses change in permittivity and a sensor that senses change in pressure. The apparatus includes a permittivity change sensing unit that is installed in the seat and senses change in capacitance generated by permittivity of the passenger seated on the seat and a pressure change sensing unit that is installed in the seat and senses change in pressure generated by a load of the passenger seated on the seat. A controller adjusts power supplied to the permittivity change sensing unit and the pressure change sensing unit and determines whether the passenger is seated on the seat and the type of passenger using permittivity and pressure change values sensed by the permittivity change sensing unit and the pressure change sensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Pyoung Sik Shin, Chun Seok Park
  • Patent number: 11566953
    Abstract: A deformation detection sensor that includes a conductive member, a plurality of thermoplastic resin layers, and a piezoelectric film. At least one of the thermoplastic resin layers has a main surface, and the conductive member is formed on the main surface thereof. The plurality of thermoplastic resin layers are laminated and integrally formed by hot pressing into a laminated body. A transmission line is formed form a first portion of the conductive member and the thermoplastic resin in the laminated body. The piezoelectric film is attached to the laminated body to form a piezoelectric element made of a second portion of the conductive member, the thermoplastic resin in the laminated body, and the piezoelectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Kihara, Jun Endo, Masamichi Ando
  • Patent number: 11493394
    Abstract: A capacitance detection device includes: a sensor unit including a plurality of sensor elements; row control lines; column control lines; a control circuit supplying a charging voltage to the sensor element; and an equipotential circuit outputting a potential equal to the potential of the sensor element subject to measurement. The control circuit applies a charging voltage to the row control line connected to the sensor element and connects the column control line connected to the sensor element to the ground potential side. The control circuit causes the equipotential circuit to set a potential of at least one of the row control lines other than the row control line connected to the sensor element subject to measurement and the column control lines other than the column control line connected to the sensor element subject to measurement to a potential equal to the potential of the sensor element subject to measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironobu Ukitsu, Yuta Moriura, Hiroyuki Furuya, Takashi Matsumoto, Yui Sawada
  • Patent number: 11467680
    Abstract: An electronic device according to an embodiment includes a printed circuit board, a bracket, a pressure sensor, a touch screen display, a cover glass, a touch sensor, and a fingerprint sensor. Besides, it may be permissible to prepare various other embodiments speculated through the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Joon Jeon, Geon Soo Kim, Hyung Sup Byeon, Doo Suk Kang, Han Vit Kang, Yo Han Lee, Bo Kun Choi
  • Patent number: 11460364
    Abstract: A multiplexed inductive tactile sensor for measuring location and force of contact with an external object includes sense and drive electronics and an array of sensels, each having a drive coil inductively coupled with a sense coil. The array has rows and columns of sensels. Drive coils in each column are electrically connected in series and driven by an AC constant current source through an analog demultiplexer. All sense coils in each row are electrically connected in series and the induced AC voltage across the row is fed to an AC amplifier through an analog multiplexer. The amplified AC voltage is then fed to the amplitude demodulator to generate a DC signal that is dependent on the inductive coupling factor between drive coil and sense coil of a sensel that is selected by being the intersection of the active current drive column and sense row. A first deformable conductive shield layer may be disposed adjacent to a first compressible dielectric layer disposed on first side of a PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Starrycom Sensing Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Chen
  • Patent number: 11371922
    Abstract: In one implementation, a footfall detection assembly comprising a sensor underlayment unit and a data analysis device is provided. The sensor underlayment unit comprises a sensor having a unique sensor identifier and a plurality of zones, wherein the sensor is configured to measure zone capacitance in the plurality of zones, and a processing unit operably connected to the sensor. The processing unit is configured to receive the measured zone capacitance values from the sensor upon the occurrence of a change in measured zone capacitance of the sensor and generate and transmit a data packet comprising at least the unique sensor identifier and measured zone capacitance values upon occurrence of a change in capacitance of at least one of the plurality of zones of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: COLUMBIA INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: John J. M. Rees, Dennis J. Jones, Jr., Thomas Jerry McClure, Jr., Chester A. Chaffin, Joseph M. Woodall, Alan F. Buttenhoff
  • Patent number: 11294480
    Abstract: An electronic pen of an electromagnetic coupling type has a resonant circuit that includes a coil and that is configured to indicate a position to a position detection sensor through electromagnetic coupling between the resonant circuit and the position detection sensor. The electronic pen includes an electronic pen main body and a pen tip unit configured to be detachable from the electronic pen main body. The pen tip unit includes a pen tip casing in which at least the coil is housed. The electronic pen main body includes a circuit portion of the resonant circuit that is electrically coupled to the coil housed in the pen tip unit when the pen tip unit is attached to the electronic pen main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Tanaka, Kenichi Ninomiya, Takenori Kaneda
  • Patent number: 11252521
    Abstract: The present subject matter relates to an improved connection assembly for hearing assistance devices. The improved connection assembly provides a connection system that is reliable, straightforward to manufacture, and easy to use. The present connection assembly provides a rapid replacement option for the cable and/or the receiver or other electronics connected to the cable. The present subject matter provides for a connection assembly that can be extended to provide connections for a variety of applications which are not limited to a speaker (receiver) in the ear. Sensors and new configurations of component placement are supported using the present assembly, including, but not limited to telecoils, and GMR or TMR sensors. Various electromagnetic interference issues are addressed. In some examples a shielded set of wires are included. In some examples a twisted pair of wires is included. Various combinations of wires for different applications are supported with the present connector system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sidney A. Higgins, James R. Newton
  • Patent number: 11226248
    Abstract: The present application relates to a touch sensor with multifunctional layers and an intelligent robot. The touch sensor comprises a plurality of sensor units. Each of the sensor units comprises regions contained in four multifunctional layers. The first multifunctional layer and the third multifunctional layer are higher than the second multifunctional layer and the fourth multifunctional later, and the distance from the center of the first multifunctional layer to the center of the third multifunctional layer is greater than the distance from the center of the second multifunctional layer to the center of the fourth multifunctional layer. The first multifunctional layer and the third multifunctional layer form a capacitor C1, and the second multifunctional layer and the fourth multifunctional layer form a capacitor C2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Beijing Tashan Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tengchen Sun, Dahua Zhang, Wei Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11215447
    Abstract: A transducer for assisting in measuring displacement or strain in an object of interest is described. A plate has at least two end sections for mounting the transducer. It comprises a flexible connection between the two end sections. The flexible connection comprises a plurality of rigid portions and flexible interconnections between the rigid portions for allowing relative movement of the rigid portions with respect to each other. The flexible connection has a central section substantially having a U-shape comprising two rigid portions spaced from each other over a distance and adapted for positioning a strain sensing element at the spacing in between said two rigid portions. The rigid portions and flexible interconnections are arranged so that a displacement applied to the end sections results in a relative displacement at the spacing in the central section that is larger than the relative displacement applied to the end sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Urszula Nawrot, Thomas Geernaert, Francis Berghmans, Hugo Thienpont
  • Patent number: 11016585
    Abstract: According to various exemplary embodiments, an electronic pen and an electronic device for detecting the same are provided. The electronic pen includes: a pen housing; a substrate assembly mounted inside the pen housing, and comprises a coil and a substrate which configured to generate a resonant frequency by an induced current generated in the coil; and at least one packing member disposed on at least a part of the substrate of the substrate assembly, and includes at least a part thereof overlap an inner surface of the pen housing when the substrate assembly is mounted in the pen housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daehyeong Park, Jong-Min Choi
  • Patent number: 10876908
    Abstract: A textile with an electrically conductive first side and an electrically conductive second side where the two sides are separated by an electrically insulating part of the textile and where the electrically conductivity is provided by a graphene coating on the respective sides and where a capacitance can be formed between the respective conductive sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: IMAGINE INTELLIGENT MATERIALS LTD
    Inventor: Phillip Aitchison
  • Patent number: 10809833
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor includes: a plurality of sensing electrodes provided on one surface of a base substrate, the plurality of sensing electrodes being arranged in a matrix form; and a ground electrode provided on the other surface of the base substrate. The ground electrode includes: a plurality of first lines extending in one direction, the plurality of first lines being parallel to one another; and a plurality of second lines extending in a direction intersecting the first lines, the plurality of second lines being parallel to one another. In a plan view, the first lines and the second lines are provided between adjacent sensing electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Won Jo, Su Yul Seo, Yu Jin Choi, Sung Sik Yun
  • Patent number: 10802616
    Abstract: An electronic pen includes: a tubular casing; a rod-shaped core body that projects outside of the casing through an opening of the casing, the opening being formed on one side in axial direction of the casing; a pen pressure detector disposed within a hollow portion of the casing, wherein the pen pressure detector, in operation detects a pen pressure applied to the core body; a core body insertion member disposed between the pen pressure detector and the opening of the casing within the hollow portion of the casing, the core body insertion member housing the core body movably in the axial direction of the casing and having a hollow space closed on a side of the pen pressure detector by a barrier; and a first sealing member that separates the hollow space of the core body insertion member from the hollow portion of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Ninomiya, Takayuki Arai, Kohei Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10775943
    Abstract: A touch input device capable of detecting a pressure of a touch on a touch surface may be provided that includes: a display module; and a pressure sensor which is disposed at a position where a distance between the pressure sensor and a reference potential layer is changeable according to the touch on the touch surface. The distance is changeable according to a pressure magnitude of the touch. The pressure sensor outputs a signal including information on a capacitance which is changed according to the distance. The pressure sensor includes a plurality of electrodes to form a plurality of channels. The pressure magnitude of the touch is detected on the basis of a change amount of the capacitance detected in each of the channels. According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a pressure sensor for pressure detection, a touch input device including the same, and a pressure detection method using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
    Inventors: Bong Jin Seo, Jae Bum Jun, Hwan Hee Lee, Bon Kee Kim, Sang Sic Yoon, Myung Jun Jin
  • Patent number: 10712863
    Abstract: An example input device for force and proximity sensing includes a plurality of touch electrodes comprising touch transmitter electrodes and touch receiver electrodes, a force electrode layer comprising a plurality of force electrodes, and a processing system. When operating in a proximity sensing mode, the processing system drives the touch transmitter electrodes with touch transmitter signals and determines a position of an input object, within a sensing region defined by the plurality of touch electrodes, based at least in part on a transcapacitive proximity measurement acquired from the touch receiver electrodes. When operating in a force sensing mode, the processing system drives the plurality of force electrodes with force transmitter signals and determines a force of the input object based at least in part on a transcapacitive force measurement based on a change in capacitance between the plurality of force electrodes and the plurality of touch electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Hoch, Adam L. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 10678350
    Abstract: An electronic pen has an electronic pen circuit and a core body disposed in a tubular external casing, and a circuit board that is disposed in the external casing and on which at least part of the electronic pen circuit is disposed. The electronic pen circuit and the circuit board are housed in a portion of a tubular internal casing housed in the external casing, and the core body is housed in the internal casing and the portion of the internal casing is filled with a resin in a state in which a tip part of the core body protrudes outside of the internal casing from a first opening of the internal casing on one side in an axial center direction of the internal casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoji Kamiyama, Toshihiko Horie
  • Patent number: 10679146
    Abstract: A method for touch classification includes obtaining frame data representative of a plurality of frames captured by a touch-sensitive device, analyzing the frame data to define a respective blob in each frame of the plurality of frames, the blobs being indicative of a touch event, computing a plurality of feature sets for the touch event, each feature set specifying properties of the respective blob in each frame of the plurality of frames, and determining a type of the touch event via machine learning classification configured to provide multiple non-bimodal classification scores based on the plurality of feature sets for the plurality of frames, each non-bimodal classification score being indicative of an ambiguity level in the machine learning classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dan Johnson, Pablo Sala
  • Patent number: 10485453
    Abstract: A stretch sensor includes a first elastic insulating layer, a first elastic conductive layer, an elastic dielectric layer, a second elastic conductive layer and a second elastic insulating layer sequentially piled together thereon. The first and the second elastic insulating layers include the same elastic resin, and the first and the second elastic conductive layer include the same elastic resin and the same conductive material. The elastic dielectric layer includes the elastic resin and a dielectric material, in which the dielectric material comprises at least one of an Sr1-xCaxTiO3 compound, an Sr1-yBayTiO3 compound, and a BaTiO3 compound so as to make the dielectric constant of the dielectric material within 15.65-2087.3 F/m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN ALPHA ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tzu-Hsuan Huang, Wei-Liang Liu
  • Patent number: 10458816
    Abstract: A sensor includes an electrode, an insulator, a pressure receiver, and a pressure imparting unit. The insulator is disposed at a position facing the electrode and away from the electrode. The pressure receiver is disposed on a surface of the insulator on a side opposite to the electrode. The pressure imparting unit presses a part of the insulator toward the electrode at a position different from the pressure receiver to contact the insulator with the electrode. The insulator generates power by contact charging or separation charging with respect to the electrode, to output the power as a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Miyazawa, Tsuneaki Kondoh, Tomoaki Sugawara, Yuko Arizumi, Junichiro Natori, Mayuka Araumi, Takahiro Imai, Makito Nakashima, Kimio Aoki, Mizuki Otagiri, Megumi Kitamura, Yuki Hoshikawa
  • Patent number: 10444889
    Abstract: A touch display device, as well as its driving method, is capable of supplying a touch driving signal for touch sensing and a force touch driving signal for force touch sensing, while also reducing current consumption. A driving circuit of the touch display device changes the number of changing a pulse waveform of a sync signal between a high logic level and a low logic level, wherein the sync signal is provided to control a touch driving signal supplied to a plurality of touch electrodes, and a force touch driving signal supplied to a display module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: SeHyun Chang, Dong-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 10401240
    Abstract: In order to provide a highly flexible and more highly sensitive ultrathin sheet for a pressure sensor, a pressure sensor, and a method for producing the sheet for a pressure sensor, a pressure sensor sheet (10) of the present invention is provided with a first electrode sheet (1a), a second electrode sheet (1b), and a flocculent pressure-sensitive conductive layer (3) composed of tangled conductive fibers (2) which is disposed between the first electrode sheet (1a) and the second electrode sheet (1b) and undergoes a change in resistance value when compressed, wherein the conductive fibers (2) extend along a direction parallel to the two electrode sheets and are stacked in a perpendicular direction, and the conductive fibers that constitute the pressure-sensitive conductive layer have spaces provided therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY
    Inventors: Sung Won Lee, Takao Someya, Tsuyoshi Sekitani
  • Patent number: 10378975
    Abstract: In various aspects, embodiments of the disclosure are generally directed to measuring static and dynamic forces of a body using sensors. In particular, a sensor may include a first layer serving as a flexible support material; a second layer on the first layer, the second layer serving as a sensing material; and a third layer on the second layer, the third layer comprising an insulating material. Further, the second layer and the third layer may be coupled using a first electrode comprising a first conductive thread and a first non-conductive thread. Additionally, the first conductive thread may be embedded in the second layer. Also, the first layer and the second layer may be further coupled using a second electrode comprising a second conductive thread and a second non-conductive thread, the second conductive thread may be embedded in the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Nextiles Inc.
    Inventor: George L. Sun
  • Patent number: 10267690
    Abstract: A capacitive force sensor is provided that includes a first support layer and a second support layer, a dielectric layer disposed between the first support layer and the second support layer, where the dielectric layer is a non-conductive elastomer that is incompressible in the a normal direction and deflects in a shear direction, a layer of parallel conductive traces disposed between and bonded to the dielectric layer and the first support layer, and a conductive layer of parallel shear channel traces having at least two distinct channels disposed between and bonded to the dielectric layer and the second support layer, where the parallel conductive traces and the parallel shear channel traces are locally parallel to each other and provide capacitive shear force measurement sensitivity while rejecting normal forces, where the normal force measurement is decoupled from the shear force measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Xin Alice Wu, John V Ulmen, Mark R. Cutkosky
  • Patent number: 10262294
    Abstract: A user may pick, place, or move an item at an inventory location, such as a shelf. Described are techniques to determine a location of one or more of an object, such as an item or a user, with respect to an array of capacitive sensors. The array may be part of the shelf. As an item is added to, moved or removed from the shelf, when the user's hand is near the shelf, and so forth, capacitance measured by one or more of the sensors in the array may change. Based on these changes, a location relative to the sensor array may be determined. A particular shelf may have different areas, each designated as holding a different type of item. The location information obtained from the capacitive sensors may be used to determine which item on the shelf was interacted with.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Camerin Cole Hahn, Qicai Shi, Christopher Raymond Grajewski, Vinod Lakhi Hingorani, Nathan Pius O'Neill
  • Patent number: 10262295
    Abstract: A provisioning system includes a plurality of supply bins each having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending upward from the bottom wall to define a bin interior. A sensor module is disposed in each bin interior. The sensor module includes an RF interface capable of providing wireless communication and a sensor capable of detecting items in the bin interior and communicating via the RF interface based upon a quantity of the items detected by the sensor in the bin interior. An RF reader reads all of the RF interfaces in the supply bins in a supply room to determine what items need to be resupplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: William L. Sharp, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10175804
    Abstract: An electronic device has a force touch function. The electronic device includes an image display module having a touch electrode. A cover window attaches to a front surface of the image display module. A housing receives the image display module therein, and supports the cover window. A panel moving part is between the housing and the image display module. A driving circuit senses a touch force based on a distance between the image display module and the housing which are spaced from each other with the panel moving part interposed in-between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: SeungHwan Yoon, KiDuk Kim, JongHee Hwang, DongKyun Lim, EunJung Kim
  • Patent number: 10067590
    Abstract: An input device is configured to detect force being applied to an input region of the device by an input object, in addition to the position of the input object using touch sensing methods. Aspects include driving a force sensing electrode of the input device using an anti-guarding voltage alternating with a ground or guard voltage, while driving the touch sensing electrodes with a reference voltage, to obtain touch measurements, force measurements, interference measurements, double the force signal, and/o double the touch signal for differential touch and force detection. Aspects also include driving sensor electrodes using orthogonal signals and performing in-phase and quadrature demodulation of the received signal for simultaneous and independent touch and force measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Joseph Kurth Reynolds
  • Patent number: 10042455
    Abstract: A detecting sensor is disclosed that includes position detection electrodes provided on a surface of a board which has flexibility, and are provided at a distance in a planar direction. Furthermore, the detecting sensor includes an insulator film provided on the surface of the board that covers the electrodes; pressing force detection electrodes provided on a back surface of the board; and a pressing force detection electrode provided to oppose to the electrodes with a gap therebetween. Consequently, it is possible to provide the detecting sensor that can reliably receive a user's input operation and precisely detect a pressing position and a pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9933469
    Abstract: A movement-sensitive capacitive sensor includes a first conductive element and a second conductive element positioned adjacent to the first conductive element. The sensor also includes a first protective insulator and a second protective insulator sealed to the first protective insulator with the first conductive element and the second conductive element positioned between the first protective insulator and the second protective insulator. The sensor further includes a circuit configured to calculate, over time while a person is occupying the movement-sensitive capacitive sensor and moving while occupying the movement-sensitive capacitive sensor, capacitance values between the first conductive element and the second conductive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventors: Samuel Alden Ridenour, Paul Michael Wempe, Mark Andrew Hanson, Adam T. Barth
  • Patent number: 9886119
    Abstract: A sensor and a method for detecting a displacement are disclosed with one implementation having a force sensor on a display. The sensor reacts to a bend of a conductor, wherein a diameter of the bends corresponds to a self-capacitance that is measurable from the conductor. In one embodiment the bent conductor is placed between two circuit boards or between a circuit board and a display, wherein a force applied to either surface causes a change in the bend diameter and the force may be measured. The sensor may be digital with a processor or analog with discrete components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Joni Arola, Hiroshi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9746952
    Abstract: An input device includes a first substrate including a force sensor electrode and several proximity sensor electrodes, which are configured to detect one or more input objects in a sensing region. The input device also includes a second substrate mechanically coupled to the first substrate, the second substrate including a first conductive portion. The force sensor electrode and the first conductive portion are configured to form a first variable capacitance for a determination of a first force applied by the one or more input objects to an input surface of the input device. The input device also includes a compensation sensor including a compensation sensor electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second conductive portion of the second substrate, and a compensation spring feature formed on the second substrate. The compensation spring feature is configured to facilitate a deflection of the second conductive portion relative to the compensation sensor electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventor: Mark Andrew Huie
  • Patent number: 9641172
    Abstract: A proximity switch is provided having a sensing pad and a proximity sensor disposed near a perimeter of the sensing pad to generate an activation field proximate to the sensing pad. The proximity sensor includes a plurality of interdigitated electrode fingers having differing lengths and spacings. The switch may be integrally formed as a lamp and proximity switch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Pietro Buttolo, Jeffrey Singer
  • Patent number: 9588625
    Abstract: This document describes interactive textiles. An interactive textile includes a grid of conductive thread woven into the interactive textile to form a capacitive touch sensor that is configured to detect touch-input. The interactive textile can process the touch-input to generate touch data that is useable to control various remote devices. For example, the interactive textiles may aid users in controlling volume on a stereo, pausing a movie playing on a television, or selecting a webpage on a desktop computer. Due to the flexibility of textiles, the interactive textile may be easily integrated within flexible objects, such as clothing, handbags, fabric casings, hats, and so forth. In one or more implementations, the interactive textiles may be integrated within various hard objects, such as by injection molding the interactive textile into a plastic cup, a hard casing of a smart phone, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ivan Poupyrev
  • Patent number: 9417116
    Abstract: The present invention provides a weighing apparatus comprising a load cell and an inclinometer and a method of weighing with and calibrating the weighing apparatus that tilt compensates for component parts of load cell readings that vary according to different relationships with load cell inclination. The present invention further provides a weighing apparatus and method of weighing with and calibrating the weighing apparatus that compensates for residual errors in a measured weight that has been pre-compensated for load cell inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Kelvin Dennis Bishop
  • Patent number: 9204536
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optically transparent electrode being resistant to corrosion regardless of the shape of the pattern and enabling uniform electroless plating thereon regardless of the shape of the pattern. The optically transparent electrode has, on a support, an optically transparent electrode unit and a peripheral wire unit formed of at least one peripheral wire, of which one end is electrically connected with the optically transparent electrode unit and the other end is connected with the outside, and the optically transparent electrode unit and the peripheral wire unit are formed of the same metal. The line width of at least one metal wire forming the peripheral wire unit is not uniform, and when the at least one metal wire is divided into a thinnest metal wire segment A and the other metal wire segment B electrically connected with the metal wire segment A, the line width of the metal wire segment A is 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI PAPER MILLS LIMITED
    Inventor: Takenobu Yoshiki
  • Patent number: 9188479
    Abstract: A vibration detector suitable for field use and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative apparatus includes a vibration sensor in contact with the vibrating structure. The vibration sensor can be in contact with the vibration isolators to eliminate the frequencies of the operator's hand. In some embodiments, a contact force between the vibration sensor and the vibrating structure can be measured using, for example, contact resistors. Since the sensitivity of the vibration sensor can be a function of the contact force, the vibration amplitude measurements can be adjusted for a known contact force to improve the precision of the vibration amplitude measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Richer
  • Patent number: 9164632
    Abstract: A touch panel including a substrate, first connecting pads, circuit units, and ground lines is provided. Each circuit unit includes a signal line, first electrodes, second electrodes, first connecting lines, and second connecting lines. The signal line extends along a first direction and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is located between a first side of the substrate and the second portion. The first electrodes are disposed beside the first portion, and the second electrodes are disposed beside the second portion. The first connecting lines respectively connect the first electrodes to the corresponding first connecting pads. The second connecting lines respectively connect the second electrodes to the corresponding first connecting pads through a trace region located beside the first portion, wherein the trace region and the first electrodes are respectively located at two opposite sides of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Pi-Lin Lo, Yen-Cheng Lin, Te-Mu Chen, Yi-Fan Hsueh
  • Publication number: 20150143925
    Abstract: Stretchable electronic structure comprising one intrinsically fragile thin film integrated on or within a soft heterogeneous substrate. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing such a structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Hugues Vandeparre, Stephanie Lacour
  • Publication number: 20150138112
    Abstract: An example force sensor module for a touch-sensitive electronic device can include a force sensor, a bias assembly and an opposing bias assembly that is coupled to the bias assembly. The bias assembly can have a top wall and a plurality of side walls extending from the top wall. The top and side walls can define a chamber. The force sensor can be arranged between the bias assembly and the opposing bias assembly within the chamber. Additionally, the bias and opposing bias assemblies can be configured to apply a preload force to the force sensor, which is approximately equal to a spring force exerted between the bias and opposing bias assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Ian Campbell, Ryan Diestelhorst
  • Publication number: 20150135860
    Abstract: A MEMS force sensor has: a substrate; a fixed electrode coupled to the substrate; and a mobile electrode suspended above the substrate at the fixed electrode to define a sensing capacitor, the mobile electrode being designed to undergo deformation due to application of a force to be detected. A dielectric material region is set on the fixed electrode and spaced apart by an air gap from the mobile electrode, in resting conditions. The mobile electrode comes to bear upon the dielectric material region upon application of a minimum detectable value of the force, so that a contact surface between the mobile electrode and the dielectric material region increases, in particular in a substantially linear way, as the force increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Sebastiano Conti, Daniele Prati, Domenico Giusti
  • Patent number: 9035662
    Abstract: A device and a method for the capacitive detection of an object which is preferably arranged behind a flat article that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation or a wall, including a sensor incorporating sensor electrodes for the detection of the object, preferably for the detection of relative movements between the sensor and the flat article or a finger, where a control circuit serves for the control of the sensor electrodes and for the evaluation of the output signals of the sensor, and, due to the fact that the sensor comprises at least one sensor electrode which is surrounded by at least one further electrode, the surrounding further electrode is connected to the sensor electrode by the control circuit in such a manner that, in the event of a change of the potential of the sensor electrode, the potential of the surrounding further electrode is regulated in the opposite sense to the sensor electrode in such a way that the sensor electrode remains at a pre-determined or pre-definable potential, such th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Inventor: Gerd Reime
  • Publication number: 20150128728
    Abstract: Monitoring deformation of a flexible electronic apparatus. Changes in space within the apparatus between at least two measurement points are detected; and degree of deformation of the apparatus is determined based on the detected changes in the space within the apparatus between the at least two measurement points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Antti Salo, Matti Kosonen
  • Patent number: 9016143
    Abstract: A sensor array for sensing the magnitude and position of a force in a first direction is provided. The sensor array includes a compressible layer, an electrically grounded layer, and an electrically active layer comprising a plurality of transmitter electrodes and a plurality of receiver electrodes. Each of the transmitter electrodes is configured to capacitively couple to a receiver electrode, and the compressible layer is positioned between the electrically grounded layer the electrically active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: HM Technology International Limited
    Inventor: Hrand Mami Mamigonians
  • Patent number: 9003898
    Abstract: Provided herein is a multi-axis sensor including: a pair of electrodes positioned such that at least partial areas thereof face each other; an elasticity member having one of the pair of electrodes installed in its upper portion and another of the pair of electrodes installed in a lower portion; and a sensor unit electrically connected with the pair of electrodes, and configured to detect a change of capacitance value between the pair of electrodes and a change of resistance value of the elasticity member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University
    Inventors: Hyungpil Moon, Jachoon Koo, Hyouk Ryeol Choi, Seonggi Kim