Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090002339 | TOUCH PAD WITH FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE - A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost. | 01-01-2009 |
20090015559 | INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR VIRTUAL TRACKBALL OPERATION - 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. | 01-15-2009 |
20090201261 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTENDED ADJUSTMENT BASED ON RELATIVE POSITIONING OF MULTIPLE OBJECTS CONTEMPORANEOUSLY IN A SENSING REGION - A touch sensor device and method is provided that facilitates improved device usability. Specifically, the device and method provide improved user interface functionality by facilitating extended parameter adjustment using proximity sensor devices. The device includes a processing system and a sensor adapted to detect objects in a sensing region. The device is adapted to provide user interface functionality by determining a measurement descriptive of a location of a first object relative to a location of a second object, and applying a first rate for adjusting a visual parameter such that the visual parameter adjusts even if the first object is stationary relative to the second object, where the first rate is based on the measurement. By so providing a first rate for adjusting a parameter, the device facilitates extended user input. | 08-13-2009 |
20090322355 | OBJECT POSITION SENSING APPARATUS - An object position sensing apparatus including a substrate, a conductive crossbar, and a plurality of resistive elements coupled to the crossbar is described. The resistive elements are coupled to circuitry that can apply an excitation signal, such as a voltage change, to the resistive elements. For each resistive element, an electrical effect responsive to the excitation signal, such as a change in charge flowing to the resistive element, is determined. When an object is proximate to the plurality of resistive elements, the electrical effects change, and a position of the object in one or multiple dimensions can be determined from changes in the electrical effects. | 12-31-2009 |
20100097332 | INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A PARAMETER OF AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM - Input devices and methods are provided for effecting adjustment, in which a sensing system is adapted to detect motion of a first object and a second object in a sensing region and a processing system coupled to the sensing system. The processing system is adapted to detect a change in position of the first object relative to the second object, the first and second objects being simultaneously present in the sensing region, and effect a change in a parameter in response to a motion of the first object in the sensing region. | 04-22-2010 |
20100238134 | CAPACITIVE SENSING USING A SEGMENTED COMMON VOLTAGE ELECTRODE OF A DISPLAY - An integrated display and touch sensor device comprises a plurality of display pixels and a processing system communicatively coupled with a plurality of common voltage electrode segments and with a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The plurality of display pixels is configured for displaying information on the display. The processing system is configured for driving a voltage transition onto a common voltage electrode segment of the plurality of common voltage electrode segments. The voltage transition provides a common voltage for refreshing at least one display pixel of the plurality of display pixels, and generates a first electrical signal on at least one receiver sensor electrode of the plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The processing system is also configured for acquiring a first measurement of a capacitive coupling between the driven common voltage electrode segment and the at least one receiver sensor electrode by measuring the first electrical signal. | 09-23-2010 |
20100253651 | INPUT DEVICE WITH DEFLECTABLE ELECTRODE - Devices and methods are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. The devices and methods utilize a set of sensor electrodes comprising at least one transmitter sensor electrode and at least one receiver sensor electrode that are capacitively coupled to form a transcapacitance for capacitively sensing input objects in a sensing region. A measure of the transcapacitance may be used to determine positional information for the input objects in the sensing region. In accordance with the various embodiments, the devices and methods additionally utilize at least one deflectable electrode, where the deflectable electrode is electrically floating. The deflectable electrode is configured to be deflectable toward the set of sensor electrodes, where the deflection causes a change in the transcapacitance. | 10-07-2010 |
20100277429 | OPERATING A TOUCH SCREEN CONTROL SYSTEM ACCORDING TO A PLURALITY OF RULE SETS - An electronic device comprises a display screen configured for displaying images, a touch sensor configured to detect user input in a sensing region, a host processing system and a touch screen control system. The touch screen control system comprises control circuitry and a memory configured for holding rules. The control circuitry is configured for updating the display screen in response to image data from the host processing system and for operating according to a first set of rules held in the memory. The control circuitry is also configured, in response to receiving an indication from the host processing system, for switching from operating according to the first set of rules to operating according to a second set of rules. | 11-04-2010 |
20100277505 | REDUCTION IN LATENCY BETWEEN USER INPUT AND VISUAL FEEDBACK - A system comprising a display screen configured for displaying images, a touch sensor having a sensing region, a host processing system and a touch screen control system. The touch screen control system comprising touch sensor control circuitry configured to operate the touch sensor and display control circuitry configured to operate the display screen. The display circuitry comprising a first memory configured to hold a primary image and a second memory configured to hold a secondary image and display refresh circuitry. The display refresh circuitry configured to update the display screen, and in response to the user input and without requiring intervention by the host processing system, generate a blended image comprising the primary image and the secondary image, and update the display screen with the blended image. | 11-04-2010 |
20100308844 | INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD WITH PRESSURE-SENSITIVE LAYER - 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. | 12-09-2010 |
20110001703 | CAPACITIVE MOUSE - A pointing device some or all of whose elements are made from capacitive sensors. Such elements may include a rotary motion detector which includes a rotating member and a plurality of fixed capacitive detecting members; a rolling ball with patterned conductive surface and a plurality of fixed capacitive detecting members; capacitive touch sensors or capacitive switches to serve as mouse buttons; and a scrolling wheel, knob, or touch surface built from capacitive sensors. The pointing device further includes a capacitance measuring circuit and processor to measure variations of capacitance on the various capacitive elements and to determine the movement of and other activations of the mouse. | 01-06-2011 |
20110001704 | CAPACITIVE MOUSE - A pointing device some or all of whose elements are made from capacitive sensors. Such elements may include a rotary motion detector which includes a rotating member and a plurality of fixed capacitive detecting members; a rolling ball with patterned conductive surface and a plurality of fixed capacitive detecting members; capacitive touch sensors or capacitive switches to serve as mouse buttons; and a scrolling wheel, knob, or touch surface built from capacitive sensors. The pointing device further includes a capacitance measuring circuit and processor to measure variations of capacitance on the various capacitive elements and to determine the movement of and other activations of the mouse. | 01-06-2011 |
20110062974 | INPUT DEVICE BASED ON VOLTAGE GRADIENTS - An input device is disclosed, including a first drive electrode comprising a resistive material and a first sense electrode disposed proximate to the first drive electrode. The input device further includes a processing system which is coupled with the first drive electrode and the first sense electrode. In one embodiment, the processing system is configured for electrically driving a first end of the first drive electrode and electrically driving a second end of the first drive electrode to cause a change in a voltage gradient along a length of the first drive electrode. In such an embodiment, the change in the voltage gradient generates a first electrical signal in the first sense electrode. The processing system also acquires a first measurement of the first electrical signal and determines positional information along the length of the first drive electrode based upon the first measurement, wherein the positional information is related to an input object. | 03-17-2011 |
20110278078 | INPUT DEVICE WITH FORCE SENSING - 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. | 11-17-2011 |
20120068968 | TOUCH PAD WITH FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE - A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost. | 03-22-2012 |