# US 10,007,388 B2 · Device and method for control interface sensitive to a movement of a body or of an object and viewing screen integrating this device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,007,388 B2 - Document ID: US10007388B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/396,213 - Filed: 2016-12-30 - Published: 2017-04-20 - Granted: 2018-06-26 - Earliest claimed: 2009-08-07 - Assignees: Quickstep Technologies LLC - Applicants: Quickstep Technologies LLC - Inventors: Didier Roziere - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10007388B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0418: {for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment} - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/041661: {using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window} - G06F 3/0425: {using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected (tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386)} - G06F 3/0443: {using a single layer of sensing electrodes} - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G06F 2203/04101: 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup - G06F 2203/04104: Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - G06F 2203/04106: Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection - G06F 2203/04107: Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds - G06F 2203/04808: Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A device for control interface sensitive to movement of a body, includes a detection surface; at least one capacitive sensor including a measurement electrode including an active surface facing the detection surface, or substantially coinciding with the detection surface; electronic excitation and processing components for exciting the measurement electrodes at an alternating electrical potential and processing the signals emanating from the capacitive sensors, to provide distance information between the active surface of the electrodes and one or several objects; a guard of electrically conducting material disposed in proximity to the measurement electrodes, at least along the face of the measurement electrodes substantially opposite to the active surface, which guard is excited at an alternating electrical potential substantially identical to the alternating electrical potential of the measurement electrodes, wherein: the measurement electrodes and the guard are made of substantially transparent conducting materials; and the device for interface is substantially transparent. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for sensing proximity or contact of an object, comprising: a detection surface; a plurality of capacitive sensors disposed in proximity to the detection surface; a guard of electrically conducting material disposed in proximity to the plurality of capacitive sensors; and excitation and measurement electronics electrically coupled to the plurality of capacitive sensors and the guard, and at least partially referenced to a guard potential different from a ground potential; wherein the excitation and measurement electronics are configured for providing a first potential to an interrogated capacitive sensor, the first potential referenced to the guard potential and different from the ground potential, providing a second potential to the guard, the second potential indirectly coupled to the first potential, providing a third potential to the plurality of capacitive sensors other than the interrogated capacitive sensor, the third potential indirectly coupled to the first potential, and processing signals emanating from the interrogated capacitive sensor to provide distance information between the detection surface and the object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the third potential is substantially identical to the second potential. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the third potential is substantially identical to the guard potential. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising: a flexible dielectric disposed between the detection surface and the plurality of capacitive sensors; wherein the excitation and measurement electronics are further configured for detecting a proximity of the object above the detection surface or a force of the object against the detection surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the excitation and measurement electronics are further configured for: detecting and identifying relative movement of the object with respect to the detection surface; and detecting a contact of the object with the detection surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the excitation and measurement electronics are further configured for detecting and identifying a shape of the object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of capacitive sensors are independent of one another; and the excitation and measurement electronics are further configured to interrogate the plurality of capacitive sensors independently of one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of capacitive sensors are configured to be formed on non-planar surfaces. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, the excitation and measurement electronics are further configured for electrically gathering signals from a plurality of interrogated capacitive sensors to effectively form a single capacitive sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the excitation and measurement electronics comprise a multiplexer configured for enabling the signals emanating from the plurality of capacitive sensors to be sequentially read. ### Claim 11 A method for sensing proximity of contact of an object, comprising: providing a first potential to an interrogated capacitive sensor within a plurality of capacitive sensors, the first potential referenced to a guard potential and different from a ground potential, providing a second potential to a guard disposed in proximity to the plurality of capacitive sensors, the second potential indirectly coupled to the first potential, providing a third potential to the plurality of capacitive sensors other than the interrogated capacitive sensor, the third potential indirectly coupled to the first potential, and processing signals emanating from the interrogated capacitive sensor to provide distance information between a detection surface and the object, the processing of the signals performed with reference to the guard potential. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the third potential is substantially identical to the second potential. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the third potential is substantially identical to the guard potential. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: disposing a flexible dielectric between the detection surface and the plurality of capacitive sensors; and utilizing the processed signals to detect a proximity of the object above the detection surface or a force of the object against the detection surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: detecting and identifying relative movement of the object with respect to the detection surface; and detecting a contact of the object with the detection surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting and identifying a shape of the object. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising interrogating the plurality of capacitive sensors independently of one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising forming the plurality of capacitive sensors on non-planar surfaces. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising electrically gathering signals from a plurality of interrogated capacitive sensors to effectively form a single capacitive sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising multiplexing the plurality of capacitive sensors to enable the signals emanating from the plurality of capacitive sensors to be sequentially read.