Touch-sensitive screen

A touchpad component, comprising:

• a support layer, and
• a first electrode layer arranged on a top side of the support layer and a second electrode layer arranged on a bottom side of the support layer, wherein substantially the entire second electrode layer forms a single electrode;
• wherein the first electrode layer is subdivided into a plurality of electrode segments that form a segment array defining segment rows and segment columns, wherein the electrode segments substantially cover the entire support layer including a center area of the panel layer,
• interpretation circuitry configured to:
• detect a contact of an object with the touchpad component;
• operate the touchpad component in a contact detection state in which a contact detection is performed by the electrode segments of the first electrode layer,
• detect an interruption in the contact of the object with the touchpad component;
• in response to detecting the interruption in contact of the object with the touchpad component and while detecting that the object is within a predetermined distance from the support layer, automatically switching the touchpad component from the contact detection state to a contactless detection state in which the single electrode formed by the second electrode layer receives a signal for generating an alternating electric field and a contactless position or movement detection of the object is performed in an area in front of the touchpad component, wherein the contactless position or movement detection is performed by selecting only a most upper and a most lower a row-like group and a most left and a most right column-like group of the electrode segments from the segment array.

A method for generating input signals in a context of a movement of an object on a touchpad component that comprises a support layer and a first transparent electrode layer arranged on a top side of the support layer and subdivided into a plurality of electrode segments that form a segment array defining segment rows and segment columns, wherein the electrode segments substantially cover the entire support layer, and a second transparent electrode layer arranged on a bottom side of the support layer, wherein substantially the entire second transparent electrode layer forms a single electrode, the method comprising:

• receiving, at an interpretation circuitry, signals detected by the segment rows and segment columns, and
• determining, by the interpretation circuitry, contact between the object and the touchpad component,
• operating the touchpad component in a contact detection state in which a contact detection is performed by the electrode segments of the first electrode layer,
• detecting, by the interpretation circuitry, an interruption in the contact of the object with the touchpad component,
• in response to detecting the interruption in contact of the object with the touchpad component and while detecting that the object is within a predetermined distance from the support layer, automatically switching the touchpad component from the contact detection state to a contactless detection state in which the single electrode formed by the second transparent electrode layer receives a signal for generating an alternating electric field and a contactless position or movement detection of the object is performed in an area in front of the touchpad component, wherein the contactless position or movement detection is performed by selecting a most upper and a most lower row-like groups and a most left and a most right column-like group of the electrode segments of the segment array and determining a three-dimensional location of the object from signal levels from the most upper and the most lower row-like groups of electrode segments and the most left and the most right column-like groups of electrode segments.

An electrode arrangement, comprising:

• a panel layer, and
• a first transparent electrode layer arranged on a top side of the panel layer and a second transparent electrode layer arranged on a bottom side of the panel layer wherein substantially the entire second transparent electrode layer forms a single electrode,
• wherein the first transparent electrode layer is subdivided into a plurality of electrode segments that form a segment array defining segment rows and segment columns, wherein the electrode segments substantially cover the entire panel layer,
• a multiplexer unit configured to select electrodes from said first transparent electrode layer, wherein
• in a first operating mode, the multiplexer unit is configured to select electrodes from the first transparent electrode layer, and
• in a second operating mode, the multiplexer unit is configured to only select a most upper and a most lower row-like group and a most left and a most right column-like group of the electrode segments of the segment array, and wherein the single electrode formed by the second transparent electrode layer receives a signal for generating an alternating electric field.