Electrode arrangement for gesture detection and tracking

An electrode arrangement for determining a three-dimensional (3D) position of an object and for detecting a touch comprising a substrate having a transmitting electrode and a plurality of 3D-receiving electrodes configured to detect disturbances in an electric field formed by the transmitting electrode and further comprising a contact area at an edge of said substrate comprising a plurality of feeding lines configured to provide electrical connection to the transmitting electrode and each of the plurality of 3D-receiving electrode and a rectangular center touch electrode which substantially fills a center area surrounded by a frame formed by the 3D-receiving electrodes and wherein the contact area comprises a feeding line connected with the center touch electrode, wherein for detecting a 3D position the transmitting electrode is configured to receive an alternating transmission signal generating the electric field and the object is at a distance from the substrate, and wherein from received signals of the plurality of 3D-receiving electrodes a three-dimensional position of the object is reconstructed, wherein the one transmitting electrode, the rectangular center touch electrode and every 3D-receiving electrode are arranged in a single layer of said substrate such that the one transmitting electrode is formed by a single electrode structure that substantially surrounds every 3D-receiving electrode arranged in the single layer.

A method for operating a sensor arrangement comprising a substrate having four edges comprising a first electrode arrangement with only one transmitting electrode and a plurality of 3D-receiving electrodes, wherein the one transmitting electrode and the 3D-receiving electrodes are arranged in a single layer on said substrate such that the one transmitting electrode is formed by an electrode structure that substantially surrounds each of the 3D-receiving electrodes, wherein the plurality of 3D-receiving electrodes are arranged each adjacent one of the four edges and around a center area thereby forming a frame, and with a second electrode arrangement comprising a plurality of projective capacitive touch sensors arranged in the center area, the method comprising:

• in a first operating mode, during a measurement cycle feeding an alternating transmission signal to the one transmitting electrode and receiving a plurality of signals from said 3D-receiving electrodes;
• processing said signals to determine a three-dimensional location of an object entering an electric field created by the one transmitting electrode while not touching a surface of the substrate, wherein the electric field extends above substrate;
• in a second operating mode, turning off said alternating transmission signal and measuring a capacitance of each projective capacitive touch sensor to determine whether a projective capacitive touch sensor has been touched.

An electrode arrangement comprising:

• a first electrode configuration configured to determine a three-dimensional (3D) position of an object, wherein a distance of the position of the object from the substrate extends up to 10-15 cm, comprising:
• a transmitting electrode which during a measurement cycle is configured to receive an alternating transmission signal and a plurality of 3D-receiving electrodes arranged to form a frame around a center area and configured to detect disturbances in an electric field formed by the transmitting electrode, wherein the transmitting electrode and the 3D-receiving electrode are arranged in a single layer such that a single transmitting electrode is formed by an electrode structure that substantially surrounds each 3D-receiving electrode thereby forming a ring with a single opening to the center area, wherein the transmitting electrode is the only transmitting electrode of the electrode arrangement,
• a second electrode configuration configured for touch detection, comprising:
• a plurality of projective capacitive touch sensors arranged in a center area coupled with touch sensor feeding lines through said single opening, and
• a controller connected with said touch sensor feeding lines and electrode feeding lines connecting said controller with said plurality of 3D-receiving electrodes and said transmitting electrode, wherein the controller is configured to operate in first mode or in a second mode, wherein the first mode uses the transmitting electrode and the plurality of 3D-receiving electrodes for a touch-less gesture detection and the second mode uses the plurality of projective capacitive touch sensors for a touch based detection mode.