# US 11,305,180 B2 · Capacitive sensing assembly for detecting proximity of user to a controller device

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- Number: US 11,305,180 B2
- Document ID: US11305180B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/074,483
- Filed: 2020-10-19
- Published: 2021-02-04
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-27
- Assignees: Facebook Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Facebook Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Raymond Louis Nicoli
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305180B2

## CPC

- H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector
- A63F 13/211: using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
- A63F 13/214: for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
- A63F 13/24: Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
- G01D 5/24: by varying capacitance
- G02B 27/0172: {characterised by optical features}
- G02B 27/0176: {characterised by mechanical features}
- G06F 3/012: {Head tracking input arrangements}
- G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user}
- G06F 3/02: Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
- G06F 3/0308: {comprising a plurality of distinctive and separately oriented light emitters or reflectors associated to the pointing device, e.g. remote cursor controller with distinct and separately oriented LEDs at the tip whose radiations are captured by a photo-detector associated to the screen}
- G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
- G06F 3/044: by capacitive means
- A63F 2300/8082: Virtual reality
- G06F 2203/04108: Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
- H03K 2217/960755: Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A capacitive sensing assembly comprises a nonconductive interface material, a conductive plastic, an electrode, and a controller. The capacitive sensing assembly is configured to detect a proximity of skin to the nonconductive interface material. The nonconductive interface material comprises a first surface and a second surface that are opposite one another. The first surface receives contact with the skin. The conductive plastic is coupled to the second surface of the interface material. The electrode is electrically coupled to the conductive plastic and configured to provide an electrical signal. The electrical signal corresponds to a surface capacitance of the nonconductive interface material that is based in part on the conductive plastic, the nonconductive interface material, and the proximity of the skin to the interface material. The controller determines the proximity of the skin based on the electrical signal that corresponds to the surface capacitance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A capacitive sensing assembly comprising:
a nonconductive interface material comprising a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface;
a conductive plastic molded onto the second surface of the nonconductive interface material; and
an electrode electrically coupled to the conductive plastic and configured to provide an electrical signal that corresponds to a surface capacitance that is based in part on the conductive plastic, the nonconductive interface material, and a proximity of an object to the first surface of the nonconductive interface material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the nonconductive interface material forms a button on a controller device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductive plastic has a conductivity of at least 10−4 Siemens per meter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a skin of a user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductive plastic is an organic polymer that is conductive.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 5, wherein the organic polymer is comprised from a group consisting of: polyaniline, polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polyindole, poly(p-phenylene vinylene), poly(3-alkylthiophenes).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrode is formed as a coil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the determined proximity of the object is a contact of the object to the first surface of the nonconductive interface material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the determined proximity of the object includes a first proximity and a second proximity, the first proximity corresponding to a first distance between a first portion of the object and a first location on the nonconductive interface material and the second proximity corresponding to a second distance between a second portion of the object and a second location on the nonconductive interface material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensing assembly is part of a trigger of a trigger assembly of a controller device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 10, wherein the nonconductive interface material further comprises a protrusion on the second surface, the capacitive sensing assembly further comprising:
a magnet coupled to the protrusion of the nonconductive interface material, wherein a proximity of the magnet to a portion of the trigger assembly corresponds to a position of the trigger.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensing assembly forms a portion of a thumb stick on a controller device.

### Claim 13

A controller device comprising:
a capacitive sensing assembly comprising:
a nonconductive interface material comprising a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface;
a conductive plastic molded onto the second surface of the nonconductive interface material; and
an electrode electrically coupled to the conductive plastic and configured to provide an electrical signal that corresponds to a surface capacitance that is based in part on the conductive plastic, the nonconductive interface material, and a proximity of an object to the first surface of the nonconductive interface material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The controller device of claim 13, wherein the nonconductive interface material forms a button on the controller device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The controller device of claim 13, wherein the object comprises a skin of a user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The controller device of claim 13, wherein the conductive plastic is an organic polymer that is conductive.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The controller device of claim 16, wherein the organic polymer is comprised from a group consisting of: polyaniline, polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polyindole, poly(p-phenylene vinylene), poly(3-alkylthiophenes).

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The controller device of claim 13, wherein the electrode is formed as a coil.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The controller device of claim 13, wherein the determined proximity of the object is a contact of the object to the first surface of the nonconductive interface material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The controller device of claim 13, wherein the capacitive sensing assembly is part of a trigger of a trigger assembly of the controller device.