Input device with movable handle on a capacitive detection surface and capacitive coupling devices

An input device, comprising:

• a capacitive detection surface having associated therewith two spatially overlapping arrays of electrodes;
• processing circuitry that is electrically connected to the arrays of electrodes and is adapted to form, through use of the arrays of electrodes, an associated array of electrical measuring fields for spatially resolving detection of a capacitive influence on the capacitive detection surface;
• a handle having a first degree of freedom of movement about an axis of rotation, the handle is located over the capacitive detection surface by a bearing, the handle being movable along an adjustment path when moved by being touched by an operator;
• a coupling electrode that moves at least partially along with movement of the handle;
• and
• a plurality of coupling devices made of a conductive material, each of the coupling devices being insulated from each other and the electrodes of the arrays, being distributed along the adjustment path, and being disposed by the bearing over the capacitive detection surface positioned so that a plurality of adjacent ones of the measuring fields are each capacitively coupled to an associated coupling device of the plurality of coupling devices, wherein the measuring fields associated with each respective coupling device of the plurality of coupling devices define exactly one partial region of the capacitive detection surface;
• and
• wherein a plurality of positions of the handle exist along the adjustment path such that the coupling electrode, depending on its position, is arranged most closely adjacent to at least one of the coupling devices so as to, depending on the position of the coupling electrode, be electrically in contact with the most closely adjacent at least one of the coupling devices or be capacitively coupled to the most closely adjacent at least one of the coupling devices;
• and
• wherein the processing circuitry is adapted to detect a position-dependent influence on the measuring fields caused by the capacitive coupling of the coupling devices in order to develop and supply as an output position information of the handle;
• wherein the handle has a second degree of freedom of movement in that it can be freely displaced in relation to the capacitive detection surface in a restoring manner from a rest position into an end position, the handle being supported so as to be arbitrarily tiltable, wherein the end position is in each case such that the coupling electrode at least one of (i) electrically contacts at least two of the plurality of coupling devices and (ii) is capacitively coupled with at least two of the plurality of coupling devices, so that at least two of the electrical measuring fields are capacitively influenced, wherein the at least two of the electrical measuring fields that are capacitively influenced are each associated with a respective partial region such that the partial regions taken collectively define a multi-region of the capacitive detection surface;
• and wherein the processing circuitry is further adapted to detect the capacitive influence on the measuring fields associated with the multi-region caused by displacement of the handle into the end position, in order to further develop and supply as an output information regarding displacement of the handle, the output information regarding the displacement of the handle including information characterizing an arbitrary tilt of the handle.