# US 11,946,294 B2 · Door handle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,946,294 B2 - Document ID: US11946294B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/166,284 - Filed: 2021-02-03 - Published: 2021-06-03 - Granted: 2024-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-15 - Assignees: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuhito Oshita; Daisuke Takai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11946294B2 ## CPC - E05B 81/77: {comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user} - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - E05B 85/16: a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part - H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector - H03K 17/9622: {using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard} - E05Y 2201/68: Handles, cranks - E05Y 2400/86: by hand - E05Y 2900/531: Doors - H03K 2017/9602: {characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes} - H03K 2017/9604: {characterised by the number of electrodes} - H03K 2217/94036: Multiple detection, i.e. where different switching signals are generated after operation of the user is detected at different time instants at different locations during the actuation movement by two or more sensors of the same or different kinds - H03K 2217/94042: Means for reducing energy consumption - H03K 2217/94052: with evaluation of actuation pattern or sequence, e.g. tapping - H03K 2217/96073: Amplitude comparison - H03K 2217/960765: Details of shielding arrangements - H03K 2217/96078: Sensor being a wire or a strip, e.g. used in automobile door handles or bumpers - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS - 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) - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract A door handle including a capacitance sensor configured to detect an operation body is provided. The capacitance sensor includes a substrate formed of an insulator and having a surface, at least one first sensor electrode disposed on the surface of the substrate, a plurality of second sensor electrodes disposed on the surface of the substrate, and a controller. The number of the plurality of second sensor electrodes is greater than the number of the at least one first sensor electrode. The controller applies a voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes and detects a coordinate position of the operation body, in a case where a capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A door handle comprising, a capacitance sensor configured to detect an operation body, wherein the capacitance sensor includes: a substrate formed of an insulator and having a surface; at least one first sensor electrode disposed on the surface of the substrate; a plurality of second sensor electrodes disposed on the surface of the substrate; and a controller, wherein a number of the plurality of second sensor electrodes is greater than a number of the at least one first sensor electrode, wherein the controller applies a voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes and detects a coordinate position of the operation body, in a case where a capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, wherein, in a case where the capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is less than the predetermined value, the controller does not apply the voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes, and wherein, in a case where the capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is less than the predetermined value, the controller applies the voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes, and performs calibration such that capacitance values at the plurality of second sensor electrodes are consistent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The door handle according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal direction of the at least one first sensor electrode is same as an arrangement direction of the plurality of second sensor electrodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The door handle according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second sensor electrodes are regularly arranged at equal intervals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The door handle according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is less than the predetermined value, the controller does not apply the voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes except when the controller performs the calibration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The door handle according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the controller applies a predetermined bias voltage to the at least one first sensor electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The door handle according to claim 1, wherein the controller detects the coordinate position of the operation body based on a second sensor electrode having a highest capacitance value, among the plurality of second sensor electrodes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The door handle according to claim 1, wherein the number of the at least one first sensor electrode is one or two. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The door handle according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the second sensor electrodes is arranged so as to be adjacent to the at least one first sensor electrode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The door handle according to claim 8, wherein the number of first sensor electrodes is an even number, and each of the plurality of the second sensor electrodes is arranged between two of the first sensor electrodes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The door handle according to claim 9, wherein each of the first sensor electrodes is divided into two divided first sensor electrodes, and each of the plurality of the second sensor electrodes is arranged between two of the divided first sensor electrodes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The door handle according to claim 8, wherein the number of first sensor electrodes is two or more, and the first sensor electrodes are linearly arranged in a longitudinal direction of the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The door handle according to claim 11, wherein each of the first sensor electrodes is divided into two divided first sensor electrodes, and each of the plurality of the second sensor electrodes is arranged between two of the divided first sensor electrodes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The door handle according to claim 8, wherein the substrate is divided into a first region and a second region in a transverse direction of the substrate by at least one first sensor electrode, and the plurality of the second sensor electrodes are arranged in each of the first region and the second region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The door handle according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of the second sensor electrodes is surrounded by the at least one first sensor electrode. ### Claim 15 A door handle comprising, a capacitance sensor configured to detect an operation body, wherein the capacitance sensor includes: a substrate formed of an insulator and having a surface; at least one first sensor electrode disposed on the surface of the substrate; a plurality of second sensor electrodes disposed on the surface of the substrate; and a controller, wherein a number of the plurality of second sensor electrodes is greater than a number of the at least one first sensor electrode, wherein the controller applies a voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes and detects a coordinate position of the operation body, in a case where a capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and wherein, in a case where the capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is less than the predetermined value, the controller applies the voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes, and performs calibration such that capacitance values at the plurality of second sensor electrodes are consistent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The door handle according to claim 15, wherein, in the case where the capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is less than the predetermined value, the controller does not apply the voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes except when the controller performs the calibration.