# US 12,182,347 B2 · Detecting the angle of passive rotary knob partially located on touch screen > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,182,347 B2 - Document ID: US12182347B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/489,761 - Filed: 2023-10-18 - Published: 2024-04-04 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-11 - Assignees: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation - Applicants: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation - Inventors: Jens Weber; Taras Kuzo; Viktor Kremin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182347B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0393: {Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads} - G06F 3/0362: with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts - G06F 3/038: Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An apparatus and method for detecting the angle of passive rotary knob partially located on a touch screen are described. In embodiments the apparatus includes a touch screen having an array of sensors and a dial that includes a base and a knob attached to the base and rotatable relative to the base. The knob includes a plurality of conductive elements, each positioned a distance from a center point of the knob. A controller is also included, coupled to the touch screen, and configured to receive signals generated by one or more sensors of the array in response to the sensors detecting one or more of the conductive elements. The controller can determine a rotational angle of the knob based on the signals generated by the one or more of the sensors in the array while a portion of the knob does not overlap the array of sensors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a touch screen comprising an array of sensors; a controller coupled to the touch screen and configured to receive signals generated by one or more sensors of the array in response to the one or more sensors detecting one or more of a plurality of conductive elements disposed on a rotatable knob; wherein the controller is configured to determine a rotational angle of the knob based on the one or more signals generated by the one or more of the sensors in the array while a portion of the knob does not overlap the array of sensors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the knob is movable relative to the touch screen. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the sensors comprises a capacitive sensor that generates an electrical field, wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to detect disruptions in the electrical field that is caused by any one of the conductive elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to determine the rotational angle based on a distance D, wherein the distance D corresponds to a distance between each of the plurality of conductive elements from the center of the knob. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each pair of adjacent conductive elements has an angle between them when measured with respect to a center point of the knob. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the center point of the knob corresponds to an axis of rotation for the knob. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to determine the rotational angle while at least a first percentage of the knob overlaps the array of sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the knob has only three conductive elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to determine the rotational angle while at least a second percentage of knob overlaps the array of sensors and when the knob has only two conductive elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensors have a detection pitch-size that is less than a cross-sectional area of each of the conductive elements. ### Claim 11 An apparatus comprising: a touch screen comprising an array of sensors; a controller coupled to the electronic display and configured to receive signals generated by one or more sensors of the array in response to detecting one or more of the plurality of conductive elements disposed on a knob; wherein the controller is configured to determine a position of the knob on the touch screen after the knob has moved to the position, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the position of the knob based on distances between at least two conductive elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to determine a rotational angle of the knob based on the one or more signals generated by one or more of the sensors in the array while a portion of the knob does not overlap the array of sensors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured to determine the rotational angle while a first percentage of the knob overlaps the array of sensors and when the knob has only three conductive elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured to determine the rotational angle while a second percentage of the knob overlaps the array of sensors and when the knob has only two conductive elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of the sensors comprises a capacitive sensor that generates an electrical field, wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to detect disruptions in the electrical field that is caused by any one of the conductive elements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to determine the rotational angle based on the distance D, the distance D corresponding to a distance between each of the plurality of conductive elements from the center of the knob. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each pair of adjacent conductive elements has an angle A between them when measured with respect to a center point of the knob. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the center point of the knob corresponds to an axis of rotation for the knob. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: receiving a first set of signals from sensors of an array while one or more of a plurality of conductive elements of a rotatable knob overlap the array, and while another of the plurality of conductive elements does not overlap the array of sensors; processing the first set of signals to: determine that at least a portion of the knob does not overlap the array, and determine a rotational angle of the knob. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein each of the sensors comprises a capacitive sensor that generates an electrical field, wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to detect disruptions in the electrical field that is caused by any one of the conductive elements.