Systems and methods for capacitive sensing with secondary electrodes exposed to electric fields from a primary electrode

A sensor system, comprising:

• a primary electrode positioned within an accessible object;
• a controller comprising a charging source that charges the primary electrode;
• an electrical signal received at the controller back from the primary electrode;
• data within the electrical signal;
• a connected circuit between the primary electrode and the controller, wherein the controller is electrically and physically coupled to the primary electrode via wiring to the connected circuit, and wherein the controller receives the electrical signal back from the primary electrode via the connected circuit;
• a floating electrode that is mechanically disconnected from the primary electrode and the connected circuit, wherein at least a portion of the floating electrode is aligned with the primary electrode within the accessible object such that upon the charging of the first electrode, the second electrode exhibits an induced current thereon;
• wherein, proximity of a conductive material to either the primary electrode or the floating electrode induces capacitive coupling between the conductive material and the respective primary or floating electrode that alters the electrical signal received by the controller from the primary electrode;
• and
• wherein the controller tracks the data of the electrical signal and monitors touch events on the primary electrode and the floating electrode, wherein the touch events are monitored as changes in a baseline Q charge count upon the primary sensor due to electrical field effects of the proximate sensor in proximity of the conductive material.

A sensor system comprising:

• a first electrode;
• a connected circuit between the first electrode and a controller, wherein the controller comprises a voltage source that is electrically coupled to the first electrode via wiring to the connected circuit, the controller having a processor and a memory, the memory storing computer executable instructions for execution by the processor, the computer executable instructions causing the processor to communicate electrical signals to the first electrode and generate an electrical field at the first electrode,
• an additional electrical connection between the controller and the first electrode, wherein the first electrode sends a respective electrical signal, corresponding to a baseline Q charge count on the first electrode, back to the controller on the additional electrical connection;
• a second electrode, at least a portion of the second electrode being disposed within the electrical field generated by the first electrode, the second electrode being physically decoupled from the first electrode and the controller,
• data from the respective electrical signal that corresponds to touch events on the first electrode or the second electrode;
• wherein the electrical field generated by the first electrode induces a corresponding charge on the second electrode, and proximity of a conductive material to the first electrode or the second electrode alters the respective electrical signal received by the controller from the first electrode;
• and
• wherein the controller comprises respective executable instructions that track the data from the respective electrical signal on the wiring to monitor the touch events as a function of changes in the baseline Q charge count upon the first electrode due to electrical field effects of the second electrode in proximity of the conductive material changing a measured capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode;
• and
• wherein changes in the baseline Q charge count and the measured capacitance indicate the location of a respective touch event on the first electrode or the second electrode.