Apparatus and method for determining a touch input
AssigneeAlsentis, LLC
InventorsDavid W. Caldwell, William D. Schaefer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A capacitive sensor for detecting a stimulus. The capacitive sensor includes an electrode and a processing unit electrically coupled to the electrode and configured to determine the presence of a stimulus based on the rate of change of the electrode capacitance. A substrate is positioned adjacent the electrode, wherein the stimulus corresponds to the placement of an object against the substrate. The processing unit is operative to determine a time rate of change based on successive measurements of the electrode capacitance. In addition, the processing unit is operative to determine the presence of a stimulus in response to the time rate of change being less than a reference value.
Claims35
A capacitive sensor comprising:
- an electrode;
- a processing unit electrically coupled to the electrode and configured to determine the presence of a stimulus based on the rate of change of the electrode capacitance.
A method for detecting a stimulus comprising:
- providing a capacitive sensor, the capacitive sensor including an output;
- measuring a rate of change of the capacitive sensor output;
- and
- determining the presence of a stimulus based on the rate of change of the capacitive sensor output.
A capacitive touch system comprising:
- a plurality of electrodes responsive to a touch by a human operator to generate a change in capacitance at each electrode;
- and
- a dielectric substrate adjacent the plurality of electrodes;
- a measurement circuit coupled to each of the plurality of electrodes and configured to determine the presence of a touch input on the substrate based on the rate of change of the electrode capacitance.
A method of detecting a touch input on an input surface comprising:
- monitoring the rate of change of the distance between an object and the input surface;
- and
- determining that the rate of change achieved a predetermined criteria.
An apparatus for detecting a touch input on an input surface comprising:
- a detector outputting a first signal indicative of a distance between an object and the input surface;
- and
- a processor monitoring the rate of change of the first signal and outputting a second signal when the rate of change achieves a predetermined criteria.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.