Dual- sided track pad

A control apparatus for an electronic device comprising:

• a translucent panel including one or more layers, the translucent panel having a first side and an opposing second side, with the translucent panel including capacitive arrays for producing signals in response to contact, the contact being either on the first side or on the second side;
• and
• a display screen,
• wherein the translucent panel and the display screen are physically configurable with respect to one another and the control apparatus may be configured for viewing the display screen through the translucent panel;
• and
• wherein the translucent panel further comprises
• a plurality of first sensing lines for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the first side,
• a plurality of second sensing lines for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the second side, and
• a plurality of driving lines formed between the first and second sensing lines on a single layer and configured for interacting with the first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second sides.

A method of graphical user interface manipulation comprising:

• capacitively coupling drive signals from a plurality of drive lines in a single drive layer positioned between first and second sense layers of a capacitive array element onto a plurality of sense lines on each of the first and second sense layers to form capacitive sensing nodes, the first and second sense layers adjacent to first and second surfaces;
• receiving from the capacitive array element a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance generated when an object comes into close proximity, or touches, the first surface of the capacitive array element and a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance generated when an object comes into close proximity, or touches, the second surface of the capacitive array element;
• and
• manipulating the graphical user interface according to the first and second signals.

A track pad device, comprising:

• a display element;
• and
• a capacitive array element connected to and physically configurable with respect to the display element, the capacitive array element having a first surface and an opposing second surface;
• wherein the track pad device is adapted to enable or disable control apparatus functions according to a configuration of the capacitive array element and the display element, the control apparatus functions being programmably variable;
• wherein the capacitive array element further comprises
• a plurality of first sensing lines for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the first surface,
• a plurality of second sensing lines for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches the second surface and
• a plurality of driving lines formed between the first and second sensing lines on a single layer and configured for interacting with the first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second surfaces.

A dual touch surface capacitive array element, comprising:

• a plurality of first sensing lines in a first sensing layer for transmitting a first signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches a first surface;
• a plurality of second sensing lines in a second sensing layer for transmitting a second signal indicative of a change in capacitance when an object comes into close proximity to, or touches a second surface;
• and
• a plurality of driving lines in a first driving layer between the first and second sensing layers and configured for interacting with the first and second sensing lines to form capacitive sensing nodes for both the first and second surfaces.