Capacitance sensor structure
AssigneeElan Microelectronics Corporation
InventorsYi-Hsin TAO, Chia-Hsing LIN, Che-Hao HSU, Wen-Jun HSU
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Abstract
A capacitance sensor structure includes a first sensor in a first direction and a second sensor in a second direction for sensing a variation in the mutual capacitance between the first sensor and the second sensor by applying an excitation signal to the first sensor and detecting a response signal from the second sensor. The sensing area of the second sensor is intentionally reduced to be much smaller than the sensing area of the first sensor for noise performance improvement of the mutual capacitance sensing.
Claims14
A capacitance sensor structure, comprising:
- a first sensor in a first direction, having a first sensing area;
- a second sensor in a second direction, splitting into a plurality of parallel traces electrically connected together, having a second sensing area smaller than the first sensing area, and detected therefrom to sense a variation in a mutual capacitance between the first sensor and the second sensor;
- and
- an insulator layer between the first sensor and the second sensor.
A capacitance sensor structure, comprising:
- a first sensor in a first direction, having a first sensing area;
- a second sensor in a second direction, having at least a hole and a second sensing area smaller than the first sensing area, and detected therefrom to sense a variation in a mutual capacitance between the first sensor and the second sensor;
- and
- an insulator layer between the first sensor and the second sensor.
A capacitance sensor structure, comprising:
- a first sensor in a first direction, made from a conductor layer, and having a first sensing area;
- and
- a second sensor in a second direction, made from the conductor layer, having a second sensing area smaller than the first sensing area, dividing the first sensor into a plurality of sections, and detected therefrom to sense a variation in a mutual capacitance between the first sensor and the second sensor;
- and
- a bridge line spanning the second sensor to electrically connect two of the plurality of sections of the first sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.