# US 2014/0191969 A1 · Electrode system for proximity detection and hand-held device with electrode system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191969 A1 - Document ID: US20140191969A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/947,424 - Filed: 2013-07-22 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-25 - Assignees: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH - Applicants: Microchip Technology Incorporated - Inventors: Reinhard Unterreitmayer; Stefan Donat - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191969A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/3259: {Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball} - G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode - G06F 1/3231: Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users - G06F 3/03543: {Mice or pucks (G06F3/03541 takes precedence)} - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - A63F 2300/1012: involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity - H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector - H03K 2217/960755: Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches - H03K 2217/960775: Emitter-receiver or "fringe" type detection, i.e. one or more field emitting electrodes and corresponding one or more receiving electrodes - H04M 2250/12: including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion - H04W 52/0254: {detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device} - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract An electrical hand-held device is provided with improved proximity detection, which can be placed on a surface and has at least one transmission electrode, at least one reception electrode and at least one compensation electrode arranged between transmission electrode and reception electrode. The transmission electrode and the compensation electrode can be supplied with an electric switching signal of predetermined signal frequency and predetermined signal amplitude. Switching electric signal at the compensation electrode is phase-delayed with respect to the switching electric signal at the transmission electrode. Alternating electric fields radiated at the transmission electrode and the compensation electrode generate a current in the reception electrode, which is representative of an approach of a hand to the hand-held device. The transmission electrode and the reception electrode are arranged in such a way, that the impedance between the transmission electrode and the reception electrode exceeds a predetermined value, which is suitable to keep the current generated in the reception electrode under a predetermined value. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-35. (canceled) ### Claim 36 An electrode system for an arrangement at a hand-held device with at least a transmission electrode, a reception electrode and a compensation electrode, wherein the compensation electrode is arranged between the transmission electrode and the reception electrode, wherein the electrode system is configured to emit a first alternating electric field from the transmission electrode and a second alternating electric field from the compensation electrode, wherein the first alternating electric field is phase-delayed with respect to the second alternating electric field and wherein alternating the first and second alternating electric fields are coupled into the reception electrode. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein upon approach of a hand to the electrode system the electrode system is further operable to generate a current by the first and second alternating electric fields in the reception electrode which is representative of the approach of the hand. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The electrode system according to claim 37, wherein the transmission electrode and the reception electrode are arranged on the hand-held device in such a way, that the impedance between the transmission electrode and the reception electrode, when a hand-held device is placed on a surface exceeds a predetermined value, which is suitable to keep the current generated in the reception electrode under a predetermined value. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The electrode system according to claim 38, wherein the impedance between the transmission electrode and the reception electrode is the sum of the impedances between the transmission electrode and the reception electrode, which consist of the impedance between transmission electrode and surface, the impedance of surface and the impedance between surface and reception electrode. ### Claim 40 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the electrode system is coupled with an evaluation circuit which in configured to evaluate an approach of a hand to the electrode system and to provide a representative signal for an approach. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The electrode system according to claim 40, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises an amplifier having an impedance at a signal input which reaches a minimum in a working frequency range. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The electrode system according to claim 41, wherein the evaluation circuit generates a directly deduced DC-signal from a received AC signal. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The electrode system according to claim 40, wherein the evaluation circuit further comprises a microcontroller. ### Claim 43 (depends on 44) The electrode system according to claim 44, wherein the electrode system is battery operated. ### Claim 44 (depends on 41) The electrode system according to claim 41, wherein the evaluation circuit further comprises a microcontroller comprising an analog-to-digital converter receiving an output signal of said amplifier. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The electrode system according to claim 43, wherein the microcontroller is configured to generate an alternating signal for generating said first and second alternating electric fields. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The electrode system according to claim 44, wherein the microcontroller is configured to generate said alternating signal during periodic time slots having a predefined duration. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The electrode system according to claim 45, wherein a time slot duration can be shortened or expanded during operation of the electrode system. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) The electrode system according to claim 45, wherein the microcontroller is configured to enter a sleep mode or an active mode depending on an evaluation performed during one of the periodic time slots. ### Claim 48 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the compensation electrode has a smaller surface than a surface of the transmission electrode. ### Claim 49 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein an amplitude of a signal fed to the compensation electrode is different than an amplitude of a signal fed to the transmission electrode. ### Claim 50 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the electrodes are arranged on a surface of a mobile device. ### Claim 51 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the mobile device is a computer mouse. ### Claim 52 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the transmission electrode, compensation and reception electrodes are arranged asymmetrically. ### Claim 53 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the transmission electrode, compensation and reception electrodes are arranged in a half-rotationally asymmet-rical arrangement. ### Claim 54 (depends on 36) The electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the transmission electrode, compensation and reception electrodes are arranged in a fully-rotationally symmetrical arrangement. ### Claim 55 (depends on 36) A hand-held device with at least one electrode system according to claim 36, wherein the hand-held device is selected from the group consisting of a computer mouse, a remote control device, a mobile phone and an input device for a game console.