One layer capacitive sensing apparatus having varying width sensing elements

A portable electronic device comprising:

• a two-dimensional capacitive sensor;
• and
• a processor coupled with said two-dimensional capacitive sensor;
• wherein said two-dimensional capacitive sensor comprises:
• a first sensing element having varying width;
• a second sensing element having varying width;
• and
• a third sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are each conductive and substantially parallel to a first axis, each of said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element is located such that said first sensing element, second sensing element, and third sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space, wherein a sum of the varying widths of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, and said third sensing element is substantially constant.

A capacitive sensor device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first conductive trace having varying width and disposed above said substrate;
• a second conductive trace having varying width and disposed above said substrate;
• and
• a third conductive trace having varying width and disposed above said substrate, wherein said first, second, and third conductive traces are substantially parallel to a first axis and are located such that each does not require overlap of said first, second, and third conductive traces to determine a first axis location, wherein a sum of output signals of said first, said second, and said third conductive traces is substantially constant at different locations along said first, second, and third conductive traces.

A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:

• a first sensing element having varying width;
• a second sensing element having varying width;
• a third sensing element having varying width;
• and
• a fourth sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element and said fourth sensing element are conductive and substantially parallel to a first axis, each of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element and said fourth sensing element are located such that said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element and said fourth sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space, wherein said first sensing element comprises a first waveform shape;
• said second sensing element comprises a second waveform shape;
• said third sensing element comprises a third waveform shape and said fourth element comprises a fourth waveform shape, and wherein a sum of the varying widths of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element and said fourth sensing element is substantially constant, wherein said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element and said fourth sensing element vary periodically with a period greater than the length of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element and said fourth sensing element, and wherein each of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element and said fourth sensing element has a different phase so as to produce a unique output signal along its length.

A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:

• a first sensing element having varying width;
• a second sensing element having varying width;
• a third sensing element having varying width;
• a fourth sensing element having varying width;
• and
• a fifth sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element and said fifth sensing element are conductive and substantially parallel to a first axis, each of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element and said fifth sensing element are located such that said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element and said fifth sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space, and wherein a sum of the varying widths of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element and said fifth sensing element is substantially constant.

A two-dimensional capacitive sensor apparatus comprising:

• a first sensing element having varying width;
• a second sensing element having varying width;
• a third sensing element having varying width;
• a fourth sensing element having varying width;
• a fifth sensing element having varying width;
• and
• a sixth sensing element having varying width, wherein said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element, said fifth sensing element and said sixth sensing element are conductive and substantially parallel to a first axis, each of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element, said fifth sensing element and said sixth sensing element are located such that said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element, said fifth sensing element and said sixth sensing element are not required to overlap each other to determine a first location along said first axis of a two-dimensional space, wherein said first sensing element comprises a first waveform shape;
• said second sensing element comprises a second waveform shape;
• said third sensing element comprises a third waveform shape, said fourth element comprises a fourth waveform shape, said fifth element comprises a fifth waveform shape and said sixth element comprises a sixth waveform shape, and wherein a sum of the varying widths of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element, said fifth sensing element and said sixth sensing element is substantially constant, wherein said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element, said fifth sensing element, and said sixth sensing element vary periodically with a period greater than the length of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element, said fifth sensing element, and said sixth sensing element and wherein each of said first sensing element, said second sensing element, said third sensing element, said fourth sensing element, said fifth sensing element, and said sixth sensing element has a different phase so as to produce a unique output signal along its length.