Closed-loop sensor on a solid-state object position detector

A method for processing signals from a plurality of sensor electrodes in a closed loop sensor device comprising:

• receiving a set of signals, the set of signals comprising a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the closed loop sensor device;
• determining a set of capacitance values, the set of capacitance values comprising a capacitance value for each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the set of signals;
• determining positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device using the set of capacitance values, wherein the determining positional information of an input object comprises:
• determining a highest capacitance value sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes;
• setting an orientation of the plurality of sensor electrodes such that the highest capacitance value sensor electrode is positioned as a center of the plurality of sensor electrodes in that orientation;
• determining a position of the input object by calculating a centroid;
• and
• applying a reverse rotation function to the position;
• and generating an output based on the positional information.

A method for processing signals from a plurality of sensor electrodes in a closed loop sensor device comprising:

• receiving a set of signals, the set of signals comprising a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the closed loop sensor device;
• determining a set of capacitance values, the set of capacitance values comprising a capacitance value for each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the set of signals;
• determining positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device using the set of capacitance values, wherein the determining positional information of an input object comprises:
• applying a first periodic weighting function to the set of capacitance values of the plurality of sensor electrodes to determine a numerator value;
• applying a second periodic weighting function to the set of capacitance values of the plurality of sensor electrodes to determine a denominator value;
• and
• applying a third function to the numerator value and the denominator value;
• and generating an output based on the positional information.

A program product for processing signals from a plurality of sensor electrodes in a closed loop sensor device comprising:

• instructions for directing a processing unit to:
• receive a set of signals, the set of signals comprising a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the closed loop sensor device;
• determine a set of capacitance values, the set of capacitance values comprising a capacitance value for each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the set of signals;
• determine positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device using the set of capacitance values, wherein the instructions for directing the processing unit to determine positional information of an input object direct the processing unit to:
• determine a highest capacitance value sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes using the set of capacitance values;
• determine a quadratic fitting from the capacitance value of the highest capacitance value sensor electrode, the capacitance value of a first one of the plurality of sensor electrodes on a first side of the highest capacitance value sensor electrode and the capacitance value of a second one of the plurality of sensor electrodes on a second side of the highest capacitance value sensor electrode;
• determine a center point of the quadratic fitting;
• and
• determine positional information from the center point and
• generate an output based on the positional information;
• and a media readable by the processing unit that stores the instructions.

A program product for processing signals from a plurality of sensor electrodes in a closed loop sensor device comprising:

• instructions for directing a processing unit to:
• receive a set of signals, the set of signals comprising a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the closed loop sensor device;
• determine a set of capacitance values, the set of capacitance values comprising a capacitance value for each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the set of signals;
• determine positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device using the set of capacitance values, wherein the instructions for directing the processing unit to determine positional information of an input object direct the processing unit to:
• determine a highest capacitance value sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes;
• set an orientation of the plurality of sensor electrodes such that the highest capacitance value sensor electrode is positioned as a center of the plurality of sensor electrodes in that orientation;
• determine a position of the input object by calculating a centroid;
• and
• apply a reverse rotation function to the position;
• and
• generate an output based on the positional information;
• and
• a media readable by the processing unit that stores the instructions.

A program product for processing signals from a plurality of sensor electrodes in a closed loop sensor device comprising:

• instructions for directing a processing unit to:
• receive a set of signals, the set of signals comprising a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes in the closed loop sensor device;
• determine a set of capacitance values, the set of capacitance values comprising a capacitance value for each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the set of signals;
• determine positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device using the set of capacitance values, wherein the instructions to determine positional information of an input object direct the processing unit to:
• apply a first periodic weighting function to the set of capacitance values of the plurality of sensor electrodes to determine a numerator,
• apply a second periodic weighting function to the set of capacitance values of the plurality of sensor electrodes to determine a denominator, and
• apply a third function to the numerator and the denominator;
• and
• generate an output based on the positional information;
• and
• a media readable by the processing unit that stores the instructions.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a substantially closed loop;
• and
• a processor configured to receive a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes, the processor further adapted to determine a capacitance value of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the signal received from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes responsive to a receipt of the signal, determine positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device responsive to a determination of the capacitance value of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes, and generate an output using the positional information responsive to a determination of the positional information, wherein the processor is configured to determine the positional information of the input object by being configured to:
• determine a highest capacitance value sensor electrode from the plurality of sensor electrodes responsive to a determination of the capacitance value of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes:
• determine a quadratic fitting from the capacitance value of the highest capacitance value sensor electrode, the capacitance value of a first one of the plurality of sensor electrodes on a first side of the highest capacitance value sensor electrode, and the capacitance value of a second one of the plurality of sensor electrodes on a second side of the highest capacitance value sensor electrode;
• determine a center point of the quadratic fitting;
• and
• determine the positional information from the center point responsive to a determination of the center point.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a substantially closed loop;
• and
• a processor configured to receive a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes, the processor further adapted to determine a capacitance value of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the signal received from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes responsive to a receipt of the signal, determine positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device responsive to a determination of the capacitance value of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes, and generate an output using the positional information responsive to a determination of the positional information, wherein the processor is configured to determine the positional information of the input object by being configured to:
• determine a highest capacitance value sensor electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes;
• set an orientation of the plurality of sensor electrodes to have the highest capacitance value sensor electrode as a center of the plurality of sensor electrodes;
• determine a position of the input object by calculating a centroid responsive to the orientation of the plurality of sensor electrodes being set;
• and
• apply the position to a reverse rotation function to generate the positional information.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a substantially closed loop;
• and
• a processor configured to receive a signal from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes, the processor further adapted to determine a capacitance value of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes from the signal received from each of the plurality of sensor electrodes responsive to a receipt of the signal, determine positional information of an input object proximate to the closed loop sensor device responsive to a determination of the capacitance value of each of the plurality of sensor electrodes, and generate an output using the positional information responsive to a determination of the positional information, wherein the processor is configured to determine the positional information of the input object by being configured to:
• calculate a numerator from the capacitance values of the plurality of sensor electrodes;
• calculate a denominator from the capacitance values of the plurality of sensor electrodes;
• and
• apply a periodic function to the numerator and the denominator to generate the positional information responsive to a calculation of the numerator and the denominator.