Conductive shield for shaping an electric field of a conductive wire
AssigneeAtmel Corporation
InventorAndrew Siska
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a method comprises generating, by a control unit, a first drive signal and a second drive signal. The method further comprises emitting, by a conductive wire coupled to a capacitive touch sensor, a first electric field that extends in a plurality of directions in response to reception of the first drive signal. The method further comprises shaping, by a conductive shield that surrounds the conductive wire, at least a portion of the first electric field that extends from the capacitive touch sensor towards the conductive shield by generating a second electric field in response to reception of the second drive signal.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a capacitive touch sensor configured to store an amount of charge indicative of whether an object is within a range of the capacitive touch sensor;
- a conductive wire coupled to the capacitive touch sensor, the conductive wire configured to transport a first drive signal to the capacitive touch sensor to charge the capacitive touch sensor, the conductive wire generating a first electric field when transporting the first drive signal;
- a dielectric layer surrounding a first portion of the conductive wire;
- a conductive shield surrounding the dielectric layer and the first portion of the conductive wire, the conductive shield configured to transport a second drive signal, the conductive shield generating a second electric field when transporting the second drive signal, the second electric field shaping the first electric field generated by the conductive wire;
- a control unit coupled to the conductive wire and the conductive shield, the control unit configured to generate the first drive signal and the second drive signal;
- an amplifier configured to amplify the first drive signal to generate the second drive signal;
- a sensing unit configured to sense whether an object is within the range of the capacitive touch sensor based on the amount of charge stored by the capacitive touch sensor;
- and
- a logic circuit in communication with the sensing unit and configured to initiate an action of the device based upon a determination by the sensing unit of whether an object is within the range of the capacitive touch sensor.
An apparatus comprising:
- a capacitive touch sensor configured to store an amount of charge indicative of whether an object is within a range of the capacitive touch sensor;
- a conductive wire coupled to the capacitive touch sensor, the conductive wire configured to transport a first drive signal to the capacitive touch sensor to charge the capacitive touch sensor, the conductive wire generating a first electric field when transporting the first drive signal;
- and
- a conductive shield surrounding a first portion of the conductive wire, the conductive shield configured to transport a second drive signal, the second drive signal having an amplitude that is greater than an amplitude of the first drive signal, the conductive shield generating a second electric field when transporting the second drive signal, the second electric field shaping the first electric field generated by the conductive wire.
A method comprising:
- generating, by a control unit, a first drive signal and a second drive signal, the second drive signal having an amplitude that is greater than an amplitude of the first drive signal;
- emitting, by a conductive wire coupled to a capacitive touch sensor, a first electric field that extends in a plurality of directions in response to reception of the first drive signal;
- and
- shaping, by a conductive shield that surrounds the conductive wire, at least a portion of the first electric field that extends from the capacitive touch sensor towards the conductive shield by generating a second electric field in response to reception of the second drive signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.