Mutual capacitance sensing array
AssigneeCypress Semiconductor Corporation
InventorTao Peng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sensing a conductive object by a mutual capacitance sensing array is described according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mutual capacitance sensing array comprises one or more sensor elements. Each sensor element comprises an outer frame including a conductive material. A cavity is formed within the interior of the outer frame. In an example embodiment, the sensor elements include transmit (TX) sensor elements and receive (RX) sensor elements that are disposed in a stackup that comprises a substrate, where the TX sensor elements are laminated by optically clear adhesive and are disposed on one side of the substrate, and where the RX sensor elements are laminated by optically clear adhesive and are disposed on a different side of the substrate than the TX elements.
Claims16
An apparatus, comprising a mutual capacitance sensing array, the mutual capacitance sensing array comprising a plurality of sensor elements, each sensor element comprising an outer frame including a conductive material, the outer frame forming a single cavity within the interior therein, wherein an area of the cavity is substantially 50% to 90% of an area within an outer boundary of the sensor element, wherein a non-conductive dielectric material is disposed in the cavity, wherein the non-conductive dielectric material is electrically grounded, and wherein the electrical grounding is a floating ground.
A method, comprising:
- forming an outer frame for a plurality of sensor elements, each outer frame comprising a conductive material, each outer frame forming a single cavity within the interior therein, wherein an area of the cavity is substantially 50% to 90% of an area within an outer boundary of the sensor element, wherein a non-conductive dielectric material is disposed in the cavity, wherein the non-conductive dielectric material is electrically grounded, and wherein the electrical grounding is a floating ground;
- and
- interconnecting the plurality of sensor elements to form a mutual capacitance sensor array.
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of capacitive sensor elements configured in an array, each sensor element comprising an outer frame including a conductive material, the outer frame forming a single cavity within the interior therein, wherein an area of the cavity is substantially 50% to 90% of an area within an outer boundary of the sensor element, wherein a non-conductive dielectric material is disposed in the cavity, wherein the non-conductive dielectric material is electrically grounded, and wherein the electrical grounding is a floating ground;
- and
- a mutual capacitance sensing circuit coupled to the plurality of capacitive sensor elements to detect the presence of a conductive object on the plurality of capacitive sensor elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.