US 9,792,482 B2Granted

Multi-mode capacitive sensor

AssigneeSynaptics Incorporated

InventorsGuozhong Shen, Ozan Ersan Erdogan, Ajay Taparia, Erik Jonathon Thompson

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Abstract

A method and device for providing a multi-modal capacitive sensor, including a plurality of sensor electrodes, in an electronic device is provided. In a first mode, the capacitive sensor is configured to capture an image of a biometric object. In a second mode, the capacitive sensor is configured to provide presence detection functionality. In the second mode, the capacitive sensor includes at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode selected from a plurality of sensor electrodes. When operating in the second mode, the at least one first electrode is configured to receive a transmit signal, and the at least one second electrode is configured to receive a resulting signal capacitively coupled from the at least one first electrode. Based on the resulting signal, a processing system of the electronic device determines whether a biometric object to be imaged is present in the sensing area.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An input device for capacitive sensing, the input device comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes of a capacitive sensor, the plurality of sensor electrodes including a set of one or more transmitter electrodes and a set of one or more receiver electrodes;
and
a processing system coupled to the plurality of sensor electrodes and configured to:
operate in a first mode by driving transmitter signals onto each of the transmitter electrodes and detecting resulting signals at each of the receiver electrodes, the resulting signals detected at the receiver electrodes corresponding to the transmitter signals driven onto the transmitter electrodes, and
operate in a second mode by driving transmitter signals onto at least one first electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes and detecting resulting signals at at least one second electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes, the resulting signals detected at the at least one second electrode corresponding to the transmitter signals driven onto the at least one first electrode,
wherein, in the second mode, a) each of the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode are selected from the set of receiver electrodes, or b) each of the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode are selected from the set of transmitter electrodes.

3 more elements

An electronic system for capacitive sensing, the electronic system comprising:

a processing system configured to operate a plurality of sensor electrodes of a capacitive sensor, the plurality of sensor electrodes including a set of one or more transmitter electrodes and a set of one or more receiver electrodes, wherein the processing system is configured to:
operate in a first mode by driving transmitter signals onto each of the transmitter electrodes and detecting resulting signals at each of the receiver electrodes, the resulting signals detected at the receiver electrodes corresponding to the transmitter signals driven onto the transmitter electrodes, and
operate in a second mode by driving transmitter signals onto at least one first electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes and detecting resulting signals at at least one second electrode of the plurality of sensor electrodes, the resulting signals detected at the at least one second electrode corresponding to the transmitter signals driven onto the at least one first electrode,
wherein, in the second mode, a) each of the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode are selected from the set of receiver electrodes, orb) each of the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode are selected from the set of transmitter electrodes.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/681,811Filed 8 Apr 2015 · us provisional application
Priority: 27 Feb 2015
Published: US 2016/0253539 A11 Sep 2016
Granted: 17 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06V 40/1306
Sensors therefor: non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
G01B 7/28
Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques: for measuring contours or curvatures
G06V
Image and video recognition
G01B
Measuring length, thickness or similar linear dimensions