2945 results about "Capacitance transducer" patented technology

A transparent, capacitive sensing system particularly well suited for input to electronic devices is described. The sensing system can be used to emulate physical buttons or slider switches that are either displayed on an active display device or printed on an underlying surface. The capacitive sensor can further be used as an input device for a graphical user interface, especially if overlaid on top of an active display device like an LCD screen to sense finger position (X/Y position) and contact area (Z) over the display. In addition, the sensor can be made with flexible material for touch sensing on a three-dimensional surface. Because the sensor is substantially transparent, the underlying surface can be viewed through the sensor. This allows the underlying area to be used for alternative applications that may not necessarily be related to the sensing system. Examples include advertising, an additional user interface display, or apparatus such as a camera or a biometric security device.

Devices having one or more sensors located outside a viewing area of a touch screen display are disclosed. The one or more sensors can be located behind an opaque mask area of the device; the opaque mask area extending between the sides of a housing of the device and viewing area of the touch screen display. In addition, the sensors located behind the mask can be separate from a touch sensor panel used to detect objects on or near the touch screen display, and can be used to enhance or provide additional functionality to the device. For example, a device having a sensor located outside the viewing area can be used to detect objects in proximity to a functional component incorporated in the device, such as an ear piece (i.e., speaker for outputting sound). The sensor can also output a signal indicating a level of detection which may be interpreted by a controller of the device as a level of proximity of an object to the functional component. In addition, the controller can initiate a variety of actions related to the functional component based on the output signal, such as adjusting the volume of the earpiece.

This relates to a capacitive sensor panel that is able to dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape for proximity and/or distance to enable hover and gesture detection. Thus, the size and/or shape of the sensors in the panel can differ according to present needs. The sensor panel may dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape based on an object's proximity to the panel. The sensor panel may dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape based on a gesture detected by the panel. The sensor panel may dynamically reconfigure its sensor size and shape based on an application executing on a device in communication with the panel.

A capacitive sensor includes a switching capacitor circuit, a comparator, and a charge dissipation circuit. The switching capacitor circuit reciprocally couples a sensing capacitor in series with a modulation capacitor during a first switching phase and discharges the sensing capacitor during a second switching phase. The comparator is coupled to compare a voltage potential on the modulation capacitor to a reference and to generate a modulation signal in response. The charge dissipation circuit is coupled to the modulation capacitor to selectively discharge the modulation capacitor in response to the modulation signal.

Embodiments of nanoelectronic sensors are described, including sensors for detecting analytes inorganic gases, organic vapors, biomolecules, viruses and the like. A number of embodiments of capacitive sensors having alternative architectures are described. Particular examples include integrated cell membranes and membrane-like structures in nanoelectronic sensors.

A personal electronic device includes a programmable display and a programmable keypad, wherein at least one of the programmable display and the programmable keypad includes a capacitive touch sensor and an EL panel in a unitary structure. A conductive layer shields the capacitive touch sensor from the EL panel and can be a separate layer or be incorporated into either the capacitive sensor or the EL panel. The conductive layer includes antimony tin oxide (ATO), other conductive oxide, or a conductive polymer, such as Orgacon™ 3010.

System and method for touch sensitive surface provide detection and tracking of multiple touch points on the surface by using two independent arrays of orthogonal linear capacitive sensors.

A method and device for treating biological external tissue using at least one energy source. The energy source can be incoherent light, coherent light, a radio frequency, ultrasound, a laser, or any other type of energy that can be applied through the device. The features of various embodiments of the device include the generation of positive pressure and/or negative pressure through one or more pressure conduits, the application of an object within a recess of the device, and measurements through various sensors on the device. These sensors can be monitored and/or controlled through a display element having rows and columns of pixels on the device. The device can be a handheld device or an add-on to existing devices in some embodiments, and can include skin color sensors, temperature sensors, and capacitance sensors.

A fingerprint sensing system includes an image sensor, a rate sensor and a sensor circuit. The image sensor includes a linear array of capacitive sensors for capacitive sensing of ridge peaks and ridge valleys of a fingerprint on a swiped finger. The rate sensor senses the speed of the finger as it is swiped across the image sensor. The sensor circuit supplies image drive signals to the image sensor and detects image signals in response to the drive signals. The sensor circuit supplies rate drive signals to the rate sensor and detects rate signals in response to the rate drive signals. The sensor circuit further coordinates the image signals and the rate signals to provide a fingerprint image. The image sensor may be configured as an image pickup plate and multiple image drive plates formed on a substrate, such as a flexible printed circuit board or other flexible substrate which may conform to the shape of the finger.

A two-step detection for a capacitive touchpad to identify a real touch point first detects the self capacitances from multiple capacitance sensor traces of the capacitive touchpad to identify any touch point on the capacitive touchpad and then, if multiple touch points are detected, further detects the mutual capacitance at one of the detected touch points to identify whether it is a real touch point.

An information input device includes a touch panel configured to be provided with a touch sensor that detects a position at which a sensing object is brought close to a sensing surface. In this information input device, the touch sensor has a scanning electrode and a detecting electrode that is opposed to the scanning electrode with the intermediary of a dielectric substance, and is a capacitive sensor whose electrostatic capacitance changes if the sensing object is brought close to the detecting electrode. Furthermore, a slit is formed in a surface of the detecting electrode opposed to the scanning electrode.

A method and apparatus for operating an input device having an array of capacitive sensor electrodes and a proximity sensor electrode are disclosed herein. The input device includes a processing system communicatively coupled to the array of capacitive sensor electrodes and the proximity sensor electrode and configured to operate in an input mode and a proximity mode. When operating in the input mode, the processing system scans the array of capacitive sensor electrodes to detect input from an object in an active region of the input device. When operating in the proximity mode, the processing system drives a sensing signal on at least one sensor electrode of the array of capacitive sensor electrodes and receives a resulting signal from the proximity sensor electrode. Based on the resulting signal, the processing system generates an indication of an object presence in a second sensing region from the resulting signal.

A micro speaker having a capacitive sensor to sense a motion of a speaker diaphragm, is disclosed. More particularly, embodiments of the micro speaker include a conductive surface of a diaphragm facing conductive surfaces of several capacitive plate sections across a gap. The diaphragm may be configured to emit sound forward away from a magnet of the micro speaker, and the capacitive plate sections may be supported on the magnet behind the diaphragm. In an embodiment, the gap provides an available travel for the diaphragm, which may be only a few millimeters. A sensing circuit may sense capacitances of the conductive surfaces to limit displacement of the diaphragm to within the available travel.

Apparatus and methods are described for selecting which of a plurality of simultaneously activated keys in a keyboard based on capacitive sensors is a key intended for selection by a user. In embodiments of the invention keys are preferentially selected as the user intended key based on their positions within the keyboard. Thus a key which is frequently wrongly activated when a user selects another key, e.g. because the key is adjacent the intended key and the user normally passes his finger over it while approaching the desired key, can be suppressed relative to the desired key based on their relative positions. For example, keys may be associated with predefined rankings according to their position within the keyboard and in use keys are preferentially select according to their rankings. Alternatively, signals from the keys may be scaled by weighting factors associated with their positions and a key selected according to the weighted signals.

A system for unobtrusively measuring bioelectric signals developed by an individual includes multiple sensors, one or more of which constitutes a capacitive sensor attached to a holding device. The holding device serves as a mounting structure that holds sensors in place within a wearable garment. The holding device and sensors are horizontally and vertically adjustable relative to the garment, while the sensors are pressed against the individual and prevented from undesirable shifting upon movement of the individual.

A capacitance detection device of a capacitance system includes: a capacitance sensor electrode for detecting a capacitance; a power source for supplying charges to be charged in the capacitance sensor electrode; an electric charge storage capacitor in which an amount of charges to be charged therein changes according to the electric charges charged in the capacitance sensor electrode; and a switch for changing a reference potential of the electric charge storage capacitor. The reference potential of the electric charge storage capacitor is changed in a period of measuring the capacitance.

Angular rate sensor for detecting rotation about first, second and third mutually perpendicular input axes having a plurality of generally planar proof masses coupled together for linear drive-mode oscillation along multi-directional drive axes in a plane formed by the first and second input axes. The masses are mounted on a generally planar sense frame for linear movements relative to the sense frame in drive-mode and for rotation together with the sense frame in sense modes. The sense frame is mounted for rotation with the masses in sense modes about the first, second, and third input axes independent of each other, in response to Coriolis forces produced by rotation of the masses about the first, second, and third input axes respectively. And capacitance sensors responsive to the rotational movements of the masses and the sense frame in sense modes are employed for monitoring rate of rotation.