Capacitive Touch Electrode Layout for Wider Gesture Angles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable audio devices face design, computational, and power constraints that limit the implementation of a complete set of interface commands, making it difficult to enhance gesture detection without compromising these constraints.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a capacitive touch interface with a contact surface and a set of electrodes that share an arcuate or piecewise non-linear border profile, allowing for improved slide angle detection and enabling more effective gesture recognition, particularly in devices like earbuds and audio eyeglasses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional linear electrode borders are used, then the device complexity is low and manufacturing is easy, but the maximum slide angle for gesture detection is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing linear electrode borders with arcuate (curved) borders. This curvature allows the electrode boundaries to follow non-linear paths across the contact surface, thereby increasing the maximum slide angle for gesture detection while maintaining manufacturability through standard PCB fabrication techniques.
2Measurement precision
If the contact surface area is increased to improve gesture detection, then the slide angle detection is enhanced, but the device size and wearability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from linear (1D) electrode borders to non-linear arcuate borders that utilize the 2D contact surface more effectively. This dimensional change allows the electrodes to cover and detect gestures across a larger angular range without proportionally increasing the physical contact surface area, thereby improving detection capability within constrained space.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The capacitive touch interface with non-linear electrode borders enhances the maximum slide angle for touch commands, improving gesture detection and user experience in wearable audio devices compared to conventional interfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive touch interface coupled with the PCB, the capacitive touch interface including: a contact surface for receiving a touch command; and a set of at least two electrodes underlying the contact surface for detecting the touch command at the contact surface
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects include wearable audio devices. In some particular implementations, a wearable audio device includes: an acoustic transducer having a sound-radiating surface for providing an audio output; a controller coupled with the acoustic transducer; a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled with the controller; and a capacitive touch interface coupled with the PCB, the capacitive touch interface having: a contact surface for receiving a touch command; and a set of at least two electrodes underlying the contact surface for detecting the touch command at the contact surface, where neighboring electrodes in the set share a border having an arcuate profile across the contact surface or a piecewise profile approximating a non-linear path across the contact surface.