SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING USER INPUT FROM OCCLUDED OBJECTS
Granted: June 14, 2012
Application Number:
20120146939
The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved input devices. In one embodiment, an input device is configured to determine if a sensed object includes an occluded portion using an image representative of sensor values, determine a portion of the image corresponding to the sensed object, and approximate a boundary representation of the sensed object wherein if the sensed object does include the occluded portion, the boundary representation…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING USER INPUT USING POLYGONS
Granted: June 14, 2012
Application Number:
20120146938
Devices and method are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the systems and methods are configured to identify a portion of an image of sensor values as corresponding to at least one sensed object in the sensing region, determine a polygon corresponding to the identified portion of the image, and determine a contact characterization of the at least one sensed object based on the polygon. The determination of a polygon corresponding to a sensed object…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING OBJECT INFORMATION USING AN ESTIMATED DEFLECTION RESPONSE
Granted: May 17, 2012
Application Number:
20120120017
The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved performance. Specifically, the devices and methods provide the ability to determine object information for objects causing deflection of a surface of a capacitive sensor device. The devices and methods are configured to determine an estimated deflection response associated with a deflection of the at least one sensing electrode using a set of sensor values, where the deflection was caused by one or more…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING AN INPUT OBJECT RELATIVE TO A SENSING REGION OF AN ULTRASOUND SENSOR DEVICE
Granted: May 10, 2012
Application Number:
20120111119
A subsystem, system and method for sensing an input object relative to a sensing region of an ultrasound sensor device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a subsystem for sensing an input object relative to a sensing region of an ultrasound sensor device includes a circuit, a switch coupled to an output of the circuit, and an integrating capacitor coupled to the output of the circuit. The circuit has an input for receiving a resulting signal comprising positive and negative…
PROXIMITY SENSING FOR CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSORS
Granted: March 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120075249
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…
INPUT DEVICE WITH TRANSMISSION ELEMENT ACTUATED SWITCH
Granted: March 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120075199
An input device, and a method for providing an input device, are provided. The input device includes a touch sensor substrate having a first side and a second side. The second side is opposite the first side. At least one sensor electrode is disposed on the sensor substrate, and the at least one sensor electrode is configured to sense input objects in a sensing region on the first side. A switch is disposed on the second side of the touch sensor substrate. The input device also includes…
TOUCH PAD WITH FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE
Granted: March 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120068968
A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance.…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SIGNALING AND INTERFERENCE DETECTION IN SENSOR DEVICES
Granted: March 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120068966
An input device processing system comprises a sensor module that transmits a first transmitter signal with a transmitter electrode and receives a resulting signal with a receiver electrode. The first transmitter signal comprises a first transmitter frequency, and the resulting signal comprises effects corresponding to the first transmitter signal. A demodulation module demodulates the resulting signal to produce a first signal (e.g., an upper sideband signal) and a second signal (a lower…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SIGNALING AND INTERFERENCE DETECTION IN SENSOR DEVICES
Granted: March 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120068949
An input device processing system comprises a sensor module that transmits a first transmitter signal with a transmitter electrode and receives a resulting signal with a receiver electrode. The first transmitter signal comprises a first transmitter frequency, and the resulting signal comprises effects corresponding to the first transmitter signal. A demodulation module demodulates the resulting signal to produce a first signal (e.g., an upper sideband signal) and a second signal (a lower…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTINGUISHING INPUT OBJECTS
Granted: January 5, 2012
Application Number:
20120001855
The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved sensor device usability. Specifically, the devices and methods provide the ability to determine more reliably that sensed object positions correspond to a single input object or multiple input objects. For example, the devices and methods may be used to determine if a first sensed object position and a second sensed object position correspond to a single input object. The determination of a single input…
INPUT DEVICE WITH FORCE SENSING
Granted: November 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110278078
Devices and methods are provided that utilize a first electrode disposed on a first substrate and a second electrode disposed on a second substrate, where the first electrode and the second electrode define at least part of a variable capacitance. A third substrate is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, the third substrate having an opening arranged such that at least a portion of the first electrode and the second electrode overlap the opening. A transmission…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTHENTICATION OF INPUT DEVICES
Granted: November 10, 2011
Application Number:
20110277030
Systems and methods are provided for authenticating an input device subsystem for operation with a host. One method includes storing a table comprising challenges and a plurality of values indicative of authentic responses to the plurality of challenges. A selected challenge is then communicated between the input device subsystem and the host. A challenge response is derived based on the selected challenge and a hashing algorithm, and the challenge response is communicated between the…
INPUT DEVICE WITH FLOATING ELECTRODES HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE
Granted: July 21, 2011
Application Number:
20110175671
Devices and methods are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. The devices and methods utilize a transmitter sensor electrode and a receiver sensor electrode that are capacitively coupled to form a transcapacitance for capacitively sensing input objects in a sensing region. A measure of the transcapacitance may be used to determine positional information for the input objects in the sensing region. In accordance with the various embodiments, the devices and methods…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING IN POINTING AND ENHANCED GESTURING MODES
Granted: June 23, 2011
Application Number:
20110154268
Methods and apparatuses for implementing gesture command recognition functionality is disclosed. The apparatuses may operate in a pointing mode and operate in an enhanced gesturing mode. While in the enhanced gesturing mode, the apparatuses may cause associated actions in response to recognizing sliding inputs as gesture commands. The gesture commands may be selectively associated with actions based on localities. The apparatuses may present overlays with information content independent…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHANGING OPERATING MODES
Granted: June 23, 2011
Application Number:
20110148786
An input device comprising a sensing element (and perhaps other sensing elements) and a processing system coupled to the sensing element is disclosed. The processing system is configured to operate in a first mode, to change from operating in the first mode to operating in a second mode in response to recognizing a characteristic object motion in the sensing, and to operate in the second mode. The first mode may be a pointing mode and the second mode may be an enhanced gesturing mode.…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A NUMBER OF OBJECTS IN A CAPACITIVE SENSING REGION USING A SHAPE FACTOR
Granted: June 23, 2011
Application Number:
20110148438
An input device and method are provided that facilitate improved usability. The input device comprises an array of capacitive sensing electrodes and a processing system. The processing system is configured to receive sensing signals from the capacitive sensing electrodes and generate a plurality of sensing values. The processing system is further configured to calculate a sensing profile from the sensing values, calculate a profile span from the sensing values, and determine a shape…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A NUMBER OF OBJECTS IN A CAPACITIVE SENSING REGION USING SIGNAL GROUPING
Granted: June 23, 2011
Application Number:
20110148436
An input device and method are provided that facilitate improved usability. The input device comprises an array of capacitive sensing electrodes and a processing system. The processing system is configured to receive sensing signals from the capacitive sensing electrodes and generate a plurality of sensing values, each of the plurality of sensing values corresponding to a sensing electrode in the first array of capacitive sensing electrodes. The processing system is further configured to…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING INDIVIDUAL FORCE IN MULTI-OBJECT SENSING
Granted: June 16, 2011
Application Number:
20110141053
An input device is provided that facilitates improved user interface functionality by determining force information for each of multiple objects in a sensing region. The input device includes a processing system, a sensor configured to sense objects in a sensing region proximate a surface, and a plurality of force sensors. The plurality of force sensors are coupled to the surface to provide a plurality of measures of force applied to the surface. The processing system is configured to…
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING A POSITION-BASED ATTRIBUTE OF AN OBJECT USING DIGITAL CODES
Granted: March 31, 2011
Application Number:
20110074732
Methods, systems and devices are described for detecting a position-based attribute of a finger, stylus or other object with a touchpad or other sensor having a touch-sensitive region that includes a plurality of electrodes. Modulation signals for one or more electrodes are produced as a function of any number of distinct digital codes. The modulation signals are applied to an associated at least one of the plurality of electrodes to obtain a resultant signal that is electrically…
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING A POSITION-BASED ATTRIBUTE OF AN OBJECT USING DIGITAL CODES
Granted: March 31, 2011
Application Number:
20110074723
Methods, systems and devices are described for detecting a position-based attribute of a finger, stylus or other object with a touchpad or other sensor having a touch-sensitive region that includes a plurality of electrodes. Modulation signals for one or more electrodes are produced as a function of any number of distinct digital codes. The modulation signals are applied to an associated at least one of the plurality of electrodes to obtain a resultant signal that is electrically…
