Interaction Sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015048846-A1
Application number	US-201414458083-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 12, 2014
Priority date	Aug 13, 2013
Publication date	Feb 19, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

In particular embodiments, an apparatus includes an insulator coupled to one or more electrodes that are configured to passively sense charge displacement or a change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in an environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
an insulator coupled to one or more electrodes; wherein the one or more electrodes are configured to passively sense charge displacement or a change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in an environment.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrodes are part of an array of electrodes.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insulator comprises a resistive sheet of known resistance per unit area.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein an input to the insulator sensed by each of the one or more electrodes is sensed as a function of the location of the input with respect to the insulator and the known resistance of the insulator.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insulator comprises an encoded dielectric surface.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insulator comprises one or more of the following:
a lattice of nonlinear reactive elements; or a sheet having a nonlinear reactance.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insulator comprises a surface having known height variations.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the insulator comprises a resistive sheet of known resistance per unit area and pickup electrodes are placed on the resistive sheet in one or two dimensions; the insulator comprises an encoded dielectric surface; the insulator comprises a lattice of nonlinear reactive elements, or a sheet having a nonlinear reactance; or the insulator comprises a surface having known height variations.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more electrodes include a top electrode and a bottom electrode and pickups are placed on the top electrode; a capacitive sensor system is coupled to the one or more electrodes; and an inductive sensor system is coupled to the one or more electrodes.

10 . An apparatus comprising:
one or more electrodes configured to passively sense charge displacement or a change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in an environment of the apparatus; an insulator coupled to the electrodes; and a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic that is operable when executed to analyze the passively sensed charge displacement or change in characteristics of electromagnetic signals in the environment.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more electrodes are part of an array of electrodes.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the insulator comprises a resistive sheet of known resistance per unit area.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein an input to the insulator sensed by each of the one or more electrodes is sensed as a function of the location of the input with respect to the insulator and the known resistance of the insulator.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the insulator comprises an encoded dielectric surface.

15 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the insulator comprises one or more of the following:
a lattice of nonlinear reactive elements; or a sheet having a nonlinear reactance.

16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the insulator comprises a surface having known height variations.

17 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the insulator comprises a resistive sheet of known resistance per unit area and pickup electrodes are placed on the resistive sheet in one or two dimensions; the insulator comprises an encoded dielectric surface; the insulator comprises a lattice of nonlinear reactive elements, or a sheet having a nonlinear reactance; or the insulator comprises a surface having known height variations.

18 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more electrodes include a top electrode and a bottom electrode and pickups are placed on the top electrode; a capacitive sensor system is coupled to the one or more electrodes; and an inductive sensor system is coupled to the one or more electrodes.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Post Ernest Rehmi
• Bau Olivier
• Tsekov Iliya
• Sadi Sajid
• Digman Mike
• Attarian Vatche
• Consul Sergi

Classifications

• H03K17/96

  Touch switches (specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08) · CPC title

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G06F2203/04106

  Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection · CPC title

• G06F3/041 Primary

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F3/046 Primary

  by electromagnetic means · CPC title