US 11,983,338 B1
Capacitive knob sensing system and method using transparent sensing
Kelvin Fong, Milpitas, CA (US); and Danny Joseph, Fribourg (CH)
Assigned to Synaptics Incorporated, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Synaptics Incorporated, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/166,969.
Int. Cl. G01P 13/04 (2006.01); G01L 1/14 (2006.01); G06F 3/0362 (2013.01); G06F 3/038 (2013.01); G06F 3/041 (2006.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01); H01H 19/14 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/0383 (2013.01) [G01L 1/142 (2013.01); G01P 13/04 (2013.01); G06F 3/0362 (2013.01); G06F 3/04162 (2019.05); G06F 3/0441 (2019.05); G06F 3/0446 (2019.05); H01H 19/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for using a transparent conductive material layer for a knob interface, comprising:
the knob interface comprising a fixed base and one or more knob interface electrodes, wherein the fixed base comprises an outer diameter and an inner diameter;
a plurality of grid electrodes positioned below the knob interface, wherein a subset of the plurality of grid electrodes are positioned within the inner diameter of the fixed base;
the transparent conductive material layer configured to electrically couple the subset of the plurality of grid electrodes to the one or more knob interface electrodes; and
a processing system configured to:
drive the plurality of grid electrodes with one or more signals, wherein driving the plurality of grid electrodes comprises driving the subset of the plurality of grid electrodes that are electrically coupled to the one or more knob interface electrodes via the transparent conductive material layer;
receive one or more resulting signals based on driving the plurality of grid electrodes with the one or more signals; and
perform one or more actions based on the one or more resulting signals.