Sensor-compatible overlay
A sensor-compatible overlay is disclosed which uses anisotropic conductive material to increase capacitive coupling of a conductive object through the overlay material to a capacitive sensor. The anisotropic conductive material has increased conductivity in a direction orthogonal to the capacitive sensor. In one embodiment, the overlay is configured to enclose a device which includes a capacitive sensor. In another embodiment, the overlay is configured as a glove.
1. A sensor-compatible overlay, comprising:
a first portion comprising a first surface and a second surface; and
a second portion disposed at least partly within the first portion, comprising a third surface and a fourth surface, wherein the second portion has:
a first conductivity in a direction substantially orthogonal to the third surface and the fourth surface, and a second conductivity in at least one other direction, wherein the first conductivity is substantially greater than the second conductivity, and wherein the first conductivity is substantially static.
2. The sensor-compatible overlay of claim 1 , wherein the third surface is substantially parallel with the first surface and the fourth surface is substantially parallel with the second surface.
3. The sensor-compatible overlay of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is disposed entirely within the first portion such that the first portion completely surrounds the second portion.
4. The sensor-compatible overlay of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is disposed to be adjacent to a conductive object and the second surface is disposed to be adjacent to a capacitive sensor.
5. The sensor-compatible overlay of claim 4 , wherein the third surface is recessed from the first surface and is disposed to contact the conductive object.
6. The sensor-compatible overlay of claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a flexible material.
7. The sensor-compatible overlay of claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises a flexible material.
8. The sensor-compatible overlay of claim 1 , wherein the sensor-compatible overlay is configured to at least partially enclose a device comprising a conductive sensor.
9. The sensor-compatible material of claim 1 , wherein the sensor-compatible overlay is incorporated in a glove.
10. A method of forming a sensor-compatible material comprising incorporating an anisotropic conductive material at least partly within a first material such that a first surface of the first material is substantially parallel to a third surface of the anisotropic conductive material and a second surface of the first material is substantially parallel to a fourth surface of the anisotropic conductive material, wherein the anisotropic conductive material comprises:
a first conductivity in a direction substantially orthogonal to the third surface and the fourth surface; and
a second conductivity in at least one other direction, wherein the first conductivity is substantially greater than the second conductivity; and
wherein the first conductivity is substantially fixed.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising incorporating the anisotropic conductive material entirely within the first material such that the first material completely surrounds the anisotropic conductive material.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein incorporating the anisotropic conductive material further comprises inserting the anisotropic conductive material in the first material.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first surface is disposed to be adjacent to a conductive object and the second surface is disposed to be adjacent to a capacitive sensor.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the third surface is recessed from the first surface and is disposed to contact the conductive object.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first material comprises a flexible material.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the anisotropic conductive material comprises a flexible material.
17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising configuring the sensor-compatible material to at least partially enclose a device comprising a capacitive sensor.
18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising configuring the sensor-compatible material as a glove.
19. A system, comprising:
a capacitive sensor;
a sensor controller electrically coupled to the capacitive sensor; and
a protective cover, comprising:
a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is disposed to be adjacent to the capacitive sensor; and
an anisotropic conductive material disposed at least partly within the first material comprising a third surface substantially parallel with the first surface and a fourth surface substantially parallel with the second surface, wherein the anisotropic conductive material comprises:
a first conductivity in a direction substantially orthogonal to the third surface and the fourth surface; and
a second conductivity in at least one other direction, wherein the first conductivity is substantially greater than the second conductivity; and
wherein the first conductivity is substantially unchanging.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the anisotropic conductive material is disposed entirely within the first material such that the first material completely surrounds the anisotropic conductive material.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the second surface is configured to be adjacent to a conductive object.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the fourth surface is recessed from the second surface and is disposed to contact the conductive object.
23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the conductive cover is configured to at least partially enclose the capacitive sensor and sensor controller.
24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the capacitive sensor comprises a self capacitance sensor.
25. The system of claim 19 , wherein the second surface is configured to be conformable to a shape of a conductive object.
26. The system of claim 19 , wherein the fourth surface is configured to be conformable to a shape of a conductive object.