Devices and methods for detecting input to a touch-sensitive surface
A plurality of auxiliary electrodes added to an electronic device improves touch detection on a first surface of the electronic device. In some examples, the plurality of auxiliary electrodes are disposed outside of a first dimension of the first surface and non-parallel to the first surface. In some examples, the electronic device is configured to reduce touch detection error caused by a dead-band region of the first surface using the plurality of auxiliary electrodes. In some examples, the electronic device is configured to reduce touch detection error caused by an input provided by an object near an edge of the first surface using the plurality of auxiliary electrodes.
1 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first surface with a first dimension;
a plurality of touch-node electrodes disposed beneath the first surface, wherein the plurality of touch-node electrodes extends along a first plane that is parallel to the first surface; and
a plurality of auxiliary electrodes disposed outside of the first dimension of the first surface, wherein at least a first electrode of the plurality of auxiliary electrodes extends along a second plane that is non-parallel to the first surface;
wherein the electronic device is configured to detect an input corresponding to movement of an object relative to the first dimension of the first surface using one or more signals from the plurality of touch-node electrodes and one or more signals from the plurality of auxiliary electrodes, including a first signal from a first auxiliary electrode that extends along the second plane that is non-parallel to the first surface.
2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to detect a location of the object relative to the first surface and the movement of the object along the first dimension relative to the first surface using the one or more signals from the plurality of touch-node electrodes and the one or more signals from the plurality of auxiliary electrodes.
3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the location of the input relative to the first surface is within a threshold distance of an edge of the first surface.
4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein movement of the object relative to the first surface includes a swipe of the object along the first dimension of the first surface.
5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of auxiliary electrodes includes a first auxiliary electrode disposed on a first side of the first surface, and a second auxiliary electrode disposed on a second side of the first surface, opposite from the first side of the first surface.
6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of touch-node electrodes includes a first row of touch-node electrodes disposed between the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode, and a second row of touch-node electrodes disposed between a third auxiliary electrode on the first side of the first surface and a fourth auxiliary electrode on the second side of the first surface.
7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary electrodes is disposed at an angle ranging from 30 to 60 degrees relative to the first plane parallel to the first surface.
8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the object includes a first dimension larger than the first dimension of the first surface.
9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
first traces coupling the plurality of touch-node electrodes to sensing circuitry; and
second traces coupling the plurality of auxiliary electrodes to the sensing circuitry.
10 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first surface with a first dimension less than 25 mm;
a plurality of touch-node electrodes disposed beneath the first surface, wherein the plurality of touch-node electrodes extends along a first plane that is parallel to the first surface; and
a plurality of auxiliary electrodes disposed outside of the first dimension of the first surface, wherein at least a first electrode of the plurality of auxiliary electrodes extends along a second plane that is non-parallel to the first surface;
wherein the electronic device is configured to detect an input corresponding to movement of an object in a first direction corresponding to the first dimension relative to the first dimension of the first surface using one or more signals from the plurality of touch-node electrodes and one or more signals from the plurality of auxiliary electrodes, including a first signal from a first auxiliary electrode that extends along the second plane that is non-parallel to the first surface.
11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a processor configured to detect a location of the object relative to the first surface and the movement of the object in the first direction relative to the first surface using the one or more signals from the plurality of touch-node electrodes and the one or more signals from the plurality of auxiliary electrodes.
12 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the movement of the object in the first direction relative to the first surface includes a swipe of the object along the first dimension of the first surface.
13 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of auxiliary electrodes includes a first auxiliary electrode disposed on a first side of the first surface, and a second auxiliary electrode disposed on a second side of the first surface, opposite from the first side of the first surface.
14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of touch-node electrodes includes a first row of touch-node electrodes disposed between the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode, and a second row of touch-node electrodes disposed between a third auxiliary electrode on the first side of the first surface and a fourth auxiliary electrode on the second side of the first surface.
15 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary electrodes is disposed at an angle ranging from 30 to 60 degrees relative to the first plane parallel to the first surface.
16 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the movement of the object relative to the first surface includes the object moving along the first dimension of the first surface from a first edge of the first surface to a second edge of the first surface.
17 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the object includes a first dimension larger than the first dimension of the first surface.
18 . The electronic device of any of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of auxiliary electrodes operates as self-capacitance electrodes.
19 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of auxiliary electrodes operates as mutual capacitance electrodes.
20 . The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising:
first traces coupling the plurality of touch-node electrodes coupled to sensing circuitry; and
second traces coupling the plurality of auxiliary electrodes coupled to the sensing circuitry.