Sensing device and a method relating thereto
US6778686B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 16, 2000 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 16, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V40/1306
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention relates to a capacitive sensing device (10) for sensing topological variations in the structure of an object such as e.g. a finger. The device comprises a sensing surface for receiving the object adjacent thereto and a number of sensor elements (11,1, . . . , 1x,y) arranged in at least two dimensions (x,y). The sensing device further includes controlling means (2,3) for providing control signals to the sensor elements (11,1, . . . , 1x,y) and for at least a number of the sensor elements at least two functionalities are available. The sensor elements can be brought to take on one of said at least two different functionalities, and the actual functionality of a sensor element is determined by said control signal. The invention also relates to a data carrier comprising such a capacitive sensing device, and to a method for use of such a device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.