KR102357722B1 - Proximity sensor with reduced interference between channels by channel spacing for motion feedback interface and method of operation therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A proximity sensor for multiple areas and an operating method thereof are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor comprises: a first channel resonant circuit; a first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonant circuit; a first reference resonant circuit which has the same electrical characteristic as the first channel resonant circuit; a second channel resonant circuit; a second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonant circuit; a second reference resonant circuit which has the same electrical characteristic as the second channel resonant circuit; and a detection circuit which receives a first electrical signal generated on the first channel resonant circuit and the first electrode and a second electrical signal generated on the second resonant circuit and the second channel electrode. The detection circuit generates information on a first channel resonant frequency difference by detecting a difference between a first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and a first reference resonant frequency of the first reference resonant circuit, generates information on a second channel resonant frequency difference by detecting a difference between a second resonant frequency of the second electrical signal and a second reference resonant frequency of the second reference resonant circuit. Gesture information, which indicates a motion of a user approaching at least one of the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode, is detected based on the information on the first channel resonant frequency difference and the information on the second channel resonant frequency difference.

Description

PROXIMITY SENSOR WITH REDUCED INTERFERENCE BETWEEN CHANNELS BY CHANNEL SPACING FOR MOTION FEEDBACK INTERFACE AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREFOR

The present invention relates to a proximity-based user interface device, a sensor for the device, and a method of operating the same. Specifically, as a technology for providing a proximity-based motion feedback interface, motion feedback is a technology that provides gesture recognition and a result of motion recognition through various senses including sight, touch, and/or hearing.

In recent years, touch recognition technology has made rapid development, and many modern devices include various touch-sensitive input devices for interacting with the device by a user. In addition to direct touch, the touch sensing technology can detect whether a human body is close to the sensor.

As an example of a technology for providing user feedback based on Touch or Proximity Sensing technology, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication KR 10-2018-0068303 “Systems and methods for proximity-based haptic feedback” is disclosed. do. The prior document uses a non-contact proximity sensor and a touch sensor to detect a contact or non-contact proximity interaction and transmit it to a haptic output device.

As an example of a feedback technology that supports a user to operate a user display based on a touch or proximity sensing technology in a special environment such as a car, Korean Patent No. KR 10-2124410 "When operating a touch sensitive display device, the user Apparatus, means of transport and method for supporting The prior document discloses a technique for switching a display mode and an operation mode of a display device by detecting a user's approach and an approach position.

Korean Patent No. KR 10-2020311 "Gesture recognition method using multi-channel electrode proximity sensor and terminal thereof" discloses a gesture recognition technique using a multi-channel electrode proximity sensor in a mobile device. Since it is possible to recognize the user's approach position and the user's approach/touch movement by using the multi-channel electrode proximity sensor in the mobile device, the user gesture is recognized based on this.

In Korean Patent Registration KR 10-2111926 "Detecting and Differentiating Touches from Conductive Objects of Different Sizes on Capacitive Buttons," it is determined whether the conductor approached within the individually assigned capacitive button is a human finger or a stylus, etc. Prior literature to be distinguished from is disclosed. In this prior document, the first electrode and the second electrode are implemented as separate channels in each button, and since the first capacitance of the first electrode and the second capacitance of the second electrode are measured separately, one channel is allocated per button. There is a problem in that the cost increases more than the case.

U.S. Patent No. 9,870,109 "Device and method for localized force and proximity sensing" discloses a position sensing mode in which a ground trace electrode other than a touch electrode is maintained in a ground state in order to recognize location information of a touch, and a ground trace to recognize a touch force. The electrode is used as a receiver electrode. Although this method has the advantage of reducing the number of electrodes for recognizing the touch force, a separate channel is still required, and the touch position sensing mode and the touch force sensing mode must be separately operated.

Korean Patent No. KR 10-2140791 "A touch controller, a display device and an electronic device including the touch controller, and a touch sensing method" discloses a single-touch mode for detecting proximity that is vertically spaced apart in a space above a touch screen panel , and a technology for respectively detecting non-contact proximity and multi-touch by a multi-touch mode for detecting a plurality of touch areas when a proximity touch occurs. However, in this method, the electrode structure capable of multi-touch operation must be operated in a separate mode for single-touch operation, and in this process, power consumption increases and a quick response is difficult.

Prior documents mainly use a capacitive touch or proximity sensor to recognize a user gesture by detecting a movement of a part of a user's body or a conductor approaches or touches a device, or approaches/contacts a device using a capacitive touch or proximity sensor.

In general, in order to detect a location of a touch or proximity, or to recognize a user gesture for a plurality of locations, a separate sensor is used for each location or area, or an individual channel is allocated to each location. As the number of partitioned regions increases, the number of sensors or channels increases, thus increasing the cost.

Meanwhile, in the prior literature, in addition to allocating an individual channel for each object to be distinguished (non-contact proximity, touched position, touch force, and size of the touched object), power consumption increases and quick response because it operates by allocating an individual operation mode. There is this difficult problem.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Patent KR 10-2018-0068303 "Systems and Methods for Proximity-Based Haptic Feedback" (June 21, 2018) Korean Patent Registration KR 10-2124410 "Apparatus, transportation means and method for supporting a user when operating a touch-sensitive display device" (June 12, 2020) Korean Patent Registration KR 10-2020311 "Gesture recognition method and terminal using multi-channel electrode proximity sensor" (September 4, 2019) Korean Patent Registration KR 10-2111926 "Detecting and Differentiating Touches from Conductive Objects of Different Sizes on Capacitive Buttons" (May 12, 2020) US registered patent US 9,870,109 "Device and method for localized force and proximity sensing" (January 16, 2018) Korean Patent Registration KR 10-2140791 "Touch controller, display device and electronic device including touch controller, and touch sensing method" (July 28, 2020)

The prior art provides a technology for detecting a touch/proximity sensing-based user motion for various applications, but a target to be distinguished (non-contact proximity, touch/proximity location, touch force, size or type of touch/proximity) Since each operation mode is allocated and operated, power consumption increases and it is difficult to respond quickly.

The present invention can detect the user's touch/proximity position and track the movement of the touch/proximity position over time through a motion sensor configuration according to a single operation mode. An object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of accurately detecting a user motion input to a device.

An object of the present invention is to reduce power consumption and provide a quick sensing response by operating all regions around a device in a single operation mode to classify proximity motion and/or touch operation for each region.

An object of the present invention is to reduce power consumption and shorten a sensing time by detecting a proximity motion and/or a touch motion for an individual location area with a single measurement without scanning a frequency component.

An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface for detecting a change in time and frequency domains and recognizing a gesture using a motion sensor in a single operation mode. According to the present invention, changes in time and frequency domains can be easily detected without requiring a variable frequency scan, and there is no need to change the operation mode according to the target to be detected, so that the setting of the sensing circuit is maintained as a single setting. An object of the present invention is to provide a gesture sensor that can obtain continuous sensing information in real time.

The present invention rapidly detects the details of the user's motion (approaching, touching, or moving the position of the approaching or touching area) for multiple areas by continuous sensing in real time, so that the gesture indicated by the user's motion and the user's It aims to provide a user interface that can interpret input by intention.

An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface capable of interpreting a gesture indicated by a user's motion and an input made by the user's intention by rapidly detecting various aspects of the user's motion by sensing by a single setting.

The present invention prevents interference between channels according to the material or shape of the exterior material of the motion feedback interface device, is robust to the material of the exterior material and the shape of the exterior material, and proposes a multi-region proximity sensor capable of responding to various applications aim to

The present invention is a configuration derived to achieve the above object, a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention is a first channel resonance circuit; a first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonance circuit; a first reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the first channel resonance circuit; a second channel resonant circuit; a second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonance circuit; a second reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the second channel resonance circuit; and a detection circuit configured to receive a first electrical signal formed on the first channel resonance circuit and the first channel electrode, and a detection circuit configured to receive a second electrical signal formed on the second channel resonance circuit and the second channel electrode.

The detection circuit detects a difference between the first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and the first reference resonant frequency of the first reference resonant circuit to generate first channel resonant frequency difference information, the second resonant frequency of the second electrical signal and The difference between the second reference resonant frequencies of the second reference resonant circuit is detected to generate second channel resonant frequency difference information. The first channel resonance frequency difference information and the second channel resonance frequency difference information include gesture information indicated by a motion of a user proximate to at least one of the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode.

The first reference resonant frequency is different from the second reference resonant frequency. A difference between the first reference resonant frequency and the second reference resonant frequency may be predetermined based on physical properties of a casing surrounding the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode.

The detection circuit may output a first channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information, and output a second channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information .

A multi-region proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention recognizes a motion of a user close to at least one of a first channel electrode and a second channel electrode based on a first channel output signal and a second channel output signal It may further include a controller that

The controller determines a distance to which the conductor approaches by the user's motion, and the conductor to the exterior material by the user's motion, based on the first channel output signal, the second channel output signal, the position of the first channel electrode, and the position of the second channel electrode. It is possible to recognize whether the conductor is touched/touched by the user's motion or not.

Based on the change of the first channel output signal and the change of the second channel output signal over time, the controller determines the distance that the conductor approaches by the user's motion, whether the conductor touches the exterior material, and the proximity/ Changes over time of the touched position can be tracked. The controller may recognize a gesture indicated by the user's motion based on the tracking result.

The detection circuit may detect the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information over time while maintaining the electrical characteristics of the first channel resonance circuit and the first reference resonance circuit as the first single setting. The detection circuit may detect the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information over time while maintaining the electrical characteristics of the second channel resonance circuit and the second reference resonance circuit as the second single setting.

The detection circuit includes: an operator for calculating a difference between the first channel resonance frequency and the first reference resonance frequency; a low-pass filter connected to the output terminal of the calculator to remove high-frequency components; and an output signal generator connected to the output terminal of the low-pass filter to generate an electrical signal proportional to a magnitude according to the polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information.

A motion feedback interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a multi-area proximity detection sensor; and a controller; In this case, the multi-region proximity detection sensor may include a first channel resonance circuit; a first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonance circuit; a first reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the first channel resonance circuit; a second channel resonant circuit; a second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonance circuit; a second reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the second channel resonance circuit; and a detection circuit configured to receive a first electrical signal formed on the first channel resonance circuit and the first channel electrode, and receive a second electrical signal formed on the second channel resonance circuit and the second channel electrode .

The detection circuit detects a difference between the first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and the first reference resonant frequency of the first reference resonant circuit to generate first channel resonant frequency difference information, the second resonant frequency of the second electrical signal and The difference between the second reference resonant frequencies of the second reference resonant circuit is detected to generate second channel resonant frequency difference information.

The controller recognizes a motion of a user that approaches at least one of the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode based on the first channel resonance frequency difference information and the second channel resonance frequency difference information.

The detection circuit may output a first channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information, and output a second channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information .

Based on the change of the first channel output signal and the change of the second channel output signal over time, the controller determines the distance that the conductor approaches by the user's motion, whether the conductor touches the exterior material, and the proximity/ It is possible to track a change over time of a touched position, recognize a gesture indicated by a user's motion based on the tracking result, and translate the gesture into a user input intended by the user's motion.

In a method of operating a multi-region proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention, a detection circuit detects a first channel resonance circuit and a first electrical signal formed on a first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonance circuit. receiving; receiving, by the detection circuit, a second electrical signal formed on the second channel resonant circuit and a second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonant circuit; detecting, by the detection circuit, a difference between the first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and the first reference resonant frequency of the first reference resonant circuit to generate first channel resonant frequency difference information; and detecting, by the detection circuit, a difference between the second resonant frequency of the second electrical signal and the second reference resonant frequency of the second reference resonant circuit to generate second channel resonant frequency difference information.

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the user's touch/proximity position and track the movement of the touch/proximity position over time through the motion sensor configuration according to a single operation mode. Thus, it is possible to accurately detect a user motion input to the device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce power consumption and provide a quick sensing response by operating all regions around the device in a single operation mode to classify proximity motion and/or touch operation for each region.

According to the present invention, power consumption can be reduced and the sensing time can be shortened by detecting whether or not proximity to an individual location area is detected by a single measurement without scanning frequency components.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a user interface for detecting a change in time and frequency domains and recognizing a gesture using a motion sensor in a single operation mode. According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily detect a change in time and frequency domain without requiring a variable frequency scan, and there is no need to change an operation mode according to an object to be detected, so setting of a sensing circuit It is possible to obtain continuous sensing information in real time while maintaining a single setting.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to quickly detect the details of the user's motion (approaching, touching, or moving the position of the approaching or touching area) for multiple areas by continuous sensing in real time. The user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention may quickly detect and interpret a gesture indicated by a user's motion and an input made by the user's intention.

The user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention can quickly detect various aspects of a user's motion by sensing by a single setting, and thereby quickly respond to a gesture indicated by the user's motion and an input by the user's intention. can detect and interpret.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, since information detected using the multi-region proximity detection sensor and/or motion sensor in a single operation mode is output as a quantified value, it is compared with a predetermined measurement value section to determine whether there is an error in the sensing result. It can be verified whether According to an embodiment of the present invention, the distance that the conductor (including a part of the human body) approaches by the user's motion, whether the conductor touches the exterior material, and whether the detected touch/proximity position is by the user's intention , or whether it is due to an error can be verified.

Since the prior art detects the amplitude of the resonance signal or the amplitude of the analog AC signal, it is only possible to detect whether the detected result exceeds a predetermined threshold. However, the present invention calculates the resonance frequency difference of the differential signal and generates an analog signal or digitized value proportional to the resonance frequency difference, so quantified sensing information can be obtained, and using this, the time based on the sensor in a single operation mode - It is possible to precisely detect a change in a touch/proximity position in a three-dimensional space.

According to the multi-region proximity sensor for a motion feedback interface device of the present invention, it is possible to operate stably regardless of the material of the casing or the shape of the casing by preventing interference between channels depending on the material or shape of the casing of the motion feedback interface device. and can respond to various applications.

1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a motion feedback interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a diagram illustrating an example of arrangement of multi-channel electrodes corresponding to multi-regions of a motion feedback interface device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating one channel of a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram illustrating a detection circuit of a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram illustrating waveforms during operation of a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is an operation flowchart illustrating a method of operating a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In addition to the above objects, other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent through the description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Patent KR 10-2018-0068303 "Systems and Methods for Proximity-Based Haptic Feedback", which are the aforementioned prior documents, and Korean Patent Registration KR 10-2124410 "Support a user when operating a touch-sensitive display device" Apparatus, moving means and method for doing this", Korean Patent KR 10-2020311 "Gesture Recognition Method Using Multi-Channel Electrode Proximity Sensor and Terminal Thereof", Korean Patent KR 10-2111926 "Different Size Conductive Objects on Capacitive Buttons" Detecting and distinguishing touches from ”, U.S. Patent No. 9,870,109 “Device and method for localized force and proximity sensing”, and Korean Patent No. KR 10-2140791 “A touch controller, a display device and an electronic device comprising the touch controller, and Touch sensing methods" disclose the prior art related to the present invention. These prior documents are partially related to the problems to be solved by the present invention, and some of the solutions adopted by the present invention can be borrowed from the prior art.

Only matters commonly included in order to embody the present invention among the matters disclosed in the preceding documents will be regarded as a part of the configuration of the present invention. In addition, matters that are obvious to those skilled in the art through the preceding documents among the matters necessary for embodying the present invention may be omitted from detailed description in the present specification.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Patent KR 10-2018-0068303 "Systems and Methods for Proximity-Based Haptic Feedback", Korean Patent Registration KR 10-2124410 "A device for supporting a user when operating a touch-sensitive display device, a means of movement" and method", Korean Patent KR 10-2020311 "Gesture Recognition Method and Terminal Thereof Using Multi-Channel Electrode Proximity Sensor", Korean Patent KR 10-2111926 "Detecting and Detecting Touches from Conductive Objects of Different Sizes on Capacitive Buttons Distinction", U.S. Patent No. 9,870,109 "Device and method for localized force and proximity sensing," and Korean Patent No. KR 10-2140791 "Touch controller, display device and electronic device including touch controller, and touch sensing method" Various applications of a user interface using motion sensing technology obtained based on the configuration of the present invention are disclosed. A detailed description of these applications will be omitted in this specification. However, even if the prior documents suggest haptic feedback or a user interface for a smartphone, the configuration of the present invention provides an interpretation of user input using touch or proximity-based user motion sensing information, and visual, auditory, It can be applied to various applications that provide olfactory, tactile, gustatory, or synesthetic feedback.

Hereinafter, a multi-area proximity detection sensor, a motion feedback interface device, and an operation method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying FIGS. 1 to 7 .

1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a motion feedback interface device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a casing 170 surrounding the outside of the motion feedback interface device 100 is shown. The inside of the motion feedback interface device 100 is divided into multiple regions, and at least one channel electrode is disposed corresponding to each region.

An external conductor (a part of the user's body or an additional interface device such as a stylus) 180 may approach the motion feedback interface device 100 by the user's proximity motion. Channel electrodes corresponding to each of the multi-regions are determined whether the external conductor 180 approaches with the external conductor 180 interposed therebetween, the distance the external conductor 180 approaches, and the external conductor 180 touches the external conductor 170 . Whether or not, sensing information corresponding to the position where the external conductor 180 approaches or touches the exterior material 170 is generated and transmitted to the circuit in the motion feedback interface device 100 .

The motion feedback interface device 100 detects a gesture of a user's motion in which the external conductor 180 touches the exterior member 170 and/or a hovering gesture approaching the exterior member 170, and detects a user's intention according to the user's intention. It can be translated as input.

2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the arrangement of multi-channel electrodes 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 corresponding to multiple regions of the motion feedback interface device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the inside of the exterior material 270 of the motion feedback interface device 200 is divided into four channel regions. Each channel region corresponds to one channel electrode 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 . In FIG. 2 , one channel region is disposed to correspond to one channel electrode 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 for convenience of explanation. However, in another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of channel electrodes may be disposed in one channel region. have.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a conceptual diagram of a motion feedback interface device 300 and a multi-area proximity detection sensor 350 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The motion feedback interface device 300 includes a multi-area proximity detection sensor 350 and a controller 360 . The multi-region proximity detection sensor 350 includes a first channel resonance circuit 320 , at least one first channel electrode 310 electrically connected to the first channel resonance circuit 320 ; a second channel resonant circuit 322; at least one second channel electrode 312 electrically connected to the second channel resonance circuit 322; and a first electric signal formed on the first channel resonance circuit 320 and at least one or more first channel electrodes 310 , and receive a second channel resonance circuit 322 and at least one second channel electrode 322 . ) and a detection circuit 340 for receiving the second electrical signal formed on the.

The multi-region proximity detection sensor 350 includes a first reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the first channel resonance circuit 320 and a second reference resonance circuit having the same electrical properties as the second channel resonance circuit 322 . include In this case, the same electrical characteristics may mean the same impedance or the same R-L-C configuration. The detection circuit 340 receives a first reference electrical signal formed in the first reference resonance circuit and a second reference electrical signal formed in the second reference resonance circuit.

The detection circuit 340 detects a difference between the first resonant frequency ω1 of the first electrical signal and the first reference resonant frequency of the first reference electrical signal to generate first channel resonance frequency difference information.

The detection circuit 340 detects a difference between the second resonant frequency ω2 of the second electrical signal and the second reference resonant frequency of the second reference electrical signal to generate second channel resonance frequency difference information.

In this case, the first channel resonance frequency difference information and the second channel resonance frequency difference information include gesture information indicated by a motion of a user close to at least one of the first channel electrode 310 and the second channel electrode 312 . Gesture information includes the distance that the user approaches the exterior materials 170 and 270, whether the exterior materials 170 and 270 have been touched, the proximity/touch location, and a change in the location/distance over time, and the user's motion This includes information that can be interpreted as an intended user command.

Recently, in combination with mobile devices, smart devices, virtual reality, and augmented reality, the user interface aims to accurately recognize precise touch/proximity-based user motions and gestures, and to understand the user's intentions. An embodiment of the present invention detects a user's motion around the user motion feedback interface device 300 using the capacitive sensing of the prior art, and provides a continuous real-time detection signal based on a single operation mode by a single setting. We propose a technology that receives and precisely measures and quantifies the user's motion based on this to understand the user's intention and accurately recognize the user's gesture.

The first reference resonant frequency is different from the second reference resonant frequency. A difference between the first reference resonant frequency and the second reference resonant frequency may be predetermined based on physical properties of a casing surrounding the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode.

The difference between the reference resonant frequencies between channels will be expressed as channel spacing for convenience of description. The channel spacing or frequency spacing may be effective when the material selected for the exterior members 170 and 270 is a high-k material, or when the exterior materials 170 and 270 entirely cover a plurality of channel regions.

In the capacitive sensing technique, each channel region must be separated, but when the material selected as the exterior materials 170 and 270 is a high-k material or when the exterior materials 170 and 270 entirely cover the plurality of channel regions, individual channels are An unintended capacitive coupling may form between the livers. For this reason, in the capacitive proximity sensing technique of the prior art, interference between channels to be separated occurs, and noise and malfunction occur.

In an embodiment of the present invention, interference between channels is prevented by setting a difference between reference resonant frequencies of channels, and regardless of the material of the exterior materials 170 and 270, the shape of the exterior materials 170 and 270, and the characteristics of the application, the A multi-zone proximity sensor 350 that operates is proposed. According to the multi-region proximity detection sensor 350 for the motion feedback interface device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention, between channels according to the material or shape of the exterior materials 170 and 270 of the motion feedback interface device 300 . By preventing interference, it can operate stably regardless of the material of the exterior materials 170 and 270 and the shape of the exterior materials 170 and 270, and can respond to various applications.

Depending on the application of the present invention, there may be cases in which tempered glass or the like must be used as the exterior materials 170 and 270 . For example, a motion controller for operating a vehicle navigation system and an air conditioner included in a driver information system (DIS) may be mentioned.

In consideration of the strength of the device, the convenience of operation, the hermeticity of the device, waterproofness, durability, safety, etc., materials that can be selected as the exterior materials 170 and 270 may be limited. In addition, there are cases where the shape must also be formed into a seamless structure. In particular, when tempered glass or the like is formed into one seamless structure, the dielectric constant is high and the interference between different channel regions is large, so it is difficult to cope with the sensing method of the prior art. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , when the exterior materials 170 and 270 are integrated glass in a hemispherical shape, a plurality of regions inside the exterior materials 170 and 270 are strongly capacitively coupled by the exterior materials 170 and 270 . ring and can interfere with each other.

According to the multi-region proximity detection sensor 350 for the motion feedback interface device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the reference resonant frequency of each channel is set to be different, and the physical characteristics or shape of the exterior materials 170 and 270 are different. Inter-channel interference caused by .

Referring back to FIGS. 1 to 3 together, the channel electrodes 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 of FIG. 2 may be disposed in a planar shape for general capacitive sensing, and as a coil-type RF antenna. may be implemented. For example, a frequency of several tens of MHz may be emitted from the RF antenna, and in this case, there is no structure electrically directly connected between the RF antenna and the living body. As the living body approaches the RF antenna, the emitted signal is coupled to the living body, and the frequency, amplitude, and phase of the signal may change. In general capacitive sensing, the channel electrodes 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 may have a planar electrode structure. As such, the shape and structure of the channel electrodes 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 may vary depending on an application and a frequency band used.

Since the electric field used for coupling responds to changes in permittivity, it is based on the frequency, amplitude, and phase of the coupling signal that changes as the living body approaches using a preset pattern or a plurality of thresholds through modeling of the permittivity of the living body. It is possible to translate the user's motion and the user's intention.

The detection circuit 340 may output a first channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information, and output a second channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information can do. At this time, the detection circuit 340 may output the first channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information as an analog signal or a digitized value, and the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information The based first channel output signal may be output as an analog signal or a digitized value.

The controller 360 controls at least one of a first channel region corresponding to the first channel electrode 310 and a second channel region corresponding to the second channel electrode 312 based on the first channel output signal and the second channel output signal. It is possible to recognize the motion of the user close to any one or more. 3 shows an embodiment in which the controller 360 is disposed outside the multi-zone proximity sensor 350 , but according to another embodiment of the present invention, the controller 360 is a part of the multi-zone proximity sensor 350 . may be included.

The controller 360 controls the conductor 180 by the user's motion based on the first channel output signal, the second channel output signal, the position of the first channel electrode 310 , and the position of the second channel electrode 312 . It is possible to recognize the proximity distance, whether the conductor 180 touches the exterior materials 170 and 270 by the user's motion, and the position where the conductor 180 approaches/touches by the user's motion.

The controller 360 determines the distance to which the conductor 180 approaches by the user's motion, and the conductor 180 to the exterior material 170 based on the change of the first channel output signal and the change of the second channel output signal over time. , 270 , and changes over time of the location where the conductor 180 approaches/touches can be tracked. The controller 360 may recognize a gesture indicated by the user's motion based on the tracking result. The controller 360 may translate the gesture into a user input intended by the user by the user motion.

4 is a diagram illustrating one channel of the multi-area proximity detection sensor 450 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the detection circuit 440 receives the first electrical signal formed in the first channel resonance circuit 420 and the first channel electrode 410 via the first channel port 420a. Similarly, the detection circuit 440 receives the first reference electrical signal formed in the first reference resonance circuit 430 via the first channel reference port 430a. The first channel reference port 430a is not connected to an electrode.

In the absence of an external input, the first channel resonance circuit 420 and the first reference resonance circuit 430 may be designed so that the first channel resonance frequency and the first channel reference resonance frequency are maintained in the same state. Alternatively, the difference between the first channel resonant frequency and the first reference resonant frequency may be pre-measured as an offset in the absence of an external input, and the offset may be compensated for a measured value when a user input is sensed.

When a conductor 180 such as a user's finger or a stylus used by the user approaches the first channel electrode 410 or touches the first electrode 410 , the difference between the first resonance frequency and the first reference frequency is changed. can do. For example, when a user's conductor is close to the first channel electrode 410 , the capacitance formed by the first channel electrode 410 with the conductor 180 is the L and C values of the first channel resonance circuit 410 . to change the first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal formed on the first channel resonant circuit 410 . Since the proximity of the conductor 180 will induce either a rise or a fall of the first resonant frequency, the first channel resonant frequency difference information will have a significant size with a constant polarity in response to the proximity of the conductor 180 .

The detection circuit 440 detects such a difference, and when detecting the first channel resonance frequency difference information exceeding the minimum threshold, it may determine that a meaningful user input has been input.

Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4 together, the detection circuits 340 and 440 detect the resonance frequency difference information of the two channels so that the user's conductor 180 is close to the first channel electrodes 310 and 410, It may be detected whether the second channel electrode 312 is close to the second channel electrode 312 .

In an embodiment in which the motion feedback interface device 300 , 400 is implemented such that, for example, the user selects either the first button or the second button, the first button corresponds to the first channel electrode 310 , 410 and The second button may be implemented to correspond to the second channel electrode 312 to identify whether the user intends to select either the first button or the second button. In addition, by setting a valid resonant frequency change section when the user selects either the first button or the second button, that is, a valid section of the measured value of the resonance frequency difference, a valid user when a measured value belonging to the corresponding section appears It can be regarded as an input, and when a measurement value outside the corresponding section appears, it can be regarded as a change in resonance frequency due to motion unintended by the user. For example, when a polarity opposite to the polarity that the resonant frequency difference information for each channel should have appears according to a normal user's gesture, it may be considered that there is noise or other types of interference.

The detection circuits 340 and 440 maintain the electrical characteristics of the first channel resonant circuits 320 and 420 and the first reference resonant circuit 430 as a first single setting while maintaining the first channel resonance frequency difference information over time size and polarity can be detected. The detection circuits 340 and 440 maintain the electrical characteristics of the second channel resonant circuit 322 and the second reference resonant circuit (not shown) at the second single setting while maintaining the second channel resonance frequency difference information over time size and polarity can be detected.

That is, the motion feedback interface devices 300 and 400 and the multi-region proximity detection sensors 350 and 450 according to an embodiment of the present invention do not require a change in a sensing mode and do not require a variable frequency scan for every sampling, respectively, and the resonance frequency for each channel. It is possible to detect the magnitude and polarity of the difference information: the motion feedback interface apparatuses 300 and 400 and the multi-region proximity detection sensors 350 and 450 according to an embodiment of the present invention continuously operate in real time without changing the operation mode. Sensing information can be obtained, and when outputting, the sensing information can be provided as a continuous analog signal value or as a discrete digital value for each sampling time.

5 is a diagram illustrating a detection circuit 540 of a multi-area proximity detection sensor 550 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a first channel oscillator 520b and a first reference oscillator 530b are disposed. Although it is recommended that the first oscillator 520b and the first reference oscillator 530b have the same characteristics, even if there is a difference, a difference in resonance frequency measured in the absence of a user input may be compensated for as an offset.

The first channel resonance circuit 520 is connected to the first channel electrode 510 via the first channel port 520a and transmits a first electrical signal to the detection circuit 540 . The first reference resonance circuit 530 transmits a first reference electrical signal to the reference AC detection circuit 540 . The first reference resonant circuit 530 may be connected to the first reference port 530a, but the first reference port 530a does not need to be connected to an electrode. In another embodiment of the present invention, the first reference resonance circuit 530 may be connected to a dummy electrode (not shown) having the same electrical characteristics and shape as that of the first channel electrode 510 via the first reference port 530a. may be

The first channel resonance circuit 520 and the first reference resonance circuit 530 illustrated in FIG. 5 are equivalent circuits, and do not necessarily include lumped RLC elements. For example, capacitance, inductance, and resistance may be independent elements or may represent parasitic components. In addition, even when the first channel resonant circuit 520 and the first reference resonant circuit 530 are implemented using independent elements, the arrangement of the elements does not necessarily follow FIG. 5 and equivalently corresponds to the circuit of FIG. Being able to respond is enough. In addition, although it is recommended that the first channel resonance circuit 520 and the first reference resonance circuit 530 have the same electrical characteristics, even if there is a difference, the resonance frequency difference measured in the absence of a user input can be compensated with an offset. have.

The detection circuit 540 considers that any one of the first resonant frequency or the first reference resonant frequency has caused a significant change if the measured value obtained by removing the offset of the first resonant frequency and the first reference resonant frequency is greater than or equal to the first threshold. It may be determined that the conductor 180 due to the user's motion is close to the first channel electrode 510 . That is, if a change in the difference in the resonance frequency is detected due to noise, unintentional movement, unintentional contact, or unintentional vibration, but is less than the first threshold value, the first resonance frequency may not be considered to have caused a significant change. have.

When the difference between the resonant frequency values measured in a state where no user input is applied is not 0, a calibration process may be performed. For example, the calibration process may be performed based on the addition or adjustment of the variable resistor R' (not shown).

In contrast to the present invention, the prior art measures the change in impedance after sequentially inputting a plurality of frequency signals through a variable frequency scan. This method has a prerequisite for accurately detecting and comparing the magnitude of the signal. . Therefore, there is a problem in that it takes time to measure and power consumption is large. In addition, the prior art has difficulty in recognizing the whole of the user's motion changing in real time because the frequency must be varied and measured several times for every sampling.

The present invention takes the change of the resonance frequency as the main detection object instead of the amplitude of the signals as the main detection object, and the means for applying the AC signal of the same frequency without adopting a method such as variable frequency scan is sufficient enough for the desired purpose can be achieved Therefore, according to the present invention, using this method, the user's response can be recognized immediately from a point in time when the user's response is significantly closer to at least one of the channel electrodes, and the user's motion changing in real time can be recognized without a separate sensing mode modification.

In addition, since the change in the resonant frequency is not detected in an indirect way, but the value of the frequency is directly detected, it is easy to generate an accurate output signal using this. It is possible to generate an analog signal or a digital value proportional to the change in the measured resonant frequency, and thus, there is an advantage in that the measured information can be accurately transmitted to the controller 360, which is an application interface, without loss.

The detection circuit 540 of the multi-region proximity detection sensor 550 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an operator 542, an operator ( A low-pass filter 544 connected to the output terminal of 542 to remove high-frequency components, and a first resonance frequency ω1 and a first reference resonance frequency connected to the output terminal of the low-pass filter 544 It may include an output signal generator 546 that generates an electrical signal proportional to quantitative information corresponding to the difference between the two.

The output signal generator 546 according to one of the embodiments of the present invention may be a time-to-digital converter that generates a digitized value proportional to the frequency of the differential frequency component signal. According to another embodiment of the invention, it may be an analog voltage generator that generates an analog signal proportional to the measured frequency difference. According to another embodiment of the present invention, it may be an analog current generator proportional to the measured frequency difference.

Depending on the embodiment of the detection circuit 540, it may include a sampler and a comparator for the differential frequency component signal. In this case, for the smooth operation of the detection circuit 540, the sampler and the comparator have the first threshold value described above. It can be designed by selecting an operating frequency that is larger enough and is sufficiently larger than the operating range of the resonant frequency component corresponding to the displacement to be sensed.

In embodiments of the present invention, the detection circuits 340 , 440 , and 540 may detect the resonance frequency information of the channel independently from the amplitude of the electric signal of the channel (without detection of the amplitude). At this time, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the conventional technique of detecting amplitude independently of the resonance frequency is applied in parallel, and two pieces of detection information (first detection information based on detection of amplitude, amplitude and Independently, the first reference detection information based on the detection of the resonance frequency) may be cross-verified.

1 to 5, the detection circuits 340, 440, 540 detect the polarity and magnitude of the difference between the sensing resonance frequency for each channel and the reference resonance frequency for each channel based on the lapse of time. It is possible to generate a sensed value based on the passage of time. The detection circuits 340 , 440 , 540 detect proximity of the conductor 180 , a touch of the conductor 180 , a change in the proximity distance of the conductor 180 based on user motion based on a sensed value based on the lapse of time, a touch / It is possible to track the movement of the location of the proximity. The controller 360 may translate the movement of the three-dimensional position of the conductor 180 based on the user motion into a user input intended by the user motion. Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, the controller 360 and the detection circuits 340 , 440 , and 540 are not separated and may be integrated into one integrated circuit.

6 is a diagram illustrating waveforms during operation of a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The motion feedback interface apparatuses 300 and 400 and the multi-region proximity detection sensors 350 and 450 according to an embodiment of the present invention do not require a change in a sensing mode and do not require a variable frequency scan every time sampling is performed. Resonant frequency difference information for each channel It is possible to detect the size and polarity of: the motion feedback interface devices 300 and 400 and the multi-region proximity detection sensors 350 and 450 according to an embodiment of the present invention continuously sense information in real time without changing the operation mode. can be obtained, and at the time of output, sensing information may be provided as a continuous analog signal value as shown in FIG. 6 . In another embodiment of the present invention, the sensing information may be provided as a digital value that is discrete for each sampling time.

The magnitude of the signal recognized in FIG. 6 may be related to an area facing a human body and each channel electrode, and may also be related to a distance at which the human body approaches the channel electrode. Accordingly, when a part of the human body, for example, a finger, a palm, etc., approaches two or more target areas while covering them simultaneously, the magnitude of the difference in the recognized resonant frequencies may appear dispersed in the two or more approached target areas.

The first event 610a of the channel 1 refers to an event in which the user's finger or palm is positioned on the channel 1 region. In this case, since the difference in the resonance frequency of channel 1 is not large, it may be recognized as a hovering gesture that does not touch the exterior materials 170 and 270 .

Referring to the waveform of FIG. 6 , when the signal changes to such an extent that the case of touching the exterior materials 170 and 270) and the case of the hovering gesture not touching the exterior materials 170 and 270 can be sufficiently distinguished, the magnitude is clearly revealed

The second event 612a simultaneously appearing in channels 2 and 3 means a case in which the user's finger or palm approaches the channels 2 and 3 while simultaneously covering them. At this time, assuming that channel 2 corresponds to the channel electrode 212 of FIG. 2 and channel 3 corresponds to the channel electrode 214 of FIG. 2 , since channel 2 and channel 3 are located adjacent to each other, channel 2 and It can be inferred that the user has approached the boundary part of channel 3 . However, since the area of the conductor 180 is distributed between the channels 2 and 3, the difference between the channel resonance frequencies may be small. Therefore, it may be difficult to clearly interpret the user's intention only with the second event 612a.

If the channels 2 and 3 are not accessible at the same time or are located so as not to be adjacent to each other, the second event 612a may be interpreted as a multi-touch or multi-hover gesture in which the user approaches each of the channels 2 and 3. .

In the third event 612b appearing in channel 3, the conductor 180 approached the channel 3, and when judging by the magnitude of the change in the signal, the conductor 180 was touched to the exterior materials 170, .270 on the channel 3 can be interpreted as

Referring to the second event 612a and the third event 612b together, the user touches the exterior materials 170 and 270 to simultaneously cover the channel 2 and the channel 3 boundary or the channel 2 and the channel 3, and switches to the channel 3 It may be interpreted as a case of swiping.

In the fourth event 616a, a hovering gesture is recognized above channel 4, in the fifth event 612c, a touch gesture is recognized above channel 2, and in the sixth event 614a, a hovering gesture is recognized above channel 3 have.

As shown in FIG. 6 , whether the user swipe from which channel area to which other channel area, whether the user's action is a touch or a hovering gesture, etc. may be recognized as a separate user motion in the embodiment of the present invention.

The criterion for classifying the touch gesture and the hovering gesture may be preset to classify the first event 610a and the third event 612b, for example. That is, if the magnitude of the signal change for each channel is less than a certain reference value, it may be recognized as a hovering gesture, and if the magnitude of the change of the signal for each channel is greater than or equal to the reference value, it may be recognized as a touch gesture.

According to the area or shape of the channel electrode, a pattern of capacitance formed when conductors due to user motion are close to each other may appear differently. In addition, when considering the shape of the exterior materials 170 and 270 , the distance between the channel electrode and the conductor 180 is long at the center of the devices 100 and 200 , and the distance between the channel electrode and the conductor 180 is at the edge of the devices 100 and 200 . The closeness of is also a factor that can be considered when analyzing the magnitude of the signal change.

In this case, in order to normalize the effect of the distance between the channel electrode and the conductor 180 according to the shape of the exterior members 170 and 270 , the shape of each channel electrode may be different from a rectangular shape.

At this time, all the phenomena that the conductor approaches the individual channel electrodes within a certain distance can be detected according to the preset detection value section for each individual location area, so the proximity itself is detected regardless of whether the user has contacted or non-contacted the devices 100 and 200 . can do.

On the other hand, depending on the embodiment, the detection value varies depending on the degree and/or the proximity distance of the conductor to the individual channel electrodes, so it can be used to identify how close the conductor is to the individual channel electrode due to the user's motion. may be

In addition, the amount of change in capacitance and resonance frequency may vary depending on whether the conductor used by the user is a part of the human body or a conductor such as a stylus. This is not set, but a plurality of detection value sections may be set corresponding to a plurality of conductor types.

Unlike the prior art, the present invention has a fast response speed because a user motion can be tracked only by a single measurement at every point in time without a frequency scan, and thus the user motion can be tracked in real time.

Since the present invention can cover a wide location area around the devices 100 and 200, it is possible to reduce the cost of the integrated circuit, and also to save power when operating the sensor, even when using a mobile device or a battery. can be used effectively.

As described above, since inter-channel interference may occur depending on the shape and material of the exterior materials 170 and 270, in an embodiment of the present invention, spacing between channel reference resonant frequencies may be set to prevent inter-channel interference. Since the reference resonance circuit and the sensing resonance circuit for each channel are set to have the same electrical characteristics, the channel frequency spacing is equally applied to the sensing resonance circuit.

For example, the spacing between the reference resonant frequencies of each channel may be given as 2 MHz. The channel reference resonance frequency may be spaced such that the first channel is 20 MHz, the second channel is 22 MHz, the third channel is 24 MHz, and the fourth channel is 26 MHz.

In this case, since the channel reference resonant frequency may be determined by the R-L-C configuration of the resonant circuit, an external connection terminal capable of setting the circuit connection of the variable resistor, the variable capacitor, and the variable inductor from the outside of each resonant circuit may be provided. Since the reference resonant circuit and the sensing resonant circuit must have the same electrical characteristics, spacing and variable settings of the channel reference resonant frequency are commonly applied between the reference resonant circuit and the sensing resonant circuit belonging to one channel.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user may externally set each of the channel reference resonant frequencies based on the physical properties of the exterior material using an external connection terminal.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of a controller, a processor, a microcontroller, and a microprocessor uses a predetermined resistor control value to set each of the channel reference resonant frequencies based on the physical properties of the exterior material to the impedance of each resonant circuit. can be adjusted. The operation of the controller, the processor, the microcontroller, and the microprocessor to adjust the impedance of each resonant circuit using the resistor control value may be performed depending on at least one of a user input or a predetermined characteristic code-based table of the exterior material. have.

Although an embodiment in which an output signal for each channel is output by applying a different offset to each channel is provided in FIG. 6 , the inventive concept is not limited to the embodiment of FIG. 6 . For example, an output signal for each channel may be generated with the channel frequency spacing reflected so that the controller can infer the channel frequency spacing for each channel, and the controller can easily distinguish the output signal for each channel independently of the channel frequency spacing. A unique offset may be applied to each channel to be recognized. Alternatively, since the output signals for each channel are all generated based on a common offset, the controller may be implemented to easily detect a change in the output signal for each channel.

That is, according to one of the embodiments of the present invention, information on channel frequency spacing may be indirectly included, but in another embodiment of the present invention, information on channel frequency spacing may not be included at all in the output signal for each channel. have.

Also, through calibration, the signal amplitude may be normalized based on the distance that the human body part approaches with respect to the channel region corresponding to each channel.

The magnitude of the signal change for each channel may increase as the human body part approaches the channel region corresponding to each channel.

If the signal change resonant frequency change appears in two or more channels at the same time, it can be interpreted that the human body part approaches the two or more channel regions at the same time. When a signal change appears in two or more channel regions at the same time, the magnitude of the signal change may appear dispersed in two or more channels as the area covering each of the two or more channel regions is distributed, so the magnitude of the signal change at this time is independent The controller of the application interface can interpret the gesture in consideration that it may appear smaller than the magnitude of the change in the signal appearing in the channel.

Meanwhile, in the drawings, an embodiment in which the channel electrodes 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 are all formed at the same size and at the same interval is shown, but depending on the embodiment, the frequency at which the human body part approaches and the position at which the human body part approaches can be distinguished depending on the embodiment. Based on the resolution, the size, area, and spacing of the channel electrodes may be formed differently.

7 is an operation flowchart illustrating a method of operating a multi-area proximity detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The method of FIG. 7 may be executed in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6 , and may be executed by program instructions loaded and executed by a processor or a controller.

The operation method of FIG. 7 includes: receiving, by the detection circuit, a first electric signal formed on the first channel resonance circuit and at least one first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonance circuit (S710); receiving, by the detection circuit, a second electrical signal formed on the second channel resonance circuit and at least one second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonance circuit (S720); detecting, by the detection circuit, a difference between the first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and the first reference resonant frequency (S730); and detecting, by the detection circuit, a difference between the second resonant frequency and the second reference resonant frequency of the second electrical signal (S740).

In this case, the step (S760) of recognizing, by the detection circuit and/or the controller, gesture information indicated by a motion of a user approaching the multi-channel region based on the first channel resonance frequency difference information and the second channel resonance frequency difference information may be further included. have.

At this time, the detection circuit and/or the controller determines whether at least one of the results of step S730 or step S740 exceeds the first threshold value to determine whether a significant change is detected (S750). have.

The method of operation of the present invention further includes a step (not shown) of the detection circuit or the controller translating the movement of the position of the touch or proximity of the conductor based on the user motion into a user input intended by the user motion. may include A detailed example of a process of interpreting a user motion as a user input can be easily derived by those skilled in the art with reference to the configuration of the preceding cited documents, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The circuit, the sensor, and/or the method of operating the user motion feedback interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer means and recorded in a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be specially designed and configured for the present invention, or may be known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, and magnetic media such as floppy disks. - includes magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine language codes such as those generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

However, the present invention is not limited or limited by the examples. Like reference numerals in each figure indicate like elements. Length, height, size, width, etc. introduced in the embodiments and drawings of the present invention may be exaggerated to help understanding.

As described above, in the present invention, specific matters such as specific components, etc., and limited embodiments and drawings have been described, but these are only provided to help a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. , various modifications and variations are possible from these descriptions by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and not only the claims to be described later, but also all of the claims and equivalents or equivalent modifications will be said to belong to the scope of the spirit of the present invention. .

100, 200, 300: motion feedback interface device
210, 310, 410, 510: first channel electrode
212, 312: second channel electrode
214: third channel electrode 216: fourth channel electrode
320, 420, 520: first channel resonance circuit
322: second channel resonant circuit
430, 530: first reference resonant circuit
340, 440, 540: detection circuit
350, 450, 550: multi-zone proximity sensor
360: controller
170, 270: exterior material
180: outer conductor (part of the user's body)

Claims (17)

a first channel resonant circuit;
a first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonance circuit;
a first reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the first channel resonance circuit;
a second channel resonant circuit;
a second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonance circuit;
a second reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the second channel resonance circuit; and
a detection circuit configured to receive a first electrical signal formed on the first channel resonance circuit and the first channel electrode, and a second electrical signal formed on the second channel resonance circuit and the second channel electrode; including,
The detection circuit detects a difference between a first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and a first reference resonant frequency of the first reference resonant circuit to generate first channel resonant frequency difference information, detecting a difference between the second resonant frequency and a second reference resonant frequency of the second reference resonant circuit to generate second channel resonant frequency difference information;
The first reference resonant frequency is different from the second reference resonant frequency,
The difference between the first reference resonant frequency and the second reference resonant frequency is determined according to at least one of a material and a shape of a casing surrounding the first and second channel electrodes and the first channel electrode and the is predetermined based on the degree of interference between the second channel electrodes,
The first channel resonance frequency difference information and the second channel resonance frequency difference information include multi-domain proximity sensing including gesture information indicated by a motion of a user proximate to at least one of the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode sensor. delete delete According to claim 1,
The detection circuit outputs a first channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information, and outputs a second channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information Area proximity sensor. 5. The method of claim 4,
a controller for recognizing a motion of a user close to at least one of the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode based on the first channel output signal and the second channel output signal;
A multi-zone proximity sensor further comprising a. 6. The method of claim 5,
the controller is
Based on the first channel output signal, the second channel output signal, the position of the first channel electrode, and the position of the second channel electrode, the distance to which the conductor approaches by the user's motion, the user's motion A multi-region proximity sensor for recognizing whether the conductor touches the exterior material and a position where the conductor approaches/touches by the user's motion. 7. The method of claim 6,
the controller is
Based on the change of the first channel output signal and the change of the second channel output signal over time, the distance to which the conductor approaches by the motion of the user, whether the conductor touches the exterior material, and the A multi-area proximity sensor that tracks a change over time in a location where a conductor approaches/touches, and recognizes a gesture indicated by the user's motion based on the tracking result. According to claim 1,
The detection circuit detects the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information over time while maintaining the electrical characteristics of the first channel resonance circuit and the first reference resonance circuit in a first single setting,
The detection circuit is a multi-region for detecting the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information over time while maintaining the electrical characteristics of the second channel resonance circuit and the second reference resonance circuit in a second single setting. proximity sensor. According to claim 1,
The detection circuit is
an operator for calculating a difference between the first channel resonant frequency and the first reference resonant frequency;
a low pass filter connected to the output terminal of the calculator to remove a high frequency component; and
an output signal generator connected to an output terminal of the low-pass filter to generate an electrical signal proportional to a magnitude according to a polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information;
A multi-zone proximity sensor comprising a. multi-zone proximity sensor; and
controller; including;
The multi-zone proximity sensor is
a first channel resonant circuit;
a first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonance circuit;
a first reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the first channel resonance circuit;
a second channel resonant circuit;
a second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonance circuit;
a second reference resonance circuit having the same electrical characteristics as the second channel resonance circuit; and
a detection circuit configured to receive a first electrical signal formed on the first channel resonance circuit and the first channel electrode, and a second electrical signal formed on the second channel resonance circuit and the second channel electrode; including,
The detection circuit detects a difference between a first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and a first reference resonant frequency of the first reference resonant circuit to generate first channel resonant frequency difference information, detecting a difference between the second resonant frequency and a second reference resonant frequency of the second reference resonant circuit to generate second channel resonant frequency difference information;
The first reference resonant frequency is different from the second reference resonant frequency,
The difference between the first reference resonant frequency and the second reference resonant frequency is determined according to at least one of a material and a shape of a casing surrounding the first and second channel electrodes and the first channel electrode and the is predetermined based on the degree of interference between the second channel electrodes,
The controller is a motion feedback for recognizing a motion of a user close to at least one of the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode based on the first channel resonance frequency difference information and the second channel resonance frequency difference information interface device. delete 11. The method of claim 10,
The detection circuit outputs a first channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information, and outputs a second channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information,
The controller determines a distance to which a conductor approaches by the motion of the user based on the first channel output signal, the second channel output signal, the position of the first channel electrode, and the position of the second channel electrode, the user A motion feedback interface device for recognizing whether the conductor touches the exterior material by the motion of the user, and a position where the conductor approaches/touches by the user's motion. 13. The method of claim 12,
the controller is
Based on the change of the first channel output signal and the change of the second channel output signal over time, the distance to which the conductor approaches by the motion of the user, whether the conductor touches the exterior material, and the Tracking the change over time of the proximity/touching position of the conductor, recognizing a gesture indicated by the user's motion based on the tracking result, and interpreting the gesture as a user input intended by the user's motion (translate) Motion feedback interface device. receiving, by a detection circuit, a first electric signal formed on a first channel resonant circuit and a first channel electrode electrically connected to the first channel resonant circuit;
receiving, by the detection circuit, a second channel resonance circuit and a second electrical signal formed on a second channel electrode electrically connected to the second channel resonance circuit;
detecting, by the detection circuit, a difference between a first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and a first reference resonant frequency of a first reference resonant circuit to generate first channel resonant frequency difference information; and
generating, by the detection circuit, a difference between a second resonant frequency of the second electrical signal and a second reference resonant frequency of a second reference resonant circuit to generate second channel resonant frequency difference information;
including,
The first reference resonant frequency is different from the second reference resonant frequency,
The difference between the first reference resonant frequency and the second reference resonant frequency is determined according to at least one of a material and a shape of a casing surrounding the first and second channel electrodes and the first channel electrode and the is predetermined based on the degree of interference between the second channel electrodes,
The first channel resonance frequency difference information and the second channel resonance frequency difference information include multi-domain proximity sensing including gesture information indicated by a motion of a user proximate to at least one of the first channel electrode and the second channel electrode How the sensor works. delete 15. The method of claim 14,
outputting, by the detection circuit, a first channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the first channel resonance frequency difference information;
outputting a second channel output signal based on the magnitude and polarity of the second channel resonance frequency difference information;
a distance at which a controller approaches a conductor by the motion of the user based on the first channel output signal, the second channel output signal, the position of the first channel electrode, and the position of the second channel electrode, the user's recognizing whether the conductor touches the exterior material by motion, and a position where the conductor approaches/touches by the user's motion;
Operation method of the multi-zone proximity detection sensor further comprising. 17. The method of claim 16,
The distance at which the controller approaches the conductor by the user's motion based on the change of the first channel output signal and the change of the second channel output signal over time, whether the conductor touches the exterior material , and tracking a change over time of a location where the conductor approaches/touches;
recognizing, by the controller, a gesture indicated by the user's motion based on the tracking result; and
translating, by the controller, the gesture into a user input intended by the user's motion;
Operation method of the multi-zone proximity detection sensor further comprising.

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