Apple Inc.

Patrick J Au

Yuta Kuboyama

Mengshu Huang

Xingxing Cai

A capacitive sensing system for determining mass displacement and direction is disclosed. In an embodiment, a capacitive sensing system for sensing mass displacement and direction comprises: a mass; a periodic drive electrode pattern formed on or attached to the mass; a sensing electrode array positioned relative to the periodic electrode pattern, the sensing electrode array operable to sense a capacitance in an overlapping area between the periodic drive electrode pattern and the sensing electrode array; and a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to at least the sensing electrode array, the capacitive sensing circuit operable to generate a periodic signal based on the sensed capacitance, to determine a phase shift in the periodic signal in response to the periodic drive electrode pattern moving relative to the sensing electrode array, and to determine, based on the phase shift, a displacement and direction of the mass on a movement axis.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Patrick J Au