A bi-modal capacitive position sensor with a fine adjustment mode triggered by moving displacement of a touching object along the sensing path

摘要

A capacitive position or touch sensor 10 having a sensing path 20 for setting a parameter. In a first operating mode, a parameter is set to an approximate, value 70 (Figure 3) and in a second mode the value 70 (Figure 4) is refined. In the first mode, a range of values is mapped onto the sensing path and touch 30 selects a value according to its position along the path. The second mode provides for fine adjustment, either by mapping a sub-range of the values onto the sensing path or by incremental adjustment of the parameter from the initial value, each unit of adjustment optionally being triggered by the object moving through a pre-determined threshold displacement. Switching into the second mode occurs by moving displacement of the object along the sensing path, preferably when the displacement exceeds a minimum threshold value.