Patent ID: 6778686
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: G01B,G06K

Abstract:
A capacitive sensing device (10;11) for sensing topological variations in the structure of an object such as for example a finger (4), said device (10;11) comprising a sensing surface for receiving the object (4) adjacent thereto, a number of sensor elements (11,1, . . . , 1x,y) arranged in two dimensions (X,Y), controlling means (2,3) for providing control signals to the sensor elements (11,1, . . . , 1x,y), with at least a number of the sensor elements (11,1, . . . , 1x,y) being controllable to assume one of at least two different functionalities as controlled by the control signals, characterized in that any of said at least two functionalities can be assumed by any one of the controllable sensor elements, and any other of said at least two functionalities can be assumed by any one of the other controllable sensor elements.