Patent ID: 7420376

Claim:
A method, comprising: generating a signal pattern to repetitively provide a changing voltage to each of two or more tracks of a sensor; capacitively coupling an electrode of the sensor to the tracks to determine a first electrode position along the tracks by detecting a first group of signals emitted in response to the signal pattern, a first one of the tracks includes a first set of electrode segments each spaced apart from another by a corresponding one of a first set of electrically nonconductive gaps, a second one of the tracks includes a second set of electrode segments each spaced apart from another by a corresponding one of a second set of electrically nonconductive gaps, the first set of electrode segments includes a first electrode subset and a second electrode subset, and each member of the first electrode subset alternates with a member of the second electrode subset along the first one of the tracks; moving at least one of the electrode and the tracks relative to another of the electrode and the tracks to result in a second electrode position along the tracks different from the first electrode position; and detecting a second group of signals emitted in response to the signal pattern with the electrode capacitively coupled to the tracks to determine the second electrode position.