Patent ID: 8669944

Claim:
An electronic touch panel comprising: a plurality of spaced apart first sensor plates arranged in a first direction on a first planar layer; a plurality of second sensor plates arranged in a second direction on a second planar layer; a proximity sensor plate that is spaced apart from and attached to the first planar layer, wherein the proximity sensor plate has a greater surface area than the plurality of the first sensor plates and the plurality of the second sensor plates, wherein the proximity sensor plate comprises a metallic reflector layer, and wherein the metallic reflector layer extends beneath at least a majority of the first and second sensor plates; and a position detection circuit that is configured to electrically charge the first sensor plates to generate capacitive coupling to an adjacent user object and detect therefrom a location of the user object relative to the first direction across the first planar layer, and configured to electrically charge the proximity sensor plate to generate a higher level of capacitive coupling to the user object than a plurality of the first sensor plates and to detect therefrom a proximity of the user object relative to a direction away from the first planar layer.