Patent ID: 8599165

Claim:
A capacitive touch sensor comprising: a first array of conductors arranged in rows, wherein the conductors in the first array are arranged substantially in parallel with one another; a second array of conductors arranged in columns, wherein columns of conductors in the second array are arranged substantially in parallel with one another, wherein the conductors in the second array are located underneath the first array of conductors, and wherein columns of conductors in the second array are arranged in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a direction of rows of conductors in the first array; a sheet comprising a deformable dielectric material, wherein the sheet is located underneath the second array of conductors, the deformable dielectric material decreasing a separation between the first array of conductors and the second array of conductors in a depressed area when deformed in the depressed area; and a ground plane sheet located underneath the sheet, wherein the first and second arrays are configured to produce an electric field with electric field lines that extend in a first direction towards a user of the sensor and in a second direction towards the ground plane sheet, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a capacitive touch and a force, wherein the ground plane sheet is positioned at least to partially terminate some of the electric field lines extending in the second direction, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect an interruption in the electric field lines in the first direction.