Patent ID: 7830160

Claim:
A capacitive position sensor for setting a parameter or function to a desired value in a range of parameter values by determining the position of an object on a capacitive position sensor, the capacitive position sensor comprising: a sensing element comprising a sensing path; at least one terminal connected to the sensing element; at least one sensing channel connected to the at least one terminal in which the sensing channel is operable to generate a signal indicative of capacitance between the terminal and a system ground; means to determine a position of an object on the sensing element; means to further refine the position of the object corresponding to a value in the range of parameter values; and a processor operable to interpret and process the signal to determine a position of an object on the sensing path, the processor being configured to provide a first mode of the capacitive position sensor in which the range of parameter values is mapped onto the sensing path and to set a parameter to approximately the desired value by a touch of the sensing path at a first point, and a second mode in which displacement of the object on the sensing element adjusts the parameter from the value initially set in the first mode, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode responsive to capacitive coupling caused by moving displacement of the object along the sensing path in relation to the first point of touch, and wherein the parameter being controlled by the capacitive position sensor is an aspect of color, wherein the aspect of color is selected from color hue, color saturation, and color temperature.