Patent ID: 8232810

Claim:
A sensing device comprising: a substrate; a plurality of capacitive sensing electrodes disposed on the substrate, the plurality of capacitive sensing electrodes configured to detect objects that are relatively near a surface; an electrostatic discharge (ESD) shunt disposed on the substrate, the ESD shunt having an associated first resistance, the ESD shunt shaped to at least partially surround the plurality of capacitive sensing electrodes; and an extended-proximity capacitive sensing electrode formed outside the at least partially surrounded plurality of capacitive sensing electrodes, the extended-proximity capacitive sensing electrode configured to provide a relatively long range electrode field to detect objects that are relatively far from the surface, the extended-proximity capacitive sensing electrode having an associated second resistance, the second resistance substantially greater than the first resistance such that an electrostatic discharge at a first exposed location would be attracted to the ESD shunt via a first potential discharge path to the ESD shunt instead of the extended-proximity capacitive sensing electrode via a second potential discharge path to the extended-proximity capacitive sensing electrode, where the first potential discharge path is longer than the second potential discharge path.