CapSense Component

The CapSense Component dialog.

Summary

This dialog allows you to configure a touch sensor component on a schematic sheet, when creating planar capacitive sensor patterns on your PCB, for use with the range of Cypress® CapSense® and PSoC® controllers.

Access

The CapSense Component dialog can be accessed by:

• Right-clicking over the placed sensor component and choosing the Configure command from the context menu.
• Double-clicking on the placed component to access the Properties for Schematic Component dialog, then clicking the Configure button at the bottom-right of that dialog.

Options/Controls

• Sensor Component Type - this drop-down field essentially allows you to switch between the different supported sensor components. The following sections detail the various components available.

CircularButton

CapSense Component dialog - CircularButton sensor type.

Use the CircularButton component to implement a button sensor. This is a self-capacitance, zero-dimensional sensor, with a single channel for connection directly to a Cypress PSoC controller. The resulting sensor pattern on the PCB is a simple circular-shaped electrode.

Options/Controls

• Button Outer Diameter - the outer diameter for the sensor pattern (between 5mm and 15mm).
• Button Inner Diameter - the inner diameter for the sensor pattern (this should be less than the outer diameter, and a minimum of 5mm).

RectangularCurvedEdgeButton

CapSense Component dialog - RectangularCurvedEdgeButton sensor type.

Use the RectangularCurvedEdgeButton component to implement a button sensor. This is a self-capacitance, zero-dimensional sensor, with a single channel for connection directly to a Cypress PSoC controller. The resulting sensor pattern on the PCB is a simple rounded-rectangular-shaped electrode.

Options/Controls

• Button Height - the height of the sensor pattern (between 5mm and 15mm).
• Button Width - the width of the sensor pattern (between 5mm and 15mm).
• Button Inner Diameter - the inner diameter for the sensor pattern (this should be less than the width/height, and a minimum of 5mm).

LinearSlider

CapSense Component dialog - LinearSlider sensor type.

Use the LinearSlider component to implement an n-segment linear slider sensor. This is a self-capacitance, one-dimensional sensor for connection directly to a Cypress PSoC controller (each segment in the pattern connects to a separate pin of the Controller). The resulting sensor pattern on the PCB is comprised of a 1xn array of double-chevron-shaped electrodes, where n is the number of segments specified. In essence, you are specifying n separate sensors placed physically adjacent to each other. You have global control over the height and width of the constituent sensors. You can also control the gap between neighboring sensors.

Options/Controls

• Number of Segments - the number of segments comprising the sensor pattern (minimum of 3).
• Slider Segment Width - the width of each sensor segment (between 2mm and 8mm).
• Slider Segment Height - the height of each sensor segment (between 7mm and 15mm).
• Clearance Between Segments - the clearance, or gap, between neighboring sensor segments (between 0.5mm and 2mm).

RadialSlider

CapSense Component dialog - RadialSlider sensor type.

Use the RadialSlider component to implement an n-segment radial slider sensor. This is a self-capacitance, one-dimensional sensor for connection directly to a Cypress PSoC controller (each segment in the pattern connects to a separate pin of the Controller). The resulting sensor pattern on the PCB is comprised of n wedge-shaped electrodes, where n is the number of segments specified. In essence, you are specifying n separate sensors placed physically adjacent to each other in radial fashion. You have global control over the inner and outer diameter of the slider, and the clearance between neighboring segments.

Options/Controls

• Number of Segments - the number of segments comprising the sensor pattern (minimum of 3).
• Slider Outer Diameter - the outer diameter for the sensor pattern.
• Slider Inner Diameter - the inner diameter for the sensor pattern.

• Clearance Between Segments - the clearance, or gap, between neighboring sensor segments (between 0.5mm and 2mm).