Touch input device with edge support member

• US 10,007,380 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Original Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Inventors: Yoon, Sangsic, Kim, Bonkee, Kim, Seyeob, Moon, Hojun, Kim, Taehoon
• Primary Examiner(s): LANDIS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US15/348,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20170060329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

In one embodiment, a touch input device includes a first electrode; a second electrode located on one side of the first electrode; a display disposed on one side of the first electrode opposite to the second electrode; and a spacer layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. One of the first electrode and the second electrode is a drive electrode, and the other is a receiving electrode that receives the drive signal by a mutual capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode. When an external pressure is applied to the first electrode through the display, the first electrode is concavely bent toward the second electrode. The mutual capacitance between the electrodes changes according to a distance between the electrodes. The magnitude of the external pressure according to the change of the capacitance between the electrodes is detected.

Claims

1. A touch input device comprising:

a display;

a substrate;

a first electrode located on a bottom surface of the display;

a second electrode located on a top surface of the substrate;

a spacer layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a support member disposed on at least one edge portion of the substrate;

wherein one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a drive electrode to which a drive signal is applied;

wherein the other one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a receiving electrode which receives the drive signal by a mutual capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode;

wherein when an external pressure is applied to the first electrode through the display, the first electrode is concavely bent toward the second electrode in response to the external pressure;

wherein the mutual capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode changes according to a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode;

wherein the magnitude of the external pressure is detected according to the change of the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode;

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are overlapped with each other;

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; and

wherein when no external pressure is applied to the first electrode through the display, the predetermined distance is maintained only by the support member disposed on at least one edge portion of the substrate.

2. The touch input device of claim 1,

wherein one of the first electrode and the second electrode constitutes a single channel;

and

wherein the other one of the first electrode and the second electrode constitutes a plurality of channels.

3. The touch input device of claim 1 wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode constitutes a plurality of channels.

4. The touch input device of claim 1 wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode constitutes a single channel.

5. The touch input device of claim 1,

wherein the drive electrode comprises N number of electrodes;

and

wherein the drive signal is applied to a plurality of electrodes among the N number of electrodes at the same time.

6. The touch input device of claim 1,

further comprising a touch sensor for detecting a touch position;

wherein the drive signal is applied to the drive electrode within a time interval during which a drive signal is applied to the touch sensor.

7. The touch input device of claim 1,

further comprising a touch sensor for detecting a touch position;

wherein the drive signal is applied to the drive electrode in a first time interval and a drive signal is applied to the touch sensor in a second time interval different from the first time interval.

8. A touch input device comprising:

a display;

at least one electrode located on a bottom surface of the display;

a substrate located opposite to the display;

a spacer layer located between the at least one electrode and the substrate; and

a support member disposed on at least one edge portion of the substrate;

wherein the at least one electrode and the substrate are overlapped with each other;

wherein the at least one electrode and the substrate are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance;

wherein when no external pressure is applied to the at least one electrode through the display, the predetermined distance is maintained only by the support member disposed on at least one edge portion of the substrate;

wherein when an external pressure is applied to the at least one electrode through the display, the at least one electrode is concavely bent toward the substrate in response to the external pressure;

wherein the capacitance between the at least one electrode and the substrate changes according to a distance between the at least one electrode and the substrate; and

wherein the magnitude of the external pressure is detected according to the change of the capacitance between the at least one electrode and the substrate.

9. The touch input device of claim 8,

further comprising at least one insulation layer;

wherein the at least one electrode is formed on the at least one insulation layer, and is attached as an integral sheet on a surface of the display.

10. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the at least one electrode is directly formed on a surface of the display.

11. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the at least one electrode is integrally formed with a surface of the display.

12. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the at least one electrode is printed on a surface of the display.

13. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the at least one electrode is patterned on a surface of the display.

14. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the at least one electrode constitutes a plurality of channels.

15. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the at least one electrode constitutes a single channel.

16. The touch input device of claim 8,

wherein the at least one electrode comprises N number of electrodes;

and

wherein a drive signal is applied to a plurality of electrodes among the N number of electrodes at the same time.

17. The touch input device of claim 8,

further comprising a touch sensor for detecting a touch position;

wherein a drive signal is applied to the at least one electrode within a time interval during which a drive signal is applied to the touch sensor.

18. The touch input device of claim 8,

further comprising a touch sensor for detecting a touch position;

wherein a drive signal is applied to the at least one electrode in a first time interval and a drive signal is applied to the touch sensor in a second time interval different from the first time interval.

19. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the spacer layer is air.

20. The touch input device of claim 8 wherein the spacer layer is foam, gel or polymer.

21. A touch input device comprising:

a display;

a substrate;

at least one electrode located on a top surface of the substrate;

a spacer layer located between the at least one electrode and the display; and

a support member disposed on at least one edge portion of the substrate;

wherein the at least one electrode and the display are overlapped with each other;

wherein the at least one electrode and the display are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance;

wherein when no external pressure is applied to the display, the predetermined distance is maintained only by the support member disposed on at least one edge portion of the substrate;

wherein when an external pressure is applied to the display, the display is concavely bent toward the at least one electrode in response to the external pressure;

wherein the capacitance between the at least one electrode and the display changes according to a distance between the at least one electrode and the display; and

wherein the magnitude of the external pressure is detected according to the change of the capacitance between the at least one electrode and the display.

22. The touch input device of claim 21,

further comprising a second insulation layer, a fourth insulation layer, and a substrate located on one side of the at least one electrode opposite to the display;

wherein the at least one electrode is disposed on one side of the second insulation layer, and the fourth insulation layer is disposed on one side of the at least one electrode opposite to the second insulation layer, and the at least one electrode is attached as an integral sheet on a surface of the substrate.

23. The touch input device of claim 21 wherein the at least one electrode constitutes a plurality of channels.

24. The touch input device of claim 21 wherein the at least one electrode constitutes a single channel.

25. The touch input device of claim 21,

wherein the at least one electrode comprises N number of electrodes;

and

wherein a drive signal is applied to a plurality of electrodes among the N number of electrodes at the same time.

26. The touch input device of claim 21,

further comprising a touch sensor for detecting a touch position;

wherein a drive signal is applied to the at least one electrode within a time interval during which a drive signal is applied to the touch sensor.

27. The touch input device of claim 21,

further comprising a touch sensor for detecting a touch position;

wherein a drive signal is applied to the at least one electrode in a first time interval and a drive signal is applied to the touch sensor in a second time interval different from the first time interval.

28. The touch input device of claim 21 wherein the spacer layer is air.

29. The touch input device of claim 21 wherein the spacer layer is foam, gel or polymer.