Force sensor incorporated into display

• US 10,162,444 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ogata, Charley T., Grunthaner, Martin P., Wittenberg, Michael B., Richards, Peter W., Teil, Romain A., Hotelling, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Alecia D
• Application Number:
  US14/972,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A force-sensitive device for electronic device. The force inputs may be detected by measuring changes in capacitance, as measured by surface flex of a device having a flexible touchable surface, causing flex at a compressible gap within the device. A capacitive sensor responsive to changes in distance across the compressible gap. The sensor can be positioned above or below, or within, a display element, and above or below, or within, a backlight unit. The device can respond to bending, twisting, or other deformation, to adjust those zero force measurements. The device can use measure of surface flux that appear at positions on the surface not directly the subject of applied force, such as when the user presses on a part of the frame or a surface without capacitive sensors.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a cover layer;

a display stack positioned below the cover layer, the display stack comprising a light-emitting display;

a capacitive force-sensing element positioned below the display stack;

a support element positioned at least partially below the capacitive force-sensing element and spaced apart from the capacitive force-sensing element by a gap;

a reference layer attached to the support element;

a light emitting layer affixed to the support element and positioned below the capacitive force-sensing element and over the reference layer;

wherein

a compliance gap is defined between the reference layer and the capacitive force-sensing element, the compliance gap operative to deform as the cover layer bends in response to a user input applied to the cover layer; and

the support element is at least partially positioned below the light emitting layer and over the reference layer.

2. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the capacitive force-sensing element comprises individual electrodes.

3. The electronic device as in claim 2, wherein the individual electrodes are included in a flexible substrate.

4. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the capacitive force-sensing element is attached to a bottom surface of the display stack.

5. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the compliance gap comprises an air gap.

6. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the compliance gap is filled with a compliant substance.