Input device configuration having capacitive and pressure sensors

• US 10,228,770 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Shaw, Timothy C., Marshall, James C., Cox, Brian R., Picciotto, Carl E., Fitz-Coy, Aric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Richard J
• Application Number:
  US15/600,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20170255276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/02 Interspersed fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2205/004 fixed to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/006 Force isolators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/03 Ridges on layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/036 Light emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/05 Force concentrator; Actuating dimple
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/003 Membrane embracing all keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/002 Calculator, computer
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 : with illumination

Abstract

Input device configurations are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a sensor substrate having one or more conductors and a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate. The flexible contact layer is configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a capacitive sensor assembly arranged in an array that is configured to detect a location of an object that is proximal to a respective capacitive sensor of the capacitive sensor assembly and a pressure sensitive sensor assembly including a plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes that are configured to detect an amount of pressure applied by the object against a respective pressure sensitive sensor node of the pressure sensitive sensor assembly.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a capacitive sensor assembly including a plurality of capacitive sensors disposed on one or more first portions of a sensor substrate, the capacitive sensors configured to detect an object as proximal to a respective capacitive sensor of the capacitive sensor assembly; and

a pressure sensitive sensor assembly including a plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes disposed on one or more second portions of the sensor substrate, the one or more second portions comprising one or more non-overlapping portions of the sensor substrate that are separate from the one or more first portions, the pressure sensitive sensor nodes configured to detect an amount of pressure applied to a respective pressure sensitive sensor node of the pressure sensitive sensor assembly;

wherein the capacitive sensor assembly and the pressure sensitive sensor assembly are configured as a single layer on the sensor substrate.

2. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor assembly is configured to detect a location of the object.

3. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor assembly is associated with a palm rest of the input device and the pressure sensitive sensor assembly is associated with keys of a keyboard.

4. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive sensor nodes comprise a force sensitive ink.

5. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor substrate comprises printed circuit board having conductors disposed thereon.

6. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive sensor assembly is placed in an operational state responsive to detection of the object to as proximal to a respective capacitive sensor of the capacitive sensor assembly.

7. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein an area of the capacitive sensor assembly is not a track pad.

8. A method comprising:

detecting that an object is located as proximal to one or more capacitive sensors disposed on one or more first portions of a sensor substrate of an input device;

detecting pressure applied to one or more pressure sensitive sensor nodes disposed on one or more second portions of the sensor substrate, the one or more second portions comprising one or more non-overlapping portions of the sensor substrate of the input device that are separate from the one or more first portions, wherein the one or more capacitive sensors and the one or more pressure sensitive sensor nodes are configured as a single layer on the sensor substrate; and

sending one or more inputs corresponding to detection of the object or detection of the pressure.

9. A method as described in claim 8, further comprising detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, a location of the object.

10. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the one or more capacitive sensors are associated with a palm rest of the input device and the one or more pressure sensitive sensor nodes are associated with keys of a keyboard.

11. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the one or more pressure sensitive sensor nodes comprise a force sensitive ink.

12. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the sensor substrate comprises printed circuit board having conductors disposed thereon and the one or more inputs are generated by the printed circuit board.

13. A method as described in claim 8, further comprising placing the one or more pressure sensitive sensor nodes in an operational state responsive to detecting that the object as proximal to the one or more capacitive sensors.

14. A sensor assembly configured to provide inputs to a computing device, the sensor assembly comprising:

a sensor substrate comprising a printed circuit board;

a pressure sensitive sensor assembly disposed on one or more first portions of the sensor substrate including a plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes configured to detect applied pressure; and

a capacitive sensor assembly disposed on one or more second portions of the sensor substrate, the one or more second portions comprising one or more non-overlapping portions of the sensor substrate that are separate from the one or more first portions, the capacitive sensor assembly including a plurality of capacitive sensors configured to detect presence of a proximal object;

wherein the capacitive sensor assembly and the pressure sensitive sensor assembly are configured as a single layer on the sensor substrate.

15. A sensor assembly as described in claim 14, wherein the pressure sensitive sensor assembly is associated with a first functionality of an input device and the capacitive sensor assembly is associated with a second functionality of the input device.

16. A sensor assembly as described in claim 15, wherein the first functionality is associated with keys of a keyboard and the second functionality is associated with a track pad.