Force-sensitive touch sensor compensation

• US 10,234,992 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Ribeiro, Flavio Protasio
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US15/452,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20170177162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

An electronic device includes a memory in which input instructions, force level assessment instructions, and output instructions are stored, and further includes a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured through execution of the input instructions to obtain measurement data for a user interaction with a force-sensitive touch sensor, the measurement data being indicative of position information for the user interaction, amplitude information for the user interaction, and size information for the user interaction. The processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to apply force level calibration data to the amplitude information and the size information in a force level assessment of the user interaction, the force level calibration data varying with user interaction size. The processor is further configured through execution of the output instructions to provide an output in accordance with the force level assessment.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a memory in which input instructions, force level assessment instructions, and output instructions are stored; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured through execution of the input instructions to obtain measurement data for a user interaction with a force-sensitive touch sensor, the measurement data being indicative of position information for the user interaction, amplitude information for the user interaction, and size information for the user interaction;

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to apply force level calibration data to the measurement data to determine a plurality of touch event thresholds, each touch event threshold of the plurality of touch event thresholds being indicative of a respective force level;

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to compare the amplitude information with the plurality of touch event thresholds in a force level assessment of the user interaction; and

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the output instructions to provide an output in accordance with the force level assessment.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch event thresholds comprises a button press threshold and a button release threshold.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch event thresholds comprises a minimum touch event threshold and a maximum touch event threshold.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch event thresholds comprises a first threshold offset from a minimum touch event force level and a second threshold offset from a maximum touch event force level.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to obtain the force level calibration data from a lookup table.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to obtain the force level calibration data from a data structure that defines a respective function for each touch event threshold of the plurality of touch event thresholds.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein each respective function varies with a user interaction size.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein each respective function is a non-monotonic function.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the data structure comprises a respective array of parameters for each respective function.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

each respective function is a respective polynomial function; and

each respective array of parameters specifies coefficients of the respective polynomial function.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of touch event thresholds comprises a minimum touch event threshold; and

the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to implement a comparison of an amplitude level indicated by the amplitude information with the minimum touch event threshold and to adjust a gain for the force-sensitive touch sensor in accordance with the comparison if the position information of the user interaction is indicative of a moving touch event.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of touch event thresholds comprises a maximum touch event threshold; and

the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to implement a comparison of an amplitude level indicated by the amplitude information with the maximum touch event threshold and to adjust a gain for the force-sensitive touch sensor in accordance with the comparison if the measurement data of the user interaction is indicative of a saturated touch event.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the measurement data is indicative of a saturated touch event when an amplitude level indicated by the amplitude information does not change over time as a contact area indicated by the size information changes.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a memory in which input instructions, force level assessment instructions, and output instructions are stored; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured through execution of the input instructions to obtain measurement data for a user interaction with a force-sensitive touch sensor, the measurement data being indicative of position information for the user interaction and amplitude information for the user interaction;

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to apply force level calibration data to the measurement data to determine a plurality of touch event thresholds, each touch event threshold of the plurality of touch event thresholds being indicative of a respective force level;

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to implement a comparison of the amplitude information with the plurality of touch event thresholds in a force level assessment of the user interaction;

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the output instructions to provide an output in accordance with the force level assessment; and

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to adjust a gain of the force-sensitive touch sensor if the comparison indicates that the amplitude level is offset from a respective threshold of the plurality of touch event thresholds.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the respective threshold is a minimum touch event threshold indicative of a minimum force level for a touch event.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the respective touch event threshold is a maximum touch event threshold indicative of a maximum force level for a touch event.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of touch event thresholds further comprises a button press threshold and a button release threshold.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a memory in which input instructions, force level assessment instructions, and output instructions are stored; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured through execution of the input instructions to obtain measurement data for a user interaction with a force-sensitive touch sensor, the measurement data being indicative of position information for the user interaction, amplitude information for the user interaction, and size information for the user interaction;

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to implement a force level assessment of the user interaction based on the amplitude information;

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the output instructions to provide an output in accordance with the force level assessment; and

wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to implement a comparison of an amplitude level indicated by the amplitude information with a threshold, and to adjust a gain for the force-sensitive touch sensor in accordance with the comparison if the measurement data of the user interaction is indicative of a saturated touch event.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the measurement data is indicative of a saturated touch event when an amplitude level indicated by the amplitude information does not change over time as a contact area indicated by the size information changes.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured through execution of the force level assessment instructions to adjust the gain of the force-sensitive touch sensor in accordance with a further comparison with a minimum touch event threshold.