Flexible multi-layer sensing surface

• US 10,338,753 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Saul, Greg, Cletheroe, Daniel, Villar, Nicolas, Zhang, Haiyan, Salandin, Oscar, Holz, Christian, Fitzgibbon, Andrew, Hodges, Stephen Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fox, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US15/231,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A flexible multi-layer sensing surface comprises a first flexible layer and a second flexible layer. The first flexible layer is a sensing layer and the second sensing layer is another sensing layer or an output layer. The sensing surface also comprises a calibration module which is configured to use the first flexible sensing layer to detect the relative position of the first and second flexible layers and this detected relative position is then used to update one or more stored operating parameters.

Claims

1. A flexible multi-layer sensing surface comprising:

a first flexible sensing layer;

a second flexible layer comprising a second flexible sensing layer or a flexible output layer, wherein the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer comprise a first part; and

a calibration module in a second part arranged to use the first flexible sensing layer to detect a relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer and to update one or more stored operating parameters based, at least in part, on the detected relative position, wherein the one or more stored operating parameters comprises at least one offset parameter specifying a change in the relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer in two perpendicular directions in a plane of the flexible multi-layer sensing surface.

2. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 1, wherein the calibration module is arranged to drive a signal into the second flexible layer while detecting the relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer.

3. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 1, wherein the first flexible sensing layer comprises a capacitive sensing electrode array.

4. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 1, wherein the second flexible layer comprises an array of RF antennas.

5. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 1, wherein the one or more stored parameters comprises a parameter indicating whether the sensing surface is fully or partially unrolled.

6. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 1, wherein the second flexible layer is both flexible and stretchable.

7. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 1, further comprising a filler layer between the first flexible sensing layer and second flexible layer.

8. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 7, wherein the first flexible sensing layer, filler layer and second flexible layer are bonded together to form a single composite layer.

9. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 8, further comprising:

an upper filler layer and a lower filler layer formed from an elastic material, and wherein the single composite layer is positioned between the upper filler layer and the lower filler layer, all the layers are joined together by the second part along only one edge and the upper filler layer and the lower filler layer are joined together along at least one other edge.

10. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 7, further comprising:

an upper filler layer and a lower filler layer formed from an elastic material, and wherein the first flexible sensing layer, filler layer and second flexible layer are positioned between the upper filler layer and the lower filler layer, all the layers are joined together by the second part along only one edge and the upper filler layer and the lower filler layer are joined together along at least one other edge.

11. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 1, comprising a flexible sensing mat and a rigid portion, wherein the flexible sensing mat comprises the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer and the rigid portion comprises the calibration module.

12. A flexible sensing surface comprising:

a first flexible sensing layer;

a second flexible layer comprising a second flexible sensing layer or a flexible output layer; and

a rigid portion comprising a calibration module arranged to use the first flexible sensing layer to detect a relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer and to update one or more stored operating parameters based, at least in part, on the detected relative position;

an upper filler layer and a lower filler layer formed from an elastic material;

a single composite layer positioned between the upper filler layer and the lower filler layer; and

wherein all the layers are joined together along one edge by the rigid portion, and the upper filler layer and the lower filler layer are joined together along at least one other edge.

13. The flexible sensing surface according to claim 12, wherein the calibration module is arranged to drive a signal into the second flexible layer while detecting the relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer.

14. The flexible sensing surface according to claim 12, wherein the first flexible sensing layer comprises a capacitive sensing electrode array.

15. The flexible sensing surface according to claim 12, wherein the second flexible layer comprises an array of RF antennas.

16. The flexible sensing surface according to claim 12, wherein the one or more stored parameters comprises at least one offset parameter specifying a change in relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer.

17. The flexible sensing surface according to claim 12, wherein the one or more stored parameters comprises a parameter indicating whether the sensing surface is fully or partially unrolled.

18. A flexible multi-layer sensing surface comprising:

a first flexible sensing layer;

a second flexible layer comprising a second flexible sensing layer or a flexible output layer, wherein the second flexible layer is an elastic piece of fabric; and

a rigid portion comprising a calibration module arranged to use the first flexible sensing layer to detect a relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer and to update one or more stored operating parameters based, at least in part, on the detected relative position; and

wherein the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer are joined together by the rigid portion along only one edge.

19. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 18, wherein the calibration module is arranged to drive a signal into the second flexible layer while detecting the relative position of the first flexible sensing layer and the second flexible layer.

20. The flexible multi-layer sensing surface according to claim 18, wherein the second flexible layer comprises an array of RF antennas.