Force determination employing sheet sensor and capacitive array
First Claim
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a cover;
a display disposed within the electronic device and visible through the cover;
a force-sensing structure disposed within the electronic device on one side of the cover, comprising;
a first capacitive electrode;
a second capacitive electrode; and
a compressible element disposed between the first and second capacitive electrodes; and
a sheet sensor positioned on a side of the display opposite the cover and configured to be engaged by the display when a sufficient force is applied at a region of the cover away from an edge of the cover,wherein;
the force-sensing structure and sheet sensor have different force sensing ranges;
at least before the display engages the sheet sensor, the force-sensing structure is configured to produce a first output corresponding to a capacitive change of the force-sensing structure, the capacitive change of the force-sensing structure indicating an amount of force applied to the cover; and
after the display engages the sheet sensor, the sheet sensor is configured to produce a second output corresponding to a capacitive change of the sheet sensor, the capacitive change of the sheet sensor indicating the amount of force applied to the cover.
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Abstract
A device configured to sense a touch on a surface of the device. The device includes a cover and a force-sensing structure disposed below the cover. The force-sensing structure may be positioned below a display and used in combination with other force-sensing elements to estimate the force of a touch on the cover of a device.
173 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a cover; a display disposed within the electronic device and visible through the cover; a force-sensing structure disposed within the electronic device on one side of the cover, comprising; a first capacitive electrode; a second capacitive electrode; and a compressible element disposed between the first and second capacitive electrodes; and a sheet sensor positioned on a side of the display opposite the cover and configured to be engaged by the display when a sufficient force is applied at a region of the cover away from an edge of the cover, wherein; the force-sensing structure and sheet sensor have different force sensing ranges; at least before the display engages the sheet sensor, the force-sensing structure is configured to produce a first output corresponding to a capacitive change of the force-sensing structure, the capacitive change of the force-sensing structure indicating an amount of force applied to the cover; and after the display engages the sheet sensor, the sheet sensor is configured to produce a second output corresponding to a capacitive change of the sheet sensor, the capacitive change of the sheet sensor indicating the amount of force applied to the cover. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic device, comprising:
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a cover; a first force-sensing structure disposed under at least a first edge of the cover and comprising a first pair of capacitive elements separated by a compressible layer; a second force-sensing structure disposed under at least a second edge of the cover and comprising a second pair of capacitive elements separated by the compressible layer; and a sheet sensor positioned below the cover between the first and second force-sensing structures and configured to be engaged when a sufficient force is applied at a region of the cover away from an edge of the cover; wherein; the first and second force-sensing structures have a different force sensing range than the sheet sensor; at least before the sheet sensor is engaged, the first and second force-sensing structures are configured to produce first outputs corresponding to capacitive changes of the first and second force-sensing structures, the capacitive changes of the first and second force-sensing structures indicating an amount of force applied to the cover; and after the sheet sensor is engaged, the sheet sensor is configured to produce a second output corresponding to a capacitive change of the sheet sensor, the capacitive change of the sheet sensor indicating the amount of force applied to the cover. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An electronic device, comprising:
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a housing defining an opening; a cover disposed over the opening; a touch sensor disposed within the electronic device on one side of the cover and configured to detect a location of a touch on the cover; a force-sensitive layer disposed within the electronic device on the one side of the cover; and a force-sensing structure disposed on a side of the force-sensitive layer opposite the cover; and a compressible layer located between the force-sensitive layer and the force-sensing structure; wherein; the force-sensing structure is configured to be engaged when a sufficient force is applied at a region of the cover away from an edge of the cover, the sufficient force causing the compressible layer to collapse; at least before the compressible layer collapses in response to an amount of force of the touch on the cover, the force-sensitive layer is configured to produce a first output corresponding to a capacitive change of the force-sensitive layer, the capacitive change of the force-sensitive layer indicating the amount of force; and after the compressible layer collapses in response to the amount of force, the force-sensing structure is configured to produce a second output corresponding to a capacitive change of the force-sensing structure, the capacitive change of the force-sensing structure indicating the amount of force. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification