Row column architecture for strain sensing
First Claim
1. A resistance-based sensing structure operable to determine a physical parameter, comprising:
- a resistance-based parameter sensor comprising;
a first parameter-sensitive element; and
a second parameter-sensitive element connected in parallel with the first parameter-sensitive element;
drive circuitry coupled to the resistance-based parameter sensor and operative to apply a source signal to the resistance-based parameter sensor; and
current sensing circuitry coupled to the resistance-based parameter sensor and operative to concurrently and separately,receive and measure a first current from the first parameter-sensitive element; and
receive and measure a second current from the second parameter-sensitive element;
wherein the current sensing circuitry is operable to estimate the physical parameter based on the separate measurements of the first current and the second current.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are structures, devices, and methods for sensing physical parameters, such as strain in a surface, using resistance-based parameter sensors and current sensing. An applied strain can cause a differential change in one or more currents from two resistors configured in parallel in the sensor. Strain can be inferred from a ratio of the difference of the two currents to a sum of the two currents. These structures and methods can be adapted to measure strain or other parameters using an array of sensors, with common voltages applied to rows of the array, and currents being summed in column in the array so that fewer receivers are needed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A resistance-based sensing structure operable to determine a physical parameter, comprising:
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a resistance-based parameter sensor comprising; a first parameter-sensitive element; and a second parameter-sensitive element connected in parallel with the first parameter-sensitive element; drive circuitry coupled to the resistance-based parameter sensor and operative to apply a source signal to the resistance-based parameter sensor; and current sensing circuitry coupled to the resistance-based parameter sensor and operative to concurrently and separately, receive and measure a first current from the first parameter-sensitive element; and receive and measure a second current from the second parameter-sensitive element; wherein the current sensing circuitry is operable to estimate the physical parameter based on the separate measurements of the first current and the second current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of determining a physical parameter by a resistance-based parameter sensor comprising a first parameter-sensitive element and a second parameter-sensitive element connected in parallel, the method comprising:
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applying a signal to the resistance-based parameter sensor; receiving, separately and concurrently, a first current from a first output electrode of the first parameter-sensitive element; and a second current from a second output electrode of the second parameter-sensitive element; separately obtaining measurements of the first current and the second current; determining the physical parameter using the measurements of the first current and the second current. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic device comprising:
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an input surface; a first resistance-based strain sensor positioned beneath the input surface, comprising; a first signal input electrode; a first strain-sensitive element connected to the first signal input electrode; and a second strain-sensitive element connected to the first signal input electrode in parallel with the first strain-sensitive element; a second resistance-based strain sensor positioned beneath the input surface, comprising; a second signal input electrode; a third strain-sensitive element connected to the second signal input electrode; and a fourth strain-sensitive element connected to the second signal input electrode in parallel with the third strain-sensitive element; a first signal source operative to apply a first signal to the first signal input electrode; a second signal source operative to apply a second signal to the second signal input electrode; a first current junction configured to receive a first current from the first strain-sensitive element and a second current from the third strain-sensitive element; a second current junction configured to receive a third current from the second strain-sensitive element and a fourth current from the fourth strain-sensitive element; current sensing circuitry coupled to first current junction and the second current junction; and a processing structure operative to determine a force applied to the input surface using a sum of the first current and the second current and a sum of the third current and the fourth current, wherein the sum of the first current and the second current is measured separately from the sum of the third current and the fourth current. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification