Electronic device and method of controlling the same

• US 10,539,979 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2018
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ha, Dohyung, Kim, Seonghoon, Lee, Minsung, Myung, Jieun, Park, Jisang, Byeon, Hyungsup, Yeom, Donghyun, Yoo, Minwoo, Hong, Hyunju
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Dong Hui
• Application Number:
  US16/050,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20190041912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing including a first plate, a second plate, and a side member, the side member being attached to or integrally formed with at least one of the first plate or the second plate, a display positioned inside the housing and configured to form a display area through the first plate, a first touch panel positioned inside the housing and interposed between the display and the first plate or integrally formed with the display and including a first plurality of sensing elements having a first touch point density, a second touch panel positioned inside the housing, adjacent to the side member, and oriented to face a portion of the side member, and including a second plurality of sensing elements having a second touch point density lower than the first touch point density, and a processor.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising;

a first plate facing a first direction,

a second plate facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and

a side member enclosing a space between the first plate and the second plate, the side member being attached to or integrally formed with at least one of the first plate or the second plate;

a display positioned inside the housing and configured to form a display area through the first plate;

a first touch panel positioned inside the housing and interposed between the display and the first plate or integrally formed with the display, the first touch panel comprising a first plurality of sensing elements having a first touch point density;

a second touch panel positioned inside the housing, the second touch panel being adjacent to the side member and oriented to face a portion of the side member, the second touch panel comprising a second plurality of sensing elements having a second touch point density lower than the first touch point density; and

a processor positioned inside the housing and functionally connected to the display, the first touch panel, and the second touch panel.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) comprising the second touch panel.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the FPCB comprises at least one of a touch sensor, a pressure sensor, or a fingerprint sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising:

a light source disposed at a position corresponding to at least one of the touch sensor, the pressure sensor, or the fingerprint sensor,

wherein the light source is configured to emit light through the side member.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a waveguide configured to emit light to a predetermined path.

6. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the pressure sensor comprises:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a dielectric layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

7. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein in a window, a position corresponding to at least one of the touch sensor, the pressure sensor, and the fingerprint sensor is embossing molded or engraving molded.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first touch panel and the second touch panel further comprises a first adhesive layer configured to provide adhesive strength to couple to the housing.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first touch panel and the second touch panel further comprises a second adhesive layer configured to provide adhesive strength to couple to the display.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first plate is made of glass, and the side member is formed integrally with the first plate and is made of glass.

11. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the first plurality of sensing elements comprise a first plurality of sensing electrodes separated by a first distance, and

wherein the second plurality of sensing elements comprise a second plurality of sensing electrodes separated by a second distance larger than the first distance.

12. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the first plurality of sensing elements comprise a first plurality of conductive lines separated by a first distance, and

wherein the second plurality of sensing elements comprise a second plurality of conductive lines separated by a second distance larger than the first distance.