Temperature-compensated electrode sheet capable of detecting pressure and touch input device

• US 10,725,575 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2019
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Original Assignee: HiDeep Inc.
• Inventors: Yoon, Sang Sic, Cho, Young Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US16/661,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20200064959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9613 using two electrodes per touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96054 Double function: touch detection combined with detection of a movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/9651 the moving element acting on a force, e.g. pressure sensitive element

Abstract

An electrode sheet disposed in a touch input device capable of detecting a pressure of a touch on a touch surface may be provided. The touch input device includes: a display module; a pressure electrode disposed under the display module; and a reference pressure electrode disposed under the display module. A distance between the pressure electrode and a reference potential layer is changed when the pressure is applied to the touch surface. A capacitance detected at the pressure electrode is changed according to the distance change. A magnitude of the pressure applied to the touch surface is calculated on the basis of a difference between a reference capacitance calculated from a capacitance detected at the reference pressure electrode and a detected capacitance calculated from the capacitance detected at the pressure electrode.

Claims

1. A touch input device capable of detecting a pressure of a touch on a touch surface, the touch input device comprising:

a display module;

a pressure electrode disposed under the display module; and

a reference pressure electrode disposed under the display module and spaced apart from the pressure electrode,

wherein a distance between the pressure electrode and a reference potential layer is changed when the pressure is applied to the touch surface,

wherein the reference pressure electrode is spaced apart from the reference potential layer and disposed under an area where a position of the touch input to the touch input device is not sensed,

wherein an electrical characteristic detected at the pressure electrode is changed according to the distance change,

wherein, when the pressure is applied to the touch surface, a distance change between the reference pressure electrode and the reference potential layer is less than a distance change between the reference potential layer and the pressure electrode disposed under the position where the pressure is applied,

and wherein a magnitude of the pressure applied to the touch surface is calculated on the basis of a difference between a reference electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic detected at the reference pressure electrode and a detected electrical characteristic calculated from the electrical characteristic detected at the pressure electrode.

2. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the reference pressure electrode is disposed on the outside of the pressure electrode.

3. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the reference pressure electrode is disposed under an area where a screen of the touch input device is not displayed.

4. The touch input device of claim 1, further comprising a frame which is made of an inelastic material and causes the pressure electrode and the reference potential layer to be spaced apart from each other,

wherein the frame is disposed at a border of the touch input device,

and wherein the reference pressure electrode is disposed adjacent to the frame.

5. The touch input device of claim 1, further comprising a frame which is made of an inelastic material and causes the pressure electrode and the reference potential layer to be spaced apart from each other,

wherein the frame is disposed at a border of the touch input device,

and wherein the reference pressure electrode is disposed on or under the frame.

6. The touch input device of claim 1,

wherein the reference pressure electrode comprises a first reference pressure electrode and a second reference pressure electrode,

and wherein the magnitude of the pressure which is applied to the touch surface is calculated on the basis of a difference between a reference electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic which is detected at an electrode disposed at a position relatively farther from the position where the pressure is applied among the first reference pressure electrode and the second reference pressure electrode and the detected electrical characteristic calculated from the electrical characteristic detected at the pressure electrode.

7. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the pressure electrode constitutes a plurality of channels, and wherein multi pressure according to multi-touch is detectable by using the plurality of channels.

8. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein, when the pressure is applied to the display module, the display module is bent, and the distance between the pressure electrode and the reference potential layer is changed by the bending of the display module.

9. The touch input device of claim 1, wherein the reference potential layer is disposed within the display module.

10. A touch input device capable of detecting a pressure of a touch on a touch surface, the touch input device comprising:

a display module; and

a first pressure electrode and a second pressure electrode which are disposed under the display module,

wherein, when the pressure is applied to the touch surface, a distance between the first pressure electrode and a reference potential layer or a distance between the second pressure electrode and the reference potential layer is changed,

wherein an electrical characteristic detected at the first pressure electrode or the second pressure electrode is changed according to the distance change,

wherein, when the pressure is applied to the touch surface, a distance change between the reference potential layer and an electrode disposed at a position relatively closer to the position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode is less than a distance change between the reference potential layer and an electrode disposed at a position relatively farther from the position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode,

and wherein a magnitude of the pressure which is applied to the touch surface is calculated on the basis of a difference between a reference electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic which is detected at an electrode disposed at a position relatively farther from the position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode and a detected electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic which is detected at an electrode disposed at a position relatively closer to the position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode.

11. The touch input device of claim 10, further comprising a frame which is made of an inelastic material and causes the pressure electrode and the reference potential layer to be spaced apart from each other,

wherein the frame is disposed at a border of the touch input device,

and wherein the first pressure electrode or the second pressure electrode is disposed adjacent to the frame.

12. The touch input device of claim 10, wherein the first pressure electrode and the second pressure constitute a plurality of channels, and wherein multi pressure according to multi-touch is detectable by using the plurality of channels.

13. The touch input device of claim 10, wherein, when the pressure is applied to the display module, the display module is bent, and the distance between the first pressure electrode and the reference potential layer or the distance between the second pressure electrode and the reference potential layer is changed by the bending of the display module.

14. The touch input device of claim 10, wherein the reference potential layer is disposed within the display module.

15. An electrode sheet which is disposed in a touch input device comprising a substrate and a display module, the electrode sheet comprising:

a first insulation layer and a second insulation layer;

a pressure electrode located between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer; and

a reference pressure electrode located between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer and spaced apart from the pressure electrode,

wherein an electrical characteristic which is detected at the pressure electrode is changed according to a relative distance change between the pressure electrode and a reference potential layer spaced apart from the electrode sheet, wherein the reference pressure electrode is spaced apart from the reference potential layer,

wherein, when the pressure is applied to the touch surface of the touch input device, the distance change between the reference pressure electrode and the reference potential layer is less than the distance change between the reference potential layer and the pressure electrode disposed under the position where the pressure is applied,

wherein the electrode sheet is used to calculate a magnitude of a pressure applied to a touch surface of the touch input device on the basis of a difference between a reference electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic detected at the reference pressure electrode and a detected electrical characteristic calculated from the electrical characteristic detected at the pressure electrode,

wherein the reference pressure electrode comprises a first reference pressure electrode and a second reference pressure electrode, and

wherein the electrode sheet is used to calculate the magnitude of the pressure which is applied to the touch surface on the basis of a difference between a reference electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic which is detected at an electrode disposed at a position relatively farther from the position where the pressure is applied among the first reference pressure electrode and the second reference pressure electrode and the detected electrical characteristic calculated from the electrical characteristic detected at the pressure electrode.

16. The electrode sheet of claim 15, wherein the reference pressure electrode is disposed on the outside of the pressure electrode.

17. The electrode sheet of claim 15, wherein the pressure electrode constitutes a plurality of channels, and wherein the pressure electrode constitutes a plurality of channels.

18. The electrode sheet of claim 15,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to the touch input device comprising the substrate and the display module,

and wherein, when a pressure is applied to the display module, the display module is bent, and the distance between the pressure electrode and the reference potential layer is changed by the bending of the display module.

19. The electrode sheet of claim 15,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to the touch input device comprising the substrate and the display module,

and wherein the reference potential layer is disposed within the display module.

20. An electrode sheet which is disposed in a touch input device comprising a substrate and a display module, the electrode sheet comprising:

a first insulation layer and a second insulation layer; and

a first pressure electrode and a second pressure electrode which are located between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer,

wherein an electrical characteristic which is detected at the first pressure electrode is changed according to a relative distance change between the first pressure electrode and a reference potential layer spaced apart from the electrode sheet, alternatively, an electrical characteristic which is detected at the second pressure electrode is changed according to a relative distance change between the second pressure electrode and the reference potential layer spaced apart from the electrode sheet,

wherein, when the pressure is applied to the touch surface, a distance change between the reference potential layer and an electrode disposed at a position relatively closer to the position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode is less than a distance change between the reference potential layer and an electrode disposed at a position relatively farther from the position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode,

and wherein the electrode sheet is used to a magnitude of a pressure which is applied to a touch surface of the touch input device on the basis of a difference between a reference electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic which is detected at an electrode disposed at a position relatively farther from a position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode and a detected electrical characteristic calculated from an electrical characteristic which is detected at an electrode disposed at a position relatively closer to the position where the pressure is applied among the first pressure electrode and the second pressure electrode.

21. The electrode sheet of claim 20, wherein the first pressure electrode and the second pressure constitute a plurality of channels, and wherein multi pressure according to multi-touch is detectable by using the plurality of channels.

22. The electrode sheet of claim 20,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to the touch input device comprising the substrate and the display module,

and wherein, when a pressure is applied to the display module, the display module is bent, and a distance between the first pressure electrode and the reference potential layer or a distance between the second pressure electrode and the reference potential layer is changed by the bending of the display module.

23. The electrode sheet of claim 20,

wherein the electrode sheet is attached to the touch input device comprising the substrate and the display module,

and wherein the reference potential layer is disposed within the display module.