Force and Location Sensitive Display

• US 20070236466A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Hotelling, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,511,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• 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

Abstract

A unit to provide both force and location detection includes a first transparent substrate (having first and second sets of conductive traces oriented in a first direction), a second transparent substrate (having a third set of conductive traces oriented in a second direction) and a plurality of deformable members (e.g., rubber beads) arranged between the first and second transparent substrates. The first set of conductive traces, in combination with the conductive traces of the second transparent element, provide a capacitance signal representing where a user touches the display element. The second set of conductive traces, in combination with the conductive traces of the second transparent element, provide a capacitance signal representing the amount of force applied to the display element. When used with a display element (e.g., a LCD or CRT), an input-output unit capable of both location sensing and force sensing operations is provided.

Claims

1. A force and touch sensitive component, comprising:

a first transparent layer;

a second transparent layer;

first conductive traces abutted to a first surface of the first transparent layer;

second conductive traces abutted to a second surface of the second transparent layer; and

deformable members interposed between the first and second transparent members, wherein

the first and second conductive traces are configured to generate a first signal indicative of a force applied to the first transparent layer and a second signal indicative of a location on the first transparent layer at which the force is applied.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the first and second transparent layers comprise glass.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the first conductive traces are oriented in a first direction and the second conductive traces are oriented in a second direction.

4. The component of claim 3, wherein the first and second directions are substantially orthogonal.

5. The component of claim 1, wherein the second conductive traces comprise:

a first set of traces dedicated to detection of signals indicative the force applied to the first transparent layer; and

a second set of conductive traces dedicated to detection of signals indicative of the location of the applied force.

6. The component of claim 1, wherein the first and second transparent layers comprise a sealed volume.

7. The component of claim 6, wherein the sealed volume is substantially filled with a fluid having an index of refraction.

8. The component of claim 7, wherein the index of refraction of the fluid is substantially equal to an index of refraction of the deformable members.

9. The component of claim 1, further comprising a polarizer element abutted to at least one surface of the first and second transparent layers, wherein the at least one surface is opposite that surface abutted by the first or second plurality of conductive traces.

10. The component of claim 9, wherein the polarizer element comprises an optical coating.

11. A force and location sensitive touch component, comprising:

a first transparent layer;

a second transparent layer;

a first plurality of conductive traces oriented in a first direction and substantially adjacent to a first surface of the first transparent layer;

a second plurality of conductive traces oriented in a second direction and substantially adjacent to a first surface of the second transparent layer;

a third plurality of conductive traces oriented in the second direction, substantially adjacent to the first surface of the second transparent layer and electrically isolated from the second plurality of conductive traces, one or more of which are arranged between successive ones of the second plurality of conductive traces; and

a plurality of deformable members juxtaposed between the first surfaces of the first and second transparent layers,

wherein the first and second plurality of conductive traces are adapted to provide an indication of a force applied to the first surface of the first transparent layer and the first and third plurality of conductive traces are adapted to provide an indication of a location on the first transparent layer at which the force is applied.

12. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, wherein each of the first plurality of conductive traces comprises a first portion adapted to receive a drive signal and a plurality of second portions that are electrically isolated from the first portion.

13. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 12, wherein the drive signal comprises a limited duration pulse train.

14. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 12, wherein each of the first plurality of conductive traces are adapted to receive the drive signal during a time when others of the first plurality of conductive traces do not receive the drive signal.

15. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, further comprising a fourth plurality of conductive traces oriented in the first direction and substantially adjacent to the second surface of the first transparent layer, wherein each of the fourth plurality of conductive traces are arranged between successive ones of the first plurality of conductive traces.

16. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 15, wherein each of the first plurality of conductive traces are adapted to receive a first drive signal having a first polarity and each of the fourth plurality of conductive traces are adapted to receive a second drive signal having a second polarity.

17. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 16, wherein each of the first plurality of conductive traces are adapted to receive the first drive signal during a time when others of the first plurality of conductive traces do not receive the first drive signal.

18. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 17, wherein each pair of the fourth plurality of conductive traces are adapted to receive the second drive signal only when the one of the first plurality of conductive traces arranged between said pair receive the first drive signal.

19. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, wherein the deformable members comprise rubber.

20. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, wherein the rubber comprises room temperature vulcanizing rubber.

21. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, wherein the deformable members comprise silicone.

22. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, wherein the deformable members comprise a light cured elastomer.

23. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, wherein the first and second transparent layers form a closed volume.

24. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 23, wherein the first surfaces of the first and second transparent layers are inside the closed volume.

25. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 23, further comprising a fluid filling the closed volume.

26. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 25, wherein the fluid has an index of refraction approximately equal to an index of refraction of the deformable members.

27. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 25, wherein the fluid comprises a fluid having an index of refraction similar to the deformable members.

28. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, further comprising a dielectric material substantially covering the first surface of the first transparent layer, the dielectric material having an index of refraction approximately equal to an index of refraction of the first plurality of conductive traces.

29. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 28 wherein the first plurality of conductive traces comprise Indium tin oxide and the dielectric material comprises aluminum oxide.

30. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, further comprising a dielectric material substantially covering the first surface of the second transparent layer, the dielectric material having an index of refraction approximately equal to an index of refraction of the second and third plurality of conductive traces.

31. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 30 wherein the second and third plurality of conductive traces comprise Indium tin oxide and the dielectric material comprises aluminum oxide.

32. The force and location sensitive touch component of claim 11, wherein the first and second transparent layers comprise glass.

33. A display unit, comprising:

a display element; and

a force and location sensitive touch component in accordance with claim 11 adhered to a surface thereof.

34. The display unit of claim 33, wherein the display element comprises a liquid crystal display.

35. The display unit of claim 33, wherein the display element comprises a cathode ray tube.

36. The display unit of claim 33, wherein the display element comprises a plasma display.

37. The display unit of claim 33, further comprising a polarizer element juxtaposed between the display element and force and location sensitive touch component.

38. A force and location sensitive component, comprising:

a first transparent substrate having separate first and second pluralities of conductive paths oriented in a first direction;

a second transparent substrate having a third plurality of conductive paths oriented in a second direction; and

deformable elements juxtaposed between and separating the first and second transparent substrates, wherein

the first and third plurality of conductive paths are configured to generate capacitance signals representing a location on the display unit being touched by a user and the second and third plurality of conductive paths are configured to generate capacitance signals representing a force applied to the display unit by the user.

39. The force and location sensitive component of claim 38, further comprising a display element abutted to the first transparent substrate.

40. The force and location sensitive component of claim 39, wherein the display element comprises a liquid crystal display element.

41. The force and location sensitive component of claim 38, wherein the first plurality of conductive paths comprise a plurality of electrically isolated paths, between which are one or more of the second plurality of conductive paths.

42. The force and location sensitive component of claim 41, wherein each of the first plurality of conductive paths are electrically isolated from one another and all of the one or more second plurality of conductive paths between each of the first plurality of conductive paths are electrically coupled.

43. The force and location sensitive component of claim 38, wherein the second transparent membrane further comprises a fourth plurality of conductive paths oriented in the second direction and electrically isolated from the third plurality of conductive paths.

44. The force and location sensitive component of claim 43, wherein the third plurality of conductive traces are separated from one another by one of the fourth plurality of conductive traces.

45. The force and location sensitive component of claim 46, wherein the third plurality of conductive traces is configured to be driven by a voltage signal having a first polarity and the fourth plurality of conductive traces is configured to be driven by a voltage signal having a second polarity.

46. The force and location sensitive component of claim 38, wherein the first, second and third plurality of conductive paths comprise indium tin oxide.

47. The force and location sensitive component of claim 38, wherein the deformable elements comprise a rubber.

48. The force and location sensitive component of claim 39 further comprising a polarizer juxtaposed between the display element and the first transparent substrate.

49. The force and location sensitive component of claim 38, wherein the first and second transparent substrates comprise a closed volume.

50. The force and location sensitive component of claim 49, further comprising liquid substantially filling the closed volume.

51. The force and location sensitive component of claim 50, wherein the liquid has an index of refraction substantially equal to that of the deformable members.