EDGE SENSORS FORMING A TOUCHSCREEN

• US 20080238884A1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ypoint Capital, Inc,
• Original Assignee: Ypoint Capital, Inc,
• Inventors: HARISH, DIVYASIMHA
• Application Number:
  US12/058,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238884A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

The methods, systems, and apparatuses of edge sensors forming a touchscreen are disclosed. In one embodiment, a touchscreen (e.g., may be in rectangular shape) includes a display area of the touchscreen, a set of edge sensors (e.g., may be piezo-resistive, microelectromechanical sensors, and/or capacitive sensors) at boundary locations of the display area of the touchscreen, and a set of electronics (e.g., may filter and to compensates measurements of the set of edge sensors to create more accurate readings using an error correction module) to determine a location of a force and a magnitude of the force applied on the display area of the touchscreen using an algorithm that considers measurements the set of edge sensors.

Claims

1. A touchscreen, comprising:

a display area of the touchscreen;

a set of edge sensors at boundary locations of the display area of the touchscreen; and

a set of electronics to determine a location of a force and a magnitude of the force applied on the display area of the touchscreen using an algorithm that considers measurements the set of edge sensors.

2. The touchscreen of claim 1 wherein the algorithm is a center of force algorithm that multiplies individual force reading of each of the set of edge sensors with a position on a plane of each of the set of edge sensors to calculate a number, and divides the number by a sum of the individual force readings of all of the edge sensors.

3. The touchscreen of claim 1 wherein the display area is a rectangular shape, and there is one edge sensor at each corner of the rectangular shape.

4. The touchscreen of claim 3 wherein the set of edge sensors are piezo-resistive sensors.

5. The touchscreen of claim 3 wherein the set of edge sensors are microelectromechanical sensors.

6. The touchscreen of claim 3 wherein the set of edge sensors are capacitive sensors.

7. The touchscreen of claim 6 wherein the capacitive sensors to include a tilt correction layer to minimize an effect on a tilt on an upper surface of the capacitive sensor.

8. The touchscreen of claim 1 wherein the set of electronics to filter and to compensate measurements of the set of edge sensors to create more accurate readings using an error correction module.

9. The touchscreen of claim 1 wherein the touchscreen is removable from the display area, such that the touchscreen can be placed on different display areas.

10. The touchscreen of claim 1 wherein the touchscreen to include a set of vibrating elements to provide a sensory feedback when the force is applied on the display area.

11. The touchscreen of claim 1 wherein the location of the force and the magnitude of the force is measurable even when applied in an area slightly outside the display area.

12. A method comprising:

capturing an observed measurement of a force from each of a set of edge sensors near the force; and

determining a location of a force and a magnitude of the force applied on a display area based on an algorithm that considers a reading of the force from each of the set of edge sensors near the force.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising

multiplying individual force reading of each of the set of edge sensors with a position on a plane of each of the set of edge sensors to calculate a number;

and

dividing the number by a sum of the individual force readings of all of the edge sensors to determine the location of the force.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the display area is a rectangular shape, and there is one edge sensor at each corner of the rectangular shape.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the set of edge sensors are piezo-resistive sensors.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the set of edge sensors are microelectromechanical sensors.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the set of edge sensors are capacitive sensors.

18. A system, comprising:

a touchscreen surface;

a base support surface;

a set of edge sensors between the touchscreen surface and the base support surface at corners of the surface to detect a force placed on the touchscreen; and

a set of electronics associated with the set of edge sensors to determine a location of a force and a magnitude of the force applied on the touchscreen surface using an algorithm that considers measurements the set of edge sensors.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the algorithm is a center of force algorithm that multiplies individual force reading of each of the set of edge sensors with a position on a plane of each of the set of edge sensors to calculate a number, and divides the number by a sum of the individual force readings of all of the edge sensors.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the set of electronics to filter and compensate measurements of the set of edge sensors to create more accurate readings using an error correction module.