Touch sensitive apparatus

• US 20090267906A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Schroderus, Osmo
• Application Number:
  US12/150,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267906A1
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

An apparatus includes a touch sensitive input panel operable to detect a location of a touch input and a pressure pad arranged to detect a force due to the touch input.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a touch sensitive input panel operable to detect a location of a touch input and a pressure pad arranged to detect a force due to the touch input.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive input panel is transparent and the apparatus further comprises a display panel, a display surface of the display panel being visible through the touch sensitive input panel.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressure pad comprises a tube, the tube being connected to a pressure sensor for detecting pressure of gas within the tube.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pressure sensor is in communication with a processor, the processor being arranged to determine the force due to the touch input based at least partly on the detected pressure.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processor is arranged to register the touch input if the detected force exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the touch sensitive panel is in communication with the processor and the processor is arranged to determine a location of the touch input.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor is arranged to register the touch input if the detected force exceeds a predetermined threshold and the location of the touch input corresponds to an option displayed on the display surface.

8. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressure pad is interposed between the touch sensitive input panel and the display panel.

9. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display panel is interposed between the touch sensitive panel and the pressure pad.

10. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tube is arranged around a perimeter portion of the display panel.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the tube is arranged around a perimeter portion of the display surface;

the pressure pad further comprises first and second extension members, the first extension member extending from the tube in a direction perpendicular to the display surface and the second extension member extending from an end of the first extension member in a direction parallel to the display panel surface, the tube and the first and second extension members forming a recess parallel to the display surface; and

an edge of the touch sensitive panel is provided within the recess.

12. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tube comprises a soft elastomer.

13. A method comprising:

detecting a force of a received touch input;

determining if the force is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

if the force is greater than a predetermined threshold, registering the input.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein detecting the force comprises detecting a pressure change of gas within a pressure pad, the pressure change being due to the received touch input.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

determining a location of the touch input;

determining if the location of the touch input corresponds to a selectable option; and

only if the location of the touch input corresponds to a selectable option and the force is greater than a predetermined threshold, registering the input.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein registering the input comprises altering a display based at least partly on the selectable option.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein determining if the force is greater than a predetermined threshold comprises determining if the force is greater than one or more predetermined thresholds.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein registering the input comprises altering a display based at least partly on which of the one or more predetermined thresholds the force exceeds.

19. Machine-readable instructions which when executed by computer apparatus control it to perform the method of claim 13.

20. Computer-readable media having stored thereon machine readable instructions which when executed by computer apparatus control it to perform the method of claim 13.

21. A method comprising:

providing a display panel, a touch sensitive panel, and a tube, a first end of the tube being sealed and a second end being open;

fixing the tube to display panel;

fixing the touch sensitive panel to the tube or the display panel;

attaching, in a sealed connection, a pressure sensor to the second end of the tube.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein fixing the tube to the display panel comprises fixing a first outer surface of the tube to a display surface of the display panel.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein fixing the touch sensitive panel comprises fixing the touch sensitive panel to a second outer surface of the tube, the second outer surface being opposite the first outer surface.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein fixing the tube to the display panel comprises fixing the tube to a surface opposite a display surface of the display panel.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein fixing the touch sensitive panel comprises fixing the touch sensitive panel to the display surface of the display panel.