TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY WITH DEPRESSION DETECTION AND METHOD

• US 20120068970A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Pemberton-Pigott, Nigel Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,223,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

A device includes a touch-sensitive display and a sensor configured to detect a force that results in depression of the touch-sensitive display. The sensor includes one or more wavelength selective optical carriers that carry optical signals. The force affects one or more optical paths of the optical signals.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a sensor configured to detect a force that results in depression of the touch-sensitive display, wherein the sensor comprises one or more optical carriers that carry optical signals, wherein the force affects one or more optical paths of the optical signals.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of wavelength selective optical carriers.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of wavelength selective optical carriers comprises one or more Bragg grating optical fibers.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of optical carriers.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of optical carriers are arranged in a non-linear path.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein at least two of the optical carriers cross one another.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one or more optical fibers.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a substantially planar material in which the optical carriers are integrated.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an optical fiber and a reference optical fiber, wherein the reference optical fiber carries a reference optical signal that is substantially unaffected by the force.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the force affects one or more of the optical signals by changing a phase of one or more of the optical signals.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the force lengthens one or more of the optical paths.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises one or more deflectors that affect one or more of the optical paths.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises one or more deflectors that deflect one or more of the optical carriers in response to the force.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed near the touch-sensitive display.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display is depressible.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed between a display and an overlay of the touch-sensitive display.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a sensor comprising a plurality of optical carriers that carry optical signals, wherein at least one of the optical signals is affected by a force exerted on the touch-sensitive display;

an optical emitter arranged to direct optical signals into the optical carriers;

an optical detector arranged to receive optical signals from the optical carriers and to convert the received optical signals into electrical signals;

a processor configured to receive the electrical signals and to detect variations in the electrical signals signifying force exerted on the touch-sensitive display.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein at least one of the optical carriers comprise wavelength selective optical carriers.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to indicate selection of a selection option when variations in the electrical signals meet a threshold.

20. A method comprising:

directing an optical signal into an optical carrier that is affected when force is exerted on a touch-sensitive display;

directing a reference optical signal through a reference optical carrier that is not affected when force is exerted on the touch-sensitive display;

when a difference between the optical signal and the reference optical signal meets a threshold, signifying force imparted on the touch-sensitive display.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the optical carrier and the reference optical carrier comprise wavelength selective optical carriers.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein comparing the optical signal to the reference signal comprises a comparison that is made over time.

23. A method comprising:

directing an optical signal into one or more optical carriers, wherein at least one of the one or more of the optical carriers is affected when a force meeting a threshold is exerted on the touch-sensitive display;

detecting depression of the touch-sensitive display based on signals from one or more of the optical carriers.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein detecting depression of the touch-sensitive display is based on differences between signals from the one or more of the optical carriers.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more of the optical carriers comprises a wavelength selective optical carrier.