Method and apparatus for sensing utilizing tiles

• US 20120086659A1
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York University, Tactonic Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: New York University & Tactonic Technologies
• Inventors: Perlin, Kenneth, Hendee, Charles, Grau, Alex, Seidman, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• 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 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• 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 2203/04113 Peripheral electrode pattern in resistive digitisers, i.e. electrodes at the periphery of the resistive sheet are shaped in patterns enhancing linearity of induced field
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

An apparatus for sensing includes a computer. The apparatus includes one or more individual sensing tiles in communication with the computer that form a sensor surface that detects force applied to the surface and provides a signal corresponding to the force to the computer which produces from the signal a time varying continuous image of force applied to the surface, where the surface is contiguous, and detected force can be sensed in a manner that is geometrically continuous and seamless on a surface. A method for determining locations of tiles of a sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing comprising:

a computer; and

one or more individual sensing tiles in communication with the computer that form a sensor surface that detects force applied to the surface and provides a signal corresponding to the force to the computer which produces from the signal a time varying continuous image of force applied to the surface, where the surface is contiguous, and detected force can be sensed in a manner that is geometrically continuous and seamless on a surface.

2. A sensor comprising:

a grid of wires that define intersections and areas of space between the wires;

a set of protrusions that are in contact with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires, and an outer layer that is disposed atop the set of protrusions, so that force on to the outer surface of this outer layer is transmitted through the protrusions, and thence to the intersections; and

a computer in communication with the grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

3. The sensor of claim 2 including a force resistive material in proximity to a plurality of the intersections of the grid of wires.

4. The sensor of claim 3 wherein the force resistive material is disposed only in proximity to a plurality of the intersections of the grid of wires and in spaced relationship.

5. A sensor comprising:

a computer having N dual analog/digital I/O pins and M digital I/O pins for data, where M and N are positive integers greater than three; and

a pressure sensing array having N rows and M columns, with the N I/O pins in communication with the N rows and up to M columns in communication with the M I/O pins without using any transistors or other switchable electronic components outside of the computer.

6. A method for determining locations of tiles of a sensor comprising the steps of:

sending a query signal from a computer to at least a plurality of the tiles in communication with the computer asking each of the plurality of tiles to identify at least one adjacent tile with which the tile is in electrical communication;

receiving by the computer responses to the query from the plurality of tiles; and

forming with the computer from the responses a geometric map of the tiles'"'"' locations relative to each other.

7. A method for sensing comprising:

detecting a force applied to a sensor surface formed of two or more individual sensing tiles from an object moving across the surface where the surface is contiguous, detected force can be sensed in a manner that is geometrically continuous and seamless on a surface;

providing a signal corresponding to the force to a computer from the tiles in communication with the computer; and

producing with the computer from the signal a time varying continuous image of force applied to the surface.

8. The method of claim 7 including the step of connecting an additional tile to at least one of the two tiles to expand the size of the sensor surface, where the surface includes the additional tile and is contiguous, and detected force can be sensed in a manner that is geometrically continuous and seamless on a surface.

21. The method of claim 7 including the step of imparting force to a top of a mechanical layer that is transmitted through at least one intersection of a plurality of intersections, and thence to at least one protrusion of a set of protrusions in contact with at least one of the intersections, where the intersections are defined by a grid of wires and areas of space between the wires, and the mechanical layer has a plurality of plates that are disposed atop the grid of wires.

22. The method of claim 7 including the step of imparting force to a top of a mechanical layer that is transmitted through at least one protrusion of a set of protrusions to at least one intersection of a plurality of intersections, where the intersections are defined by a grid of wires and areas of space between the wires, and the mechanical layer has a plurality of plates that are disposed atop the grid of wires.

9. A method for sensing comprising the steps of:

imparting a force to a top of a mechanical layer that is transmitted through to intersections defined by a grid of wires having areas of space between the wires;

causing prompting signals with a computer in communication with the grid to be sent to the grid; and

reconstructing with the computer a continuous position of the force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

10. A sensor comprising:

a grid of wires that define intersections and areas of space between the wires;

a set of protrusions that engage with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires, and an outer surface layer having an inner face that is in juxtaposition with the set of protrusions and an outer face, so that force imparted to the outer face of the outer surface layer is transmitted through the inner face of the outer surface layer to the protrusions and the plurality of intersections; and

a computer in communication with the grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs an anti-aliased image of force upon the outer face of the outer surface layer from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

11. The sensor of claim 10 wherein the outer surface layer is a mechanical layer, and the set of protrusions are disposed between the grid of wires and the mechanical layer.

12. The sensor of claim 10 wherein the grid of wires is disposed between the set of protrusions and the outer surface layer.

13. A method for sensing comprising the steps of:

imparting a force to an outer face of an outer surface layer that is transmitted through an inner face of the outer surface layer to a set of protrusions and a plurality of intersections defined by a grid of wires having areas of space between the wires;

causing prompting signals with a computer in communication with the grid to be sent to the grid; and

reconstructing with the computer an anti-aliased image of the force on the outer face of the outer surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

14. A sensor comprising:

a grid of wires that define intersections and areas of space between the wires;

a set of protrusions that are in contact with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires, and an outer surface layer having an inner face that is disposed in contact with the grid of wires and an outer face, so that force imparted onto the outer face of the outer surface layer is transmitted through the inner face of the outer surface layer to the protrusions, and thence to the intersections of the grid wires which are thereby compressed between the outer surface layer and protrusions; and

that the protrusions thereby focus the imparted force directly onto the intersections; and

a computer in communication with the grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs an anti-aliased image of force upon the outer face of outer surface layer from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

15. A sensor comprising:

a grid of wires that define intersections and areas of space between the wires;

a set of protrusions that are in contact with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires, and a layer having a plurality of plates that is disposed atop the grid of wires, so that force imparted to the top of the layer is transmitted through the intersections, and thence to the protrusions; and

a computer in communication with the grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

16. The sensor of claim 15 wherein the plate layer includes a flexible touch layer disposed on the plurality of plates.

17. The sensor of claim 16 wherein each plate has corners that are aligned over a corresponding protrusion'"'"'s outer face.

18. A sensor comprising:

a grid of wires that define intersections and areas of space between the wires;

a set of protrusions that are in contact with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires;

a plate layer having a plurality of plates that is disposed atop the grid of wires;

a flexible touch layer disposed on the plate layer, wherein force imparted to the touch layer is transmitted through the plate layer and at least one protrusion to the intersections; and

a computer in communication with the grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

19. A sensor comprising:

a grid of wires that define intersections and areas of space between the wires;

a set of protrusions that are in contact with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires;

a plate layer having a plurality of plates that is disposed atop the grid of wires;

a flexible touch layer disposed on the plate layer, wherein force imparted to the touch layer is transmitted through the plate layer to the intersections layer, and thence to the protrusions; and

a computer in communication with the grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.

20. A sensor comprising:

a set of protrusions that are in contact from the bottom with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires, and a set of plates that are in contact from the top with a plurality of intersections of the grid of wires, and a top surface layer that is disposed atop the set of plates, so that force imparted from above onto the top surface layer is transmitted to the plates, and thence to the intersections of the grid wires, and thence the protrusions, which are thereby compressed between the plates and protrusions; and

that the protrusions underneath thereby focus the imparted force directly onto the sensor intersections; and

a computer in communication with the sensor grid which causes prompting signals to be sent to the grid and reconstructs a continuous position of force on the surface from interpolation based on data signals received from the grid.