3-D TOUCH SENSOR AND 3-D TOUCH PANEL

• US 20120293491A1
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Original Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
• Inventors: WANG, YUNG-CHEN, CHEN, TSUN-YI, CHEN, RONG-SHUN, LO, CHENG-YAO
• Application Number:
  US13/180,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• 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

Abstract

A 3-D touch panel includes a 3-D touch sensor, a capacitance sensing unit electrically connected to the 3-D touch sensor, and a processing unit electrically connected to capacitance sensing unit. The 3-D touch sensor includes a flexible substrate, a flexible plane, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The flexible plane is configured on the flexible substrate and used for a user to touch thereon. The first electrode and the second electrode are correspondingly and respectively configured on the flexible substrate and the flexible plane, and a capacitance is formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The capacitance sensing unit is used for sensing the value of the capacitance, and the processing unit calculates the shearing force, which the user applies on the flexible plane, according to the difference of the capacitance value.

Claims

1. A 3-D touch sensor, comprising:

a flexible substrate, having a first surface and a second surface relative to the first surface;

a flexible plane, configured on the flexible substrate, having a third surface faced to the flexible substrate and a contact surface relative to the third surface for a user to touch thereon;

a support structure, configured between the flexible plane and the flexible substrate for forming a space between the flexible plane and the flexible substrate;

a first electrode, configured on the first surface of the flexible substrate; and

a second electrode, configured on the third of the flexible plane relative to the first electrode, the polarity of the second electrode different to the polarity of the first electrode and a capacitance formed between the second electrode and the first electrode.

2. The 3-D touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are dislocated in arrangement.

3. The 3-D touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising a bump, configured on the contact surface of the flexible plane for assisting the user with a force parallel to the contact surface on the contact surface.

4. The 3-D touch sensor of claim 1, further comprising an insulation layer, configured on the third of the flexible plane, covering the second electrode.

5. The 3-D touch sensor of claim 4, wherein the flexible substrate, the flexible plane, the support structure and the insulation layer are made of transparent polymer materials.

6. The 3-D touch sensor of claim 5, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are made of transparent conductive films.

7. A 3-D touch panel, comprising:

a flexible substrate, having a first surface and a second surface relative to the first surface;

a flexible plane, configured on the flexible substrate, having a third surface faced to the flexible substrate and a contact surface relative to the third surface for a user to touch thereon;

a support structure, configured between the flexible plane and the flexible substrate for forming a space between the flexible plane and the flexible substrate;

a first electrode, configured on the first surface of the flexible substrate;

a second electrode, configured on the third of the flexible plane relative to the first electrode, the polarity of the second electrode different to the polarity of the first electrode and a first capacitance formed between the second electrode and the first electrode;

a capacitance sensing unit, electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, for sensing the value of the first capacitance; and

a processing unit, electrically connected to the capacitance sensing unit, calculating a shearing force parallel to the contact surface, which the user applies on the contact surface, according to the difference of the capacitance value and an algorithm.

8. The 3-D touch panel of claim 7, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are in a first dislocation arrangement.

9. The 3-D touch panel of claim 8, further comprising:

a third electrode, configured on the first surface of the flexible substrate; and

a fourth electrode, configured on the third surface of the flexible plane in a second dislocation arrangement relative to the third electrode, the polarity of the fourth electrode different to the polarity of the third electrode and a second capacitance formed between the fourth electrode and the third electrode.

10. The 3-D touch panel of claim 7, further comprising a bump, configured on the contact surface of the flexible plane for assisting the user with a force parallel to the contact surface on the contact surface.