ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, PRESSURE DETECTING METHOD AND PRESSURE DETECTING DEVICE

• US 20120313872A1
• Filed: 06/05/2012
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: ZHANG, Wei, XU, Jian, LI, Dan
• Application Number:
  US13/488,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313872A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

The present invention provides electronic equipment, pressure detecting method and pressure detecting device. The electronic equipment comprises: a horizontal pressure detecting device arranged at the periphery of the touch screen to detect the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction and generate a horizontal pressure signal; and a pressure processing unit to determine the direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction according to the horizontal pressure signal generated by the horizontal pressure detecting device. The direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen may be determined by the embodiments of the present invention, and the precision of detection is high, the manufacture is simple, and the cost is low.

Claims

1. Electronic equipment, comprising a touch screen, and the electronic equipment further comprising:

a horizontal pressure detecting device arranged at the periphery of the touch screen configured to detect pressure applied to the touch screen in the relatively horizontal direction and generate a horizontal pressure signal; and

a pressure processing unit configured to determine the direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction according to the horizontal pressure signal generated by the horizontal pressure detecting device;

wherein the pressure detecting device comprises;

an isolation layer arranged at the edge of the touch screen, touch points arranged on the isolation layer, and a conductive layer arranged opposite to the isolation layer;

wherein the touch points are movable in the horizontal direction, and are configured such that when in touch with the conductive layer a horizontal pressure signal is generated.

2. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein the touch points are multiple, and the distances from at least two touch points to the conductive layer absent pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction are different.

3. The electronic equipment according to claim 2, wherein the pressure processing unit comprises:

a position determining unit configured to determine the positions of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer according to the horizontal pressure signal; and

a direction determining unit configured to determine the direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction according to the positions of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer.

4. The electronic equipment according to claim 3, wherein the pressure processing unit further comprises:

a number determining unit to determine the number of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer according to the horizontal pressure signal; and

a level determining unit configured to determine the level of the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction according to the number of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer.

5. The electronic equipment according to claim 2, wherein the distances from the touch points to the conductive layer are between 0.01 millimeter and 0.1 millimeter.

6. The electronic equipment according to claim 2, wherein the horizontal pressure detecting device further comprises:

point gaskets arranged on the isolation layer and in touch with the conductive layer spacing apart and supporting the isolation layer and the conductive layer.

7. The electronic equipment according to claim 6, wherein the point gaskets are arranged spaced apart from the touch points.

8. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein the electronic equipment further comprises:

a vertical pressure detecting device arranged below the touch screen to detect the pressure applied to the touch screen in the vertical direction and generate a vertical pressure signal; and

the pressure processing unit is further configured to determine the level and direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen according to the horizontal pressure signal generated by the horizontal pressure detecting device and the vertical pressure signal generated by the vertical pressure detecting device.

9. A pressure detecting method, applicable to a touch screen, the pressure detecting method comprising:

a horizontal pressure detecting step;

generating a horizontal pressure signal by touch points moving in the horizontal direction and in touch with a conductive layer, the touch point being arranged on an isolation layer at the periphery of the touch screen; and

a pressure determining step;

determining the direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction according to the horizontal pressure signal.

10. The pressure detecting method according to claim 9, wherein the touch points are multiple, and the distances from at least two touch points to the conductive layer are different.

11. The pressure detecting method according to claim 10, wherein the pressure determining step specifically comprises:

a position determining step;

determining the positions of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer according to the horizontal pressure signal; and

a direction determining step;

determining the direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction according to the positions of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer.

12. The pressure detecting method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

a number determining step;

determining the number of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer according to the horizontal pressure signal; and

a level determining step;

determining the level of the pressure applied to the touch screen in the horizontal direction according to the number of the touch points in touch with the conductive layer.

13. The pressure detecting method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

a vertical pressure detecting step;

detecting the pressure applied to the touch screen in the vertical direction and generating a vertical pressure signal;

and the pressure determining step further comprises;

determining the level and direction of the pressure applied to the touch screen according to the horizontal pressure signal and the vertical pressure signal.

14. A pressure detecting device arranged at the periphery of a touch screen, the pressure detecting device comprising:

an isolation layer arranged at the edge of the touch screen;

touch points arranged on the isolation layer and movable in the horizontal direction; and

a conductive layer arranged opposite to the isolation layer, which generates an electrical signal when in touch with the touch points.

15. The pressure detecting device according to claim 14, wherein the touch points are multiple, and the distances from at least two touch points to the conductive layer are different.

16. The pressure detecting device according to claim 15, wherein the distances from the touch points to the conductive layer are between 0.01 millimeter and 0.1 millimeter.

17. The pressure detecting device according to claim 15, wherein the pressure detecting device further comprises:

point gaskets arranged on the isolation layer and in touch with the conductive layer to space apart and support the isolation layer and the conductive layer.

18. The pressure detecting device according to claim 17, wherein the point gaskets are arranged spaced apart from the touch points.