ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY

• US 20130016059A1
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: LOWLES, Robert James, GOLOVCHENKO, Mykola, STACY, William Turlay
• Application Number:
  US13/180,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20130016059A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

A device includes a substrate having a first side and second side, a first set of touch-sensing electrodes disposed on the first side of the substrate, a force-sensing electrode disposed on the second side of the substrate, and a display including a ground shield. A change in capacitance between the force sensing electrode and the ground shield is utilized to determine a value related to a force imparted on the device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first set of touch-sensing electrodes disposed on the first side of the substrate;

a force-sensing electrode disposed on the second side of the substrate;

a display including a ground shield,

wherein a change in capacitance between the force sensing electrode and the ground shield is utilized to determine a value related to a force imparted on the device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the ground shield is spaced from the force-sensing electrode.

3. The device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of force-sensing electrodes disposed on the second side of the substrate.

4. The device according to claim 1, comprising a cover and a second set of touch-sensing electrodes disposed on a side of the cover, wherein the first set of touch-sensing electrodes and the second set of touch-sensing electrodes are utilized to determine a location of a touch on the cover.

5. The device according to claim 1, comprising a cover and a second set of touch-sensing electrodes disposed on a side of the cover and separated from the first set of touch-sensing electrodes.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the second set of touch-sensing electrodes are separated from the first set of touch-sensing electrodes by a dielectric adhesive.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a change in capacitance between the force sensing electrode and the ground shield is utilized to determine a value related to a force causing bending of the substrate.

8. The device according to claim 1, comprising a cover disposed on the substrate, wherein a change in capacitance between the force sensing electrode and the ground shield is utilized to determine a value related to a force causing bending of the cover and the substrate.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is supported at sides thereof to inhibit movement of the sides toward the display when a force is imparted on the device.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensing electrodes are electrodes of a capacitive touch sensor.