METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING TOUCH

• US 20140362013A1
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Inventors: Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T., Nikoozadeh, Amin
• Granted Patent: US 9,678,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards methods, systems, and apparatuses that include a pressure-sensor arrangement including a plate structure and a plurality or array of pressure-sensor cells. Additionally, the methods, systems, and apparatuses include integrated circuitry communicatively coupled to the pressure-sensor arrangement that senses pressure changes exhibited by changes in capacitance or vibrational characteristics.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a pressure-sensor arrangement including a plate structure and a plurality or array of pressure-sensor cells;

integrated circuitry communicatively coupled to the pressure-sensor arrangement and configured and arranged to sense pressure changes exhibited by changes in capacitance, the integrated circuitry including separate signal paths for each of the plurality or array of pressure-sensor cells; and

the plurality of pressure-sensor cells and the plate structure being configured and arranged to provide different changes in capacitance, via the separate signal paths, in response to a touch event at or near the plate structure as caused by a single touch implement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensor arrangement is configured and arranged to include at least three pressure-sensor cells wherein the separate signal paths for each of the respective pressure-sensor cells provides an indication of a change in pressure in response to the touch event at or near the plate structure as caused by the single touch implement.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is a finger, and the pressure-sensor arrangement is configured and arranged to include at least several pressure-sensor cells wherein the separate signal paths for each of the respective pressure-sensor cells provides an indication of a change in pressure in response to the touch event at or near the plate structure in order to sense a plurality of ridges in the finger.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further including a touch screen in which the plate structure is further configured and arranged to deflect in response to the touch event.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further including a touch screen in which the plate structure is further configured and arranged to deflect in response to the touch event and to detect sufficient ridges in a fingerprint for differentiating between ridge spacing along at least one direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, further including a touch screen in which the plate structure is further configured and arranged to deflect in response to the touch event and to detect sufficient ridges in a fingerprint for differentiating between ridge spacing along at least two directions.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is a stylus having a plurality of surface irregularities at the tip of the stylus, and wherein the pressure-sensor arrangement is configured and arranged with the separate signal paths so that each of the respective pressure-sensor cells provides an indication of a change in pressure in response to the touch event at or near the plate structure in order to sense different ones of the plurality of surface irregularities.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is a finger of a user, and the changes in capacitance are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is a finger of a user, and the changes in capacitance are indicative of blood flow of the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is a finger of a user, and the changes in capacitance are indicative of tracks of blood vessels of the finger.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is a finger of a user, and the changes in capacitance are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user, and the integrated circuitry is further configured and arranged to confirm identity of the user based on at least one of the heart rate, the breathing rate and the temperature of the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a touch surface provided over the plurality of pressure-sensor cells and the plate structure, the touch surface being provided across an area at least sufficient to allow a single touch implement, such as multiple fingers or a user'"'"'s palm, to contact the touch surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is at least one finger of a user, and the changes in capacitance are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user, and the integrated circuitry is further configured and arranged to confirm identity of the user based on at least one of the heart rate, the breathing rate and the temperature of the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single touch implement is a user'"'"'s palm, and the changes in capacitance are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user, and the integrated circuitry is further configured and arranged to confirm identity of the user based on at least one of the heart rate, the breathing rate and the temperature of the user.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a pressure-sensor arrangement including a plate structure and a plurality or array of pressure-sensor cells;

integrated circuitry communicatively coupled to the pressure-sensor arrangement and configured and arranged to sense pressure changes exhibited by changes in vibration characteristics, the integrated circuitry including separate signal paths for each of the plurality or array of pressure-sensor cells; and

the plurality of pressure-sensor cells and the plate structure being configured and arranged to provide different changes in vibration characteristics, via the separate signal paths, in response to a touch event at or near the plate structure as caused by a single touch implement.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the single touch implement is a finger of a user, and the changes in vibration characteristics are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user, and the integrated circuitry is further configured and arranged to confirm identity of the user based on at least one of the heart rate, the breathing rate and the temperature of the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the single touch implement is at least one finger of a user, and the changes in vibration characteristics are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user, and the integrated circuitry is further configured and arranged to confirm identity of the user based on at least one of the heart rate, the breathing rate and the temperature of the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the single touch implement is a user'"'"'s palm, and the changes in vibration characteristics are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user, and the integrated circuitry is further configured and arranged to confirm identity of the user based on at least one of the heart rate, the breathing rate and the temperature of the user.

19. A method comprising:

providing a pressure-sensor arrangement including a plate structure and a plurality or array of pressure-sensor cells;

providing integrated circuitry communicatively coupled to the pressure-sensor arrangement and configured and arranged to sense pressure changes exhibited by changes in capacitance or vibration characteristics, the integrated circuitry including separate signal paths for each of the plurality or array of pressure-sensor cells; and

in response to a touch event at or near the plate structure as caused by a single touch implement, determining different changes in capacitance or vibration characteristics, via the separate signal paths and the plurality of pressure-sensor cells and the plate structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the single touch implement is at least one finger of a user, and the changes in vibration characteristics are indicative of one or more of heart rate, breathing rate and temperature of the user, and the integrated circuitry is further configured and arranged to confirm identity of the user based on at least one of the heart rate, the breathing rate and the temperature of the user.