INTERFACE APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20160041652A1
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• 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: Bao, Zhenan, Tee, Chee-Keong, Mannsfeld, Stefan Christian Bernhardt, Opatkiewicz, Justin P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,677,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/148 using semiconductive material, e.g. silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: H01L 29/84 controllable by variation of applied mechanical force, e.g. of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/464 Lateral top-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/623 containing five rings, e.g. pentacene
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Input devices are provided. In accordance with an example embodiment, an input device includes an interface layer that flexes in response to pressure, a plurality of sense electrodes, a dielectric between the sense electrodes and the interface layer, and interconnecting circuitry. The dielectric compresses or expands in response to movement of the interface layer, and exhibits dielectric characteristics that vary based upon a state of compression of the dielectric. The interconnecting circuitry is to the sense electrodes and provides an output indicative of both the position of each sense electrode and an electric characteristic at each sense electrode that provides an indication of pressure applied to the dielectric adjacent the respective sense electrodes.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an interface layer configured and arranged to flex in response to an input signal presented to the interface in the form of pressure;

a dielectric structure including an elastomeric material that is configured and arranged to exhibit a first dielectric constant and, in response to the pressure, to compress and thereby exhibit a changed dielectric constant corresponding to a state of compression of the elastomeric material; and

a sense circuit configured and arranged to respond to the change in dielectric constant by providing an indication of the pressure applied to the dielectric.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sense circuit includes a plurality of sense electrodes, each sense electrode being configured and arranged to respond to a change in the dielectric constant of a portion of the elastomeric material immediately adjacent the sense electrode, relative to portions of the elastomeric material adjacent other sense electrodes, therein providing an indication of both a pressure applied to the interface layer and a position of the applied pressure on the interface layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material is configured and arranged to compress by compressing negatively and therein expanding in response to a drop in pressure applied to the interface layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first dielectric constant corresponds to a dielectric constant of the elastomeric material in an uncompressed state.

5. The apparatus of claim 1,

further including at least one electrode configured and arranged to apply a fringing-field capacitance to the sense circuit via the dielectric structure,

wherein the sense circuit is configured and arranged to generate an electrical output based on the fringing-field capacitance applied thereto.