DEVICE AND METHOD FOR LOCALIZED FORCE SENSING

• US 20160077648A1
• Filed: 09/11/2014
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Hsieh, Lin-Hsiang
• Granted Patent: US 10,185,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447

Abstract

A device and method for operating a capacitive input device configured to sense input objects and their applied force in a sensing region includes a pliable component having an input surface and a first substrate including a first plurality of sensor electrodes. The device also includes a support substrate spaced apart from the pliable component; a second substrate having a second plurality of sensor electrodes and a plurality of apertures; and a spacing layer disposed between the pliable component and the support substrate and having a plurality of raised features aligned with and facing away from the apertures of the second substrate.

Claims

1. An input device for an electronic system, comprising:

a pliable component having;

i) an input surface; and

ii) a first substrate including a first plurality of sensor electrodes;

a support substrate spaced apart from the pliable component;

a second substrate having a second plurality of sensor electrodes and a plurality of apertures; and

a spacing layer disposed between the pliable component and the support substrate and having a plurality of raised features aligned with and facing away from the apertures of the second substrate.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the spacing layer is configured to locally deform in response to a force applied to the input surface.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein, in response to a force applied to the input surface, a portion of the spacing layer is deflected into a volume defined by an aperture of the second substrate.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of sensor electrodes is configured to detect positional information for input objects in a sensing region of the input device.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein a first subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes is disposed above a second subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes.

6. The input device of claim 5, wherein the first subset and the second subset are disposed on one of:

opposite sides of the first substrate; and

the same side of the first substrate.

7. The input device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of sensor electrodes and a second subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes are configured to detect force imparted to the input surface of the pliable component.

8. The input device of claim 5, wherein the second subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes is configured to electrically shield the second plurality of sensor electrodes from the first subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes.

9. The input device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures comprises a first array of regularly spaced apertures extending through the second substrate, and a first subset of the second plurality of sensor electrodes comprises a second array of electrodes extending along a first direction and interposed among the first array of apertures.

10. The input device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of raised features comprises substantially rigid nubs disposed in alignment with the first array of apertures.

11. The input device of claim 10, wherein the rigid nubs overlap the first array of apertures.

12. A processing system for use with an input device of the type including a pliable component having an input surface and a first plurality of sensor electrodes, a support substrate spaced apart from the pliable component, a second substrate having a second plurality of sensor electrodes and a plurality of apertures, a spacing layer disposed between the pliable component and the support substrate and having a plurality of raised features aligned with and facing away from the apertures of the second substrate, the processing system communicatively coupled to the first and second pluralities of sensor electrodes and configured to:

determine a first type of resulting signal from a first subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes, and a second type of resulting signal from the second plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the first type of resulting signal comprises effects of input objects proximate the input surface, and further wherein the second type of resulting signal comprises effects of a force applied to the input surface.

13. The processing system of claim 12, further configured to:

determine a proximity image and a force image from the first and second types of resulting signals; and

determine a user interface action based on at least one of the proximity image and the force image.

14. The processing system of claim 12, further configured to:

drive a sensing signal onto a second subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes;

receive the first type of resulting signal from the first subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes; and

receive the second type of resulting signal from the second plurality of sensor electrodes.

15. The processing system of claim 14, wherein the first type of resulting signal comprises effects of a capacitive coupling between the first and second subsets of the first plurality of sensor electrodes, and the second type of resulting signal comprises effects of a capacitive coupling between the second subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes and the second plurality of sensor electrodes.

16. The processing system of claim 14, wherein the second subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes is configured to electrically shield the second plurality of sensor electrodes from the first subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes.

17. An input device, comprising:

a pliable input surface;

a first substrate having a first plurality of sensor electrodes;

a second substrate having a second plurality of sensor electrodes and a plurality of apertures;

a spacing layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and having a plurality of raised features aligned with and facing away from the apertures of the second substrate; and

a processing system communicatively coupled to the first and second pluralities of sensor electrodes and configured to determine a first type of resulting signal from a first subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes, and a second type of resulting signal from the second plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein the first type of resulting signal comprises effects of input objects proximate the input surface, and the second type of resulting signal comprises effects of a force applied to the input surface.

18. The input device of claim 17, wherein, in response to a force applied to the input surface, the spacing layer locally deforms and a portion of the spacing layer is deflected into a volume defined by an aperture of the second substrate.

19. The input device of claim 17, wherein:

the plurality of apertures comprises a regularly spaced array of apertures extending through the second substrate;

a first subset of the second plurality of sensor electrodes comprises an array of electrodes extending along a first direction and interposed among the array of apertures; and

the second plurality of sensor electrodes comprises an array of electrodes extending along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

20. The input device of claim 17, wherein the processing system is configured to:

drive a sensing signal onto a second subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes;

receive the first type of resulting signal from the first subset of the first plurality of sensor electrodes; and

receive the second type of resulting signal from the second plurality of sensor electrodes.