Touch screen with rotationally isolated force sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device for determining the location of a touch on a touch screen, comprising:
- a flexible touch member movable in response to the touch;
a support structure;
a plurality of sensor units coupled between the support structure and the touch member at respective sensor regions of the touch member, each sensor unit measuring a signal indicative of a force due to the touch that is passed through each respective sensor region, wherein the signal measurements by each sensor unit are used to determine a position of the touch on the touch screen, and at least a first sensor unit of the plurality of force sensor units being arranged so that twisting of one of the touch member and the support structure passes substantially no moment through the first sensor unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A touch screen uses one or more force sensors to determine location of the touch on the screen. Bending or twisting of the touch screen overlay, or of the support structure upon which the touch screen is mounted, may result in the detection of undesirable forces by force sensors. These undesirable forces may distort the measurement of the location of the touch on the screen. The force sensor is arranged to reduce the effects of flexure on the determination of the location of the touch. For example, a rotational softener, such as a rotational bearing or a pliable material may be included with the force sensor.
153 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A device for determining the location of a touch on a touch screen, comprising:
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a flexible touch member movable in response to the touch; a support structure; a plurality of sensor units coupled between the support structure and the touch member at respective sensor regions of the touch member, each sensor unit measuring a signal indicative of a force due to the touch that is passed through each respective sensor region, wherein the signal measurements by each sensor unit are used to determine a position of the touch on the touch screen, and at least a first sensor unit of the plurality of force sensor units being arranged so that twisting of one of the touch member and the support structure passes substantially no moment through the first sensor unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of locating a touch on a flexible touch surface, comprising:
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measuring a signal indicative of a force passing through a sensor unit due the touch while isolating a twisting moment of one of the touch surface and a support structure from the other of the touch surface and the support structure; and determining the location of the touch on the touch surface using the measured signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A touch sensitive device for locating the position of a touch force, comprising;
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a flexible touch member; means for measuring signals indicative of forces passing through sensor regions arising from displacement of the touch member relative to a support due to the touch force; means for isolating a twisting moment at the sensor regions of one of the touch member and the support from the other of the touch member and the support; and means for determining the position of the touch force on the touch member based on the measured signals.
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38. A touch sensitive device for locating the position of a touch, comprising:
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a flexible touch member movable in response to an applied force; a support structure; a plurality of sensor units coupled between the support structure and the touch member at respective sensor regions of the touch member, the sensor units measuring a signal indicative of a force due to the touch that is passed through the sensor regions, wherein the signal measurements by the sensor units are used to determine a position of the touch on the touch screen, and wherein substantially the same relative pattern of internal stresses being developed in a first sensor unit of the plurality of sensor units irrespective of a location of the touch upon the touch member. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification