Data input device
First Claim
1. A data input device comprising a film-based pressure sensor with an active zone, said pressure sensor comprising a first carrier film, a second carrier film and a spacer arranged between said first and second carrier films for keeping the first and second carrier films at a distance from one another, said spacer comprising an opening delimiting said active zone, said first carrier film having a first electrode applied thereon, said second carrier film having a second electrode applied thereon, said first and second electrodes facing each other in said active zone in such a way that, in response to a compressive force acting on the active zone, the first and second carrier films are pressed together and an electrical contact is established between the first and second electrodes;
- and a control circuit able to operate in at least a first and a second mode of operation, said control circuit being configured so as to measure, in said first mode of operation, a quantity indicative of electrical resistance between said first and second electrodes for detecting an amount of compressive force acting on the active zone and, in said second mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a capacitance of said first electrode for detecting a person or an object approaching thereto.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A data input device with a film-based pressure sensor including a first carrier film, a second carrier film and a spacer. The spacer has an opening delimiting an active zone, in which first and second electrodes are arranged such that, in response to a compressive force, an electrical contact is established. A control circuit able to operate in at least a first and a second mode is configured to measure, in the first mode a quantity indicative of electrical resistance and, in the second mode, a quantity indicative of a capacitance.
-
Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A data input device comprising a film-based pressure sensor with an active zone, said pressure sensor comprising a first carrier film, a second carrier film and a spacer arranged between said first and second carrier films for keeping the first and second carrier films at a distance from one another, said spacer comprising an opening delimiting said active zone, said first carrier film having a first electrode applied thereon, said second carrier film having a second electrode applied thereon, said first and second electrodes facing each other in said active zone in such a way that, in response to a compressive force acting on the active zone, the first and second carrier films are pressed together and an electrical contact is established between the first and second electrodes;
- and a control circuit able to operate in at least a first and a second mode of operation, said control circuit being configured so as to measure, in said first mode of operation, a quantity indicative of electrical resistance between said first and second electrodes for detecting an amount of compressive force acting on the active zone and, in said second mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a capacitance of said first electrode for detecting a person or an object approaching thereto.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- 14. A data input device comprising a film-based pressure sensor with an active zone, said pressure sensor comprising a first carrier film, a second carrier film and a spacer arranged between said first and second carrier films for keeping the first and second carrier films at a distance from one another, said spacer comprising an opening delimiting said active zone, said first carrier film having a first electrode and a second electrode applied thereon, said second carrier film having a third electrode applied thereon, said first and second electrodes facing said third electrode in said active zone in such a way that, in response to a compressive force acting on the active zone, the first and second carrier films are pressed together and an electrical contact is established between the first and second electrodes via said third electrode, and a control circuit able to operate in at least a first and a second mode of operation, said control circuit being configured so as to measure, in said first mode of operation, a quantity indicative of electrical resistance between said first and second electrodes for detecting an amount of compressive force acting on the active zone and, in said second mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a capacitance of at least one of said first, second and third electrodes for detecting a person or an object approaching thereto.
-
30. A data input device comprising a film-based position sensor with an active zone, said position sensor comprising a first carrier film, a second carrier film and a spacer arranged between said first and second carrier films for keeping the first and second carrier films at a distance from one another, said spacer comprising an opening delimiting said active zone, said first carrier film having a first electrode and a second electrode applied thereon, said second carrier film having a third electrode applied thereon, said first electrode including a series of resistively connected first conductors, said third electrode facing said first electrode and said second electrode in said active zone in such a way that, in response to a compressive force acting on the active zone, the first and second carrier films are pressed together and an electrical contact is established between one or more of said first conductors and said second electrode via said third electrode;
- and a control circuit able to operate in at least a first and a second mode of operation, said control circuit being configured so as to measure, in said first mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a position of resistive coupling between said first electrode and said second electrode for detecting a position of a compressive force acting on the active zone and, in said second mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a position of capacitive coupling between said first electrode and said second electrode for detecting a position of a person or an object approaching to said data input device.
- View Dependent Claims (31)
-
32. A data input device comprising a film-based position sensor with a plurality of active zones, said position sensor comprising a first carrier film, a second carrier film and a spacer arranged between said first and second carrier films for keeping the first and second carrier films at a distance from one another, said spacer comprising at least one opening delimiting said active zones, said first carrier film having a first electrode and a second electrode applied thereon in each one of said active zones, said second carrier film having a third electrode applied thereon in each one of said active zones, each first electrode including a series of resistively connected first conductors, each third electrode facing a respective first electrode and a respective second electrode in a respective active zone in such a way that, in response to a compressive force acting on at least one of said active zones, the first and second carrier films are pressed together and an electrical contact is established between one or more of the first conductors of the first electrode of the at least one of said active zones on which the compressive force acts and a respective second electrode via a respective third electrode;
- and a control circuit able to operate in at least a first and a second mode of operation, said control circuit being configured so as to measure, in said first mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a position in two dimensions of resistive coupling between said first electrode and said second electrode for detecting a position in two dimensions of a compressive force acting on at least one of the active zones and, in said second mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a position of capacitive coupling between said first electrode and said second electrode for detecting a position of a person or an object approaching to said data input device.
-
33. A data input device including a film-based pressure sensor, the pressure sensor comprising an active zone, a first carrier film, a second carrier film and a spacer arranged between the carrier films for keeping them at a distance from one another, the spacer having an opening delimiting said active zone, in which a first and a second electrodes are arranged in such a way that, in response to a compressive force acting on the active zone, an electrical contact is established between the first and second electrodes, control circuit able to operate in at least a first and a second mode of operation, said control circuit being configured so as to measure, in the first mode of operation, a quantity indicative of electrical resistance between the first and second electrodes for detecting an amount or a position of a compressive force acting on the active zone and, in the second mode of operation, a quantity indicative of a capacitance for detecting a person or an object approaching thereto.
Specification