Sensing structure and displayer comprising the same

• US 8,358,287 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Chuang, Kai-Cheng, Huang, Sung-Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMPSON, LIXI CHOW
• Application Number:
  US13/421,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A sensing structure and a displayer comprising the same are provided. The displayer further comprises a substrate and a panel disposed opposite to the substrate. The sensing structure comprises a plurality of sensing elements, a conductive assembly, and a process module. Each of the sensing elements has a position data corresponding to the panel. Every several adjacent ones of the sensing elements form a plurality of sensing areas. The process module is electrically connected to the sensing elements via the conductive assembly. Each of the sensing elements generates a touch voltage in response to a touch on the sensing areas. The process module receives the touch voltages, and calculates a touch position of the one touch corresponding to the panel according to the position data and the touch voltages.

Claims

1. A process module for use in a sensing structure of a displayer to determine at least one touch position in the displayer, the sensing structure having a plurality of sensing elements for forming a plurality of sensing areas, the process module comprising:

a transformation unit, being configured to receive touch voltages from the sensing elements and transform each of the touch voltages into a digital signal; and

a control unit, being electrically connected to the transformation unit and configured to select at least one selected area from the sensing areas in response to the digital signals and calculate the at least one touch position of the at least one selected area, wherein the at least one selected area is the one of the sensing areas having a peak voltage value, the peak voltage value is determining by;

calculating an area voltage value of each of the sensing areas, wherein the area voltage value is an average value of each touch voltage of each sensing element in each sensing area; and

selecting an adjacent sensing area with a greatest area voltage value from the sensing areas.

2. A sensing structure for use in a displayer having a panel to determine at least one touch position in the displayer, the sensing structure comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of sensing elements, disposed between the substrate and the panel for forming a plurality of sensing areas; and

a process module, electrically connected to the sensing elements, the process module comprising;

a transformation unit, being configured to receive touch voltages from the sensing elements and transform each of the touch voltages into a digital signal; and

a control unit, being electrically connected to the transformation unit and configured to select at least one selected area from the sensing areas in response to the digital signals and calculate the at least one touch position of the at least one selected area, wherein the at least one selected area is the one of the sensing areas having a peak voltage value, the peak voltage value is determining by;

calculating an area voltage value of each of the sensing areas, wherein the area voltage value is an average value of each touch voltage of each sensing element in each sensing area; and

selecting an adjacent sensing area with a greatest area voltage value from the sensing areas.

3. The sensing structure of claim 2, wherein each of the sensing elements generates the touch voltage in response to at least one touch on the sensing areas.

4. The sensing structure of claim 3, wherein the substrate has a substrate surface, the panel has a first surface opposite to the substrate surface and a second surface corresponding to the first surface, each sensing element comprising:

a stuff, being disposed on the first surface;

a strength concentrator; and

a strength sensor, being disposed on the substrate surface, and the stuff, the strength concentrator and the strength sensor stack between the first surface and the substrate surface.

5. The sensing structure of claim 4, wherein each sensing element has an identical height between the panel and the substrate by the corresponding stuff, the strength concentrator is configured to concentrate and conduct the touch to the strength sensor, the strength sensor is configured to generate the touch voltage in response to the touch.

6. The sensing structure of claim 4, wherein the material of the strength sensor is a Polymer.

7. The sensing structure of claim 4, wherein the material of the strength concentrator is a steel.

8. The sensing structure of claim 2, further comprising a spacer, the spacer being disposed between the panel and the substrate, so as to form a space being adapted to receive the sensing elements.

9. The sensing structure of claim 8, wherein the spacer is an elastic material.

10. A displayer, comprising:

a panel having a display medium layer and capable of displaying a frame; and

a sensing structure being disposed opposite to a viewing side of the panel, the sensing structure comprising;

a substrate;

a plurality of sensing elements, disposed between the substrate and the panel for forming a plurality of sensing areas; and

a process module, being electrically connected to the sensing elements;

wherein each of the sensing elements generates a touch voltage in response to at least one touch on the sensing areas, the process module is configured to receive the touch voltages, and calculate at least one touch position of the at least one touch opposite to the panel according to the touch voltages;

wherein the substrate has a substrate surface, the panel has a first surface opposite to the substrate surface and a second surface corresponding to the first surface, each sensing element comprising;

a stuff, being disposed on the first surface;

a strength concentrator; and

a strength sensor, being disposed on the substrate surface, and the stuff, the strength concentrator and the strength sensor stack between the first surface and the substrate surface.

11. The displayer of claim 10, wherein each sensing element has an identical height between the panel and the substrate by the corresponding stuff, the strength concentrator is configured to concentrate and conduct the touch to the strength sensor, the strength sensor is configured to generate the touch voltage in response to the touch.

12. The displayer of claim 10, wherein the material of the strength sensor is a Polymer.

13. The displayer of claim 10, wherein the material of the strength concentrator is a steel.

14. The displayer of claim 10, further comprising a spacer, the spacer being disposed between the panel and the substrate, so as to form a space being adapted to receive the sensing elements.

15. The displayer of claim 14, wherein the spacer is an elastic material.

16. The displayer of claim 10, wherein the process module comprises:

a transformation unit, being configured to receive the touch voltages and transform each of the touch voltages into a digital signal; and

a control unit, being electrically connected to the transformation unit, the control unit being configured to receive the digital signals and calculate the at least one touch position according to the digital signals.

17. The displayer of claim 16, wherein the control unit of the process module selects at least one selected area from the sensing areas in response to the digital signals and calculates the at least one touch position of the at least one selected area, the at least one selected area is the one of the sensing areas having a peak voltage value, the peak voltage value is determined by:

calculating an area voltage value of each of the sensing areas, wherein the area voltage value is an average value of each touch voltage of each sensing element in each sensing area; and

selecting an adjacent sensing area with a greatest area voltage value from the sensing areas.