Force sensor interface for touch controller
First Claim
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1. An interface for a touch controller comprising:
- a first portion disposed between a first touch component of the touch controller and a force sensor to drive the force sensor with a differential input formed from a stimulation signal and an inverted stimulation signal to sense an applied force; and
a second portion disposed between a second touch component of the touch controller and the force sensor to process a force signal from the force sensor indicative of the applied force.
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Abstract
A force sensor interface in a touch controller of a touch sensitive device is disclosed. The force sensor interface can couple to touch circuitry to integrate one or more force sensors with touch sensors of the device. The force sensor interface can include one portion to transmit stimulation signals generated by the touch circuitry to the force sensors to drive the sensors. The interface can also include another portion to receive force signals, indicative of a force applied to the device, from the force sensors for processing by the touch circuitry. The device can use the touch circuitry to concurrently and seamlessly operate both the force sensors and the touch sensors.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An interface for a touch controller comprising:
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a first portion disposed between a first touch component of the touch controller and a force sensor to drive the force sensor with a differential input formed from a stimulation signal and an inverted stimulation signal to sense an applied force; and a second portion disposed between a second touch component of the touch controller and the force sensor to process a force signal from the force sensor indicative of the applied force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An interface for a touch controller comprising:
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a first portion disposed between a first touch component of the touch controller and a force sensor to drive the force sensor to sense an applied force; and a second portion disposed between a second touch component of the touch controller and the force sensor to process a force signal from the force sensor indicative of the applied force, wherein the second portion comprises; an amplifier coupled to the force sensor and configured to amplify the force signal; and a mismatch circuit coupled to an output of the amplifier and the second touch component and configured to compensate for errors in an output signal value of the output, wherein the second touch component comprises a filter. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A touch controller comprising:
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a transmit section configured to drive a touch sensor with a stimulation signal; a receive section configured to process touch signals from the touch sensor in response to the stimulation signal; and an interface integrated within the transmit section and the receive section to couple a force sensor thereto and configured to send the stimulation signal to the force sensor to drive the force sensor and to receive force signals from the force sensor in response to the stimulation signal, wherein the transmit section drives the touch sensor and the force sensor concurrently and the receive section processes the touch signals and the force signals concurrently, wherein the force sensor comprises a strain gauge, and wherein the force signals indicate a change in resistance of the strain gauge. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An integrated touch and force sensing device comprising:
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at least one touch sensor that produces touch signals; at least one force sensor that produces force signals, wherein the force sensor comprises a force sensor bridge configured to generate the force signals based on a resistance change at the bridge; and a touch controller configured to integrally couple the touch sensor and the force sensor in the device, wherein the touch controller comprises; touch circuitry that produces a stimulation signal; and a signal path that conveys the stimulation signal to the touch sensor and the force sensor to produce the touch and force signals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for sensing a touch and a force at a touch sensitive device comprising:
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concurrently stimulating a touch sensor and a force sensor using touch circuitry; generating a touch signal by the touch sensor, indicative of a touch at the touch sensor, and a force signal by the force sensor, indicative of a force applied at the force sensor, wherein the force signal indicates a resistance change in the force sensor due to the force applied at the force sensor; scanning the touch sensor and the force sensor to capture the touch signal and the force signal respectively; summing the touch signal and the force signal; and processing the summed signal using the touch circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification