Force imaging input device and system

• US 9,069,404 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hotelling, Steven P., Huppi, Brian Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US12/471,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Abstract

A force imaging touch pad includes first and second sets of conductive traces separated by a spring membrane. When a force is applied, the spring membrane deforms moving the two sets of traces closer together. The resulting change in mutual capacitance is used to generate an image indicative of the amount or intensity of the applied force. A combined location and force imaging touch pad includes two sets of drive traces, one set of sense traces and a spring membrane. In operation, one of the drive traces is used in combination with the set of sense traces to generate an image of where one or more objects touch the touch pad. The second set of drive traces is used in combination with the sense traces and spring membrane to generate an image of the applied force'"'"'s strength or intensity.

Claims

1. A location and force imaging system comprising:

a first member that receives a force input on a first surface and that includes a first conductive element configured for receiving first drive signals for detecting a location of the force input; and

a second member including a second conductive element configured for receiving second drive signals for detecting an intensity of the force input, the second member spatially separated from the first member through a mechanism by which the first and second members are brought into closer proximity when the force input is received by the first surface;

wherein the first and second conductive elements are configured for generating information associated with an image of the intensity of the force input and an image of the location of the force input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first conductive element includes a first plurality of conductive traces.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second conductive element includes a second plurality of conductive traces.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a deformable member disposed between the first member and the second member, wherein the deformable member provides the mechanism by which the first and second members are brought into closer proximity when the force input is received by the first surface.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the deformable member includes a dielectric membrane.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sense traces for sensing the location of the force input and the intensity of the force input.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a base layer adjacent to the second member.

8. The system of claim 1, the mechanism comprising a deformable dielectric membrane disposed at least partially between and contacting at least a portion of the first and second members.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured for receiving the information and computing the images of the intensity and location of the force input, and transmitting signals representing the images of the intensity and location of the force input.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a host processor that receives the signals and performs command and control actions based on the images of the intensity and location of the force input.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the command and control actions include selecting an object displayed on a display unit.