Input device and electronic apparatus using the same

• US 9,223,421 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takashima, Kouichiro, Kayama, Shun, Tomita, Minoru, Shimizu, Yukiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US12/396,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96062 with tactile or haptic feedback

Abstract

An input device includes an input-sensing unit that contains a capacitive input sensor and a sensitivity-sensing unit that contains a capacitive sensitivity sensor. The input-sensing unit senses position information obtained by touch operation of an operation body to the capacitive input sensor. The sensitivity-sensing unit senses sensitivity information obtained by touch operation of the operation body to the capacitive sensitivity sensor. The input device includes a control unit determining whether or not the output level of the position information from the input-sensing unit is adjusted based on the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit and a sensitivity-adjusting unit that adjusts an output level of the position information from the input-sensing unit based on a result of the determination of the control unit. The control unit controls the sensitivity-adjusting unit to adjust the output level of the position information received from the input-sensing unit.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an input-sensing unit that contains a capacitive input sensor, the input-sensing unit sensing position information obtained by touch operation of an operation body to the capacitive input sensor and outputting the position information;

a sensitivity-sensing unit that contains a capacitive sensitivity sensor, the sensitivity-sensing unit sensing sensitivity information obtained by the touch operation of the operation body to the capacitive sensitivity sensor and outputting the sensitivity information, wherein the position information is independent from the sensitivity information;

a control unit that receives the position information from the input-sensing unit and receives the sensitivity information from the sensitivity-sensing unit, the control unit determining whether or not an amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit is adjusted based on the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit, and when the control unit determines that the amplitude of the output of the position information is to be adjusted based on the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit, the control unit generates adjustment data and transmits the adjustment data to a sensitivity adjusting unit; and

the sensitivity-adjusting unit that adjusts the amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit based on the adjustment data received from the control unit,

wherein the control unit controls the sensitivity-adjusting unit to adjust the amplitude of the output of the position information received from the input-sensing unit, and

wherein the control unit generates adjustment information for increasing the amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit if the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit is compared with a predetermined threshold value when the control unit determines that the sensitivity information is smaller than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the sensitivity-adjusting unit contains an amplification portion that amplifies the position information received from the input-sensing unit;

and

wherein the amplification portion adjusts the amplitude of the output of the position information based on the adjustment information.

3. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the input-sensing unit contains the capacitive input sensor having a sheet shape and the sensitivity-sensing unit contains the capacitive sensitivity sensor having a sheet shape;

and

wherein the input-sensing unit is combined with the sensitivity-sensing unit so as to become one piece.

4. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the input-sensing unit is separate from the sensitivity-sensing unit such that the sensitivity-sensing unit senses the sensitivity information obtained by a touch of a second operation body to the capacitive sensitivity sensor.

5. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the input-sensing unit is separate from the sensitivity-sensing unit such that the capacitive sensitivity sensor is located on an opposite side of the input device from the capacitive input sensor.

6. An input device comprising:

an input-sensing unit that contains a capacitive input sensor, the input-sensing unit sensing position information obtained by touch operation of an operation body to the capacitive input sensor and outputting the position information;

a sensitivity-sensing unit that includes a temperature-measuring unit that measures environment temperature and outputs temperature information as sensitivity information, wherein the position information is independent from the sensitivity information;

a control unit that receives the position information from the input-sensing unit and receives the sensitivity information from the sensitivity-sensing unit, the control unit determining whether or not an amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit is adjusted based on the sensitivity information from the sensitivity-sensing unit, and when the control unit determines that the amplitude of the output of the position information is to be adjusted based on the sensitivity information from the sensitivity-sensing unit, the control unit generates adjustment data and transmits the adjustment data to a sensitivity adjusting unit; and

the sensitivity-adjusting unit that adjusts the amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit based on the adjustment data received from the control unit,

wherein the control unit controls the sensitivity-adjusting unit to adjust the amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit, and

wherein the control unit generates adjustment information for increasing the amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit if the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit is compared with a predetermined threshold value when the control unit determines that the sensitivity information is smaller than the predetermined threshold value.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body of the electronic apparatus; and

an input device that is included in the main body, the input device sensing position information obtained by touch operation of an operation body,

the input device including;

an input-sensing unit that contains a capacitive input sensor, the input-sensing unit sensing the position information obtained by the touch operation of the operation body to a first capacitive touch sensor and outputting the position information;

a sensitivity-sensing unit that contains a capacitive sensitivity sensor, the sensitivity-sensing unit sensing sensitivity information obtained by the touch operation of the operation body to the capacitive sensitivity sensor and outputting the sensitivity information, wherein the position information is independent from the sensitivity information;

a control unit that receives the position information from the input-sensing unit and receives the sensitivity information from the sensitivity-sensing unit, the control unit determining whether or not an amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit is adjusted based on the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit, and when the control unit determines that the amplitude of the output of the position information is to be adjusted based on the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit, the control unit generates adjustment data and transmits the adjustment data to a sensitivity adjusting unit; and

the sensitivity-adjusting unit that adjusts the amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit based on the adjustment data received from the control unit,

wherein the control unit controls the sensitivity-adjusting unit to adjust the amplitude of the output of the position information received from the input-sensing unit, and

wherein the control unit generates adjustment information for increasing the amplitude of the output of the position information from the input-sensing unit if the sensitivity information sensed by the sensitivity-sensing unit is compared with a predetermined threshold value when the control unit determines that the sensitivity information is smaller than the predetermined threshold value.