Method of making a multi-touch input device for detecting touch on a curved surface

• US 9,317,140 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosenfeld, Daniel, Westhues, Jonathan, Izadi, Shahram, Villar, Nicolas, Benko, Hrvoje, Helmes, John, Jenkins, Kurt Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang, A. Dexter
• Application Number:
  US12/488,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20100242274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,496 Days
• Field of Search: 298/29, 298/31, 298/32, 298/46, 29/253.5, 298/42, 298/30, 345/55, 345/163, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• 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 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03541 Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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: H01H 3/141 Cushion or mat switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/1071 with electrical and mechanical input and output, e.g. having combined actuator and sensor parts
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49158 : with molding of insulated base

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed herein that are related to input devices with curved multi-touch surfaces. For example, in one disclosed embodiment, a method of making a multi-touch input device having a curved touch-sensitive surface comprises forming on a substrate an array of sensor elements defining a plurality of pixels of the multi-touch sensor, forming the substrate into a shape that conforms to a surface of the curved geometric feature of the body of the input device, and fixing the substrate to the curved geometric feature of the body of the input device.

Claims

1. A method of making a multi-touch input device for a computing device, the method comprising:

forming on one side of a flexible, insulating substrate a first set of sensor elements, the first set of sensor elements defining a plurality of rows of an array of sensor elements;

forming on the one side of the substrate a second set of sensor elements, the second set of sensor elements defining a plurality of columns of the array of sensor elements, the rows and columns together defining a plurality of pixels of the multi-touch sensor, each pixel configured to detect touch at a location on the multi-touch input device over that pixel;

forming on the one side of the substrate connectors for the first set of sensor elements;

forming on the one side of the substrate an insulating layer over the connectors for the first set of sensor elements;

forming connectors for the second set of sensor elements over the insulating layer; and

placing a piezoresistive material over the array of sensor elements to form a pressure sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-touch input device comprises a body having a curved surface, and further comprising forming the substrate into a shape that conforms to the curved surface and fixing the substrate to the curved surface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the multi-touch input device comprises a computer mouse, and wherein the curved surface is a body of the computer mouse.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein forming the substrate into the shape that conforms to the curved surface comprises vacuum forming the substrate to form a shaped preform.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein fixing the substrate to the curved surface of the body of the multi-touch input device comprises placing the preform in a mold, and then molding the preform into the body of the multi-touch input device during molding of the body.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein fixing the substrate to the curved surface of the body of the multi-touch input device comprises fixing the preform to the body of the multi-touch input device after forming the body of the multi-touch input device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements comprises printing the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements onto a curved surface with a polymer conductive ink.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements comprises printing the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements onto a curved surface and forming a protective layer over the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein printing the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements comprises pad printing the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein printing the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements onto the curved surface comprises printing the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements onto a foil, inserting the foil into a mold, and then transferring the array of sensor elements onto the curved surface during a molding process.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first set of sensor elements and the second set of sensor elements are printed with a material that sublimes, and further comprising sublimating the array of sensor elements onto the curved surface.

12. A method of making a multi-touch input device for a computing device, the method comprising:

forming on a side of a substrate a first set of sensor elements, the first set defining a plurality of rows of a first array of sensor elements;

forming on the side of the substrate a second set of sensor elements, the second set defining a plurality of columns of the first array of sensor elements, the rows and columns together defining a plurality of pixels of the multi-touch sensor, each pixel configured to detect touch at a location on the multi-touch input device over that pixel;

forming on the side of the substrate connectors for the first set of sensor elements;

forming on the side of the substrate an insulating layer over the connectors for the first set of sensor elements;

forming connectors for the second set of sensor elements over the insulating layer; and

forming a pressure sensor configured to detect touch pressure over the multi-touch input device by forming a second array of sensor elements, and a piezoresistive material in contact with the second array of sensor elements.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming the substrate into a shape that conforms to a curved surface and fixing the substrate to the curved surface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the multi-touch input device comprises a computer mouse, and wherein the curved surface is a body of the computer mouse.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the substrate into the shape that conforms to the curved surface comprises vacuum forming the substrate to form a shaped preform.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein fixing the substrate to the curved surface comprises placing the preform in a mold, and then molding the preform into the body of the multi-touch input device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein fixing the substrate to the curved surface comprises fixing the preform to the body of the multi-touch input device after forming the body of the multi-touch input device.

18. A method of making a multi-touch input device for a computing device, the method comprising:

forming on a flexible, insulating substrate a first set of sensor elements, the first set defining a plurality of rows of an array of sensor elements;

forming on the flexible, insulating substrate a second set of sensor elements, the second set defining a plurality of columns of the array of sensor elements, the rows and columns together defining a plurality of pixels of the multi-touch sensor, each pixel configured to detect touch at a location on the curved surface over that pixel;

forming a piezoresistive pressure sensor configured to detect touch pressure over the multi-touch input device; and

forming the substrate into a shape that conforms to the multi-touch input device and fixing the substrate to the multi-touch input device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the piezoresistive pressure sensor comprises placing a piezoresistive material over the array of sensor elements such that the piezoresistive material is in contact with the array of sensor elements.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the array of sensor elements is a first array of sensor elements, and wherein forming the pressure sensor comprises forming a second array of sensor elements, placing a piezoresistive material in contact with the second array of sensor elements, and fixing the second array of sensor elements to the multi-touch input device.