Input device sensor configuration

• US 9,459,160 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Ribeiro, Flavio P., Covington, Glennis E., Zant, Francie Judith, Shaw, Timothy C., Gadke, Christian C., Wu, Xuezhong, Martin, Bradley R., Mail, Scott M., Marshall, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pappas, Claire X
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, RICHARD J
• Application Number:
  US14/033,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20140020484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,108 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• 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 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/012 Successive layers, one being conductive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/032 Pressure sensitive layer on contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/028 Printed information
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/03 in transparent keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/002 integral with membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/05 Force concentrator; Actuating dimple

Abstract

Input device configurations are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a sensor substrate having one or more conductors and a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate. The flexible contact layer is configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device. The flexible contact layer includes a force concentrator pad that is configured to cause pressure to be channeled through the force concentrator pad to cause the flexible contact layer to contact the sensor substrate to initiate the input.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a sensor substrate having a plurality of conductors that include at least one capacitive sensor configured to detect proximity of an object while two or more of the conductors that are non-capacitive sensors are in a non-operational state; and

a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate, the flexible contact layer configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device, the flexible contact layer including a force concentrator pad that is configured to cause pressure to be channeled through the force concentrator pad to cause the flexible contact layer to contact the sensor substrate to initiate the input, the two or more conductors that are the non-capacitive sensors placed in an operational state in response to the at least one capacitive sensor detecting the proximity of the object.

2. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the flexible contact layer includes a force sensitive ink that is configured to initiate the input.

3. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the pressure is applied to the force concentrator pad through an off center key strike and the force concentrator pad is configured to channel the pressure to initiate the input.

4. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the force concentrator pad forms a raised portion in relation to a substrate of the flexible contact layer.

5. An input device as described in claim 4, wherein an area of a surface of the force concentrator pad is smaller than an area of a space defined between the flexible contact layer from the sensor substrate.

6. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the force concentrator pad causes an increase in a deformation bend radius of the flexible contact layer from that of a contact that applied the pressure to the force concentrator pad.

7. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the force concentrator pad causes an increase in a contact patch area of the flexible contact layer as contacting the sensor substrate responsive to the pressure from that of a contact that applied the pressure to the force concentrator pad.

8. An input device as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor substrate includes a plurality of conductors formed as inter-digitated trace fingers and that, responsive to contact by a force sensitive ink of the flexible contact layer, forms the input.

9. An input device as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said force concentrator pads arranged as an array along a surface of the flexible contact layer.

10. An input device comprising:

an outer layer having a plurality of indications that are selectable to initiate corresponding inputs; and

a sensor assembly including a plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes formed in an array such that each of the indications corresponds to the plurality of the pressure sensitive sensor nodes to initiate the corresponding inputs, formation of the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes including;

a sensor substrate having a plurality of conductors that include the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes and capacitive sensors formed in an array configured to detect proximity of an object while the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes is in a non-operational state; and

a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate, the flexible contact layer configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate at least one of the corresponding inputs of a computing device, the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes being placed in an operational state in response to the capacitive sensors detecting the proximity of the object.

11. An input device as described in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes include a force concentrator pad.

12. An input device as described in claim 10, wherein the flexible contact layer includes a plurality of spacers formed thereon disposed between the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes.

13. An input device as described in claim 10, wherein the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes are arranged in the array such that each of the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes has a generally uniform size and spacing.

14. An input device as described in claim 13, wherein a surface area of each of the pressure sensitive sensor nodes is approximately nine millimeters.

15. An input device as described in claim 13, wherein the spacing has a pitch of approximately five millimeters.

16. An input device as described in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes has a surface area of less than 25 millimeters.

17. An input device comprising:

a sensor substrate having a plurality of conductors that include at least one capacitive sensor configured to detect proximity of an object while two or more of the conductors that are non-capacitive sensors are in a non-operational state;

a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate, the flexible contact layer configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device, the flexible contact layer including a surface having;

a force sensitive ink configured to contact the two or more conductors of the sensor substrate to initiate the input; and

a plurality of spacers formed on the surface, the two or more conductors that are the non-capacitive sensors placed in an operational state in response to the at least one capacitive sensor detecting the proximity of the object.

18. An input device as described in claim 17, wherein the plurality of spacers are used to space apart the flexible contact layer from the sensor substrate such that the flexible contact layer does not contact the sensor substrate absent an applied pressure.

19. An input device as described in claim 17, wherein the sensor substrate and the flexible contact layer are configured to form a plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes arranged in an array.

20. An input device as described in claim 19, wherein the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes are arranged in the array such that each of the plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes has a generally uniform size and spacing.