System and method for measuring individual force in multi-object sensing

• US 9,720,538 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bulea, Mihai
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US15/169,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 345174, 345156, 345163, 345175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• 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 2203/04108 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 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An input device is provided that facilitates improved user interface functionality by determining force information for each of multiple objects in a sensing region. The input device includes a processing system, a sensor configured to sense objects in a sensing region proximate a surface, and a plurality of force sensors. The plurality of force sensors are coupled to the surface to provide a plurality of measures of force applied to the surface. The processing system is configured to determine positional information for each the multiple objects sensed by the sensor in the sensing region. Furthermore, the processing system is configured to determine force information for each of the multiple objects from the positional information and the plurality of measures of force applied to the surface. Thus, device and method provides the ability to determine both positional information and force information for each of multiple objects in a sensing region.

Claims

1. An electronic system for responding to user input, comprising:

an electronic display;

an array of sensor electrodes;

a plurality of force sensors; and

a processing system communicatively coupled to the array of sensor electrodes and the plurality of force sensors, the processing system configured to;

operate the array of sensor electrodes to obtain a plurality of signals indicative of input objects in a sensing region;

operate the plurality of force sensors to obtain a plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to a surface, the surface corresponding to the sensing region;

determine a plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by the input objects to the surface using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region and the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface; and

cause a user interface action visible on the electronic display based on the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by input objects to the surface.

2. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to determine the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by input objects to the surface by:

determining a position for each input object in the sensing region using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region; and

determining a force applied by each input object to the surface using the position for each input object and the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface.

3. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to determine forces applied by input objects to the surface by:

determining a force measurement for each of the plurality of force sensors using the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface; and

determining a force applied by each input object to the surface using the force measurement for each of the plurality of force sensors.

4. The electronic system of claim 1, further comprising:

a touchscreen interface comprising the electronic display overlapped by the sensing region.

5. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display and the array of sensor electrodes utilize a same electrical component for displaying and sensing.

6. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the surface is configured to deflect in response to forces applied to the surface.

7. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force sensors comprises capacitive force sensors.

8. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the user interface action comprises selection.

9. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to cause the user interface action visible on the electronic display based on the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by the input objects to the surface by:

providing the user interface action based on a number of input objects applying forces to the surface.

10. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to provide the user interface action, in response to at least one input object applying forces to the surface, a force beyond a threshold amount of force.

11. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force sensors is indirectly coupled to the surface.

12. A processing system for a capacitive input device comprising a position sensor and a plurality of force sensors, the processing system comprising:

circuitry configured for operating the position sensor to obtain a plurality of signals indicative of input objects in a sensing region; and

circuitry configured for operating the plurality of force sensors to obtain a plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to a surface, the surface corresponding to the sensing region, wherein the processing system is configured to;

determine a plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by input objects to the surface using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region and the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface; and

cause a user interface action based on the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by input objects to the surface.

13. The processing system of claim 12, wherein the position sensor comprises a plurality of sensor electrodes, and the processing system is further configured to operate the position sensor to obtain the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region by:

sensing changes in transcapacitive coupling of the plurality of sensor electrodes.

14. The processing system of claim 12, wherein the processing system is configured to cause the user interface action by:

causing an update to a visual interface of a display screen.

15. The processing system of claim 12, wherein the processing system is configured to determine forces applied by input objects to the surface by:

determining a compression force for each force sensor of the plurality of force sensors.

16. The processing system of claim 12, wherein the processing system is configured to determine the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by input objects to the surface using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region and the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface by:

determining a position for each input object in the sensing region using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region;

determining a force measurement for each force sensor of the plurality of force sensors using the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface; and

determining a force applied by each input object to the surface using the position for each input object in the sensing region and the force measurement for each force sensor of the plurality of force sensors.

17. The processing system of claim 12, wherein the processing system is configured to cause the user interface action by using a number of input objects in the sensing region.

18. The processing system of claim 12, wherein the processing system is configured to cause the user interface action by moving a cursor in response to a change in position of at least one input object and causing selection in response to at least one input object applying a force past a threshold amount of force.

19. A method for operating a capacitive input device comprising a position sensor and a plurality of force sensors comprising:

operating the position sensor to obtain a plurality of signals indicative of input objects in a sensing region;

operating the plurality of force sensors to obtain a plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to a surface, the surface corresponding to the sensing region;

determining a plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by input objects to the surface using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region and the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface; and

causing a user interface action based on the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by input objects to the surface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by the input objects to the surface using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region and the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface comprises:

determining a position for each input object in the sensing region using the plurality of signals indicative of input objects in the sensing region,

determining a force measurement for each force sensor of the plurality of force sensors using the plurality of signals indicative of forces applied to the surface, and

determining a force applied by each input object to the surface using the position for each input object in the sensing region and the force measurement for each force sensor of the plurality of force sensors,

wherein causing the user interface action based on the plurality of positions of input objects in the sensing region and forces applied by the input objects to the surface comprises causing a selection in response to at least one input object applying a force past a threshold amount of force.