Scanned piezoelectric touch sensor device

• US 9,857,913 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Day, Shawn P.
• Primary Examiner(s): KOHLMAN, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US15/346,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20170052640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure generally provide an integrated input device that is configured to sense the position and amount of force applied by input objects that are in contact with an input region of an input device. The input device is generally configured to sense the position and amount of force applied by an input object that is in contact with the input region using a piezoelectric material. The input device generally includes a plurality of electrodes that are positioned to measure an electrical characteristic of the piezoelectric layer at different points within the input region to determine the position and/or amount of applied force. The input device may also include one or more components that are able to simultaneously or sequentially sense the position of an input object using a touch sensing technique independent of the electrical properties of the piezoelectric material to sense the input object position.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a first array comprising a first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes aligned in parallel in a first direction;

a second array comprising a second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes aligned in parallel in a second direction, the second direction different than the first direction; and

a piezoelectric material layer disposed between the first array and second array; and

a processing system configured to;

deliver a first electrical signal to a first elongated sensor electrode of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes;

maintain one or more second electrodes of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes at a reference voltage level;

sense, after the first electrical signal has been delivered, a fluctuation in an electrical characteristic of a region of the piezoelectric material layer over time;

detect a presence or an absence of an input object by detecting a change in the sensed electrical characteristic of the region, wherein detecting the changes in the sensed electrical characteristic comprises;

receiving a second electrical signal from a second electrode in the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes while maintaining the reference voltage level on the one or more second electrodes;

receiving a third electrical signal from the second electrode, wherein the third electrical signal is generated by applying a fourth electrical signal to the first electrode and maintaining the reference voltage level on the second electrode at a first time, wherein the received second electrical signal is received at a second time; and

comparing the received second electrical signal with the received third electrical signal.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the processing system further comprises:

an electrical circuit coupled to each of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes, wherein the electrical circuit is configured to provide the reference voltage level to the one or more second sensor electrodes of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes; and

a sensor circuit coupled to each elongated sensor electrode of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes, wherein the sensor circuit is configured to receive the second electrical signal and the third electrical signal.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein the processing system further comprises:

a signal generating device selectively coupled to each of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes to provide the first electric signal to one or more elongated sensor electrodes of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes.

4. The input device of claim 3, wherein the processing system further comprises:

a reference signal generating device selectively coupled to each elongated sensor electrode of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein:

the piezoelectric material layer comprises a polymeric material, and

each of the first plurality and the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes comprises a non-opaque and electrically conductive material.

6. The input device of claim 1, wherein receiving the second electrical signal from the second electrode received by the one or more of the second elongated sensor electrodes further comprises:

simultaneously measuring a resulting electrical signal from two or more elongated sensor electrodes of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes.

7. The input device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

sequentially deliver an electrical signal to one or more elongated sensor electrodes of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes, and

simultaneously measure an electrical signal received by two or more of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes.

8. The input device of claim 1, wherein the processing system further comprises:

a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes, wherein the capacitive sensing circuit is configured to receive a resulting signal from one or more elongated sensor electrodes of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes during a capacitive sensing operation performed by the input device.

9. The input device of claim 8, wherein the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes are disposed between an input surface of an interface layer and the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes, and the input surface is positioned to receive input from an input object.

10. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third electrode layer that comprises a third array of sensor electrodes that are each coupled to a capacitive sensing circuit.

11. The input device of claim 1, wherein the processing system further comprises:

a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes and the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes, wherein the capacitive sensing circuit is configured to;

drive a first elongated sensor electrode of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes for transcapacitive sensing; and

receive a resulting signal from one or more of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes during a capacitive sensing operation performed by the input device.

12. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction are parallel to a common plane, and each of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes cross over each of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes.

13. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display device having a display region, wherein the piezoelectric material layer and the first and second arrays are disposed over the display region.

14. A method of determining a position of an input object using a input device, the method comprising:

applying a first electrical signal to a first electrode of a first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes;

maintaining one or more second electrodes of a second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes at a reference voltage level, wherein a piezoelectric material layer is disposed between the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes and the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes;

sensing a fluctuation in an electrical characteristic of a region of the piezoelectric material layer over time after the first electrical signal has been applied; and

detecting a presence of an input object that is in contact with the input device by detecting a change in the sensed electrical characteristic of a region of the piezoelectric material layer over time, wherein detecting the change in the sensed electrical characteristic comprises;

receiving a second electrical signal from a second electrode in the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes while maintaining the reference voltage level on the one or more electrodes;

receiving a third electrical signal from the second electrode, wherein the third electrical signal is generated by applying a fourth electrical signal to the first electrode and maintaining the reference voltage level on the second electrode at a first time, wherein the received second electrical signal is received at a second time; and

comparing the received second electrical signal with the received third electrical signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the change in the sensed electrical characteristic of the region of the piezoelectric material layer over time further comprises:

storing information relating to the third electrical signal in a memory,

wherein comparing the received second electrical signal with the received third electrical signal further comprises comparing the stored information relating to the third electrical signal with information relating to the second electrical signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second value is derived by measuring an electrical characteristic of the region of the piezoelectric material layer at a second time.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a change in an electrical characteristic of a region of the piezoelectric material layer over time after a second electrical signal has been applied to the first electrode of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes;

comparing the detected change in the electrical characteristic of the region over time after the second electrical signal was applied with the detected change in the electrical characteristic of the region over time after the first electrical signal was applied; and

determining that the input object is in contact with the input device based on the comparison of the detected changes in the electrical characteristic after the first electrical signal and second electrical signal were applied.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the change in the sensed electrical characteristic of the region of the piezoelectric material layer over time comprises:

measuring an electrical characteristic of the region of the piezoelectric material layer at a first time, wherein the electrical characteristic has a first value; and

comparing the first value with a second value stored in memory; and

determining that the input object is in contact with the input device based on the comparison of the first value and the second value.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the change in the sensed electrical characteristic of the region of the piezoelectric material layer over time comprises:

detecting a change in an electrical characteristic of a region of the piezoelectric material layer over time after a second electrical signal has been applied to the first electrode, wherein the detected change in the electrical characteristic of the region over time after the second signal has been applied is performed when the input object is not in contact with a sensing region of the input device; and

comparing the detected change in the electrical characteristic of the region over time after the second electrical signal was applied with the detected change in the electrical characteristic of the region over time after the first electrical signal was applied.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

maintaining the first electrode of the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes at a second reference voltage level after applying the first electrical signal to the first electrode, and

wherein detecting the change in the electrical characteristic further comprises comparing a detected electrical characteristic of the region of the piezoelectric layer at a first time with a detected electrical characteristic of the region of the piezoelectric layer at a second time.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the reference voltage level is ground.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a resulting signal from one or more electrodes of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes during a capacitive sensing operation performed by the input device.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

driving the first electrode for transcapacitive sensing; and

receiving a resulting signal from one or more electrodes of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes while driving the first elongated sensor electrode.

24. A method of determining force applied by one or more input objects to a input device, the method comprising:

applying a first electrical signal to a first electrode of a first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes;

maintaining a second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes at one or more reference voltage levels, wherein a piezoelectric material layer is disposed between the first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes and the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes;

receiving, while maintaining the reference voltage level on the second plurality of elongated electrodes, a second electrical signal using a second electrode of the second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes;

responsive to removing the first electrical signal from the first electrode, determining a decay rate of the second electrical signal, wherein the decay rate reflects mechanical oscillations induced within the piezoelectric material layer; and

determining force measurements using the determined decay rate.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second electrical signal comprises a current signal, wherein determining the decay rate of the second electrical signal comprises:

measuring a first current amplitude value of the current signal at a first time after removing the first electrical signal from the first electrode; and

performing one of;

measuring a second current amplitude at a second time occurring after the first time; and

determining an amount of time for an amplitude of the current signal to decrease from the first current amplitude value to a predetermined second current amplitude value.