INPUT DEVICE WITH CAPACITIVE FORCE SENSOR AND METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING THE SAME
First Claim
1. An input device comprising:
- a structural component having first and second substantially opposing sides;
a plurality of sensor electrodes located on the first side of the structural component, the plurality of sensor electrodes configured to capacitively sense positional information associated with user input in a sensing region;
a first capacitive electrode located on the second side of the structural component, the first capacitive electrode being configured to capacitively couple to a second capacitive electrode that is separated from the first capacitive electrode by a gas and moveable relative to the first capacitive electrode; and
a biasing member configured to be physically coupled to the structural component such that a force associated with the user input causes a change in a separation distance between the first and second capacitive electrodes based on the force.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Input devices which include a capacitive force sensor, along with methods of making and using such, are provided. The input device includes a structural component having first and second substantially opposing sides, a plurality of sensor electrodes located on the first side of the structural component, the plurality of sensor electrodes configured to capacitively sense positional information associated with user input in a sensing region, a first capacitive electrode located on the second side of the structural component, the first capacitive electrode being configured to capacitively couple to a second capacitive electrode that is separated from the first capacitive electrode by a gas and moveable relative to the first capacitive electrode, and a biasing member configured to be physically coupled to the structural component such that a force associated with the user input causes a change in a separation distance between the first and second capacitive electrodes based on the force.
162 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An input device comprising:
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a structural component having first and second substantially opposing sides; a plurality of sensor electrodes located on the first side of the structural component, the plurality of sensor electrodes configured to capacitively sense positional information associated with user input in a sensing region; a first capacitive electrode located on the second side of the structural component, the first capacitive electrode being configured to capacitively couple to a second capacitive electrode that is separated from the first capacitive electrode by a gas and moveable relative to the first capacitive electrode; and a biasing member configured to be physically coupled to the structural component such that a force associated with the user input causes a change in a separation distance between the first and second capacitive electrodes based on the force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A touch screen interface for an electronic device, the touch screen interface comprising:
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a display screen having a viewing side and a non-viewing side; and a sensing system proximate to the display screen, the sensing system comprising; a plurality of sensor electrodes located on the viewing side of the display screen, the plurality of sensor electrodes configured to capacitively sense positional information associated with user input in a sensing region that at least partially overlaps the viewing side of the display screen; a first capacitive electrode physically coupled to the non-viewing side of the display screen; a second capacitive electrode spaced from the non-viewing side of the display screen and at least partially overlapping the first capacitive electrode, the second capacitive electrode being moveable relative to the first capacitive electrode and separated from the first capacitive electrode by a gas, wherein the second capacitive electrode is configured to capacitively couple to the first capacitive electrode; and a biasing member configured to regulate a separation distance between the first and second capacitive electrodes such that a force associated with the user input and applied to the display screen causes the separation distance between the first and second capacitive electrodes to change based on the force. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for constructing an input device comprising:
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providing a circuit assembly having a flexible portion, the circuit assembly configured to physically couple to a structural component having first and second substantially opposing sides, the circuit assembly being further configured to bend around the structural component at the flexible portion thereof such that a first part of the circuit assembly at least partially overlaps the first side of the structural component and a second part of the circuit assembly at least partially overlaps the second side of the structural component; disposing a plurality of sensor electrodes on the first part of the circuit assembly, the plurality of sensor electrodes being configured to capacitively sense positional information associated with user input in a sensing region; and disposing a first capacitive electrode on the second part of the circuit assembly, the first capacitive electrode being configured to capacitively couple to a second capacitive electrode that is separated from the first capacitive electrode by a gas and moveable relative to the first capacitive electrode, wherein a separation distance between the first capacitive electrode and the second capacitive electrode is configured to be regulated by a biasing member configured to be physically coupled to the structural component such that a force associated with the user input causes a repeatable change in the separation distance between the first and second capacitive electrodes based on the force. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification