Resistive touch pad with multiple regions of sensitivity

• US 7,289,111 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Asbill, Roger Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US10/809,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20050212773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/178, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A touch pad for a data processing system includes a first film and an electrically conductive first thin film above the first film, a plurality of electrically non-conductive spacer dots above the first thin film, a second electrically conductive thin film above the plurality of spacer dots, and a second film above the second thin film. The density of spacer dots above the first thin film is non-uniform. In one implementation, the first film is a ceramic, the second film is a flexible polymer, and the first and second thin films are a metal-oxide compound. In one embodiment, the spacer dot density is in a first range over a first portion of the first film and in a second range over a second portion of the first film. The second portion of the first film may define a signature box suitable for receiving a user'"'"'s signature.

Claims

1. A touch pad for a data processing system, comprising:

a first surface and a first electrically conductive thin film above the first surface;

a plurality of electrically non-conductive spacer dots above the first electrically conductive thin film;

a second electrically conductive thin film above the plurality of spacer dots;

a second film above the second electrically conductive thin film;

wherein a density of spacer dots above the first electrically conductive thin film is non-uniform, and wherein a spacer dot density is in a range of 0.08 to 0.14 over a first portion of the first electrically conductive thin film.

2. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein the first surface is a ceramic, the second film is a flexible polymer, and the first and second electrically conductive thin films are a metal-oxide compound.

3. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein a spacer dot density is in a range of 0.01 to 0.05 over a second portion of the first electrically conductive thin film.

4. The touch pad of claim 3, wherein the second portion of the first electrically conductive thin film comprises a signature box suitable for receiving a user'"'"'s signature.

5. The touch pad of claim 3, wherein the first portion of the first electrically conductive thin film comprises a perimeter surrounding the second portion of the first electrically conductive thin film.

6. The touch pad of claim 3, wherein a spacer dot diameter in the first portion equals a spacer dot diameter in the second portion and wherein a spacer dot pitch in the first portion differs from a spacer dot pitch in the second portion.

7. A touch pad for a data processing system, comprising:

a first touch pad portion having a first sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a first set of spacer dots within the first touch pad portion; and

a second touch pad portion having a second sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a second set of spacer dots within the second touch pad portion;

wherein the first sensitivity and the second sensitivity differ due to differences in the configuration of the first set of spacer dots and the configuration of the second set of spacer dots, and wherein a spacer dot density in the first touch pad portion exceeds a spacer dot density in the second touch pad portion by a factor in a range of 1.6 to 14.

8. The touch pad of claim 7, wherein the first touch pad portion of the touch pad comprises a perimeter portion of the touch pad.

9. The touch pad of claim 7, wherein the spacer dot density in the first touch pad portion is in a range of approximately 0.08 to 0.14.

10. A touch pad for a data processing system, comprising:

a first touch pad portion having a first sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a first set of spacer dots within the first touch pad portion; and

a second touch pad portion having a second sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a second set of spacer dots within the second touch pad portion;

wherein the first sensitivity and the second sensitivity differ due to differences in the configuration of the first set of spacer dots and the configuration of the second set of spacer dots, wherein a spacer dot diameter in the first and second touch pad portions is the same and wherein a spacer dot pitch in the first and second touch pad portions differs.

11. A touch pad for a data processing system, comprising:

a first touch pad portion having a first sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a first set of spacer dots within the first touch pad portion; and

a second touch pad portion having a second sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a second set of spacer dots within the second touch pad portion;

wherein the first sensitivity and the second sensitivity differ due to differences in the configuration of the first set of spacer dots and the configuration of the second set of spacer dots, wherein a spacer dot diameter in the first and second touch pad portion differs and wherein a spacer dot pitch in the first and second touch pad portions is the same.

12. A touch pad for a data processing system, comprising:

a first touch pad portion having a first sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a first set of spacer dots within the first touch pad portion; and

a second touch pad portion having a second sensitivity determined at least in part by a configuration of a second set of spacer dots within the second touch pad portion;

wherein the first sensitivity and the second sensitivity differ due to differences in the configuration of the first set of spacer dots and the configuration of the second set of spacer dots, wherein a spacer dot diameter in the first and second touch pad portions differs and wherein a spacer dot pitch in the first and second touch pad portions differs.

13. A touch pad for a data processing system, comprising:

a touch pad film over a first electrically conductive thin film;

a second electrically conductive thin film over a touch pad substrate;

first physical means for preventing a force below a first threshold applied to a first portion of the touch pad film from creating electrical contact between the first electrically conductive thin film and the second electrically conductive thin film, and second physical means for preventing a force below a second threshold applied to a second portion of the touch pad film from creating electrical contact between the first electrically conductive thin film and the second electrically conductive thin film, wherein the first and second thresholds differ due to differences in the first and second physical means, wherein the first and second physical means comprise electrically insulating spacer dots formed on the second electrically conductive thin film, and wherein a ratio of spacer dot diameter to spacer dot pitch in the first portion of the touch pad film differs from a ratio of spacer dot diameter to spacer dot pitch in the second portion of the touch pad film.

14. The touch pad of claim 13, wherein the ratio in the first portion is in a range of approximately 0.01 to 0.05 and the ratio in the second portion is in a range of approximately 0.8 to 0.14.