Capacitive control panel
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a control panel; and
a sensing element forming a portion of the control panel and operable to sense a proximity of an object and a force applied by the object, the sensing element comprising;
a cover layer;
a first electrode layer comprising a first force sensor electrode;
a second electrode layer comprising a second force sensor electrode, the first electrode layer positioned between the cover layer and the second electrode layer;
a dielectric substrate layer, at least a portion of which is compressible and positioned between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer such that a distance between at least a portion of the first electrode layer and at least a portion of the second electrode layer changes based on a force applied by the object to the cover layer, wherein the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer further comprises a first touch sensor electrode disposed laterally with respect to the first force sensor electrode or the second force sensor electrode; and
a touch screen controller operable to;
measure a first capacitance of the second force sensor electrode to sense the force applied by the object; and
measure a second capacitance of the first touch sensor electrode to sense the proximity of the object.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control panel for proximity and force sensing, includes a cover layer, a first electrode layer including a first force sensor electrode, a second force sensor electrode positioned in a second electrode layer or on a support layer, and a dielectric substrate at least a portion of which is compressible and is positioned between the first and second force sensor electrodes. The support layer is positioned to support at the vicinity of the second force sensor electrode support location so that compression of the dielectric substrate and the separation of the first and second force sensor electrodes depends on the magnitude of a force applied to the cover layer. Touch sensor electrodes are positioned on one or more of the electrode layers such that their capacitance depends on proximity of an object such as a finger. Controllers measure the capacitance of the force and touch sensor electrodes respectively and output force and touch proximity signals.
106 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a control panel; and a sensing element forming a portion of the control panel and operable to sense a proximity of an object and a force applied by the object, the sensing element comprising; a cover layer; a first electrode layer comprising a first force sensor electrode; a second electrode layer comprising a second force sensor electrode, the first electrode layer positioned between the cover layer and the second electrode layer; a dielectric substrate layer, at least a portion of which is compressible and positioned between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer such that a distance between at least a portion of the first electrode layer and at least a portion of the second electrode layer changes based on a force applied by the object to the cover layer, wherein the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer further comprises a first touch sensor electrode disposed laterally with respect to the first force sensor electrode or the second force sensor electrode; and a touch screen controller operable to; measure a first capacitance of the second force sensor electrode to sense the force applied by the object; and measure a second capacitance of the first touch sensor electrode to sense the proximity of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 29)
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20. A method comprising:
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sensing, by a sensing element of a control panel, a proximity of a touch object and a force applied by the object, the sensing element comprising; a cover layer; a first electrode layer comprising a first force sensor electrode; a second electrode layer comprising a second force sensor electrode, the first electrode layer is positioned between the cover layer and the second electrode layer; a dielectric substrate layer, at least a portion of which is compressible such that a distance between at least a portion of the first electrode layer and at least a portion of the second electrode layer changes based on a force applied by the object to the cover layer, wherein the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer further comprises a first touch sensor electrode disposed laterally with respect to the first force sensor electrode or the second force sensor electrode; measuring, by a touch screen controller, a first capacitance of the second force sensor electrode to sense the force applied by the object; and measuring, by the touch screen controller, a second capacitance of the touch sensor electrode to sense the proximity of the object. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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21. A sensing element, comprising:
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a cover layer; a first electrode layer comprising a first force sensor electrode; a second electrode layer comprising a second force sensor electrode, the first electrode layer positioned between the cover layer and the second electrode layer; a dielectric substrate at least a portion of which is compressible and is positioned between the first and second force sensor electrodes such that a distance between at least a portion of the first electrode layer and at least a portion of the second electrode layer changes based on a force applied by the object to the cover layer; a first touch sensor electrode positioned adjacent the first force sensor electrode or the second force sensor electrode within one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and spaced apart from the force sensor electrodes and the compressible portion of the dielectric substrate; and a controller comprising a first capacitive sense channel coupled to the second force sensor electrode capable of measuring a first capacitance to sense a force applied by an object and a second capacitive sense channel coupled to the touch sensor electrode capable of measuring a second capacitance to sense a proximity of the object. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 31)
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25. A method, comprising;
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providing a sensing element including cover layer, a first electrode layer comprising a first force sensor electrode, and a second force sensor electrode, the first electrode layer positioned between the cover layer and the second electrode layer; providing a dielectric substrate at least a portion of which is compressible and positioned between the first and second force sensor electrodes, and a touch sensor electrode such that a distance between at least a portion of the first electrode layer and at least a portion of the second electrode layer changes based on a force applied by the object to the cover layer; supporting the sensing element at a location where the first and second force sensor electrodes and the compressible portion of the dielectric substrate are aligned above a support location so that a separation of the first and second force sensor electrodes depends on the magnitude of a force applied to the cover layer and so that at least a portion of the cover layer, the first electrode layer, and the second electrode layer extend laterally farther than the support location; measuring a capacitance of the second force sensor electrode and outputting a corresponding force sensor output signal; and measuring a capacitance of the touch sensor electrode and outputting a corresponding force sensor output signal.
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26. A sense element, comprising:
- a first electrode layer including a first force sensor electrode;
a second electrode layer comprising a second force sensor electrode, the first electrode layer positioned between a cover layer and the second electrode layer;
a dielectric substrate at least a portion of which is compressible and is positioned between the first and second force sensor electrodes such that a distance between at least a portion of the first electrode layer and at least a portion of the second electrode layer changes based on a force applied by the object to the cover layer;
a support layer positioned to support the second force sensor electrode and the layers below the vicinity of the second force sensor electrode with a compressible portion of the dielectric substrate separating the first and second force sensor electrodes wherein at least a portion of the cover layer, the first electrode layer, and the second electrode layer extend laterally farther than the support location; and
a first touch sensor electrode laterally separated from the first and second force sensor electrodes, wherein a first measurement of the second force electrode is taken to sense a force applied by an object and a second measurement of the first touch sensor electrode is taken to sense a proximity of an object. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
- a first electrode layer including a first force sensor electrode;
Specification