Touchpad with capacitive force sensing

摘要

Described herein are techniques related to a touchpad with capacitive force sensing. The described techniques may determine the point or region of a user-engagement surface contacted by a user. In addition, the described techniques may also determine a force of the user's finger press on the user-engagement surface using one or more capacitance force-sensors. Furthermore, the described techniques may offer active tactile feedback (i.e., haptics) to the user's finger touching the user-engagement surface. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

主权项

1. An input device comprising:
a touchsurface; a sensor board coupled to the touchsurface, the sensor board including a capacitive touch sensor configured to detect positions of one or more input objects proximate to the touchsurface, the sensor board further including one or more capacitive force-sensing strips disposed proximate an edge of the sensor board; a planar spring plate including a perimeter region surrounding a planar interior region, the planar interior region configured to be mechanically coupled to the sensor board and the perimeter region including a return mechanism configured to be coupled to a housing; and a mounting device mechanically coupled to the planar interior region and the sensor board, wherein the mounting device forms a defined gap between the planar interior region and the sensor board, wherein the mounting device is configured to maintain the defined gap at a fixed distance between the planar interior region and the sensor board, wherein the planar interior region of the planar spring plate is configured to move downwardly relative to the perimeter region and to the housing in response to a force applied to the touchsurface by the one or more input objects, and further wherein the perimeter region remains fixed relative to the housing in response to the force applied to the touchsurface by the one or more input objects, wherein the one or more capacitive force-sensing strips and the perimeter region of the planar spring plate define a capacitive-sensing gap for a capacitive force sensor, such that the force applied to the touchsurface deflects the planar interior region of the planar spring plate relative to the return mechanism and changes a capacitance in the capacitive-sensing gap, and wherein the planar interior region of the planar spring plate returns to a planar position with the perimeter region of the planar spring plate upon removal of the applied force.