Electronic device with force sensitive display

Abstract

An electronic device (100) is provided, including a display (150) and an audio actuator (104). The electronic device also includes a low-pass filter (105). In the electronic device, the audio actuator is connected to the display and is used to generate a voltage signal based on pressure applied to the display. The low-pass filter is used to filter the voltage signal to generate an output signal. Thus, the audio actuator generates an output voltage signal based on pressure applied to the display, which in turn forms a low-pass signal. The low-pass signal can be used to determine the pressure applied to the display, thereby achieving force-sensitive functionality in the electronic device without requiring any other electronic components, such as a force-sensitive display. The audio actuator can be used to generate a voltage signal, which, after low-pass filtering, can be used to sense pressure on the display screen. Therefore, a pressure-sensitive display with an integrated force-sensitive layer in the display is unnecessary.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic device having a force-sensitive display. Background Technology

[0002] In existing electronic devices with displays, the display can be touch-sensitive, allowing input via pressure applied to the display. Existing touch-sensitive displays have components formed within the display, allowing the electronic device to sense pressure applied to the display. A disadvantage of existing force-sensing technologies on displays is increased product cost. Furthermore, the components included in existing force-sensitive displays cause the display module to become thicker due to the need to implement an additional force-sensing layer within the display.

[0003] Therefore, an improved electronic device with a force-sensitive display is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved electronic device with a force-sensitive display.

[0005] According to the present invention, an electronic device is provided, including a display and an audio actuator. The electronic device further includes a low-pass filter. In the electronic device, the audio actuator is connected to the display and is used to generate a voltage signal based on a pressure applied to the display. The low-pass filter is used to filter the voltage signal to generate an output signal. Thus, the audio actuator generates an output voltage signal based on the pressure applied to the display, which in turn forms a low-pass signal. The low-pass signal can be used to determine the pressure applied to the display, thereby realizing force-sensitive functionality in the electronic device without requiring any other electronic components, such as a force-sensitive display. The audio actuator can be used to generate a voltage signal, which, after being low-pass filtered, can be used to sense pressure on the display screen. Therefore, a pressure-sensing display with an integrated force-sensing layer in the display is unnecessary.

[0006] According to a first embodiment, the electronic device includes: an audio signal generator connected to the audio actuator, wherein the audio actuator is used to cause the display to vibrate according to an audio signal generated by the audio signal generator. Thus, the electronic device can output audio via the audio actuator and the display. In this way, the audio actuator can have a dual function: both causing the display to vibrate to generate audio output and assisting a voltage generator to convert pressing pressure into a signal that can be used to sense pressing pressure on the display.

[0007] According to a second embodiment, the electronic device includes a frame and a suspension member. The display is attached to the frame via the suspension member, thereby enabling the display to be suspended. This makes the voltage signal generated by the audio actuator insensitive to the location of pressure applied to the display. Therefore, especially when the display is relatively small, such as in a smartphone, the signal generated by the audio actuator can vary significantly depending on whether the user applies force near the edge of the display or in the center. By suspending the display on the frame, this problem is mitigated. Consequently, the display can move more linearly in response to pressure applied to it.

[0008] According to a third embodiment, the electronic device may include a force detection unit connected to the low-pass filter. The force detection unit can be used to determine whether a force has been applied to the display based on the output signal of the low-pass filter. Thus, the electronic device can detect the pressure applied to the display based on the low-pass filtered signal. The detected low-pass filtered signal can then be used as an input signal to control the electronic device or to read input from the user.

[0009] According to the fourth embodiment, the force detection unit is further configured to determine the duration for which force is applied to the display based on the output signal of the low-pass filter. Thus, the electronic device can distinguish different pressure inputs based on the duration of pressure applied to the display screen, allowing the user to input different control commands by changing the duration of pressure applied to the display screen.

[0010] According to a fifth embodiment, the force detection unit is further configured to determine the magnitude of the force applied to the display based on the output signal of the low-pass filter. Thus, the electronic device can distinguish different pressing pressure inputs based on the magnitude of the pressing pressure applied to the display screen, allowing the user to input different control commands by changing the magnitude of the pressing pressure applied to the display screen.

[0011] According to the sixth embodiment, the low-pass filter has a passband lower than any frequency generated by the audio generator. Therefore, it can be ensured that the low-pass filter only outputs signals generated by pressure. The signal generated by the audio generator will not be used as a signal indicating the pressure applied to the display.

[0012] According to a seventh embodiment, the electronic device may further include a haptic feedback actuator located behind the display, thereby providing haptic feedback to the user of the electronic device. For example, when inputting commands or text through the display, the user can receive feedback from the touch-sensitive display, thereby improving the accuracy of the input by providing feedback. For example, this makes it easier to input two commands or not input commands at all.

[0013] According to the eighth embodiment, at least two audio actuators are used. By providing multiple audio actuators, the location where pressure is applied on the display can be determined using different output signals from different audio actuators. The accuracy of determining the pressure location varies depending on the number of audio actuators provided. Generally, the more audio actuators used, the higher the accuracy of determining the applied pressure location.

[0014] Advantageously, the electronic device can be a mobile phone.

[0015] The present invention is further extended to a method for detecting pressure on a display using the aforementioned device, and to a computer program product for implementing the method. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 An electronic device with a display connected to an audio actuator is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A cross-sectional side view of the electronic device is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 A flowchart is shown that processes the signal generated by pressing a display connected to an audio actuator. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments, but rather these embodiments are provided by way of example. Therefore, this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Throughout this specification, similar numerals refer to similar elements.

[0021] In order to provide an easy-to-implement and cost-effective display capable of providing touch-sensitive input, an audio actuator connected to the display can be used to provide a voltage signal when force is applied to the display.

[0022] As already implemented, audio displays, i.e., displays that function as audio radiating films, have electromechanical transducer components behind the display that induce mechanical vibrations to transmit audio through the display. These transducers, also known as audio actuators, convert alternating current (AC) audio signals into mechanical vibrations, thereby forming acoustic audio signals transmitted through the display. Typically, such audio actuators are formed from electrodynamic (coil + magnet) elements or piezoelectric elements. The audio actuator also operates in another direction, converting mechanical forces on the display into electrical signals. This characteristic of the audio actuator, connected to the display as a film, allows for the implementation of touch-sensitive displays in electronic devices without the need for conventional touch-sensitive displays that include components integrated within the display itself. This is particularly useful when an audio display is configured in an electronic device. In this case, since the basic components for implementing the audio display are already in place, no expensive additional components are required. Therefore, no additional force detection components are needed. The force applied to the display can be detected by detecting the voltage signal generated by the force exerted on the display by the audio actuator.

[0023] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates several components used in an exemplary embodiment of an electronic device 100. The electronic device 100 includes: an audio codec 101 for generating a signal, wherein the signal is output through an audio display of the electronic device 100. The signal generated by the audio codec 101 can be output to an audio actuator 104 via a digital-to-analog converter 102 and a power amplifier 103. The audio actuator is connected to a display 150. The display 150 acts as a diaphragm, vibrating in response to signals received from the audio actuator 104.

[0024] The audio actuator 104 can also be connected to output a signal in response to a force on the display 150. The output of the audio actuator 104 can then be connected to the output of the signal generated by the force on the display 150. In some embodiments, the signal from the audio actuator 104 is provided to a force detection unit, also referred to as a detector 106. The detector 106 can be used to determine the pressure applied to the display 150 based on the signal generated by the audio actuator connected to the display 150. According to one embodiment, the signal from the audio actuator 104 passes through a low-pass filter 105 before being provided to the detector 106. Because the signal from the audio actuator 104 passes through the low-pass filter 105 before reaching the detector 106, the signal driving the display as an audio display is not interpreted as a pressure applied to the display. However, in embodiments without an audio display, such a low-pass filter 105 is typically not needed. The low-pass filter can have a passband up to about 10 Hz or any other frequency, effectively filtering out any signals generated to drive the audio display. Other filter configurations may also filter out only the signal generated by the pressure applied. For example, a passband filter with a suitable passband can filter out the signal generated by the pressure applied on the display 150. Therefore, the audio actuator typically has only one pair of connectors (positive and negative). Typically, the audio drive signal from the amplifier 103 and the voltage signal received based on the pressure applied are applied together on the same electrical connection line. Since the audio electrical signal and the voltage signal are typically in different frequency ranges, the actuator AC voltage can be filtered out, thereby separating the audio signal from the voltage generated by the finger pressure. The audio signal frequency range is typically about 20–20000 Hz. For example, a typical finger pressure time is about 0.25 seconds, which is equal to a frequency of 4 Hz. Therefore, the frequency associated with finger pressure may differ from the typical audio signal frequency by several orders of magnitude, thus allowing the audio signal to be separated from the pressure voltage signal using a relatively simple filter structure.

[0025] When in use, the electronic device 100 can generate an audio output A1 via the audio display 150, and can also receive a mechanical pressing input F1. Any type of audio actuator can be used, such as an electric (magnet + coil) actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, or an electroactive polymer actuator. They are originally designed to convert alternating current signals into mechanical vibrations A1, but they can also be further configured to convert the mechanical finger pressure motion F1 into voltage.

[0026] The electronic device can process the received pressing pressure to detect various input signals of the electronic device, as described below.

[0027] Figure 2This is a side cross-sectional view of an electronic device 100. The electronic device 100 may have a frame 108. A display 150 may be attached to the frame 109. According to some embodiments, the display 150 is attached to the frame via a suspension member 108, thereby suspending the display. This can make the voltage signal generated by the audio actuator insensitive to the location of pressure applied on the display. For example, if the display is relatively small, such as on a smartphone, the signal generated by the audio actuator may vary significantly depending on whether the user applies force near the edge of the display or in the center. By suspending the display 150 on the frame 109, the display can move more linearly in response to pressure.

[0028] In some embodiments, there are multiple audio actuators, i.e., at least two audio actuators. By providing multiple audio actuators, the location of pressure applied on the display can be determined using different output signals from different audio actuators. The accuracy of determining the pressure location varies depending on the number of audio actuators provided. Generally, the more audio actuators used, the higher the accuracy of determining the applied pressure location. For example, two audio actuators can be used. When the phone is held close to the ear, only the upper actuator is used to generate the proximity to the ear function. By driving two audio actuators, a hands-free speaker mode can be implemented. When there are two audio actuators, finger pressure on the upper and lower halves of the display can be detected separately. In other implementations, other audio actuators can also be provided. For example, four audio actuators can be used in each corner of the display. When the voltage signals of multiple audio actuators are detected instead of a single audio actuator, force can also be detected more accurately from a wider display area.

[0029] As shown above, different components such as the low-pass filter and force detection unit are presented as separate blocks. In some implementations, these components can be integrated into an audio actuator system for monitoring the displacement of the audio actuator. When the audio display includes a system for sensing the displacement of the actuator relative to the center / rest position, the monitoring of the audio actuator displacement can use the same audio display system functional body as the audio display.

[0030] Figure 3The diagram illustrates a flowchart of some steps performed by the electronic device 100 when mechanical force is applied to a display 150 connected to an audio actuator 104. First, in step 301, a signal is output from the audio actuator 104. Next, in step 303, this output signal is low-pass filtered by a low-pass filter 105. The signal after passing through the low-pass filter 105 is received by a detector 106, which detects the pressure applied to the display in step 305. In some embodiments, in step 307, the timing of the force applied to the display is determined based on the output signal after passing through the low-pass filter. In some embodiments, in step 309, the magnitude of the force applied to the display is determined based on the output signal after passing through the low-pass filter. By determining the timing and magnitude of the input signal, the electronic device can distinguish different types of input from the user. In the case of multiple (i.e., at least two) audio actuators in the electronic device, in step 311, the location of the force applied to the display is determined based on the output signals from at least two audio actuators.

[0031] The detected signals can be used in subsequent processing to determine input commands or other inputs generated by a user pressing the display 150. Using the device described herein, force sensing can be achieved without the need for additional pressure sensors built into the display. This will save product costs and reduce product size.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: comprising: a display; an audio actuator; an audio signal generator; a low pass filter; wherein, the audio actuator is connected to the display, the audio actuator is configured to generate a voltage signal from a pressing force on the display; the audio signal generator is connected to the audio actuator, the audio actuator is configured to cause the display to vibrate in accordance with an audio signal generated by the audio signal generator; the audio signal has a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz; the low pass filter is configured to filter the voltage signal to generate an output signal; the low pass filter has a passband that is lower than any frequency generated by the audio signal generator, the low pass filter is configured to filter out the audio signal from the voltage signal, leaving the voltage signal generated by the pressing force on the display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, further comprising a frame and a suspension member, wherein the display is attached to the frame by the suspension member.

3. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein further comprising: a force detection unit connected to the low pass filter, wherein the force detection unit is configured to determine whether a force is applied to the display based on the output signal of the low pass filter.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein, the force detection unit is further configured to determine a time at which a force is applied to the display based on the output signal of the low pass filter.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein, the force detection unit is further configured to determine an amplitude of a force applied to the display based on the output signal of the low pass filter.

6. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein further comprising a haptic feedback actuator located behind the display.

8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein there are at least two audio actuators.

9. A method of detecting a pressing force on a display of an electronic device, characterized by, comprising the steps of: an audio actuator causes a display to vibrate in accordance with an audio signal generated by an audio signal generator; the audio signal has a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz; low pass filtering a signal from the audio actuator connected to the display; detecting a pressing force on the display based on the low pass filtered signal, including filtering out the audio signal from the voltage signal, leaving the voltage signal generated by the pressing force on the display; wherein the low pass filtering includes a passband that is lower than any frequency generated by the audio signal generator.

10. A computer program product comprising computer instructions, characterized in that, the computer executes the method of claim 9 when the computer instructions are executed on the computer.

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