Touch detection device and method

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a device that can detect touch. According to one embodiment, the device includes a surface having a first side and a second side. The device may also include a plurality of elements arranged on the second side of the surface. Each of the plurality of elements may be configured to convert a mechanical stress in the element caused by a force applied by an object to the first side of the surface into a voltage. The device may also include a computing device electrically coupled to each of the plurality of elements. The computing device may be configured to calculate the position of the object on the surface. A device, method, and computer program product are provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to touch user interfaces for devices, and more particularly to touch detection in such devices. Background Art

[0002] Touch-sensitive elements such as piezoelectric elements can be used in touch-based user interfaces, such as touch screens, trackpads, or various different kinds of electrical appliances that need to receive touch on a surface. However, reliably determining the position of, for example, a user's finger on such an interface can introduce various challenges. For example, a user can touch the interface with varying degrees of force, and it can be challenging to design a device that is sensitive enough to function reliably when the interface is only lightly touched while also functioning correctly when greater forces are applied. In addition, the movement of the finger on the surface can pose challenges to detection. Alternative touch detection schemes such as capacitive detection may have other limitations. For example, capacitive touch detection may not function correctly when the user is wearing gloves. Summary of the invention

[0003] This Summary is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description.This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a device and a corresponding method for detecting touch. Further implementation forms are provided in the description and the drawings.

[0005] According to a first aspect, a device comprises: a surface comprising a first side and a second side; a plurality of elements arranged on the second side of the surface, wherein each of the plurality of elements is configured to: convert a mechanical stress in the element caused by a force applied by an object to the first side of the surface into a voltage, wherein the mechanical stress and the voltage include an impact component and a vibration component; and a computing device electrically coupled to each of the plurality of elements, configured to: calculate the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage of each element. With such a configuration, the device may be able to, for example, determine the position of an object on the surface or determine whether an object is touching the surface.

[0006] In an implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to calculate the position of the object on the surface based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage of each element. With this configuration, the device is able to determine the position of the object on the surface, for example with improved accuracy and / or reliability, because the device can utilize both the vibration motion and the impact from the object when the object applies a force to the surface.

[0007] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is configured to calculate the position of the object on the surface based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage by calculating a weighted average of the impact component and / or the vibration component on the plurality of elements. With such a configuration, the device may be able to, for example, efficiently determine the position of the object on the surface.

[0008] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the plurality of elements include piezoelectric elements. The piezoelectric element may, for example, be capable of converting mechanical stress into an electrical voltage with high efficiency.

[0009] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to calculate the impact component by summing samples of the voltage over time. With such a configuration, the computing device may be able to effectively determine the impact component, which may improve the accuracy of positioning the object on the surface.

[0010] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the frequency of the vibration component is in the range of 5-25 Hz. This frequency range may correspond to the vibration frequency when a person's finger touches the surface. Thus, the device can, for example, effectively determine the position of a person's finger on the surface.

[0011] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to calculate the speed of the object on the surface. With such a configuration, the device may be able to, for example, better track the movement of the object on the surface.

[0012] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to track the position of the object on the surface as the object moves. With such a configuration, the device may be able to efficiently track various inputs given by the user by touching the surface, for example.

[0013] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to calculate the moving direction of the object on the surface as the object moves. With such a configuration, the moving direction of the user's finger can be determined.

[0014] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to compare the impact component and / or the vibration component with a preconfigured threshold value. With such a configuration, the device may be able to, for example, ignore impact components and / or vibration components caused by, for example, electrical noise.

[0015] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to, when calculating the position of the object on the surface, weight the impact component and the vibration component based on preconfigured criteria. With this configuration, when, for example, one component is unreliable or inaccurate, the device can, for example, dynamically utilize another component.

[0016] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the preconfigured criterion comprises the amplitude of the shock component. With such a configuration, the device can, for example, give more weight to the vibration component when the shock component is, for example, unreliable or inaccurate.

[0017] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to: apply a drive voltage to each of the plurality of elements; and wherein each of the plurality of elements is further configured to: provide a tactile effect to the first side of the surface based on the drive voltage. With such a configuration, the device may be able to, for example, also provide tactile feedback.

[0018] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is configured to apply drive voltages to the plurality of elements in a manner that provides a haptic effect at least to the location of the object. With such a configuration, the device may be able to provide haptic feedback, for example, to a user's finger.

[0019] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is configured to calculate the drive voltage of each of the plurality of elements based on a distance between the element and the position of the object on the surface. With such a configuration, the device may be able to, for example, localize the tactile feedback provided to a user's finger.

[0020] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the drive voltage is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the element and the position of the object on the surface. With such a configuration, the device may be able to efficiently localize the provided tactile feedback to a user's finger, for example.

[0021] In another implementation form of the first aspect, the computing device is further configured to: receive additional information about the position of the object from the second device; and calculate the position of the object on the surface based on the impulse component of the voltage of each element, the vibration component of the voltage of each element, and the additional information. With such a configuration, the device can achieve more accurate positioning.

[0022] According to a second aspect, a method comprises: converting mechanical stress in an element caused by a force applied by an object to a first side of a surface into a voltage, wherein the mechanical stress and the voltage include an impact component and a vibration component; and calculating the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage.

[0023] In an implementation form of the second aspect, the method further comprises: calculating the position of the object on the surface based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage.

[0024] According to a third aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising program code configured to perform the method according to the second aspect when the computer program is executed on a computing device.

[0025] Many of the accompanying features will be more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present specification will be better understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a cross-section of a device configured to determine impact and vibration of an object on a surface of the device according to an embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a plurality of elements configured to convert mechanical stress into voltage according to an embodiment;

[0029] Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of electrical coupling between various elements and a computing device according to an embodiment;

[0030] Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a position vector according to an embodiment;

[0031] Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of a stress curve according to an embodiment; and

[0032] Figure 6 A flow chart representation of a method according to an embodiment is shown.

[0033] In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The detailed description provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is intended as a description of embodiments, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the embodiments can be constructed or utilized. However, the same or equivalent functions and structures can be achieved by different embodiments.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic representation of a cross-section of a device 100 configured to determine impact and vibration of an object 104 on a surface 101 of the device is shown according to an embodiment.

[0036] According to one embodiment, device 100 includes surface 101, which includes first side 110 and second side 120. Surface 101 may also be referred to as a layer, surface layer, touch interface surface, or touch interface layer. Surface 101 may be part of a touch user interface. Surface 101 may be part of a touch pad or touch screen of a laptop computer, for example.

[0037] The device 100 may also include a plurality of elements 102 arranged on the second side 120 of the surface 101. For example, the element 102 may be beside the second side 120, adjacent to the second side 120, or located away from the second side 120. Each element 102 of the plurality of elements may be configured to convert a mechanical stress in the element 102 caused by a force 106 applied by the object 104 to the first side 110 of the surface 101 into a voltage. The mechanical stress and the voltage may include an impact component and a vibration component. The mechanical stress may also be referred to as a stress. The voltage may be referred to as an electrical voltage, a stress-induced voltage, or a corresponding voltage. The voltage may be proportional to the mechanical stress.

[0038] Element 102 may include, for example, a piezoelectric element. Element 102 may be configured to convert mechanical stress into voltage via the piezoelectric effect (also referred to as piezoelectricity). Object 104 may be, for example, a user's finger, any other body part of a person, a stylus, or some other object held by a user. In the case where object 104 is a finger, the user may be wearing a glove, and only the fabric of the glove may be in direct contact with surface 101.

[0039] The term "plurality of elements" may refer to all elements included in the device 100 or a subset of elements included in the device 100. For example, in Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, five elements 102 are presented. Therefore, in this embodiment, "a plurality of elements" may include, for example, two, three, four, or five elements 102. Therefore, the operations presented herein may be performed for each of a subset or all of the elements 102 of the device 100.

[0040] The impact component of the stress may correspond to, for example, an impact, force, or pressure applied to the surface 101 by the object 104. The impact component may also be referred to as a mean stress.

[0041] The vibration component may correspond to a vibratory motion, force or pressure to the surface 101 and / or to the element 102 caused, for example, by the object 104. For example, a human finger may have a tendency to vibrate slightly when pressing a surface. Such vibrations may also exist without or with minimal pressure applied by the object 104. This may enable vibration-based positioning with a light touch even when the skin or the outer layer of the fabric of the glove is barely in contact with the surface 101. In addition, the frequency of the vibration may be different from the frequency of typical noise components. This may make it easier to filter out unwanted noise and reliably detect touches.

[0042] The device may also include a computing device 103 electrically coupled to each element 102 of the plurality of elements. The computing device 103 may be configured to calculate an impact component and a vibration component of a voltage of each element, and to calculate a position of the object 104 on the surface 101 based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage of each element.

[0043] Although the shock or shock component may refer to a mechanical shock applied to the element 102 , since the voltage may be proportional to the mechanical stress, the voltage may also include such a shock component.

[0044] Although the vibration component may refer to mechanical vibration of element 102, since the voltage may be proportional to the mechanical stress, the voltage may also include such a vibration component.

[0045] The impact component may correspond to the total impact applied to the element 102. The vibration component may correspond to the vibration introduced into the element 102.

[0046] When object 104 exerts force 106 on surface 101, force 106 may induce mechanical stress in element 102 as surface 101 distributes force 106 between elements 102. The stress induced in element 102 may be inversely proportional to the distance between element 102 and object 104.

[0047] The computing device 103 may also include, for example, a voltage boost circuit, a microprocessor, and other components for interacting with the element 102. The voltage booster may provide the high voltage that may be needed to drive the element 102 in the case of haptic feedback. The microprocessor may perform addressing of the element 102.

[0048] The computing device 103 may include at least one processor. The at least one processor may include, for example, one or more of a variety of processing devices, such as a coprocessor, a microprocessor, the computing device 103, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing circuit with or without an accompanying DSP, or a variety of other processing devices, including integrated circuits, such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microprocessor units (MCUs), hardware accelerators, dedicated computer chips, etc.

[0049] The computing device 103 may also include a memory. The memory may be configured to store, for example, a computer program, etc. The memory may include one or more volatile memory devices, one or more non-volatile memory devices, and / or a combination of one or more volatile memory devices and non-volatile memory devices. For example, the memory may be embodied as a magnetic storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, etc.), an optical magnetic storage device, and a semiconductor memory (e.g., a mask ROM, a PROM (programmable ROM), an EPROM (erasable PROM), a flash ROM, a RAM (random access memory), etc.).

[0050] When the computing device 103 is configured to implement some functions, some components and / or multiple components of the computing device 103, such as at least one processor and / or memory, can be configured to implement the functions. In addition, when at least one processor is configured to implement some functions, the functions can be implemented using, for example, program codes included in the memory.

[0051] Despite Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, only one object 104 is shown, but there may be multiple objects 104 that touch the surface 101 at the same time. Any embodiment of the device 100 described herein can be configured to locate the position of each of the multiple objects 104 on the surface. The location of each object 104 can be performed as described herein.

[0052] Figure 2 A schematic representation of a plurality of elements 102 configured to convert mechanical stress into voltage is shown. Figure 2 The embodiment may be a top view or a bottom view of the element 102. This may correspond to Figure 1 The side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 2 In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , surface 101 is also shown on top of / below element 102 .

[0053] Elements 102 may be physically arranged in a matrix, for example in the plane of surface 101 . Figure 2 An example of such a matrix is ​​shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , however, the elements 102 may also be arranged in various other ways, such as elliptical, circular, or even other irregular shapes. For example, the elements 102 may be arranged in a substantially circular configuration of the edges of the surface 101. The physical arrangement of the elements 102 may not correspond to the electrical arrangement / topology of the elements 102.

[0054] Figure 3 1 shows a schematic representation of the electrical coupling between the plurality of elements 102 and the computing device 103. It should be understood that Figure 3 The embodiments are exemplary only, and element 102 may be coupled to computing device 103 in a variety of ways.

[0055] The elements 102 may be arranged into rows 107 and columns 108 of the plurality of elements 102. Each row may include a row conductor, and each column may include a column conductor. Each element in the row 107 may be electrically coupled to a corresponding row conductor, and each element in the column 108 may be electrically coupled to a corresponding column conductor.

[0056] Each element 102 may include two terminals 130, 131. One terminal 130 may be connected to a row conductor and one terminal 131 may be connected to a column conductor. When stress is applied to the element 102, a voltage may be detected between the terminals 130, 131. Thus, the computing device 103 may detect the voltage via the corresponding row and column conductors 107, 108, and the computing device 103 may determine which element 102 to actuate based on the column and row.

[0057] Elements 102 connected to rows 107 and columns 108 may provide a tactile effect via, for example, a piezoelectric effect when a voltage is applied between the row and column conductors.

[0058] A row may refer to an element 102 electrically coupled to a particular row and / or a corresponding row conductor. A column may refer to an element 102 electrically coupled to a particular row and / or a corresponding column conductor.

[0059] Rows 107 and columns 108 may refer only to the electrical arrangement of elements 102. Elements 102 may be spatially arranged in many different arrangements that may be different from the electrical arrangement. Furthermore, even if elements 102 are spatially arranged in a matrix, the spatial arrangement need not correspond to the electrical arrangement in the plurality of elements 102. For example, two spatially adjacent elements 102 may not be adjacent in the electrical arrangement of the plurality of elements 102.

[0060] Each element 102 can be addressed by applying a voltage to the corresponding row 107 and column 108. For example, an element 102 can be addressed by applying a voltage between the top row conductor 107 and the leftmost column conductor 108. Figure 3 102. This addressing can reduce the amount of electronic hardware required, such as piezoelectric drivers, channel selectors, and physical wires between computing device 103 and element 102, compared to other arrangements.

[0061] Although rows and columns may be used to disclose some functionality of device 100, these should not be considered limiting. For example, the functionality of rows and columns may be interchanged without losing the effect sought.

[0062] Figure 3 The embodiments are merely examples, and the elements 102 may be coupled to the computing device 103 in various ways. For example, the elements 102 may be electrically arranged in a non-matrix arrangement. For example, one of the terminals 130, 131 of the elements 102 may be connected to a stable reference voltage, while the other terminals 130, 131 of each element 102 may be individually connected to the computing device 103. In such a configuration, the computing device 103 may detect a voltage between a terminal connected to the computing device 103 and a terminal connected to the reference voltage.

[0063] The user may also perceive the haptic effect as feedback, ie, for example, tactile feedback after touching or pressing a button or key.Alternatively or in addition to the above, the device 100 may output a haptic effect without user interaction or feedback, such as by another actuation.

[0064] According to one embodiment, an element 102 of the plurality of elements 102 comprises a piezoelectric element.

[0065] Computing device 103 may include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that may be configured to convert an analog voltage from element 102 into a digital signal. Based on row 107 and column 108, computing device 103 may detect which element 102 is pressed.

[0066] There may be several elements 102 that are touched, pressed, swiped, or otherwise actuated by a user simultaneously, thereby providing a sufficiently large signal difference across several pairs of rows 107 and columns 108 that can be detected and identified in computing device 103. Different and adjustable sensitivity thresholds may be used to identify different kinds of touch events in computing device 103.

[0067] Computing device 103 may also be configured to also utilize relative information from element 102 to also record movement of finger(s), pressure distribution, etc. Based on the detected signals, computing device 103 may drive element 102 as disclosed herein to provide a tactile experience to the user.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the computing device 103 is configured to calculate the position of the object 104 on the surface 101 based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage by calculating the weighted average of the impact component and / or the vibration component on the element. Alternatively, the computing device 103 may be configured to transmit the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage of each element to a second device, wherein the second device is configured to calculate the position of the object on the surface based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage of each element. The second device may be, for example, a so-called host device.

[0069] According to an embodiment, computing device 103 is configured to determine whether object 104 is touching surface 101 based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage by calculating a weighted average of the impact component and / or the vibration component on the element.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the computing device 103 is also configured to receive additional information about the position of the object from the second device, and calculate the position of the object on the surface based on the impact component of the voltage of each element, the vibration component of the voltage of each element, and the additional information. For example, the second device may include a capacitive sensing device. The capacitive sensing device may be configured to determine the position of the object 104 on the surface 101 based on capacitive sensing. In some cases, such capacitive sensing may be reliable and may be used by the computing device 103 as a third weighting term in addition to the impulse component and the vibration component. When the computing device 103 detects a strong impact signal and a low capacitance signal, the computing device may weight the impact component and the vibration component more.

[0071] Figure 4 Schematic representation of a position vector according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 4 In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the position vector of the object 104 on the surface 101 is presented. 401. In addition, two position vectors of two elements 102' and 102" among the plurality of elements 102 are presented. 402 and 403. A similar position vector may be assigned to each of the plurality of elements 102 exist Figure 4 In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , only two such position vectors are shown for clarity.

[0072] Device 101 may calculate the position of object 104 using, for example, coordinates. The coordinates may be, for example, Cartesian coordinates or polar coordinates. Figure 4 In the embodiment, the position vector 402 and 403 can be expressed as:

[0073]

[0074] in, is a unit vector in the x direction 404, is a unit vector in the y direction. Therefore, the coordinates of element 102' may be (5, 1) and the coordinates of element 102" may be (2, 3). The position vector may be expressed as

[0075]

[0076] Thus, the coordinates of object 104 may be (3, 2.4). All of these values ​​are examples only, and the coordinates may be expressed in various other ways. For example, the coordinates may be normalized to between 0 and 1, and / or the x-direction and / or y-direction may vary.

[0077] Computing device 103 may further be configured to output / report the coordinates to another device, such as a host device or component.

[0078] The computing device 103 may calculate the position vector of the object 104 using, for example, a weighted average 401, for example:

[0079]

[0080] Among them I i is the impact component at element i. For example, the impact component I may be calculated by integrating the force / stress applied to element 102 with respect to time: i Or, the impact component I i It may be replaced by, for example, a force, a pressure, a stress or a voltage induced in the element by the force, stress or pressure.

[0081] The computing device 103 may calculate a similar position vector of the object 104 based on the vibration components in each element

[0082]

[0083] where v i is the vibration component in element i. i This may include, for example, the amplitude of the vibration or the amplitude of the voltage induced by the vibration.

[0084] The computing device 103 may combine the position calculated based on the impact component and the position calculated based on the vibration component by, for example, taking the average of the two position vectors. So it could be, for example:

[0085]

[0086] Alternatively, we can use two position vectors For example, there may be a Add weight a v and Add weight a I :

[0087]

[0088] where a v +a I = 1. Weight a v 、a I It can be v i and / or iFor example, computing device 103 may be configured to detect when object 104 only lightly touches surface 101 by comparing a I Increase a v Value to give more weight From a young age I i The computing device 103 may be configured to adjust a as the impact on the element increases. v and a I The computing device 103 may even adjust the weight a as a function of time. v 、a I For example, if object 104 initially applies only a small force 106 to surface 101, computing device 103 may configure a v Compared to a I is large, and if the force increases with time, a I can increase over time and a v The computing device 103 may be configured to v +a I = 1 to adjust the weight.

[0089] According to an embodiment, the computing device 103 is further configured to weight the impact component and the vibration component based on pre-configured criteria when calculating the position of the object on the surface.

[0090] The preconfigured criteria may include, for example, the magnitude of the impact component. The computing device 103 may, for example, perform a i The amplitude of the impact component is calculated by averaging. If the amplitude of the impulse component is small, the computing device 103 may weight the vibration component more, for example as described above.

[0091] The preconfigured criteria may include external conditions. For example, the computing device 103 may identify a disturbance that may affect the vibration component. In this case, the computing device 103 may weight the impact component more, and vice versa. Alternatively or additionally, the computing device 103 may detect an additional impact caused by something other than the tracked finger, and therefore weight the vibration component more.

[0092] Figure 5 5 shows a schematic representation of stress 502 in element 102 as a function of time 501 according to an embodiment. Figure 5 In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , two stress curves 503 , 504 are shown.

[0093] In the case of curve 503, the force applied by object 104 may be greater than in the case of curve 504. Alternatively or additionally, element 102 corresponding to curve 504 may be further away from object 104 than element 102 corresponding to curve 503.

[0094] As the object 104 begins to press against the surface 101, the stress increases, as shown by curves 503, 504. At later times, the stress may be substantially constant, and the oscillating component of the stress may be significant.

[0095] The computing device 103 may sample the stress 503 at substantially constant time intervals, thereby generating a sample σ of the stress i 505. Alternatively, if the element 102 is configured to convert stress into voltage, the sample may include a corresponding voltage value. Here, stress and voltage may be used interchangeably. The computing device 103 may calculate the average stress σ using the following: ave ,For example:

[0096]

[0097] Where N is the number of samples used to calculate the average. Ignore the strain samples σ during the time when the strain changes when the object 104 begins to press onto the surface 101 i Might be beneficial.

[0098] According to an embodiment, the computing device 103 is further configured to calculate the impulse component by summing the samples of the voltage over time.

[0099] The computing device 103 can calculate the impact component applied to the element 102 by integrating the stress over time, since the stress can be proportional to the force applied to the element. Since the computing device 103 can obtain discrete samples of the stress σ i , so we can use the stress sample σ i The impulse is calculated by summing:

[0100]

[0101] Where T is the time interval for calculating the impact, S is the surface area of ​​the element 102, and f T is the stress sample σ i Alternatively, the computing device 103 may use other procedures, such as Simpson's rule or trapezoidal rule, to obtain the sampling frequency of the sample σ i Calculate the impact component I.

[0102] The computing device 103 may ignore the factor S / f in the above equation t, since the actual value of the impact I may not be of interest. For example, computing device 103 may calculate the position of object 104 based on the relative magnitudes of the impact components of different elements 102, such as using the weighted average described above.

[0103] Since the impact component applied to element 102 may be inversely proportional to the distance between element 102 and object 104 , computing device 103 may calculate / estimate the position of object 104 on surface 101 using the impact component of each element 102 .

[0104] For each sample σ i , the computing device 103 may calculate the vibration amplitude A using the following i ,For example:

[0105] A i =|σ i -σ ave |.

[0106] The computing device 103 may calculate the average vibration amplitude A using the following: ave ,For example:

[0107]

[0108] or

[0109]

[0110] Average vibration amplitude A ave The amount of vibration in the element 102 can be quantified. The vibration component can include an average vibration amplitude A ave . Average vibration amplitude A ave It can also be called sample σ i Since the amount of vibration in element 102 may be inversely proportional to the distance between element 102 and object 104 , computing device 103 may use the vibration component of each element 102 to calculate / estimate the position of object 104 on surface 101 .

[0111] According to an embodiment, the computing device 103 is further configured to compare the impact component and / or the vibration component with a preconfigured threshold value. This may enable the computing device 103 to ignore voltages that may be due to, for example, electrical noise.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the frequency of the vibration component is in the range of 5-25 Hertz (Hz). The frequency may be in any sub-range thereof, such as 10-20 Hz, 12-18 Hz, or 13-17 Hz. The computing device 103 may be configured to substantially filter out frequencies outside of this range.

[0113] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, even though the above calculations are presented with respect to the stress applied to the element 102, the computing device 103 may be configured to perform the corresponding calculations using voltage samples obtained from the element 102. The element 102 may be configured to convert the stress into a voltage. Therefore, in the above discussion, the term "stress" may be replaced by the term "voltage". The voltage sample may be proportional to the stress applied to the element 102. The computing device 103 may scale the voltage sample, for example, by a scaling factor. In some embodiments, such a scaling factor may not be needed because the exact value of the stress / impact may not be of concern. Instead, the computing device 103 may similarly utilize the corresponding voltage sample.

[0114] According to an embodiment, computing device 103 is also configured to calculate the velocity of the object on the surface. Computing device 103 can be configured to predict the future position of object 104 on surface 101 based on the velocity. Computing device 103 can combine such predictions with other calculations / measurements disclosed herein to estimate the position of object 104 on surface 101.

[0115] According to an embodiment, computing device 103 is also configured to track the position of object 104 on surface 101 as object 104 moves. For example, computing device 103 can be configured to record a starting position and an ending position. The starting position can correspond to the position where object 104 begins to contact surface 101, and the ending position can correspond to the position where object 104 stops contacting surface 101. Computing device 103 can also be configured to output / report the starting position and / or the ending position to another device or component.

[0116] According to an embodiment, the computing device 103 is further configured to apply a driving voltage to each element 102 of the plurality of elements; and each element 102 of the plurality of elements is further configured to: provide a haptic effect to the first side 110 of the surface 101 based on the driving voltage. Therefore, the device 100 is capable of providing haptic feedback to the object 104.

[0117] According to another embodiment, computing device 103 is configured to apply drive voltages to the plurality of elements in a manner such that a haptic effect is provided at least at the location of object 104 .

[0118] According to another embodiment, the computing device 103 is configured to calculate a driving voltage for each of the plurality of elements based on a distance between the element and a location of the object on the surface.

[0119] According to another embodiment, computing device 103 is configured to calculate a driving voltage for each of the plurality of elements based on an impact component in the element. Thus, the haptic effect may be proportional to force 106 applied to surface 101. Computing device 103 may also be configured to record the impact component / force for each element 102. According to another embodiment, the driving voltage is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between element 102 and the location of object 104 on the surface.

[0120] Computing device 103 may also be configured to detect whether object 104 is used by a person. If object 104 is not used by a person, the vibration component may be substantially zero, while object 104 may still apply force to surface 101, so the impact component may be non-zero. Even if the user uses a stylus or some other object to touch surface 101, vibrations from the user's hand may still be detected in the vibration component. This may be used to ignore touches that are not intended by the user.

[0121] The computing device 103 may also be configured to report / output any value to another device or component.

[0122] Figure 6 A flow chart representation of a method 600 according to an embodiment is shown. The method 600 may include converting 601 a mechanical stress in an element caused by a force applied by an object to a first side of a surface into a voltage, wherein the mechanical stress and the voltage include an impact component and a vibration component.

[0123] The method 600 may also include calculating 602 a shock component and a vibration component of the voltage.

[0124] The method 600 may also include calculating 603 a position of the object on the surface based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage.

[0125] although Figure 6 The flowchart representation of the method 600 in the embodiment of the invention may indicate a specific order of steps 601-603 of the method 600, but the steps 601-603 may be performed in any order. In addition, one or more of the steps 601-603 may be performed substantially simultaneously.

[0126] Device 100 and / or method 600 can be used in, for example, a laptop touchpad. Multiple elements 102 can be configured to determine a force threshold and provide tactile (click) confirmation. When a mechanical click function is replaced with multiple elements 102, the thickness of the touchpad stack can be reduced, and a more accurate and uniform click feeling can be provided. "Uniform" can mean that the click feeling is similar, regardless of where the finger touches the surface. Multiple elements 102 can implement new functions, such as providing a sense of touch on the touchpad when a computer cursor moves past a virtual button on the screen. Force sensitivity on the touchpad surface can also provide new possibilities. For example, pressing harder with a finger can trigger certain functions (such as shortcut functions) on the computer.

[0127] The device 100 and / or the method 600 may also be used, for example, in a vehicle, such as a car. The device 100 and / or the method 600 may enable a user / driver of the vehicle to control various systems of the vehicle, such as an information system, an entertainment system, and / or a control system.

[0128] The device 100 and / or method 600 can also be used, for example, to create a full QWERTY (laptop) keyboard, replacing mechanical keys. This can provide at least some of the following benefits: space saving (thinner stack = thinner laptop), increased robustness, seamless, closed surface can be easily cleaned, new design options - material selection, new functionality and faster typing speeds (e.g., selecting uppercase letters by applying more pressure with the finger on the key), fully configurable - the user can change the way the keys feel (more or less "key travel", sensitivity, audio sounds from the keys).

[0129] When the device 100 and / or method 600 is combined with a screen / display, a virtual on-screen keyboard can be created without compromising tactile feel / feedback. The benefit of a virtual keyboard can be that the layout (position and function) of the keys can be easily reconfigured, for example, when changing between languages ​​or certain applications (e.g., text editing versus gaming).

[0130] In some embodiments, one element 102 may correspond to one key on a keyboard. This may require, for example, up to 100 tactile feedback elements 101 for a full QWERTY keyboard. Each element may need to be wired / connected to a computing device 103. Multiple elements 102 may reduce the number of connectors and the complexity of wiring due to so many individual elements 102.

[0131] In some embodiments, each element 102 may not correspond to a key on a keyboard. Instead, the element 102 may be used to detect the position of an object 104, such as a finger, and based on the position, the pressed key may be inferred. Similarly, tactile feedback may be provided by the element 102 to the position of the object 104.

[0132] The device 100 and / or method 600 may also be used in conjunction with a display. It is also possible to create more tactile experiences while moving a finger across a surface / display, such as feeling textures, bumps, or other structures.

[0133] In some embodiments, the elements 102 may not be discrete elements. Instead, it is also possible to deposit the piezoelectric material on a carrier material and utilize this layer of piezoelectric material in multiple elements 102. This can reduce costs and make assembly easier.

[0134] The functions described herein may be performed at least in part by one or more computer program product components such as software components. According to an embodiment, the device includes a processor, such as a microprocessor, which is configured by a program code to perform the described operations and embodiments of the functions when the program code is executed. Alternatively or additionally, the functions described herein may be performed at least in part by one or more hardware logic components. For example, but not limited to, illustrative types of hardware logic components that may be used include field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), program application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), program application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on chips (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and graphics processing units (GPUs).

[0135] Any range or device value given herein may be expanded or changed without losing the effect sought. Moreover, any embodiment may be combined with another embodiment unless explicitly not permitted.

[0136] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or acts, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Instead, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims, and other equivalent features and acts are intended to fall within the scope of the claims.

[0137] It should be understood that the above benefits and advantages may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those embodiments that solve any or all of the problems described, or those embodiments that have any or all of the benefits and advantages described. It will also be understood that reference to "an" item may refer to one or more of these items.

[0138] The steps of the methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. In addition, individual blocks may be deleted from any method without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the above embodiments may be combined with aspects of any other embodiment described to form additional embodiments without losing the effects sought.

[0139] The term "comprising" is used herein to mean including the identified methods, blocks or elements, but such blocks or elements do not include an exclusive list and the method or apparatus may contain additional blocks or elements.

[0140] It should be understood that the above description is given as an example only, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above description, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of the exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments are described above with a certain degree of particularity or with reference to one or more separate embodiments, those skilled in the art may make many changes to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A touch detection device (100), comprising: a surface (101) comprising a first side (110) and a second side (120); A plurality of elements (102) arranged on a second side of the surface, wherein the plurality of elements include piezoelectric elements, and wherein each element of the plurality of elements is configured to: converting a mechanical stress in the element caused by a force (106) applied by an object (104) to a first side of the surface into a voltage, wherein the mechanical stress and the voltage include an impact component and a vibration component; and A computing device (103) electrically coupled to each of the plurality of elements, the computing device being configured to: calculating a shock component and a vibration component of a voltage of each component, wherein the shock component corresponds to a total shock applied to the component; The position of the object on the surface is calculated based on the impulse and vibration components of the voltage of each element as well as When calculating the position of an object on a surface By calculating the position vector and And the position of the object is calculated as Based on pre-configured criteria with weights a I The impact component is weighted and the weight a v The vibration component is weighted, wherein the preconfigured criteria include a weight a as a function of the shock component I and a v .

2. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The computing device is configured to calculate the position of the object on the surface based on the impact component and the vibration component of the voltage by calculating a weighted average of the impact component and / or the vibration component for the plurality of elements.

3. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The computing device is also configured to calculate the impulse component by summing the samples (505) of the voltage over time.

4. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The frequency of the vibration component is in the range of 5-25 Hz.

5. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The computing device is also configured to calculate a velocity of the object on the surface.

6. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The computing device is also configured to track the position of the object on the surface as the object moves.

7. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The computing device is also configured to calculate a direction of movement of the object on the surface as the object moves.

8. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The computing device is further configured to compare the impact component and / or the vibration component to a preconfigured threshold value.

9. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein The preconfigured criteria include the magnitude of the shock component.

10. The device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The computing device is also configured to: applying a driving voltage to each of the plurality of elements; And wherein each of the plurality of elements is further configured to: A haptic effect is provided to the first side of the surface based on the driving voltage.

11. The device (100) according to claim 10, wherein The computing device is configured to apply drive voltages to the plurality of elements in a manner to provide a haptic effect at least at the location of the object.

12. The device (100) according to claim 11, wherein The computing device is configured to calculate a drive voltage for each of the plurality of elements based on a distance between the element and a location of the object on the surface.

13. The device (100) according to claim 12, wherein The drive voltage is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the element and the location of the object on the surface.

14. The device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The computing device is also configured to: receiving additional information about the location of the object from a second device; as well as The position of the object on the surface is calculated based on the impulse component of the voltage of each element, the vibration component of the voltage of each element, and the additional information.

15. A touch detection method (600), comprising: converting (601) a mechanical stress in an element caused by a force applied by an object to a first side of a surface into a voltage, wherein the element comprises a piezoelectric element, and wherein the mechanical stress and the voltage comprise an impact component and a vibration component; calculating (602) an impact component and a vibration component of the voltage, wherein the impact component corresponds to a total impact applied to the element; The position of the object on the surface is calculated (603) based on the impulse component and the vibration component of the voltage as well as When calculating the position of an object on a surface By calculating the position vector and And the position of the object is calculated as Based on pre-configured criteria with weights a I The impact component is weighted and the weight a v The vibration component is weighted, wherein the preconfigured criteria include a weight a as a function of the shock component I and a v .

16. A computer program product comprising a program code configured to perform the method according to claim 15 when the computer program is executed on a computing device.

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