Touch sensing device and electronic device

Abstract

The application provides a touch sensing device and an electronic device. The touch sensing device comprises a touch panel, a force sensing sensor, a containment unit and a vibration absorbing object. The force sensing sensor is fixed on the touch panel. The containment unit is fixed on the touch panel. The containment unit is arranged around the force sensing sensor to form a touch sensitive area on the touch panel. The containment unit is used to block the vibration from entering or leaving the touch sensitive area. The vibration absorbing object is filled between the containment unit and the force sensing sensor to absorb the vibration. The acoustic impedance of the containment unit is greater than the acoustic impedance of the vibration absorbing object. Thus, the influence of factors outside the touch sensitive area where the force sensing sensor is located on the force sensing sensor can be effectively reduced, the misjudgment (for example, misjudgment caused by false touch) phenomenon of the force sensing sensor can be reduced, and the effective detection rate of the force sensing sensor can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of touch technology, and in particular to a touch sensing device and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Virtual touch control typically requires force sensors to recognize pressing actions. There are various types of force sensors, such as resistive, capacitive, inductive, piezoelectric, and ultrasonic. However, in touch sensing devices using force sensors, false detections are common, affecting the effective detection rate of the touch sensing device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a touch sensing module and electronic device that can improve the effective detection rate.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a touch sensing device, including a touch panel, at least one force sensor, at least one enclosure unit, and a vibration absorber. The force sensor is fixed to the touch panel, and the enclosure unit is fixed to the touch panel. The enclosure unit is arranged around the force sensor to form a touch-sensitive area on the touch panel. The enclosure unit is used to block vibration from entering or leaving the touch-sensitive area. The vibration absorber is filled between the enclosure unit and the force sensor to absorb vibration. The acoustic impedance of the enclosure unit is greater than the acoustic impedance of the vibration absorber.

[0005] In the touch sensing device provided in this application, the enclosure unit surrounds the force sensor, that is, the force sensor is enclosed within the enclosure unit. The space between the enclosure unit and the force sensor is filled with vibration-absorbing material, and the acoustic impedance of the material of the enclosure unit is greater than that of the vibration-absorbing material. This can effectively reduce the influence of factors outside the touch-sensitive area where the force sensor is located on the force sensor, reduce the phenomenon of false judgment by the force sensor (such as false judgment caused by accidental touch), and improve the effective detection rate of the force sensor.

[0006] More specifically, vibrations outside the touch-sensitive area are reflected by the enclosure unit, making it difficult for them to reach the touch-sensitive area where the force sensor is located. Even if vibrations do reach the touch-sensitive area where the force sensor is located, the vibration-absorbing material located in the touch-sensitive area can absorb the vibrations, effectively reducing the impact of factors outside the touch-sensitive area on the force sensor, such as vibration (force) interference and / or crosstalk. In addition, vibrations within the touch-sensitive area where the force sensor is located are reflected by the enclosure unit and absorbed by the vibration-absorbing material, making it difficult for them to escape outside the touch-sensitive area where the force sensor is located, thus preventing them from affecting nearby devices. Furthermore, since the force sensor is enclosed by the enclosure unit, it helps to enhance the impact resistance of the touch sensing device and extend its service life.

[0007] According to the first aspect, in a first possible implementation of this application, the enclosure unit comprises a high acoustic impedance material, and the vibration absorber comprises a low acoustic impedance material. Wherein, the acoustic impedance is at 2 MPa·s / m (2 × 10⁻⁶ m / s). 6 Materials with an acoustic impedance of 2 ohms (Pa·s / m) or higher are called high acoustic impedance materials, while materials with an acoustic impedance of less than 2 ohms (Pa·s / m) are called low acoustic impedance materials.

[0008] The enclosure unit is made of a high acoustic impedance material, while the vibration absorbers are made of a low acoustic impedance material. The high acoustic impedance material is a high-density material with a high Young's modulus, wherein the density ρ of the high acoustic impedance material is greater than 1 g / cm³. 3 Materials with low acoustic impedance and a Young's modulus higher than 1 GPa, such as stainless steel, nickel, iron-nickel alloys, and copper, are typically low-impedance, high-damping (low-density, low-Young's modulus) materials. The density ρ of low-impedance materials is less than 1 g / cm³. 3 Furthermore, the Young's modulus is below 1 GPa. The greater the difference between the acoustic impedance of the enclosure unit and the acoustic impedance of the vibration absorber, the greater the energy attenuation of the vibration. The enclosure unit is made of high acoustic impedance material, while the vibration absorber is made of low acoustic impedance material, which can accelerate the energy attenuation of the vibration, further reduce the false judgment and phenomenon of the force sensor, and improve the effective detection rate of the force sensor.

[0009] The enclosure unit is made of a high acoustic impedance material, possessing both high density and strength. While effectively blocking vibration transmission, it also enhances the touch sensor's impact resistance, making it less prone to damage from external impacts. The vibration absorber is made of a low acoustic impedance material, providing high vibration absorption performance and cushioning the touch sensor from impacts. This dual protection of the enclosure unit and the vibration absorber helps extend the lifespan of the touch sensor.

[0010] According to the first aspect or the first possible implementation of the first aspect, in the second possible implementation of this application, the touch panel further includes a non-touch sensitive area connected to the touch sensitive area, and the vibration-absorbing material covers the non-touch sensitive area.

[0011] Non-touch-sensitive areas refer to the areas of a touch panel excluding the touch-sensing area, such as the gaps between adjacent enclosure units. Vibration-absorbing materials filling these non-touch-sensitive areas can absorb vibrations from these areas, enhance the energy attenuation of vibrations outside the touch-sensitive areas, and reduce the transmission of vibrations from the non-touch-sensitive areas to the touch-sensitive areas, thus reducing force coupling issues between them. Using more than one force sensor further reduces force coupling issues between adjacent force sensors.

[0012] According to the first aspect or the first to second possible implementations of the first aspect, in the third possible implementation of this application, the enclosure unit covers the force sensor, and the enclosure unit and the touch panel together form an enclosing structure.

[0013] The enclosure unit is placed over the force sensor. In other words, the enclosure unit has a cap-like structure, which makes the enclosure unit's structure more stable and stronger in resisting external interference. In addition, the enclosure unit and the touch panel together form a surrounding structure to isolate the outside, which helps to improve the vibration isolation effect of the enclosure unit.

[0014] According to the first aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the first aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of this application, the enclosure unit is provided with a through hole for passing through an electrical connector between the electrical connection control circuit board and the force sensor, thereby improving the wiring flexibility of the touch sensing device. The electrical connector can be an electrical connection wire, a flexible circuit board, etc.

[0015] According to the first aspect or the first to fourth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of this application, a control circuit board is further included. One end of the enclosure unit is fixed to the touch panel, and the control circuit board is fixedly covered on the other end of the enclosure unit away from the touch panel. The touch sensing device further includes a spring contact, which is electrically connected between the force sensor and the control circuit board. Vibration-absorbing material is filled between the control circuit board and the force sensor.

[0016] The control circuit board is fixedly connected to the enclosure unit, reducing the thickness of the touch sensing device and facilitating its miniaturization. The enclosure unit, control circuit board, and touch panel together form a closed space, making the enclosure unit's structure more stable and its resistance to external interference stronger. In addition, the control circuit board, enclosure unit, and touch panel together form an enclosed structure to isolate the outside, which helps improve the vibration isolation effect of the touch sensing device. Furthermore, the enclosure unit and touch panel together form an enclosed structure, increasing the space for filling vibration-absorbing material and improving its vibration absorption effect.

[0017] According to the first aspect or the first to fifth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of this application, the enclosure unit has a protruding locking head at one end away from the touch panel, and the control circuit board has a locking hole. The locking head is locked and connected to the locking hole, and the enclosure unit is locked and connected to the control circuit board, which helps to improve the convenience of assembling the touch sensing device.

[0018] According to the first aspect or the first to sixth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of this application, the enclosure unit includes a plurality of blocking rings fixed to the touch panel. The plurality of blocking rings are sequentially sleeved along the radial direction of the force sensor. The force sensor is housed in the innermost blocking ring of the enclosure unit. The area enclosed by the outermost blocking ring of the enclosure unit on the touch panel is the touch sensing area. A receiving groove is formed between each adjacent blocking ring, and the vibration-absorbing material fills the receiving groove. By utilizing a multi-layered cross-acoustic impedance method, the thickness of the enclosure unit is reduced while maintaining a certain degree of flexibility in the touch panel, providing users with a better touch experience while resisting force / vibration crosstalk.

[0019] According to the first aspect or the first to seventh possible implementations of the first aspect, in the eighth possible implementation of this application, the receiving groove is an annular groove, such that the blocking ring and the vibration absorber are staggered in all directions of the force sensor.

[0020] According to the first aspect or the first to eighth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the ninth possible implementation of this application, the number of enclosure units is multiple, and the multiple enclosure units are spaced apart from each other and independently arranged on the touch panel. The number of force sensors is multiple, and each force sensor is located in one of the enclosure units. Because the multiple enclosure units are spaced apart from each other and independently arranged, the multiple touch-sensitive areas are also spaced apart and independently arranged, further reducing the force coupling problem between the touch-sensitive areas.

[0021] According to the first aspect or the first to ninth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the tenth possible implementation of this application, the enclosure unit is a grid structure corresponding to multiple force-sensitive sensors. The enclosure unit includes multiple enclosure cells, each force-sensitive sensor is located in one enclosure cell, and the vibration-absorbing material is filled between the enclosure cell and the force-sensitive sensor. Since the enclosure unit is a grid structure, in other words, the enclosure unit includes multiple separately arranged isolation areas, that is, each enclosure cell forms an isolation area, and the touch sensing area is an isolation area with a force-sensitive sensing area. Since the force-sensitive sensors are separated by the enclosure cells, the force coupling problem between the touch-sensitive areas is effectively reduced. In addition, since the enclosure unit is an integral structure, it is convenient to assemble the enclosure unit onto the touch panel.

[0022] According to the first aspect or the first to tenth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the eleventh possible implementation of this application, the touch panel is provided with a mark on the touch sensitive area to identify the touch sensitive area and facilitate the user to perform touch operation.

[0023] According to the first aspect or the first to eleventh possible implementations of the first aspect, in the twelfth possible implementation of this application, the touch sensing device further includes a control circuit board, the control circuit board having a touch processing module, the touch processing module being electrically connected to the force sensor, the force sensor being used to generate a sensing electrical signal when force is applied to the touch sensitive area, and the touch processing module recognizing touch operations based on the sensing electrical signal.

[0024] According to the first aspect or the first to twelfth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the thirteenth possible implementation of this application, the side of the force sensor away from the touch panel is covered with a vibration-absorbing material, thereby increasing the coverage area of ​​the vibration-absorbing material in the touch-sensitive area.

[0025] Secondly, this application provides an electronic device, including a support component and a touch sensing device as described above, wherein the touch panel of the touch sensing device is mounted on the support component, and the force sensor, enclosure unit and vibration absorber of the touch sensing device are all housed within the support component.

[0026] The electronic device provided in this application has a touch sensing device with an enclosure unit and a vibration absorber. The acoustic impedance of the material of the enclosure unit is greater than that of the vibration absorber. In this way, the influence of factors outside the touch sensitive area where the force sensor is located on the force sensor can be effectively reduced, the false judgment of the force sensor can be reduced, and the user experience of the electronic device can be improved. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the touch sensing device provided in this application applied to an electronic device;

[0028] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structural block diagram of the electronic device.

[0029] Figure 3a , Figure 3b , Figure 3c , Figure 3d A cross-sectional view of a possible structure of the touch sensing device provided in the first embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating a user's touch operation on a touch-sensing device;

[0031] Figure 5 A structural block diagram of the touch processing module for controlling the circuit board;

[0032] Figure 6 For touch sensing devices in traditional technology and Figure 3a The diagram shows the test effect of the touch sensing device when tapped in a non-sensitive area.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a plan view of the touch panel;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the touch-sensing areas on a touch panel.

[0035] Figure 9 This is a planar schematic diagram of the touch panel and force sensor assembled together.

[0036] Figure 10 A side view of the touch panel assembled with the enclosure unit;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device called smart glasses.

[0038] Figure 12 A cross-sectional view of the touch sensing device provided in the second embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 13 for Figure 12 A side view of the enclosure unit of the touch sensing device shown;

[0040] Figure 14 for Figure 12 A plan view of the control circuit board of the touch sensing device shown;

[0041] Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of the touch sensing device provided in the third embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 16 for Figure 15 A schematic diagram of the touch sensing device shown;

[0043] Figure 17 This is a plan view of the touch sensing device provided in the fourth embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] It should be understood that expressions such as “comprising” and “may include” used in this application indicate the existence of the disclosed functions, operations, or constituent elements, and do not limit one or more additional functions, operations, and constituent elements. In this application, terms such as “comprising” and / or “having” are to be interpreted as indicating a particular characteristic, number, operation, constituent element, component, or combination thereof, but not to exclude the existence or possibility of adding one or more other characteristics, numbers, operations, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0046] Furthermore, in this application, the expression "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the associated listed words. For example, the expression "A and / or B" may include A, may include B, or may include both A and B.

[0047] In this application, expressions including ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" may modify the elements. However, such elements are not limited by the foregoing expressions. For example, the foregoing expressions do not limit the order and / or importance of the elements. The foregoing expressions are only used to distinguish one element from other elements. For example, "first user equipment" and "second user equipment" refer to different user equipment, although both "first user equipment" and "second user equipment" are user equipment. Similarly, without departing from the scope of this application, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.

[0048] When a component is referred to as "connected" or "accessed" to other components, it should be understood that this component not only connects directly to or accesses other components, but also that another component may exist between this component and other components. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly accessed" to other components, it should be understood that no component exists between them.

[0049] The misjudgment problem of force sensors in touch sensing devices is mainly due to the fact that the force exerted on the touch panel outside the area where the force sensor is located is transmitted to the force sensor through deformation. Based on this, this application provides a touch sensing device including a touch panel, at least one force sensor, at least one enclosure unit, and a vibration absorber. The force sensor is fixed to the touch panel, and the enclosure unit is also fixed to the touch panel. The enclosure unit surrounds the force sensor, thus forming a touch-sensitive area on the touch panel. The enclosure unit is used to block vibration from entering or leaving the touch-sensitive area. The vibration absorber fills the space between the enclosure unit and the force sensor to absorb vibration. The acoustic impedance of the enclosure unit is greater than that of the vibration absorber, thereby effectively reducing the influence of factors outside the touch-sensitive area on the force sensor, reducing misjudgments (e.g., misjudgments due to accidental touches), and improving the effective detection rate of the force sensor.

[0050] Please see Figure 1 This application provides a touch sensing device 100 that can improve the effective detection rate of a force sensor, applied in an electronic device 300. In this embodiment, the electronic device 300 is a headset. The touch sensing device 100 is mounted on the support component 200 of the electronic device 300 and is used for user touch operations to trigger the electronic device 300 to perform operations including powering on, powering off, pausing, playing, recording, starting charging, and stopping charging.

[0051] Please see Figure 2 The electronic device 300 may further include at least one processor 301, at least one memory 302, a wireless communication module 303, an audio module 304, a power supply module 305, an input / output interface 306, etc. The processor 301 may include one or more interfaces for connecting to other components of the electronic device 300. The processor 301, memory 302, wireless communication module 303, audio module 304, and power supply module 305 are all mounted and housed within the support member 200.

[0052] The memory 302 can be used to store program code, such as program code for charging the electronic device 300, wireless pairing and connection between the electronic device 300 and other electronic devices, or wireless communication between the electronic device 300 and other electronic devices.

[0053] The processor 301 can be used to execute the aforementioned application code and call relevant modules to implement the functions of the electronic device 300 in the embodiments of this application. For example, it can implement the charging function, wireless communication function, and audio data playback function of the electronic device 300. The processor 301 may include one or more processing units, which may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors 301. Specifically, the processor 301 may be an integrated control chip or may be composed of circuits including various active and / or passive components, and the circuits are configured to perform the functions belonging to the processor 301 described in the embodiments of this application.

[0054] The wireless communication module 303 can be used to support data exchange between electronic device 300 and other electronic devices, including Bluetooth (BT), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) (such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Frequency Modulation (FM), Near Field Communication (NFC), and Infrared (IR) technologies. In some embodiments, the wireless communication module 303 can be a Bluetooth chip. Electronic device 300 can pair with and establish a wireless connection with Bluetooth chips of other electronic devices through the Bluetooth chip to achieve wireless communication between electronic device 300 and other electronic devices.

[0055] In addition, the wireless communication module 303 may also include an antenna. The wireless communication module 303 receives electromagnetic waves through the antenna, modulates and filters the electromagnetic wave signal, and sends the processed signal to the processor 301. The wireless communication module 303 may also receive signals to be transmitted from the processor 301, modulate and amplify them, and then convert them into electromagnetic waves for radiation through the antenna.

[0056] The audio module 304 can be used to manage audio, enabling the electronic device 300 to input and output audio signals. For example, the audio module 304 can acquire audio signals from or transmit audio signals to the wireless communication module 303. In this embodiment, the audio functions of the electronic device 300 can be realized through touch operation of the touch sensing device 100, such as making and receiving phone calls, playing music, activating / deactivating the voice assistant of other electronic devices connected to the electronic device 300, and receiving / sending user voice data. The audio module 304 includes a speaker and a microphone (or microphone, transducer), and a microphone receiving circuit that works with the microphone.

[0057] The power module 305 supplies power to various modules of the electronic device 300 and supports the electronic device 300 in receiving charging inputs. The power module 305 may include a power management unit (PMU) and a battery. The PMU may include a charging circuit, a voltage drop regulation circuit, a protection circuit, and a power measurement circuit. The charging circuit can receive external charging inputs. The voltage drop regulation circuit can transform the electrical signal input to the charging circuit and output it to the battery to complete the charging process; it can also transform the electrical signal input from the battery and output it to other modules such as the wireless communication module 303. The protection circuit can prevent overcharging, over-discharging, short circuits, or overcurrent of the battery. In some embodiments, the power module 305 may also include a wireless charging coil for wirelessly charging the electronic device 300. Additionally, the power management unit can monitor parameters such as battery capacity, battery cycle count, and battery health status (leakage current, impedance).

[0058] Multiple input / output interfaces 306 can be used to provide wired connections for the electronic device 300 to charge or communicate with other devices.

[0059] It is understood that the structure illustrated in the embodiments of this application does not constitute a specific limitation on the electronic device 300. It may have more than Figure 2 The number of components shown may be more or less, two or more components may be combined, or different component configurations may be present. For example, the outer surface of the electronic device 300 may also include buttons, indicator lights (which may indicate battery level, incoming / outgoing calls, pairing mode, etc.).

[0060] Figure 2The various components of the electronic device 300 shown can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software, including one or more signal processing or application-specific integrated circuits.

[0061] Please see Figure 3a The touch sensing device 100 includes a touch panel 22, force sensors 24, enclosure units 26, and vibration absorbers 28. In this embodiment, there are multiple force sensors 24 and multiple enclosure units 26. It should be noted that... Figure 3a Only one force sensor 24 and one enclosure unit 26 are shown as examples; the rest of the force sensors 24 and enclosure units 26 are omitted and not shown.

[0062] The touch panel 22 serves as a human-computer interaction interface for user touch operations. In this embodiment, the touch panel 22 is mounted on the support member 200 and located on the side of the electronic device (headphones) 300, with the touch surface (not shown) of the touch panel 22 facing the outermost side of the electronic device 200. The force sensor 24, the enclosure unit 26, and the vibration absorber 28 are all fixed to the back of the touch panel 22 away from the touch surface, and thus housed within the support member 200.

[0063] A force sensor 24 is fixed to the touch panel 22 and is used to sense whether the position of the force sensor 24 is subjected to force and deformed. An enclosure unit 26 is fixed to the touch panel 22. The enclosure unit 26 is arranged around the force sensor 24 to form a touch-sensitive area 222 on the touch panel 22, used to block vibration from entering or leaving the touch-sensitive area 222. A vibration-absorbing material 28 is filled between the enclosure unit 26 and the force sensor 24 to absorb vibration. The acoustic impedance of the material used to make the enclosure unit 26 is greater than the acoustic impedance of the material used to make the vibration-absorbing material 28.

[0064] The vibration can be the vibration generated by the deformation of the touch panel 22 due to force, or it can be the vibration transmitted from outside the touch sensing device 100, such as the vibration generated when the electronic device 300 is subjected to an external impact.

[0065] Acoustic impedance refers to the complex ratio of the sound pressure p of a medium on a certain area of ​​a wavefront to the volume velocity v passing through that area. It reflects the material's ability to impede the propagation of sound waves, especially in interface applications. In mechanics, the acoustic impedance Z of a material can be considered equal to the product of the medium density ρ and the sound velocity C (Z = ρC). The sound velocity C in a time-invariant adiabatic system can be calculated as C = sqrt(Y / ρ), where Y is the volume modulus. Therefore, the sound velocity Z can be calculated as Z = sqrt(ρY). It is evident that the higher the medium density ρ, the higher the acoustic impedance; conversely, the higher the material's volume modulus, the greater its acoustic impedance.

[0066] Let the acoustic impedance of the enclosure unit 26 be Z1, and the acoustic impedance of the vibration absorber 28 be Z2. The force wave transmission caused by vibration on the enclosure unit 26 is as follows: For longitudinal waves (propagating in the direction perpendicular to the touch panel), their speed is extremely fast, so there is almost no time difference for each force sensor 24, and the influence between adjacent force sensors 24 can be completely eliminated; for transverse waves (propagating in the direction parallel to the touch panel), since the enclosure unit 26 and the vibration absorber 28 are alternately arranged—that is, the arrangement is an acoustic isolation method of alternating materials with larger acoustic impedance and materials with smaller acoustic impedance—the enclosure unit 26 can reflect the transverse waves, and the vibration absorber 28 absorbs the vibration, allowing the vibration to attenuate within the touch-sensitive area 222. This effectively reduces the amount of vibration transmitted into or out of the touch-sensitive area 222.

[0067] Please refer to the following formula for acoustic wave transmittance:

[0068]

[0069] The greater the difference between Z2 and Z1, the greater the energy attenuation. When the difference between Z2 and Z1 is large, for example, the ratio between Z1 and Z2 is greater than 200, the energy attenuation from Z2 to Z1 can be as high as tens of times. Thus, in materials with low acoustic impedance (where sound waves are quickly attenuated after multiple reflections), the energy will be lost.

[0070] In this embodiment, the acoustic impedance is 2 MPa·s / m (2×10⁻⁶). 6 Materials with an acoustic impedance of 2 MHz (Pa·s / m) or higher are called high acoustic impedance materials, and materials with an acoustic impedance of less than 2 MHz (Pa·s / m) are called low acoustic impedance materials. The enclosure unit 26 is made of a high acoustic impedance material, and the vibration absorber 28 is made of a low acoustic impedance material. It can be understood that an acoustic impedance of less than 2 MHz (Pa·s / m) is not limited to... 6 Materials with an acoustic impedance of 2 pa.s / m or higher are called high acoustic impedance materials, and materials with an acoustic impedance of less than 2 megapa.s / m are called low acoustic impedance materials. The greater the difference between the acoustic impedance of the material used to make the enclosure unit 26 and the acoustic impedance of the material used to make the vibration absorber 28, the better.

[0071] High acoustic impedance materials are high-density materials with high Young's modulus, wherein the density ρ of high acoustic impedance materials is greater than 1 g / cm³. 3 Materials with low acoustic impedance and a Young's modulus higher than 1 GPa, such as stainless steel, nickel, iron-nickel alloys, and copper, are typically low-impedance, high-damping (low-density, low-Young's modulus) materials. The density ρ of low-impedance materials is less than 1 g / cm³. 3 Furthermore, the Young's modulus is less than 1 GPa. In this embodiment, the vibration absorber 28 has a porous or mesh structure, such as rubber, silicone, soft rubber, porous soft rubber, multi-bubble adhesive, foam plastic, soft coating, etc., to achieve low acoustic impedance and high damping.

[0072] In the touch sensing device 100 provided in this application, the force sensor 24 is enclosed by the enclosure unit 26. The space between the enclosure unit 26 and the force sensor 24 is filled with vibration-absorbing material 28. The acoustic impedance of the material of the enclosure unit 26 is greater than that of the vibration-absorbing material 28. By using the cross acoustic impedance method, the influence of factors outside the touch sensitive area 222 where the force sensor 24 is located on the force sensor 24 can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing the false judgment of the force sensor 24 (such as false judgment caused by accidental touch) and improving the effective detection rate of the force sensor 24.

[0073] More specifically, vibrations outside the touch-sensitive area 222 are reflected by the enclosure unit 26 and are difficult to transmit to the touch-sensitive area 222 where the force sensor 24 is located. Even if vibrations are transmitted to the touch-sensitive area 222 where the force sensor 24 is located, the vibration-absorbing material 28 located in the touch-sensitive area 222 can absorb the vibrations, effectively reducing the influence of factors outside the touch-sensitive area 222 on the force sensor 24, such as vibration (force) interference and / or crosstalk. In addition, vibrations within the touch-sensitive area 222 where the force sensor 24 is located are reflected by the enclosure unit 26 and then absorbed by the vibration-absorbing material 28. This process repeats, making it difficult for the vibrations to escape from the touch-sensitive area 222 where the force sensor 24 is located, thus preventing them from affecting other force sensors 24 and causing misjudgments, and blocking the coupling between the force sensors 24. Since the force sensor 24 is enclosed by the enclosure unit 26, it helps to enhance the impact resistance of the touch sensing device 100 and extend the service life of the touch sensing device 100.

[0074] The enclosure unit 26 is made of a high acoustic impedance material, which has high density and strength. While effectively blocking the transmission of vibrations, the enclosure unit 26 also enhances the impact resistance of the touch sensor 100, making it less prone to damage when subjected to external impacts. The vibration absorber 28 is made of a low acoustic impedance material, giving it high vibration absorption performance and also cushioning the touch sensor 100 when subjected to external impacts. This dual protection of the enclosure unit 26 and the vibration absorber 28 helps extend the service life of the touch sensor 100.

[0075] In this embodiment, the force sensor 24 is fixed to the touch panel 22 by a connector 25, which is an adhesive. That is, the force sensor 24 is fixed to the touch panel 22 by gluing. There are multiple force sensors 24 arranged in an array on the touch panel 22. Since multiple enclosure units 26 are spaced apart and independently disposed on the touch panel 22, and each force sensor 24 is located in one enclosure unit 26, the multiple touch-sensitive areas are spaced apart and independently disposed, further reducing the force coupling problem between the touch-sensitive areas 222. The force sensor 24 can be one of the following: resistive (stress changes resistance), capacitive (stress changes capacitance), inductive (deformation changes eddy current inductance), piezoelectric (stress generates charge), or ultrasonic (touch changes wave shape, time, amplitude, etc.). It is understood that the connector 25 is not limited to an adhesive, that is, the force sensor 24 can be fixed to the touch panel 22 by other connection methods. For example, the connector 25 can be a welding agent, and the force sensor 24 can be fixed to the touch panel 22 by welding. The touch panel 22 can be metal or non-metal, and the touch panel 22 can be configured according to the force sensor 24.

[0076] The touch panel 22 also includes a non-touch sensitive area 224 connected to the touch sensitive area 222, which is covered with vibration-absorbing material 28. The gap between adjacent enclosure units 26 is also a non-touch sensitive area 224, and the gap between adjacent enclosure units 26 is also filled with vibration-absorbing material 28. Since the non-touch sensitive area 224 is also covered or filled with vibration-absorbing material 28, that is, the vibration-absorbing material 28 of the non-touch sensitive area 224 is separated from the vibration-absorbing material 28 of the touch sensitive area 222 by the enclosure unit 26, the enclosure unit 26 and the vibration-absorbing material 28 are staggered, which is beneficial to absorb the vibration of the non-touch sensitive area 224, enhance the energy attenuation of vibration outside the touch sensitive area 222, reduce the transmission of vibration from the non-touch sensitive area 224 to the touch sensitive area 222, further reduce the false judgment of the force sensor 24, and improve the effective detection rate of the force sensor 24.

[0077] It is understandable that the force sensor 24 of the touch sensing device 100 can be one, and the enclosure unit 26 can also be one, and the force sensor 24 can be enclosed by the enclosure unit 26.

[0078] The touch panel 22 has a label 226 (e.g., ...) on the touch sensing area 222. Figure 1 As shown, this facilitates touch operation for users, such as embossing / debossing or patterns, with embossing being preferred for blind touch. It can be understood that the size of the touch-sensitive area 222 can be set according to the sensitivity of the force sensor 24.

[0079] Please refer to it again. Figure 3aThe enclosure unit 26 is generally a square, cap-like structure, covering the force sensor 24. The enclosure unit 26 includes a support portion 262 and a cover portion 264. One end of the support portion 262 is fixed to the touch panel 22, and the cover portion 264 is fixedly covered at the end of the support portion 262 away from the touch panel 22. The cover portion 264 is positioned opposite to the touch panel 22, and vibration-absorbing material 28 is filled between the cover portion 264 and the force sensor 24. Thus, the touch panel 22, the support portion 262, and the cover portion 264 together form a closed receiving space 201. It is understood that the enclosure unit 26 can be fixedly connected to the touch panel 22 by welding / adhesion / interference fitting / snap-fitting, etc., without limitation; the shape and structure of the enclosure unit 26 are not limited. For example, the enclosure unit 26 may be generally an arc-shaped structure (e.g., Figure 3b (as shown), or triangular structures (e.g.) Figure 3c (as shown), or irregular structures (e.g.) Figure 3d (as shown) etc.

[0080] Because the enclosure unit 26 has a cap-like structure, its architecture is more stable and its resistance to external interference is stronger. The enclosure unit 26 and the touch panel 22 together form an enclosing structure to isolate the outside, which helps to further improve the vibration isolation effect of the enclosure unit 26.

[0081] The following uses two adjacent force sensors 24 as an example to briefly explain the application scenario of a user operating the touch sensing device 100. Please refer to... Figure 4 The touch-sensitive area 222 includes a touch-sensitive area 222A and a touch-sensitive area 222B. The force sensor 24 includes a force sensor 24A and a force sensor 24B. The enclosure unit 26 includes an enclosure unit 26A and an enclosure unit 26B. The enclosure unit 26A is arranged around the force sensor 24A, and the enclosure unit 26B is arranged around the force sensor 24B. The enclosure unit 26A corresponds to the touch-sensitive area 222A, and the enclosure unit 26B corresponds to the touch-sensitive area 222B.

[0082] When a user touches the touch-sensitive area 222A, the touch panel 22 at the touch-sensitive area 222A deforms under force, generating vibration that is transmitted to the force sensor 24A. Due to the blocking effect of the enclosure unit 26A, the vibration of the touch-sensitive area 222A is difficult to transmit outside the touch-sensitive area 222A, thereby reducing the impact on the force sensor 24B. In addition, the vibration of the touch-sensitive area 222A is partially absorbed by the vibration-absorbing material 28 inside the enclosure unit 26A, and partially reflected by the enclosure unit 26A and then absorbed by the vibration-absorbing material 28 inside the enclosure unit 26A. Since the non-touch sensitive area 224 is covered with vibration-absorbing material 28, for example, the gap between enclosure unit 26A and enclosure unit 26B is filled with vibration-absorbing material 28, vibrations transmitted outside the touch sensitive area 222A can also be reflected by enclosure unit 26A and / or enclosure unit 26B and continue to be absorbed and attenuated by the vibration-absorbing material 28 of the non-touch sensitive area 224, thus making it difficult to affect the force sensor 24B and other objects outside the touch sensitive area 222A.

[0083] Please refer to it again. Figure 3a The touch sensing device 100 also includes a control circuit board 29 electrically connected to the force sensor 24. In this embodiment, the enclosure unit 26 has a through hole 268 for passing through an electrical connector (not shown) that electrically connects the control circuit board 29 and the force sensor 24. The electrical connector can be a wire or a flexible circuit board, etc. The force sensor 24 generates a sensing electrical signal when it senses deformation of the touch-sensitive area 222 under force. The control circuit board 29 is provided with a touch processing module 291 for detecting the sensing electrical signals of each force sensor 24, thereby recognizing the user's touch operation on the touch panel 22.

[0084] Please refer to Figure 5 The touch processing module 291 includes a signal amplifier 2911, an analog-to-digital converter 2913, and a microcontroller unit (MCU) 2915. The signal amplifier 2911 amplifies the sensing electrical signal generated by the force sensor 24. The analog-to-digital converter 2913 converts the amplified sensing electrical signal into a sensing digital signal. The microcontroller unit 2915 analyzes the sensing digital signal to obtain the waveform amplitude of the sensing electrical signal, thereby recognizing the user's touch operation and triggering the electronic device 300 to perform corresponding operations based on the recognized touch operation. It is understood that the touch processing module 291 is not limited to including the signal amplifier 2911, analog-to-digital converter 2913, and microcontroller unit 2915, nor is the processing method and flow of the sensing electrical signal limited. The touch processing module 291 only needs to be able to recognize touch operations based on the sensing electrical signals of each force sensor 24.

[0085] It is understood that the control circuit board 29 can be omitted, and the force sensor 24 can communicate with the system board or other processing components of the electronic device 300.

[0086] In traditional touch-sensing devices without enclosures or vibration-absorbing materials, tapping in a non-touch-sensitive area (i.e., the area outside the touch-sensitive area where the force sensor is located) will produce a large false signal 1 (e.g., ...). Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the waveform amplitude of the false signal 1 is greater than the signal processing threshold, which will cause misjudgment in subsequent data processing. However, in the touch sensing device 100 provided in this application, when tapping in the non-touch sensitive area 224 (i.e., the area outside the touch sensitive area 222), the waveform amplitude of the output false signal 2 is much smaller than the signal processing threshold, so it will not cause misjudgment in the subsequent data processing of the touch processing module 291. Experiments have shown that the touch sensing device 100 provided in this application has a resistance to false touch signals that is more than 6 times stronger.

[0087] In one application scenario, the touch sensing device 100 is used for audio control of the electronic device 300. For example, when a user is listening to music while wearing the electronic device 300, the user controls the audio of the electronic device 300 by touching the touch panel 22 with their finger. Touch operations include clicking and swiping. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7 The touch panel 22 has five indicators 226 on its touch surface, namely indicators K1, K2, K3, K4, and K5. Indicator K1 is roughly located in the center of the touch panel 22, and indicators K2, K3, K4, and K5 are arranged around indicator K1. Indicator K1 indicates that clicking will trigger a "pause / play" event. Indicator K2 indicates that swiping upwards along the arrow in indicator K2 will trigger a "volume increase" event. Indicator K3 indicates that swiping downwards along the arrow in indicator K3 will trigger a "volume decrease" event. The touch panel 22 has indicator K4, which indicates that swiping forward along the arrow in indicator K4 will trigger a "skip to next track" event. Indicator K5 indicates that swiping backwards along the arrow in indicator K5 will trigger a "skip to previous track" event. It is understandable that the arrangement of labels K1, K2, K3, K4 and K5 is unrestricted.

[0088] The touch sensing device 100 has five touch sensing areas 222 and five force sensors 24 corresponding to these five markings 226 to achieve the above functions. Please refer to Figure 8 There are five touch-sensitive areas 222, namely touch-sensitive area A, touch-sensitive area B, touch-sensitive area C, touch-sensitive area D, and touch-sensitive area E. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 9Force sensor a is fixed at approximately the center of touch-sensitive area A; force sensor b is fixed at approximately the center of touch-sensitive area B; force sensor c is fixed at approximately the center of touch-sensitive area C; force sensor d is fixed at approximately the center of touch-sensitive area D; and force sensor e is fixed at approximately the center of touch-sensitive area E. The force sensors (a, b, c, d, e) for each touch-sensitive area (A, B, C, D, E) are provided by enclosure unit 26 (please refer to [reference]). Figure 10 The enclosure is equipped with vibration-absorbing material 28 in both the touch-sensitive areas (A, B, C, D, E) and the non-touch-sensitive areas 224. Figure 8 and Figure 9 (All are indicated by diagonal lines). This reduces interference between the five touch-sensitive areas (A, B, C, D, E) and between the touch-sensitive areas (A, B, C, D, E) and the non-touch-sensitive area 224.

[0089] When a user performs a touch operation on the touch panel 22, the touch processing module 291 of the control circuit board 29 detects the sensing electrical signals output by the force sensors (e.g., a, b, c, d, e) corresponding to each touch sensing area (e.g., A, B, C, D, E), and identifies the user's touch operation based on the detected sensing electrical signals. This allows the touch sensing device 100 to identify different touch operations (control actions) and initiate corresponding events, thereby controlling the electronic device 300 to perform corresponding operations.

[0090] When the touch processing module 291 detects that the waveform amplitude of the sensing electrical signal from force sensor a is relatively large, while the waveform amplitudes of the sensing electrical signals from force sensors b, c, d, and e are relatively small—for example, the waveform amplitudes of the sensing electrical signals from force sensors b, c, d, and e are all less than 50% of the waveform amplitude of the sensing electrical signal from force sensor a or other values—then a "play / pause" switching event is initiated. If the electronic device 300 is currently in play mode, it switches to pause mode; if the electronic device 300 is currently in pause mode, it switches to play mode.

[0091] When the touch processing module 291 detects that the output sensing signal of force sensor a is large, and then detects that the output sensing signal of force sensor d is also large, while the output sensing signals of force sensors b, c, and e are small, for example, if the waveform amplitude of the sensing signals of force sensors b, c, and e is less than 50% or other values ​​of the waveform amplitude of the sensing signals of force sensors a and d, then the "skip to next track" event is initiated.

[0092] When the touch processing module 291 detects that the output sensing signal of force sensor a is large, and then detects the output signal of force sensor e, while the output sensing signals of force sensors b, c and d are small, for example, the waveform amplitude of the sensing signals of force sensors b, c and d is less than 50% or other values ​​of the waveform amplitude of the sensing signals of force sensors a and e, the "skip to previous track" event is activated.

[0093] When the touch processing module 291 detects that the output sensing signal of force sensor a is large, and then detects that the output signal of force sensor b is large, while the waveform amplitude of the sensing signals of force sensors c, d and e is less than 50% or other values ​​of the waveform amplitude of the sensing signals of force sensors a and b, the "volume increase" event is activated.

[0094] When the touch processing module 291 detects that the output sensing signal of force sensor a is large, and then detects that the output signal of force sensor c is also large, while the waveform amplitudes of the sensing signals of force sensors b, d, and e are all less than 50% or other values ​​of the waveform amplitudes of the sensing signals of force sensors a and c, the "volume decrease" event is activated.

[0095] It is understandable that the touch sensor 100 can recognize more and richer touch operations, which will not be elaborated here.

[0096] It is understood that electronic device 300 can also be other devices with touch sensing devices, for example, please refer to Figure 11 The electronic device 300 is a smart glasses, and the touch sensor 100 is mounted on the supporting component (frame) 200. The electronic device 300 can also be a smartphone, smartwatch, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0097] Please see Figure 12 The touch sensing device provided in the second embodiment of this application has a structure that is generally the same as that provided in the first embodiment. The force sensor 24 is fixed to the touch panel 22 by the connector 25. The enclosure unit 26 forms a touch sensitive area 222. Both the receiving space 201 and the non-touch sensitive area 224 are provided with vibration absorbers 28. The difference is that the enclosure unit 26 has a ring structure. One end of the enclosure unit 26 is fixed to the touch panel 22. The control circuit board 29 is fixedly covered on the other end of the enclosure unit 26. The touch sensing device 100 also includes a spring contact 31. The spring contact 31 is received in the receiving space 201. The spring contact 201 is electrically connected between the force sensor 24 and the control circuit board 29.

[0098] Please see Figure 13 The enclosure unit 26 has a protruding clip 265 at one end away from the touch panel 22 for engaging with the control circuit board 29.

[0099] Please see Figure 14 The control circuit board 29 is provided with a card hole 295, and the card head 265 is engaged with the card hole 295. Figure 14 The outline of the enclosure unit 26 is schematically shown with dashed lines. In this embodiment, there are multiple locking holes 295. The locking heads 265 on the enclosure unit 26 correspond to the positions of the locking holes 295. The locking heads 265 pass through the locking holes 295 to lock the control circuit board 29 to form a stable structure, which improves the ease of assembly between the control circuit board 29 and the enclosure unit 26.

[0100] Please see Figure 15 and Figure 16 The touch sensing device provided in the third embodiment of this application has a structure that is generally the same as that provided in the first embodiment. The force sensor 24 is fixed to the touch panel 22 by the connector 25. The side of the force sensor 24 away from the touch panel 22 is also covered with a vibration absorber 28. The difference is that the enclosure unit 26 includes a plurality of blocking rings 266 fixed on the touch panel 22. The plurality of blocking rings 266 are sequentially arranged along the radial direction of the enclosure unit 26. The force sensor 24 is housed in the innermost blocking ring 266 of the enclosure unit 26. The area enclosed by the outermost blocking ring 266 of the enclosure unit 26 on the touch panel 22 is the touch sensing area 222. Figure 15 and Figure 16 Three barrier rings 266 are shown only as an example; it can be understood that the number of barrier rings 266 can be one, two, or more.

[0101] A receiving groove 202 is formed between each adjacent barrier ring 266, and the receiving groove 202 is filled with vibration-absorbing material 28, so that the barrier ring 266 and the vibration-absorbing material 28 are staggered, that is, high acoustic impedance material and low acoustic impedance material are interleaved. By utilizing the multi-layer cross acoustic impedance method, the thickness of the enclosure unit 26 is reduced, while maintaining a certain degree of flexibility of the touch panel 22, providing users with a better touch experience while resisting force / vibration crosstalk. In this embodiment, the receiving groove 202 is an annular groove, so that the barrier ring 266 and the vibration-absorbing material 28 are staggered in all directions of the force sensor 24.

[0102] Please see Figure 17The touch sensing device provided in the fourth embodiment of this application has a structure that is largely the same as that provided in the first embodiment, except that the enclosure unit 26 is a grid structure, and the enclosure unit 26 includes multiple enclosure cells 267, with each force sensor 24 located within one enclosure cell 267. In this embodiment, the enclosure cells 267 are generally square. It is understood that the enclosure cells 267 are not limited to being square, and can also be other shapes, such as triangles, rhombuses, hexagons, etc. Since the enclosure unit 26 has a grid structure, in other words, the enclosure unit includes multiple separated isolation areas, that is, each enclosure cell forms an isolation area, and the touch sensing area is an isolation area with a force sensing area. Since the force sensors are separated by the enclosure cells, the force coupling problem between the touch sensitive areas is effectively reduced. In addition, since the enclosure unit is an integral structure, it is convenient to assemble the enclosure unit 26 onto the touch panel.

[0103] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A touch sensing device, characterized in that, The device includes a touch panel, multiple force sensors, at least one enclosure unit, and vibration absorbers. Each force sensor is fixed to the touch panel, and each enclosure unit is fixed to the touch panel. Each enclosure unit surrounds one force sensor to form a corresponding touch-sensitive area on the touch panel. The multiple force sensors are separated from each other by the enclosure units. The enclosure units are used to block vibrations from entering or leaving the corresponding touch-sensitive area. The vibration absorbers are filled between the enclosure units and the corresponding force sensors to absorb vibrations. The acoustic impedance of the enclosure unit is greater than the acoustic impedance of the vibration absorbers. Each enclosure unit includes multiple blocking rings fixed to the touch panel. The multiple blocking rings are sequentially arranged radially around the enclosure unit. The force sensor is housed in the innermost blocking ring of the enclosure unit. The area enclosed by the outermost blocking ring of the enclosure unit on the touch panel is the touch-sensitive area. A receiving groove is formed between each adjacent blocking ring, and the vibration absorbers fill the receiving groove.

2. The touch sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure unit includes a high acoustic impedance material, and the vibration absorber includes a low acoustic impedance material.

3. The touch sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The touch panel also includes a non-touch sensitive area connected to the touch sensitive area, and the vibration-absorbing material covers the non-touch sensitive area.

4. The touch sensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The enclosure unit covers the force sensor, and the enclosure unit and the touch panel together form an enclosed structure.

5. The touch sensing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The enclosure unit is provided with through holes for passing through electrical connectors that connect the control circuit board and the force sensor.

6. The touch sensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, It also includes a control circuit board, one end of the enclosure unit is fixed to the touch panel, the control circuit board is fixedly covered on the other end of the enclosure unit away from the touch panel, and the touch sensing device also includes a spring contact, the spring contact being electrically connected between the force sensor and the control circuit board.

7. The touch sensing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The enclosure unit has a protruding clip at one end away from the touch panel, and the control circuit board has a clip hole, with the clip head engaging with the clip hole.

8. The touch sensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The number of enclosure units is multiple, and the multiple enclosure units are spaced apart from each other and independently arranged on the touch panel. Each force sensor is located in one of the enclosure units.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a support component and a touch sensing device according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the touch panel of the touch sensing device is mounted on the support component, and the force sensor, enclosure unit and vibration absorber of the touch sensing device are all housed within the support component.

Images