Force enhanced rolling input device

Abstract

The invention relates to a force-enhanced rolling input device. The present disclosure relates to a scrolling input device that maps physical movement of a scrolling gesture to digital scrolling, and includes a touch surface having an active area, at least one force sensor, and a microcontroller. The force sensor is configured to detect a force applied to the active area by sensing a strain in the touch surface during a physical displacement of the scrolling gesture, and provide an output of information indicative of an amount of force applied to the active area based on the sensed strain. The microcontroller is configured to calculate an amount of force applied to the active area based on an output of the force sensor and a touch position of the scrolling gesture, estimate a scrolling speed based on the calculated amount of force, and estimate a digital scrolling based on both the physical movement and the estimated scrolling speed.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 603,376, filed on Nov. 28, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a scrolling input device, and more particularly, to a scrolling input device having one or more force sensors capable of detecting forces applied during a physical displacement of a scrolling gesture, thereby allowing the scrolling input device to adjust scrolling sensitivity based on the applied forces. Background Art

[0004] Scrolling input devices (e.g., mouse input devices) typically map physical movement (e.g., rotation of a wheel or displacement of a finger) to digital movement (e.g., pixels on a display or lines of text in a document). This mapping is typically static: any given amount of physical movement will always produce the same amount of digital movement, thereby limiting the dynamic range of user input. A low-sensitivity mapping that converts large physical movements to small digital movements provides the user with very precise control but requires multiple repeated movements to scroll long distances. On the other hand, a high-sensitivity mapping generates large digital movements from small physical movements, which makes long-distance scrolling easier but loses the ability to perform fine-grained adjustments. For example, if each unit of physical movement scrolls a document by a single line, the user can easily move a few lines using a scrolling input device, but scrolling to the middle of a 100-line document would require repeating the full-length gesture 50 times. Modifying the input to scroll 25 lines per unit of physical movement would simplify this second task to just two repeated gestures but make it impossible to scroll any fewer than 25 lines at a time.

[0005] Conventional scrolling input devices are typically operated with a single finger, where the scrolling gesture is created by moving the finger forward and / or backward from some starting position. Since the physical distance traveled in a single scrolling gesture is limited by the active area of the scrolling input device and / or the limited range of motion of the finger, conventional scrolling input devices are forced to compromise between precise control and full-scale range. Typically, capacitive touch sensors are used in scrolling input devices to track the finger. A scrolling input device with a capacitive touch sensor requires one or more pairs of conductive planes such that the capacitive touch sensor can sense changes in capacitance due to finger movement. These pairs of conductive planes can occupy a relatively large amount of space and require more complex electrical connections. Additionally, capacitive touch sensors may not be able to accurately sense and / or interpret the level of force applied.

[0006] Accordingly, there is still a need for an improved rolling input device design that can perform both high-sensitivity mapping and low-sensitivity mapping. Additionally, there is a need to utilize sensors that can detect gesture pressure without a conductive plane to avoid large device volumes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present disclosure relates to a rolling input device that maps the physical movement of a rolling gesture to digital scrolling. The disclosed rolling input device includes a touch surface having an active area to which a force is applied, at least one force sensor formed beneath the active area of the touch surface, and a microcontroller. Here, the at least one force sensor is configured to detect the force applied to the active area by sensing strain in the touch surface during the physical displacement of the rolling gesture, and is configured to provide an output of information indicative of the amount of force applied to the active area based on the sensed strain. The microcontroller is configured to calculate the amount of force applied to the active area based on the output of the at least one force sensor and the touch position of the rolling gesture, is configured to estimate the rolling speed of the rolling input device based on the calculated amount of force applied to the active area, and is configured to estimate digital scrolling based on both the physical movement and the estimated rolling speed.

[0008] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, the relationship between the amount of force applied to the active area and the rolling speed of the rolling input device is linear, power, or exponential.

[0009] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, the relationship between the amount of force applied to the active area and the rolling speed of the rolling input device increases monotonically or decreases monotonically.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the rolling input device further includes a support structure and a main board. Here, the support structure is connected to the underside of the touch surface to provide a cavity within the rolling input device. The support structure is configured to provide mechanical support to the main board, which is separate from the touch surface and located within the cavity. The microcontroller is located on the main board and within the cavity, and faces the underside of the touch surface.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the rolling input device further includes at least one suspended circuit board formed on the underside of the touch surface. Here, the at least one force sensor is connected to the underside of the touch surface via the at least one suspended circuit board and is suspended on the underside of the touch surface, restricted within the active area, and located within the cavity. The at least one suspended circuit board is configured to transmit the output of the at least one force sensor.

[0012] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, the at least one suspended circuit board is a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the rolling input device further includes a capacitive touch film formed below the lower side of the touch surface and covering the active area of the touch surface. Herein, the capacitive touch film is configured to detect the touch position of the rolling gesture and is configured to provide an output indicating the touch position of the rolling gesture. The microcontroller is configured to estimate the physical displacement of the rolling gesture based on the output of the capacitive touch film.

[0014] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, the capacitive touch film is formed directly below the lower side of the touch surface, and at least one suspended circuit board is formed directly below the capacitive touch film.

[0015] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, at least one suspended circuit board is part of the capacitive touch film.

[0016] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, the capacitive touch film is an FPC board or a PCB.

[0017] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, at least one force sensor includes a plurality of force sensors, and at least one suspended circuit board includes a plurality of suspended circuit boards. Herein, the force sensors are distributed over the entire active area and around the active area. Each force sensor among the force sensors is connected to the lower side of the touch surface via a corresponding one of the suspended circuit boards and is suspended on the lower side of the touch surface. The force sensors are configured to detect both the force applied to the active area and the touch position of the rolling gesture, and are configured to respectively provide a plurality of outputs, the plurality of outputs indicating information about both the touch position of the rolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the active area. The microcontroller is configured to further estimate the physical displacement of the rolling gesture based on the output of the force sensors.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the rolling input device further includes at least one optical light guide having at least one optical sensor. Herein, one end of the at least one optical light guide extends through the touch surface to allow light to enter the cavity through the touch surface, and the other end of the at least one optical light guide contacts the main board to ensure that the light passes along the optical light guide. At least one optical sensor is placed on the main board, facing the lower side of the touch surface, and is restricted within the at least one optical light guide. The at least one optical sensor is configured to detect the touch position of the rolling gesture and is configured to provide an output indicating the information about the touch position of the rolling gesture. The microcontroller is configured to estimate the physical displacement of the rolling gesture based on the output of the at least one optical sensor.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the rolling input device further includes at least one connection structure. Herein, the at least one connection structure extends from the underside of the touch surface toward the main board and is configured to transfer a force applied to the touch surface to the main board. At least one force sensor is attached to the main board, adjacent to the at least one connection structure, facing the underside of the touch surface, and located within a cavity. The at least one force sensor is configured to detect a force applied to the active area by sensing a strain in the main board caused by a strain in the touch surface.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the rolling input device further includes a capacitive touch film formed below the underside of the touch surface and covering the active area of the touch surface. Herein, the capacitive touch film is configured to detect a touch position of a rolling gesture and is configured to provide an output of information indicating the touch position of the rolling gesture. The microcontroller is configured to estimate a physical displacement of the rolling gesture based on the output of the capacitive touch film.

[0021] In one embodiment of the rolling input device, the at least one force sensor includes a plurality of force sensors, and the at least one connection structure includes a plurality of connection structures that are distributed across the entire active area and below the active area. Each connection structure of the connection structures extends from the underside of the touch surface toward the main board and is configured to transfer a force applied to the touch surface to the main board. Each force sensor of the force sensors is attached to the main board, adjacent to a corresponding one of the connection structures, facing the underside of the touch surface, and located within a cavity. The force sensors are configured to detect both a force applied to the active area and a touch position of a rolling gesture and are configured to provide a plurality of outputs respectively, the plurality of outputs indicating information about both the touch position of the rolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the active area. The microcontroller is configured to further estimate a physical displacement of the rolling gesture based on the outputs of the plurality of force sensors.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the rolling input device further includes at least one optical light guide having at least one optical sensor. Herein, one end of the at least one optical light guide extends through the touch surface to allow light to pass through the touch surface into the cavity, and the other end of the at least one optical light guide contacts the main board to ensure that light passes along the optical light guide. At least one optical sensor is placed on the main board, facing the underside of the touch surface, and is confined within the at least one optical light guide. The at least one optical sensor is configured to detect a touch position of a rolling gesture and is configured to provide an output indicating the touch position of the rolling gesture. The microcontroller is configured to estimate a physical displacement of the rolling gesture based on the output of the at least one optical sensor.

[0023] In one embodiment of the scrolling input device, at least one connecting structure is integrated with the touch surface as a single piece and is connected to the main board via at least one rubber washer.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the scrolling input device further includes at least one connecting base and at least one optical light guide having at least one optical sensor. Herein, at least one connecting base is formed on the main board and faces the lower side of the touch surface. One end of at least one optical light guide extends through the touch surface to allow light to pass through the touch surface into the cavity, and the other end of at least one optical light guide contacts at least one connecting base. The combination of at least one optical light guide and at least one connecting base is configured to transfer the force applied to the touch surface to the main board. At least one optical sensor is placed on the main board, facing the lower side of the touch surface, and is confined within at least one connecting base. At least one optical sensor is configured to detect the touch position of the scrolling gesture and is configured to provide an output of information indicating the touch position of the scrolling gesture. At least one force sensor is placed on the main board, facing the lower side of the touch surface, and is confined within at least one connecting base. At least one force sensor is configured to detect the force applied to the touch surface by sensing the strain in the main board caused by the strain in the touch surface. The microcontroller is configured to estimate the physical displacement of the scrolling gesture based on the output of the at least one optical sensor.

[0025] In one embodiment of the scrolling input device, at least one connecting base is formed of rubber or plastic and has an annular shape.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the scrolling input device further includes a memory component configured to store an algorithm for calculating the amount of force applied to the active area based on the output of the at least one force sensor.

[0027] According to one embodiment, an operating method of a scrolling input device for mapping the physical movement of a scrolling gesture to digital scrolling begins with sensing the strain in the touch surface by one or more force sensors of the scrolling input device during the physical displacement of the scrolling gesture to detect the force applied to the active area of the touch surface. Then, one or more force sensors provide an output of information indicating the amount of force applied to the active area based on the sensed strain. Next, the microcontroller of the scrolling input device calculates the amount of force applied to the active area based on the output and the touch position of the scrolling gesture. The microcontroller also estimates the scrolling speed of the scrolling input device based on the calculated amount of force applied to the active area and estimates the digital scrolling based on both the physical movement and the estimated scrolling speed.

[0028] In another aspect, any of the foregoing aspects can be combined, either alone or together, and / or with the various individual aspects and features described herein, to obtain additional advantages. Any of the various features and elements disclosed herein can be combined with one or more other disclosed features and elements, unless otherwise indicated herein to the contrary.

[0029] Those skilled in the art will recognize the scope of the present disclosure and appreciate its additional aspects after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the associated drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The drawings incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the present disclosure and, together with the description, are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 1 Shows an external view of an exemplary scrolling input device (e.g., a mouse) that can utilize one or more force sensors to detect the forces applied during the physical displacement of a scrolling gesture.

[0032] Figure 2 Shows an exemplary relationship between the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device and the scrolling sensitivity of the scrolling input device.

[0033] Figures 3A - 3C Shows the operating theory of a force sensor for a scrolling input device according to some embodiments.

[0034] Figure 4 Shows an alternative connection configuration of a force sensor according to some embodiments.

[0035] Figures 5 - 11B Shows an exemplary implementation of a scrolling input device having one or more force sensors according to some embodiments.

[0036] Figure 12 Shows a block diagram of an exemplary scrolling input device including one or more force sensors.

[0037] Figure 13 Shows a flowchart of a method of operating a scrolling input device for mapping the physical movement of a scrolling gesture to digital scrolling according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] It should be understood that, for clarity of illustration, Figures 1 - 13 may not be drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The embodiments described below represent the information necessary for those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. After reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand the concepts of the present disclosure and will appreciate the application of these concepts that are not specifically set forth herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications are within the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims.

[0040] It will be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish between different elements. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0041] It should be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as "on another element" or "extending onto another element", it can be directly on the other element or directly extend onto the other element, or there may also be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly on another element" or "directly extending onto another element", there are no intervening elements. Similarly, it should be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as "above another element" or "extending above another element", it can be directly above the other element or directly extend above the other element, or there may also be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly above another element" or "directly extending above another element", there are no intervening elements. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening elements.

[0042] Relative terms such as "below" or "above" or "upper" or "lower" or "horizontal" or "vertical" may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region as illustrated in the figures. It should be understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended to include different orientations of the device in addition to the orientations depicted in the figures.

[0043] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms. It should also be understood that when used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and / or "including" specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0045] Embodiments are described herein with reference to schematic illustrations of embodiments of the disclosure. As such, the actual dimensions of layers and elements may vary and are expected to differ from the illustrated shapes due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. For example, regions shown or described as square or rectangular may have circular or curved features, and regions shown as straight lines may have some irregularities. Thus, the regions shown in the figures are schematic, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the exact shape of regions of the device and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, for illustrative purposes, the size of a structure or region may be magnified relative to other structures or regions, and thus the structure or region is provided to illustrate the general structure of the invention and may or may not be drawn to scale. Common elements between the figures may be denoted by common element numbers and may not be described subsequently.

[0046] The present disclosure relates to a rolling input device integrated with one or more force sensors that are capable of detecting forces applied during a physical displacement of a rolling gesture. Thus, the disclosed rolling input device is allowed to adjust the rolling sensitivity based on the amount of force applied to the rolling input device, which provides both fine-grained control and a large full-scale range for the user without any configuration changes.

[0047] Figure 1 A three-dimensional appearance of an exemplary rolling input device 10 (e.g., a mouse) having a touch surface 12 is shown, to which a user's finger touches and provides force. The rolling input device 10 is capable of utilizing one or more force sensors ( Figure 1(not shown) detects the force applied to the touch surface 12 during a scrolling gesture and is optionally also configured to determine the physical displacement of the scrolling gesture. In this document, a scrolling gesture can be generated by moving a finger forward and / or backward from a starting position. The scrolling gesture (i.e., finger movement) can be directly tracked.

[0048] For the scrolling input device 10, the scrolling sensitivity can be adjusted by a change in the amount of force applied during a scrolling gesture. Figure 2 An exemplary relationship between the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 and the scrolling sensitivity of the scrolling input device 10 is shown. In this document, the scrolling sensitivity of the scrolling input device 10 is represented by a scrolling speed multiple. When the scrolling speed multiple has a relatively low value, the scrolling speed of the scrolling input device 10 is relatively slow (i.e., for a given amount of physical movement, a relatively small amount of digital movement is generated), such that the scrolling sensitivity is relatively low. On the other hand, when the scrolling speed multiple has a relatively high value, the scrolling speed of the scrolling input device 10 is relatively fast (i.e., for a given amount of physical movement, a relatively large amount of digital movement is generated), such that the scrolling sensitivity is relatively high. The relationship between the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 and the scrolling speed multiple of the scrolling input device 10 can take any arbitrary form: the scrolling speed multiple (i.e., scrolling sensitivity) of the scrolling input device 10 can be designed to increase or decrease as the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 increases. Additionally, the relationship between the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 and the scrolling speed multiple of the scrolling input device 10 can be linear, power, exponential, or any other shape, etc. In any case, the scrolling speed multiple (i.e., scrolling sensitivity) of the scrolling input device 10 will always change according to the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10.

[0049] Figures 3A - 3C The operating theory of a force sensor used in the scrolling input device 10 according to some embodiments is shown. Generally, the force sensor 20 is connected to the underside of a touch surface 22 (e.g., the touch surface 12 of the scrolling input device 10) via a suspension circuit board 24 and is suspended on the underside of the touch surface, and the suspension circuit board is fixed to the underside of the touch surface 22 with an adhesive 26. The force sensor 20 is configured to detect the force applied to the touch surface 22 by sensing the strain in the touch surface 22. When the strain in the touch surface 22 changes due to the amount of force applied, the force sensor 20 is bent. As the degree of bending increases, the change amplitude of the output of the force sensor 20 also increases, which indicates an increase in the amount of force applied. The polarity of the output of the force sensor 20 depends on whether the relative bending of the force sensor 20 is convex or concave. Figure 3A The force sensor 20 attached to the touch surface 22 without any force applied is shown, Figure 3BShows a force sensor 20 attached to a touch surface 22 under the application of a downward force (i.e., the force sensor 20 has a positive output), and Figure 3C shows a force sensor 20 attached to a touch surface 22 under the application of an upward force (i.e., the force sensor 20 has a negative output).

[0050] Note that the amount of force applied to the touch surface 22 is not directly provided by the force sensor 20, but is calculated by normalizing the output of the force sensor 20 based on a calibration table that includes a force sensing sensitivity that varies with the touch position for the amount of force applied. For a non-limiting example, where:

[0051] · The touch position changes from x = 1 mm to x = 3 mm;

[0052] · The output of the force sensor 20 changes from 5000 analog-to-digital converter (ADC) counts to 7500 analog-to-digital converter counts; and

[0053] · The force sensing sensitivity of the force sensor 20 is 100 counts / gram at x = 1 mm and 150 counts / gram at x = 3 mm.

[0054] In this scenario, although the finger has moved 2 mm, the calculated amount of force applied remains at a constant 50 g. This is because the amount of force applied to the touch surface 22 = the output of the force sensor 20 / the force sensing sensitivity at a certain touch position. At x = 1 mm, the calculated amount of force applied = 5000 counts / (100 counts / g) = 50 g, and at x = 3 mm, the calculated amount of force applied = 7500 counts / (150 counts / g) = 50 g.

[0055] Note that unlike capacitive touch sensors that require a pair of conductive planes, the force sensor 20 does not require any conductive planes to measure the force applied to the attached touch surface 22. Exemplary embodiments of the force sensor 20 can be found in U.S. Patent No. 11,255,737 B2, titled "Integrated Digital Force Sensors and Related Methods of Manufacture," which is incorporated herein by reference. The suspension circuit board 24 can be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board with a thickness of 0.1 mm or greater (e.g., between 0.4 mm and 1.6 mm). The suspension circuit board 24 is configured to transmit electrical signals (e.g., the output of the force sensor 20) and power to / from the force sensor 20, and can help prevent the force sensor 20 from being overly flexed, twisted, or bent. The adhesive 26 can be a double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape or an epoxy resin.

[0056] In different applications, the force sensor 20 can sense the strain of the touch surface 22 in different configurations. As Figure 4 shown, the force sensor 20 is not connected to the underside of the touch surface 22 or suspended on the underside of the shown touch surface. Instead, the force sensor 20 can be attached to a floating circuit board 28 that is separate from the touch surface 22. Herein, the floating circuit board 28 is held by a support structure 30 extending from the underside of the touch surface 22. Thus, the touch surface 22, the support structure 30, and the floating circuit board 28 form a cavity 32, and the force sensor 20 is located in the cavity 32 and on the top surface of the floating circuit board 28. Additionally, a connection structure 34 is provided between the touch surface 22 (e.g., via an adhesive 26) and the floating circuit board 28 (e.g., via a rubber gasket 36) such that a force applied to the touch surface 22 can be transmitted to the floating circuit board 28 through the connection structure 34. The force sensor 20 is configured to detect a force applied to the touch surface 22 by sensing the strain in the floating circuit board 28 (i.e., the strain in the floating circuit board 28 is caused by the strain in the touch surface 22). The connection structure 34 can be formed of the same material as the touch surface 22 and, in some cases, can be integrated with the touch surface 22 as a single piece (the adhesive 26 can be omitted).

[0057] Figures 5 - 11B An exemplary implementation of a rolling input device 10 having one or more force sensors is shown in accordance with some embodiments. For clarity and simplicity, Figures 5 - 11B only a partial internal illustration of the rolling input device 10 is shown. Additionally, although the rolling input device 10 is shown as a mouse input device, a similar force sensor configuration can also be applied to other rolling input devices, such as a track pointer, a touchpad, or other touch control devices.

[0058] For Figure 5 illustrative purposes, in addition to the touch surface 12, the rolling input device 10 further includes a capacitive touch film 38, two force sensors 40 having two suspended circuit boards 42. In different applications, the rolling input device 10 includes only one force sensor 40 having one suspended circuit board 42 or multiple force sensors 40 having corresponding suspended circuit boards 42 (each force sensor 40 can have the same as Figures 3A - 3CThe same features as the force sensor 20 shown in [reference], and each suspension circuit board 42 has the same features as the above-mentioned suspension circuit board 24). Herein, the capacitive touch film 38 is formed below the lower side of the touch surface 12 and covers the active area of the touch surface 12. Each force sensor 40 is restricted within the active area and is connected to the touch surface 12 via the corresponding suspension circuit board 42 and is suspended on the touch surface. In some applications, each force sensor 40 is connected to the capacitive touch film 38 via the corresponding suspension circuit board 42 and is suspended on the capacitive touch film, such that the capacitive touch film 38 is vertically between the touch surface 12 and the suspension circuit board 42. In some applications, the suspension circuit board 42 is part of the capacitive touch film 38. Herein and hereinafter, the active area of the touch surface 12 refers to a part of the touch surface 12 where a user's finger usually touches to perform a scrolling operation. In this case, the force sensors 40 are positioned along the center line of the active area of the touch surface 12. In different applications, the force sensors 40 can be placed at different positions in the active area of the touch surface 12.

[0059] The capacitive touch film 38 can be an FPC board or a PCB and is configured to determine the touch position (i.e., the position where the force is applied) of the scrolling gesture on the touch surface 12. Note that the touch position of the scrolling gesture is not directly provided by the capacitive touch film 38 but is estimated based on the output of the capacitive touch film 38. When the capacitive touch film 38 senses that a user's finger touches a specific position on the upper side of the touch surface 12, the output of the capacitive touch film 38 is provided to the microcontroller of the scrolling input device 10 ( Figure 5 not shown in [reference], see Figure 7 the microcontroller 54 in [reference]) for position calculation. Once the touch position of the scrolling gesture is estimated, the physical displacement of the scrolling gesture can also be calculated.

[0060] On the other hand, each force sensor in the force sensors 40 is configured to detect the force applied to the touch surface 12 by sensing the strain in the touch surface 12 (e.g., through the capacitive touch film 38 and / or the corresponding suspension circuit board 42). Once the touch position of the scrolling gesture is estimated, the amount of force applied to the touch surface 12 can be calculated by normalizing the output of each force sensor 40 based on a calibration table and then combining the two normalized results, the calibration table containing the force sensing sensitivity of each force sensor 40 that varies with the touch position of the scrolling gesture (as described above for the force sensor 20). The touch position of the scrolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the touch surface 12 are processed by the microcontroller of the scrolling input device 10 ( Figure 5 not shown in [reference], see Figure 7The microcontroller in 54) is constantly estimated at a fixed rate (e.g., 100 Hz) based on the output of each force sensor 40 and the output of the capacitive touch film 38. The output of each force sensor 40 can be transmitted to the microcontroller of the scrolling input device 10 through the corresponding hanging circuit board 42, the capacitive touch film 38, and / or other wires (not shown). The microcontroller is also configured to map the estimated change in the touch position (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of the applied force to a digital movement, which is usually stored in the memory component of the scrolling input device 10 ( Figure 5 not shown in, see Figure 7 the memory component 56) therein. In addition, the microcontroller of the scrolling input device 10 will send instructions regarding the digital movement to the connected computer / processor via the communication interface circuitry (not shown) of the scrolling input device 10.

[0061] For a non-limiting comparative example, in the first operation, where:

[0062] · The estimated touch position of each force sensor 40 changes from x = 1 mm to x = 3 mm; and

[0063] · The output of each force sensor 40 changes from 5000 ADC counts to 7500 ADC counts; and

[0064] In the second operation, where:

[0065] · The estimated touch position of each force sensor 40 still changes from x = 1 mm to x = 3 mm; and

[0066] · The output of each force sensor 40 changes from 20000 ADC counts to 30000 ADC counts.

[0067] For both operations, where:

[0068] · The force sensing sensitivity of each force sensor 40 is 100 counts / gram at x = 1 mm and 150 counts / gram at x = 3 mm; and

[0069] · The relationship between the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 and the multiple of the scrolling speed of the scrolling input device 10 is a decreasing power function as shown in Figure 2 .

[0070] In a first operating scenario, the finger has moved 2 mm, while the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 remains constant at 50 g [(5000 counts / (100 counts / g) = 50 g = 7500 counts / (150 counts / g)]. In a second operating scenario, the finger has moved 2 mm, while the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 remains constant at 200 g [(20000 counts / (100 counts / g) = 200 g = 30000 counts / (150 counts / g)]. As Figure 2 shown by the decreasing power function in Figure 2 , a 50 g force applied to the scrolling input device 10 corresponds to ~2.3x the scrolling speed multiple, while a 200 g force applied to the scrolling input device 10 corresponds to ~1x the scrolling speed multiple, which means that a 2 mm physical displacement at 50 g will provide 2.3 times the digital scroll amount compared to a 2 mm physical displacement at 200 g. Alternatively, a 2 mm physical displacement at 50 g of applied force will provide the same digital scroll amount as a 4.6 mm physical displacement at 200 g of applied force. Thus, by varying the amount of force applied to the touch surface 12 of the scrolling input device 10, the scrolling input device 10 can provide different ranges of digital scrolling for the same physical displacement of the user's finger. Note that the force sensing sensitivity of each force sensor 40 and the scrolling sensitivity of the scrolling input device 10 are completely different sensitivities. The force sensing sensitivity of each force sensor 40 varies with the touch location of the scrolling gesture (e.g., the touch location of the user's finger), while the scrolling sensitivity of the scrolling input device 10 varies with the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10.

[0071] In some applications, the force sensors 40 are configured not only to detect the force applied to the touch surface 12 of the scrolling input device 10, but also to detect the touch location of the scrolling gesture. Figure 6 Shown is that the scrolling input device 10 includes a plurality of force sensors 40, each force sensor being connected to the underside of the touch surface 12 via a corresponding suspension circuit board 42 without a capacitive touch membrane 38 and suspended on the underside of the touch surface (for clarity, only one force sensor 40 and one circuit board 42 are labeled with reference numerals). The plurality of force sensors 40 are distributed over and around the active area. For the purposes of this description, the scrolling input device 10 includes four force sensors 40 having a T-shaped layout within the active area of the touch surface 12. In particular, two force sensors 40 are placed along the centerline of the active area of the touch surface 12, and the other two force sensors 40 are placed on opposite sides of the centerline. In different applications, the scrolling input device 10 may include more force sensors 40 having different layouts.

[0072] In this document, the output of each force sensor 40 can be transmitted to the microcontroller of the scrolling input device 10 via the corresponding suspension circuit board 42 and other wires (not shown)Figure 6 not shown in, see Figure 7 the microcontroller in 54). The contribution of each force sensor 40 to the total output of all force sensors 40 will vary with the touch location, thereby creating a unique contribution profile for each touch location. Constructing a mapping between these contribution profiles and the touch locations of the scrolling gesture (e.g., stored in the memory component of the scrolling input device 10) allows the scrolling input device 10 to estimate the touch locations of the scrolling gesture without using any other sensing techniques. Once the touch locations of the scrolling gesture are estimated, the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 is calculated based on the output of each force sensor 40 as described above. In this document, the touch locations of the scrolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 are still estimated / calculated by the microcontroller of the scrolling input device 10 ( Figure 6 not shown in, see Figure 7 the microcontroller 54) in at a certain fixed rate (e.g., 100 Hz) based on the output of the force sensors 40. The microcontroller is also configured to map the estimated touch location changes (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 to digital scrolling, and send instructions regarding the digital scrolling to the connected computer / processor via the interface circuitry (not shown) of the scrolling input device 10.

[0073] Using force sensing allows the touch surface 12 to be made of a material such as metal, which might otherwise be incompatible with other technologies such as capacitance or optics. Suspending the force sensors 40 (i.e., attaching them to the underside of the touch surface 12) preserves space on the main board (e.g., the main board 46 as Figure 7 shown), thereby allowing a simpler geometry on the touch surface and relaxing the tolerance requirements for the entire assembly.

[0074] In some embodiments, the force sensors 40 are not connected to or suspended from the underside of the touch surface 12. As Figure 7As shown, the rolling input device 10 includes a touch surface 12, a capacitive touch film 38, a force sensor 40, a support structure 44, a main board 46, and a connection structure 48 with a rubber gasket 50. Herein, the capacitive touch film 38 formed below the lower side of the touch surface 12 is still configured to measure the touch position as described above. The support structure 44 is connected to the lower side of the touch surface 12 and is configured to provide support to the main board 46 separated from the touch surface 12. The main board 46 can be an FPC board or a PCB, which houses the electronic components of the rolling input device 10, such as a microcontroller 54 and a memory component 56. The touch surface 12, the support structure 44, and the main board 46 form a cavity 52 within the rolling input device 10. The connection structure 48 extends from the lower side of the touch surface 12 towards the main board 46, where the connection structure 48 can be integrated with the touch surface 12 as a single piece, and the rubber gasket 50 contacts the main board 46. Generally, the connection structure 48 is formed of a rigid material such that the force applied to the touch surface 12 can be transmitted through the connection structure 48 to the main board 46.

[0075] The force sensor 40 is attached to the top surface of the main board 46, adjacent to the connection structure 48, facing the lower side of the touch surface 12, and located within the cavity 52. The force sensor 40 is configured to detect the force applied to the touch surface 12 by sensing the strain in the main board 46 (i.e., similar to Figure 4 the operation of the force sensor 20 shown, the strain in the main board 46 is caused by the strain in the touch surface 12). Additionally, the microcontroller 54 and the memory component 56 are also attached to the top surface of the main board 46, facing the lower side of the touch surface 12, and located within the cavity 52.

[0076] The output of the force sensor 40 can be transmitted to the microcontroller 54 through metal traces (not shown) within the main board 46. The touch position of the rolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10 are still estimated / calculated by the microcontroller 54 based on the output of the capacitive touch film 38 and the output of the force sensor 40, respectively. The algorithm for calculating the amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10, the algorithm for estimating the touch position of the rolling gesture, the calculated amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10, and the estimated touch position of the rolling gesture can be stored in the memory component 56. The microcontroller 54 is also configured to map the estimated touch position change (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10 to digital scrolling and send instructions regarding the digital scrolling to the connected computer / processor via the interface circuitry (not shown) of the rolling input device 10.

[0077] In different applications, there may be multiple force sensors 40 attached to the main board 46, which are configured to not only detect the force applied to the rolling input device 10 but also detect the touch position of the rolling gesture.Figure 8 It is shown that the scrolling input device 10 includes a touch surface 12, a plurality of force sensors 40, a support structure 44, a main board 46, a plurality of connection structures 48 having rubber gaskets 50, a microcontroller 54, and a memory component 56. The connection structures 48 may be distributed across the active area and beneath the active area. Each connection structure 48 extends from the underside of the touch surface 12 toward the main board 46, where each connection structure 48 may be integrated with the touch surface 12, and each rubber gasket 50 contacts the main board 46. Each force sensor 40 is attached to the main board 46, adjacent to the corresponding connection structure 48, facing the underside of the touch surface 12, and located in a cavity 52.

[0078] In this document, the output of each force sensor 40 may be transmitted to the microcontroller 54 via metal traces (not shown) within the main board 46. The contribution of each force sensor 40 to the total output of all force sensors 40 will vary with the touch position, thereby creating a unique contribution profile for each touch position. Establishing a mapping between these contribution profiles and the touch positions of the scrolling gesture allows the scrolling input device 10 to estimate the touch positions of the scrolling gesture without using any other sensing techniques. Once the touch positions of the scrolling gesture are estimated, the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 is calculated based on the output of each force sensor 40 as described above. In this document, the touch positions of the scrolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 are still estimated / calculated by the microcontroller 54 based on the output of the force sensors 40. The algorithms for calculating the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10, the algorithms for estimating the touch positions of the scrolling gesture, the calculated amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10, and the estimated touch positions of the scrolling gesture may be stored in the memory component 56. The microcontroller 54 is also configured to map the estimated touch position changes (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of applied force to digital scrolling, and send instructions regarding the digital scrolling to the connected computer / processor via the interface circuitry (not shown) of the scrolling input device 10.

[0079] In some embodiments, the scrolling input device 10 utilizes optical techniques to measure the touch positions of the scrolling gesture. As Figure 9 shown, the scrolling input device 10 includes a touch surface 12, one force sensor 40 having a suspended circuit board 42, a support structure 44, a main board 46, a microcontroller 54, a memory component 56, and two optical light guides 58 having optical sensors 60. In different applications, the scrolling input device 10 may include more force sensors 40 having corresponding suspended circuit boards 42 and one or more optical light guides 58 having corresponding optical sensors 60.

[0080] In this document, one end of each optical light guide 58 extends through the touch surface 12 to allow light to pass through the touch surface and enter the cavity 52 of the rolling input device 10. The other end of each optical light guide 58 can be in contact with the main board 46 to ensure that light passes through the optical light guide 58. Each optical sensor 60 is placed on the main board 46, facing the lower side of the touch surface 12, and is restricted within the corresponding optical light guide 58. The output of each optical sensor 60 can be transmitted to the microcontroller 54 through metal traces (not shown) within the main board 46. The touch position of the rolling gesture is estimated by interpolation between the outputs of the two optical sensors 60. The force sensor 40 is connected to the lower side of the touch surface 12 via the suspension circuit board 42 and is suspended on the lower side of the touch surface. The output of the force sensor 40 can be transmitted to the microcontroller 54 through the suspension circuit board 42 and other wires (not shown). Once the touch position of the rolling gesture is estimated, the amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10 is calculated based on the output of the force sensor 40 as described above. The touch position of the rolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10 are still estimated / calculated by the microcontroller 54 based on the outputs of the optical sensors 60 and the force sensor 40 respectively. The algorithm for calculating the amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10, the algorithm for estimating the touch position of the rolling gesture, the calculated amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10, and the estimated touch position of the rolling gesture can be stored in the memory component 56. The microcontroller 54 is also configured to map the estimated touch position change (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10 to digital scrolling, and send instructions regarding the digital scrolling to the connected computer / processor via the interface circuitry (not shown) of the rolling input device 10.

[0081] In some embodiments, the rolling input device 10 combines the optical light guides 58 with the force sensors 40 attached to the main board 46, as Figure 10As shown in. The scrolling input device 10 includes a touch surface 12, two force sensors 40 (one of the two force sensors 40 is blocked, only one force sensor 40 is shown), a support structure 44, a main board 46, two connection structures 48 having two rubber washers 50 (one of the connection structures 48 and one of the two rubber washers 50 are blocked, only one connection structure 48 and one rubber washer 50 are shown), a microcontroller 54, a memory component 56, and two optical light guides 58 having two optical sensors 60. The two optical light guides 58 are positioned along the center line of the active area of the touch surface 12 (extending through the touch surface 12), the two connection structures 48 are located on opposite sides of the optical light guides 58 (only one connection structure and one rubber washer are shown), and each force sensor 40 is positioned adjacent to a corresponding connection structure 48. In different applications, the scrolling input device 10 may include fewer or more force sensors 40, fewer or more connection structures 48, and / or fewer or more optical light guides 58 having corresponding optical sensors 60. The layout of the connection structures 48 and the optical light guides 58 may be different. Additionally, there may be more than one force sensor 40 placed next to a corresponding connection structure 48.

[0082] In this document, the touch position of the scrolling gesture is estimated by interpolation between the outputs of the optical sensors 60 respectively restricted within the corresponding optical light guides 58, while the calculation of the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 is based on the output of the force sensor 40 by sensing the strain in the main board 46 (i.e., similar to Figure 4 the operation of the force sensor 20 shown in, the strain in the main board 46 is caused by the strain in the touch surface 12). The microcontroller 54 estimates / calculates the touch position of the scrolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 based on the outputs of the optical sensors 60 and the force sensors 40 respectively. The algorithm for calculating the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 and the algorithm for estimating the touch position of the scrolling gesture, the calculated amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10, and the estimated touch position of the scrolling gesture may be stored in the memory component 56. The microcontroller 54 is also configured to map the estimated touch position change (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of force applied to the scrolling input device 10 to digital scrolling, and send instructions regarding the digital scrolling to the connected computer / processor via the interface circuitry (not shown) of the scrolling input device 10.

[0083] In some embodiments, the optical light guides 58 may also provide force / strain transfer to the main board 46 (e.g., serve as the connection structures 48). As Figure 11A and 11BAs shown, the rolling input device 10 includes a touch surface 12, two force sensors 40, a support structure 44, a main board 46, a microcontroller 54, a memory component 56, two optical light guides 58 having corresponding connection bases 62, and two optical sensors 60. Herein, each connection base 62 may be formed of rubber or plastic and has an annular shape. Each connection base 62 is formed on the main board 46 and faces the lower side of the touch surface 12. The two optical light guides 58 are positioned along the center line of the active area of the touch surface 12. One end of each optical light guide 58 extends through the touch surface 12 to allow light to pass through the touch surface into the cavity 52, and the other end of each optical light guide 58 contacts the corresponding connection base 62. Each optical sensor 60 is placed on the main board 46, faces the lower side of the touch surface 12, and is confined within the corresponding connection base 62. Additionally, each force sensor 40 is placed on the main board 46, faces the lower side of the touch surface 12, and is confined within the corresponding connection base 62.

[0084] As described above, the touch position of the rolling gesture is estimated by interpolation between the outputs of the optical sensors 60 confined within the connection bases 62. The combination of one optical light guide 58 and one connection base 62 also serves as a connection structure (e.g., connection structure 48). The force applied to the touch surface 12 can be transmitted to the main board 46 through the combination of the optical light guide 58 and the connection base 62. Thus, each force sensor 40 within the corresponding connection base 62 can detect the force applied to the touch surface 12 by sensing the strain in the main board 46 (i.e., similar to Figure 4 the operation of the force sensor 20 shown, the strain in the main board 46 is caused by the strain in the touch surface 12). The microcontroller 54 estimates / calculates the touch position of the rolling gesture and the amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10 based on the outputs of the optical sensors 60 and the force sensors 40, respectively. The algorithm for calculating the amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10, the algorithm for estimating the touch position of the rolling gesture, the calculated amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10, and the estimated touch position of the rolling gesture can be stored in the memory component 56. The microcontroller 54 is further configured to map the estimated touch position change (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of force applied to the rolling input device 10 to digital scrolling, and send instructions regarding the digital scrolling to the connected computer / processor via the interface circuitry (not shown) of the rolling input device 10. In different applications, the rolling input device 10 may include fewer or more optical light guides 58, fewer or more corresponding optical sensors 60, and fewer or more corresponding force sensors 40 with corresponding fewer or more connection bases 62 in different layouts.

[0085] Figure 12A block diagram of an exemplary scroll input device 70 including one or more force sensors is shown. The scroll input device 70 includes a microcontroller 72 (e.g., microcontroller 54) electrically connected to a memory component 74 (e.g., memory component 56) and communication interface circuitry 76. In some embodiments, the communication interface circuitry 76 may include a transceiver and an optional antenna and is configured to communicate with an externally connected device (e.g., a computer, a projector). The scroll input device 70 always includes one or more force sensors 78 (e.g., the force sensor 40 described above), and optionally includes one or more optical sensors 80 (e.g., the optical sensor 60 described above) or a capacitive touch film 82 (e.g., the capacitive touch film 38 described above). The force sensors 78 are configured to detect the force applied to the touch surface 84 (e.g., touch surface 12) of the scroll input device 70, and may also be configured to detect the touch position on the touch surface 84 where the force is applied. The optical sensors 80 or the capacitive touch film 82 may be configured to detect the touch position on the touch surface 84.

[0086] When the scroll input device 70 includes only the force sensors 78, the microcontroller 72 is configured to receive the output from the force sensors 78 and calculate the amount of force applied to the touch surface 84 and the touch position of the scroll gesture based on the output of the force sensors 78. Additionally, the microcontroller 72 is configured to map the estimated touch position change (i.e., the physical movement of the finger) and the calculated amount of force applied to the touch surface 84 to a digital movement and send instructions regarding the digital movement to the connected computer / processor via the communication interface circuitry 76. The algorithms for calculating the amount of force applied to the touch surface 84 and for estimating the touch position of the scroll gesture, the calculated amount of force applied to the touch surface 84, and the estimated touch position of the scroll gesture may be stored in the memory component 74.

[0087] Alternatively, when the scrolling input device 70 includes both a force sensor 78 and an optical sensor 80, the microcontroller 72 is configured to receive the output from the force sensor 78 and the output from the optical sensor 80. The microcontroller 72 is configured to calculate the amount of force applied to the touch surface 84 based on the output of the force sensor 78, and estimate the touch position of the scrolling gesture based on the output from the optical sensor 80. When the scrolling input device 70 includes both a force sensor 78 and a capacitive touch film 82, the microcontroller 72 is configured to receive the output from the force sensor 78 and the output from the capacitive touch film 82. The microcontroller 72 is configured to calculate the amount of force applied to the touch surface 84 based on the output of the force sensor 78, and estimate the touch position of the scrolling gesture based on the output from the capacitive touch film 82. The other operations of the microcontroller 72, the memory component 74, and the communication interface circuitry 76 are performed similarly to those described above. In some applications, the scrolling input device 70 (e.g., a computer mouse) may also include a device tracking system 86 connected to the microcontroller 72. Note that the device tracking system 86 tracks different movements compared to the force sensor 78, the optical sensor 80, and the capacitive touch film 82. The force sensor 78, the optical sensor 80, and the capacitive touch film 82 are configured to track the physical displacement of a finger on the touch surface 84 and the force applied by the finger on the touch surface, while the device tracking system 86 is configured to track the position change of the entire scrolling input device 70 relative to the underlying surface.

[0088] Figure 13 A flowchart of the operation of a scrolling input device (e.g., scrolling input device 10 / 70) for mapping the physical movement of a scrolling gesture to digital scrolling according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Although the process steps are shown consecutively, the process steps are not necessarily order-related. Some steps may be completed in a different order than presented. Additionally, processes within the scope of the present disclosure may include fewer or more steps than those shown Figure 13 in.

[0089] Initially, one or more force sensors (e.g., force sensor 40 / 78) within the scrolling input device sense the strain in the touch surface (e.g., touch surface 12 / 84) of the scrolling input device (step 102). Herein, the strain in the touch surface is caused by the force applied to the active area of the touch surface. Based on the sensed strain, one or more force sensors are configured to provide an output of information indicating the amount of force applied to the active area of the touch surface (step 104). Within the scrolling input device, one or more force sensors, one or more optical sensors (e.g., optical sensor 60 / 80), or a capacitive touch film (e.g., capacitive touch film 38 / 82) can be used to determine the touch position of the scrolling gesture (step 106).

[0090] Next, the microcontroller of the scrolling input device (e.g., microcontroller 54 / 72) calculates the amount of force applied to the active area based on the output of one or more force sensors and the determined touch position of the scrolling gesture (step 108). Note that the amount of force applied to the active area is not directly provided by one or more force sensors, but is calculated by normalizing the output of one or more force sensors based on a calibration table that includes force sensing sensitivities that vary with the touch position of the scrolling gesture. The algorithm for calculating the amount of force applied and the touch position of the scrolling gesture, as well as the calculated amount of force applied to the active area based on the determined touch position of the scrolling gesture, can be stored in a memory component (e.g., memory component 56 / 74).

[0091] Once the amount of force applied to the active area is calculated / determined, the microcontroller of the scrolling input device estimates the scrolling speed of the scrolling input device based on the amount of force applied to the active area (step 110). The relationship between the amount of force applied to the scrolling input device and the multiple of the scrolling speed of the scrolling input device can take any arbitrary form and can be predetermined. The algorithm for estimating the scrolling speed and the estimated scrolling speed can also be stored in the memory component.

[0092] Then, the microcontroller of the scrolling input device estimates digital scrolling based on both the physical movement and the estimated scrolling speed (step 112). The mapping information between the physical movement and the estimated scrolling speed and digital scrolling can be stored in the memory component. Finally, the microcontroller of the scrolling input device sends instructions regarding the digital scrolling to the connected computer / processor via a communication interface circuit system (e.g., communication interface circuit system 76) (step 114).

[0093] It is contemplated that any of the foregoing aspects can be combined, and / or the various individual aspects and features described herein can be combined to obtain additional advantages. Unless otherwise indicated herein, any of the various embodiments disclosed herein can be combined with one or more other disclosed embodiments.

[0094] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered to be within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the following claims.

Claims

1. A scrolling input device that maps physical movement of a scrolling gesture to digital scrolling, comprising: A touch surface having an active area for applying force; at least one force sensor formed below an active area of ​​the touch surface, wherein the at least one force sensor is configured to detect force applied to the active area by sensing strain in the touch surface during a physical displacement of the scroll gesture, and is configured to provide an output of information indicative of an amount of force applied to the active area based on the sensed strain; as well as a microcontroller configured to calculate an amount of force applied to the active area based on an output of the at least one force sensor and a touch location of the scroll gesture, to estimate a scrolling speed of the scrolling input device based on the calculated amount of force applied to the active area, and to estimate the digital scrolling based on both the physical movement and the estimated scrolling speed. 2 . The scrolling input device of claim 1 , wherein the relationship between the amount of force applied to the active area and the scrolling speed of the scrolling input device is linear, power, or exponential. 3 . The scrolling input device of claim 1 , wherein a relationship between an amount of force applied to the active area and a scrolling speed of the scrolling input device increases monotonically or decreases monotonically.

4. The scroll input device according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting structure and a main board, wherein: The support structure is connected to the underside of the touch surface to provide a cavity within the scrolling input device; The support structure is configured to provide mechanical support to the mainboard, the mainboard being separate from the touch surface and located in the cavity; and The microcontroller is located on the main board and within the cavity, and faces the underside of the touch surface.

5. The scroll input device according to claim 4, further comprising at least one suspended circuit board formed on the lower side of the touch surface, wherein: the at least one force sensor being connected to and suspended from an underside of the touch surface via the at least one suspended circuit board, confined within the active area, and located within the cavity; and The at least one suspension circuit board is configured to transmit an output of the at least one force sensor. 6 . The scroll input device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one suspended circuit board is a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board.

7. The scroll input device according to claim 5, further comprising a capacitive touch film formed below a lower side of the touch surface and covering an active area of ​​the touch surface, wherein: the capacitive touch film being configured to detect a touch position of the scroll gesture and being configured to provide an output indicative of the touch position of the scroll gesture; and The microcontroller is configured to estimate a physical displacement of the scroll gesture based on an output of the capacitive touch film.

8. The scroll input device according to claim 7, wherein: The capacitive touch film is formed directly below the lower side of the touch surface; and The at least one suspended circuit board is formed directly below the capacitive touch film.

9. The scroll input device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one suspended circuit board is a part of the capacitive touch film. 10 . The scroll input device according to claim 9 , wherein the capacitive touch film is an FPC board or a PCB.

11. The scroll input device according to claim 5, wherein: The at least one force sensor comprises a plurality of force sensors, and the at least one suspension circuit board comprises a plurality of suspension circuit boards; The plurality of force sensors are distributed throughout and around the active area; each of the plurality of force sensors is connected to and suspended on the underside of the touch surface via a corresponding one of the plurality of suspension circuit boards; the plurality of force sensors being configured to detect both a force applied to the active area and a touch location of the scroll gesture and to provide a plurality of outputs, respectively, the plurality of outputs being indicative of both the touch location of the scroll gesture and the amount of force applied to the active area; and The microcontroller is configured to further estimate a physical displacement of the scroll gesture based on a plurality of outputs of the plurality of force sensors.

12. The scroll input device of claim 5, further comprising at least one optical light guide having at least one optical sensor, wherein: One end of the at least one optical light guide extends through the touch surface to allow light to pass through the touch surface into the cavity, and the other end of the at least one optical light guide contacts the mainboard to ensure that light passes along the optical light guide; The at least one optical sensor is placed on the mainboard, facing the underside of the touch surface, and confined within the at least one optical light guide; the at least one optical sensor being configured to detect a touch location of the scroll gesture and being configured to provide an output of information indicative of the touch location of the scroll gesture; and The microcontroller is configured to estimate a physical displacement of the scroll gesture based on an output of the at least one optical sensor.

13. The scroll input device according to claim 4, further comprising at least one connecting structure, wherein: The at least one connecting structure extends from an underside of the touch surface toward the mainboard and is configured to transfer a force applied to the touch surface to the mainboard; The at least one force sensor is attached to the mainboard, adjacent to the at least one connection structure, facing the underside of the touch surface, and located within the cavity; and The at least one force sensor is configured to detect a force applied to the active area by sensing a strain in the mainboard caused by a strain in the touch surface.

14. The scroll input device according to claim 13, further comprising a capacitive touch film formed below a lower side of the touch surface and covering an active area of ​​the touch surface, wherein: the capacitive touch film is configured to detect a touch position of the scroll gesture, and is configured to provide an output of information indicative of the touch position of the scroll gesture; and The microcontroller is configured to estimate a physical displacement of the scroll gesture based on an output of the capacitive touch film.

15. The scroll input device according to claim 13, wherein: The at least one force sensor comprises a plurality of force sensors; The at least one connection structure comprises a plurality of connection structures, the plurality of connection structures being distributed throughout the active area and below the active area; Each of the plurality of connection structures extends from an underside of the touch surface toward the main board and is configured to transfer a force applied to the touch surface to the main board; each of the plurality of force sensors is attached to the mainboard, adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of connection structures, facing the underside of the touch surface, and located within the cavity; the plurality of force sensors being configured to detect both a force applied to the active area and a touch location of the scroll gesture and to provide a plurality of outputs, respectively, the plurality of outputs being indicative of both the touch location of the scroll gesture and the amount of force applied to the active area; and The microcontroller is configured to further estimate a physical displacement of the scroll gesture based on a plurality of outputs of the plurality of force sensors.

16. The scrolling input device of claim 13, further comprising at least one optical light guide having at least one optical sensor, wherein: One end of the at least one optical light guide extends through the touch surface to allow light to pass through the touch surface into the cavity, and the other end of the at least one optical light guide contacts the mainboard to ensure that light passes along the optical light guide; The at least one optical sensor is placed on the mainboard, facing the underside of the touch surface, and confined within the at least one optical light guide; the at least one optical sensor being configured to detect a touch location of the scroll gesture and being configured to provide an output indicative of the touch location of the scroll gesture; and The microcontroller is configured to estimate a physical displacement of the scroll gesture based on an output of the at least one optical sensor.

17. The scroll input device of claim 13, wherein the at least one connection structure is integrated with the touch surface as a single piece and connected to the main board via at least one rubber gasket.

18. The scroll input device of claim 4, further comprising at least one connection base and at least one optical light guide having at least one optical sensor, wherein: The at least one connection base is formed on the main board and faces the lower side of the touch surface; one end of the at least one optical light guide extends through the touch surface to allow light to pass through the touch surface into the cavity, and another end of the at least one optical light guide contacts the at least one connection base, wherein the combination of the at least one optical light guide and the at least one connection base is configured to transfer a force applied to the touch surface to the mainboard; the at least one optical sensor being placed on the main board, facing the underside of the touch surface, and confined within the at least one connection base, wherein the at least one optical sensor is configured to detect a touch position of the scroll gesture, and is configured to provide an output of information indicative of the touch position of the scroll gesture; the at least one force sensor being positioned on the mainboard, facing the underside of the touch surface, and confined within the at least one connection base, wherein the at least one force sensor is configured to detect a force applied to the touch surface by sensing a strain in the mainboard caused by a strain in the touch surface; and The microcontroller is configured to estimate a physical displacement of the scroll gesture based on an output of the at least one optical sensor.

19. The scroll input device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one connection base is formed of rubber or plastic and has a ring shape.

20. The scrolling input device of claim 1, further comprising a memory component configured to store an algorithm for calculating an amount of force applied to the active area based on an output of the at least one force sensor.

21. A method for operating a scroll input device for mapping physical movement of a scroll gesture to digital scrolling, comprising: sensing strain in the touch surface by one or more force sensors of the scrolling input device during the physical displacement of the scrolling gesture to detect forces applied to the active area of ​​the touch surface; providing, by the one or more force sensors, an output of information indicative of an amount of force applied to the active area based on the sensed strain; Calculating, by a microcontroller of the scrolling input device, an amount of force applied to the active area based on the output and the touch location of the scrolling gesture; estimating, by the microcontroller, a scrolling speed of the scrolling input device based on a calculated amount of force applied to the active area; as well as - Estimating, by the microcontroller, the digital scroll based on both the physical movement and the estimated scrolling speed.

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