Touch module, touch response method thereof and display panel

Abstract

The application provides a touch module, a touch response method thereof and a display panel, and relates to the technical field of touch control.The displacement sensor in the touch module is arranged between a touch-sensitive layer and a support structure, and a touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer is located on a side of the touch-sensitive layer facing away from the support structure.The displacement sensor comprises a first sensing element and a second sensing element arranged at a corresponding interval, the first and second sensing elements are electrically connected, the first sensing element is arranged on a side of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the second sensing element is arranged on a side of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer.At least one displacement sensor is configured to: a touch operation is applied to the touch surface to deform the touch-sensitive layer, displacement is generated between the first and second sensing elements, an electrical signal is generated according to the displacement, the electrical signal is converted into a digital signal and outputted, and the pressure detection result is determined and / or the category of the touch operation is identified.The reliability and consistency of a device comprising the touch module can be improved, and the assembly complexity of the device can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of touch technology, and in particular to a touch module and its touch response method, and a display panel. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of touch technology, the application scenarios for touch modules are increasing. For example, touch modules can serve as a medium for interaction between users and display devices. Users can interact with the touch module using their fingers, styluses, etc., thereby achieving human-computer interaction. During human-computer interaction, pressure detection can be performed on the touch module to recognize the user's input. To achieve pressure detection, the traditional solution is to place a pressure sensor below the membrane structure that receives touch operations in the touch module, and rigidly connect the pressure sensor to the membrane structure; for example, the membrane structure is rigidly connected to the pressure sensor through a rigid structure; or, alternatively, the membrane structure is rigidly connected to the pressure sensor using a very hard adhesive or tape.

[0003] However, the aforementioned hard connections result in complex assembly and maintenance processes for devices containing touch modules (such as display devices), and poor consistency and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a touch module, its touch response method, and a display panel that can improve the reliability and consistency of the touch module in response to the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a touch module, comprising: a touch-sensitive layer, at least one displacement sensor, and a support structure; wherein:

[0006] The displacement sensor is disposed between the touch-sensitive layer and the support structure, and the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer is located on the side of the touch-sensitive layer facing away from the support structure.

[0007] The displacement sensor includes a first sensing element and a second sensing element arranged at corresponding intervals. The first sensing element and the second sensing element are electrically connected. The first sensing element is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the second sensing element is fixed to the side surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer.

[0008] At least one of the displacement sensors is configured to: when a touch operation is applied to the touch surface to deform the touch-sensitive layer to generate displacement between the first sensor and the second sensor, generate an electrical signal based on the displacement, convert the electrical signal into a digital signal and output it, the digital signal being used to determine the pressure detection result and / or identify the category of the touch operation.

[0009] In one embodiment, one of the first sensing element and the second sensing element is a magnet, and the other is a sensor body;

[0010] The magnet is fixed to the surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the sensor body is fixed to the surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer; or...

[0011] The sensor body is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the magnet is fixed to the side surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer.

[0012] In one embodiment, one of the first sensing element and the second sensing element is a magnetic component, and the other is a coil;

[0013] The magnetic component is fixed to the surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the coil is fixed to the surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer; or...

[0014] The coil is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the magnetic component is fixed to the side surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer.

[0015] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the first sensor onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer is located inside the orthographic projection of the second sensor onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer; or,

[0016] The orthographic projection of the second sensor onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer is located is inside the orthographic projection of the first sensor onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer is located.

[0017] In one embodiment, the displacement generated between the first sensor and the second sensor includes at least one of a first displacement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the touch surface and a second displacement in any direction of the plane of the touch surface.

[0018] The determination of the pressure detection result includes determining at least one of a first pressure detection value along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the touch surface and a second pressure detection value along any direction in the plane of the touch surface.

[0019] In one embodiment, the first sensing element and the touch-sensitive layer are fixed by either a fixed connection or a detachable connection.

[0020] The second sensing element is fixed to the support structure by either a fixed connection or a detachable connection.

[0021] In one embodiment, the plane containing the first sensor is parallel to the plane containing the second sensor.

[0022] In one embodiment, the plane containing the first sensor intersects the plane containing the second sensor.

[0023] Secondly, this application also provides a display panel, which includes the aforementioned touch module and a light-emitting layer; the touch module is any of the touch modules described in the first aspect;

[0024] Along the light emission direction of the display panel, the displacement sensor in the touch module is arranged on the side of the light emission layer facing the touch-sensitive layer, and the touch-sensitive layer includes a light emission area and a non-light emission area;

[0025] At least one of the displacement sensors is located within the orthographic projection of the non-light-emitting area onto the plane of the light-emitting layer.

[0026] In one exemplary embodiment, the display panel includes a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, and the light-emitting area is located within the display area;

[0027] At least one of the displacement sensors is located in the non-display area.

[0028] Thirdly, this application also provides a touch response method, which is applied to a touch device including any of the touch modules described in the first aspect, the method comprising:

[0029] The system receives displacement sensed by at least one displacement sensor of the touch module; wherein, upon receiving a touch operation applied to the touch surface, the displacement sensor senses that the touch operation causes the touch-sensitive layer to deform, thereby generating the displacement between the first and second sensing elements of the displacement sensor.

[0030] A corresponding electrical signal is generated based on the displacement;

[0031] A corresponding digital signal is generated based on the electrical signal;

[0032] Based on the digital signal, the pressure detection result is determined and / or the category of the touch operation is identified in order to respond to the touch operation.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the pressure detection result and / or identifying the category of the touch operation based on the digital signal includes:

[0034] The digital signal is filtered to obtain the corresponding low-frequency signal and high-frequency signal;

[0035] The pressure detection result is determined based on the low-frequency signal, and the pressure detection result includes a pressure value; and / or,

[0036] The category of the touch operation is determined based on the high-frequency signal.

[0037] In one exemplary embodiment, determining the category of the touch operation based on the high-frequency signal includes:

[0038] The high-frequency signal is input into a pre-trained classification model to obtain the category of the touch operation; the classification model is trained based on at least two of the displacement, touch position, touch area, pressure detection result, and category result of the touch operation.

[0039] In one exemplary embodiment, prior to receiving the displacement sensed by at least one displacement sensor of the touch module, the method further includes:

[0040] Obtain the historical detected displacement of the displacement sensor within a preset time period;

[0041] If the historical detected displacement exceeds a preset range, and / or if the fluctuation range of the historical detected displacement exceeds a preset range, the displacement detection baseline of the displacement sensor is updated.

[0042] In the touch module and its touch response method and display panel provided in this application, the touch module is configured to include a touch-sensitive layer, at least one displacement sensor, and a support structure; wherein, the displacement sensor is disposed between the touch-sensitive layer and the support structure, and the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer is located on the side of the touch-sensitive layer facing away from the support structure; the displacement sensor includes a first sensing element and a correspondingly spaced second sensing element, the first sensing element and the second sensing element are electrically connected, the first sensing element is fixed to the surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the second sensing element is fixed to the surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer; at least one displacement sensor is configured to: when a touch operation is applied to the touch surface causing the touch-sensitive layer to deform, so as to... When displacement occurs between the second sensing elements, an electrical signal is generated based on the displacement, converted into a digital signal, and output. The digital signal is used to determine the pressure detection result and / or identify the type of touch operation. As can be seen, this application uses a displacement sensor composed of a first sensing element and a second sensing element with a set interval to sense the displacement generated by the touch operation received by the touch surface of the touch module. Based on the sensed displacement, pressure detection and / or identification of the type of touch operation can be achieved. There is no need to hard-connect a pressure sensor or vibration sensor on the side of the touch-sensitive layer away from the touch surface. This reduces the assembly complexity of the device including the touch module while also improving the reliability and consistency of the related device. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0044] Figure 1 A top view of the touch module provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0045] Figure 2 Provided for the embodiments of this application Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the AA' of the touch unit;

[0046] Figure 3 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the touch unit provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a touch unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 5 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the touch unit provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0049] Figure 6 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the touch unit provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0050] Figure 7 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the touch unit provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0051] Figure 8 A top view of a display panel provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 9 Provided for the embodiments of this application Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of BB';

[0053] Figure 10 A flowchart of a touch response method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of digital signals in the touch response method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0055] Figure 12 The diagram shown is a schematic of a low-frequency signal obtained by low-pass filtering a digital signal according to an embodiment of this application.

[0056] Figure 13 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of a high-frequency signal obtained by high-pass filtering a digital signal according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0057] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0058] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0059] In this document, spatial terms such as “upper” and “lower” are defined with reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, it will be understood that “upper” and “lower” are used interchangeably. It will be understood that when a layer is referred to as being “on” another layer, it can be formed directly on that other layer, or there may be intermediate layers. Therefore, it will be understood that when a layer is referred to as being “directly” on another layer, no intermediate layer is inserted in between.

[0060] In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It is understood that when a layer or element is referred to as "on" another layer or substrate, the layer or element may be directly on said other layer or substrate, or there may be intermediate layers. Furthermore, it is understood that when a layer is referred to as "between" two layers, the layer may be the only layer between said two layers, or there may be one or more intermediate layers. Additionally, the same reference numerals always denote the same elements.

[0061] In the following text, although terms such as “first” and “second” may be used to describe various components, these components are not necessarily limited to the terms above. The terms above are used only to distinguish one component from another. It will also be understood that expressions used in the singular form include plural expressions unless the singular form has a distinct meaning in the context. Furthermore, in the embodiments below, it will also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “having” as used herein indicate the presence of the stated feature or component, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features or components.

[0062] In the following embodiments, when a layer, region, or element is “connected,” it can be interpreted as the layer, region, or element being connected not only directly but also through other constituent elements placed therebetween. For example, when a layer, region, element, etc., is described as being connected or electrically connected, the layer, region, element, etc., can not only be directly connected or directly electrically connected, but can also be connected or electrically connected through another layer, region, element, etc., placed therebetween.

[0063] In the application documents, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items. When a statement such as “at least one of…” follows a list of elements, it modifies the entire list of elements, rather than individual elements within that list.

[0064] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of the application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0065] It should also be understood that the terms “including / comprise” or “have” specify the presence of the stated features, wholes, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0066] Electronic or electrical devices and / or any other related devices or components (e.g., display devices including display panels, touch modules, and display panel drivers) according to embodiments of the inventive concepts described herein can be implemented using any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits), software, or a combination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example, various components of these devices may be formed on an integrated circuit (IC) chip or on a separate IC chip. Additionally, various components of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit film, a tape-on-a-chip (TCP), a printed circuit board (PCB), or formed on a substrate. Furthermore, various components of these devices may be processes or threads running on one or more processors in one or more computing devices to execute computer program instructions and interact with other system components to perform the various functions described herein. Computer program instructions are stored in memory, which may be implemented in a computing device using standard storage devices such as random access memory (RAM). Computer program instructions may also be stored in other non-transitory computer-readable media such as CD-ROMs, flash drives, etc. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that the functions of various computing devices may be combined or integrated into a single computing device, or the functions of a particular computing device may be distributed across one or more other computing devices, without departing from the spirit and scope of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0067] While exemplary embodiments of the touch module and the display panel including the touch module have been specifically described herein, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the touch module and the display panel including the touch module, constructed according to the principles of the invention, may be implemented in ways other than those specifically described herein. This application is also defined in the claims and their equivalents.

[0068] As described in the background section, with the development of touch technology, more and more products are equipped with touch modules to sense touch operations applied by users. When integrated into a product, the touch module can function as a physical or virtual button. In virtual button applications, in addition to pressure detection to provide pressure information, there is also a strong demand for vibration signal detection. Related technologies typically involve rigidly connecting the sensor to the outer surface (e.g., cover glass). The sensors used include strain gauges, piezoelectric ceramics, and MEMS vibration sensors. "MEMS" stands for Micro Electro Mechanical System. Specifically, in related technologies, the sensor is rigidly connected via a rigid structure, such as an interference fit, or via a high-hardness adhesive or tape. In related technologies, pressure sensors can be attached below the touch-sensing layer; the touch-sensing layer here is not necessarily a film layer, for example, PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is usually used as the touch-sensing layer in laptops; the pressure sensor may also not be attached below the touch-sensing layer, but rather attached to the supporting structure; for example, the pressure sensor of the side camera button on a mobile phone is attached to the structure supporting the button.

[0069] The aforementioned methods of hard-connecting sensors to components of related products may have the following problems:

[0070] One issue is the complexity of assembly: if a cantilever beam structure is used to press the strain gauge, one end of the cantilever structure needs to support the outer finish, and the other end needs to be pressed onto the lower end of the strain gauge.

[0071] Secondly, there is poor consistency and reliability: mechanical structures will fatigue after long-term use, and pressure is transmitted through mechanical structures. As time goes by, the accuracy of pressure or vibration signals decreases.

[0072] Thirdly, maintenance is difficult: if glue is used to attach the vibration sensor to the lower part of the exterior surface, the glue with high hardness is usually very sticky and has stable performance, making it difficult to remove during maintenance and easy to leave residue, which may cause damage to the exterior surface and the sensor.

[0073] Furthermore, in related technologies, touch sensors that are rigidly connected to the product can detect the location of the touch operation applied by the user, but cannot identify the type of touch object used by the user to apply the touch operation.

[0074] Based on this, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2To improve the reliability and consistency of touch modules, reduce assembly complexity and maintenance difficulties, and enable the identification of the type of touch object applied by the user, this application provides a touch module different from the aforementioned related technologies. This touch module 10 includes a touch-sensitive layer 111, at least one displacement sensor 12, and a support structure 112 arranged sequentially along a touch surface perpendicular to the touch module 10. The displacement sensor 12 is composed of a first sensing element 121 and a second sensing element 122 spaced apart by a first distance D, and the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 are electrically connected. Based on this structure, the touch module 10 can detect the displacement change between the touch surface and the support structure 112 when a touch operation is applied to the touch surface causing deformation of the touch-sensitive layer 111. Furthermore, based on the electrical signal generated by the detected displacement, pressure detection and / or touch operation category identification can be achieved.

[0075] For the touch module 10 provided in this application, one optional implementation includes: a touch-sensitive layer 111, at least one displacement sensor 12, and a support structure 112; wherein:

[0076] The displacement sensor 12 is disposed between the touch-sensitive layer 111 and the support structure 112, and the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located on the side of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing away from the support structure 112.

[0077] The displacement sensor 12 includes a first sensing element 121 and a second sensing element 122 arranged at corresponding intervals. The first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 are electrically connected. The first sensing element 121 is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the second sensing element 122 is fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111.

[0078] At least one displacement sensor 12 is configured to: when a touch operation is applied to the touch surface to deform the touch-sensitive layer 111 to generate displacement between the first sensor 121 and the second sensor 122, generate an electrical signal based on the displacement, convert the electrical signal into a digital signal and output it, and use the digital signal to determine the pressure detection result and / or identify the type of touch operation.

[0079] For example, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,like Figure 1The top view of the touch module 10 shown illustrates that a touch module 10 can contain multiple touch units 11, but it can also contain only one touch unit 11. This application does not specifically limit this. When the touch module 10 includes multiple touch units 11, the multiple touch units 11 can be arranged in an array within the touch module 10. Of course, the arrangement of the touch units 11 can also be set according to touch requirements. When the touch module 10 contains multiple touch units 11, each touch unit 11 can be equipped with a corresponding displacement sensor 12. The multiple displacement sensors 12 (touch units 11) can be arranged at intervals along the plane of the touch surface. Each displacement sensor 12 can be configured as a (virtual) button. Where required, a single touch unit 11 can also contain multiple displacement sensors 12. This application does not specifically limit this.

[0080] like Figure 2 As shown, any touch unit 11 of the touch module 10 provided in this application includes a touch-sensitive layer 111, a displacement sensor 12, and a support structure 112 stacked together. One or more displacement sensors 12 can be disposed between the touch-sensitive layer 111 and the support structure 112. This application does not specifically limit the number of displacement sensors 12 included in the touch module 10. The touch surface is the surface that receives touch operations applied by the user. Correspondingly, the touch-sensitive layer 111 is a film structure used to receive touch operations from the user. Typically, no other film structure is included between the touch-sensitive layer 111 and the user's touch surface. Figure 2 In this context, the touch surface can refer to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing away from the support structure 112.

[0081] It should be noted that, Figure 2 This is only the main part of the structure included in one touch unit 11 of the touch module 10 provided in the embodiments of this application, and does not limit a touch unit 11 to only include a touch-sensitive layer 111, a displacement sensor 12 and a support structure 112.

[0082] This application provides a selectable configuration structure for a displacement sensor 12, including a first sensing element 121 and a second sensing element 122 disposed at corresponding intervals, and electrically connected. The first sensing element 121 is fixed to the inner surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111, i.e., fixed to the side of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the second sensing element 122 is fixed to the inner surface of the support structure 112, i.e., fixed to the side of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111. Taking the direction perpendicular to the plane of the touch surface of the touch module 10 as the first direction, this application configures the sensor along the first direction such that, when no touch operation is applied to the touch module 10, a first distance D is selectively included between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122; that is, when no touch operation is applied to the touch module 10, the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 are not in contact.

[0083] This application does not specifically limit the size of the first gap D, and the size of the first gap D can be selected and set according to requirements. The size of the first gap D can be set as small as possible, which is beneficial to reducing the overall thickness of the touch module 10, thereby facilitating the thin design of the product in which the touch module 10 is assembled; however, it should be noted that the distance of the first gap D should not be too small, so as to avoid the gap being insufficient to meet the compression distance requirements of the pressure generated by the touch operation. Therefore, it is better to include the first gap D between the first sensor 121 and the second sensor 122 when there is pressure applied by the user on the touch surface of the touch module 10.

[0084] Regarding the displacement sensor 12 provided in this application, this application also provides an alternative implementation method in which, when the touch module 10 receives a touch operation applied by the user on the touch surface, the pressure carried by the touch operation will cause the touch-sensitive layer 111 to deform. The deformation direction can be away from the touch surface, that is, the position of the touch-sensitive layer 111 receiving the touch operation will move towards one side of the support structure 112. This will cause a displacement between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 disposed between the touch-sensitive layer 111 and the support structure 112, specifically shortening the first distance D between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122. The displacement can be detected by the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122, and then the detected displacement can be processed to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the displacement. Further, the electrical signal can be converted into a digital signal and output, so as to realize the pressure detection corresponding to the touch operation through the output digital signal, and / or realize the identification of the type of touch operation (touch body type) through the output digital signal.

[0085] The pressure detection mentioned above can be the detection of at least the pressure value corresponding to the touch operation; the touch operation category identification mentioned above can be the identification of the specific category of the touch object (the touch object that applies the touch operation) used in the touch operation. The touch object used in the touch operation may include, for example, the fingertip, nail, joint, elbow joint, ear, pen tip, pen tail, wooden stick, eraser, etc.

[0086] It should also be added that when the touch-sensitive layer 111 of the touch module 10 receives a touch operation applied by the user on the touch surface, the change in the touch-sensitive layer can be deformation (e.g., only the part of the area receiving the touch operation sinks) or displacement (including translation and rotation). One embodiment provided here is that when the touch module 10 provided in this application is used in a display device, the touch-sensitive layer 111 can correspond to the cover glass of the display device. The cover glass has high rigidity, and the application of a touch operation usually causes deformation of the cantilever beam supporting the cover glass, resulting in displacement of the cover glass.

[0087] The touch module 10 provided in this application is specifically configured to include a touch-sensitive layer 111, at least one displacement sensor 12, and a support structure 112. The displacement sensor 12 is disposed between the touch-sensitive layer 111 and the support structure 112, with the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 located on the side of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing away from the support structure 112. The displacement sensor 12 includes a first sensing element 121 and correspondingly spaced second sensing elements 122. The first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 are electrically connected. The first sensing element 121 is fixed to the surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the second sensing element 122 is fixed to the surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111. At least one displacement sensor 12 is configured to: when a touch operation is applied to the touch surface, cause the touch-sensitive layer 111 to... When deformation occurs, resulting in displacement between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122, an electrical signal is generated based on the displacement. This electrical signal is then converted into a digital signal and output. The digital signal is used to determine the pressure detection result and / or identify the type of touch operation. As can be seen, this application uses a displacement sensor 12 composed of the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 with a first spacing D to sense the displacement generated by the touch operation received by the touch surface of the touch module 10. Based on the sensed displacement, pressure detection and / or identification of the type of touch operation can be achieved. This eliminates the need to hard-connect a pressure sensor or vibration sensor to the side of the touch-sensitive layer 111 away from the touch surface, thereby reducing the assembly complexity of the device including the touch module 10 and improving the reliability and consistency of the related device.

[0088] In one exemplary embodiment, please refer to Figures 2-4One of the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 is a magnet 13, and the other is a sensor body 14;

[0089] Magnet 13 is fixed to the surface of touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and sensor body 14 is fixed to the surface of support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111; or,

[0090] The sensor body 14 is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the magnet 13 is fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111.

[0091] For example, the displacement sensor 12 can be a Hall sensor; when the displacement sensor 12 is a Hall sensor, it can be constructed by a magnet 13 and a sensor body 14 arranged opposite each other. When a user touches the touch surface of the touch module 10, the magnetic field of the magnet 13 in the displacement sensor 12 changes. The Hall sensor can detect the positional change between the magnet 13 and the sensor body 14 by detecting the change in the magnetic field of the magnet 13, that is, it can detect the displacement between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122. The displacement sensor 12, constructed by the magnet 13 and the sensor body 14 arranged opposite each other, is beneficial for detecting the displacement caused by touch operation, and thus for realizing pressure detection and / or identification of the type of touch operation. Moreover, the magnet 13 and the sensor body 14 do not contact each other along the first direction, which can avoid the rigid connection between the displacement sensor 12 and the touch-sensitive layer 111, and can improve the reliability and consistency of the product configured with the touch module 10.

[0092] One alternative embodiment is that, during the process of applying a touch operation to the touch surface, when the distance between the magnet 13 and the sensor body 14 is less than a preset distance, a Hall effect is generated, and the displacement sensor 12 can generate a digital signal based on the Hall effect. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the touch module 10 provided in the embodiments of this application. Please refer to it. Figure 4A magnet 13 is disposed on the inner surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111. The N pole of the magnet 13 is in direct contact with the inner surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111, and the S pole of the magnet 13 is disposed on the side of the N pole facing away from the touch-sensitive layer 111. The magnetic field of the magnet 13 is sensed by the sensor body 14 located on the support structure 112, and the change in the external magnetic field is converted into a change in voltage using the Hall effect. When the distance between the magnet 13 and the sensor body 14 changes, the voltage generated based on the Hall effect changes. The touch component uses the voltage as input to a preset algorithm to calculate the distance (the displacement between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122). This distance is variable and can refer to the distance that the inner surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 moves relative to the upper surface of the sensor body 14, i.e., the distance in the z-direction.

[0093] It should be added that the Hall sensor can be selected to be unidirectional, that is, to detect displacement only in the z-direction; or it can be selected to be multi-axis, that is, to detect displacement in the x, y, and z directions. In this way, in addition to the pressure of pressing in the z-axis, more information such as sliding in the x and y directions can be detected, such as tangential force. Tangential force corresponds to sliding operations, such as changing the volume. That is, in addition to detecting the displacement distance in the z-direction, the Hall sensor can also calculate the distance in other directions, such as the distance in the x and y directions (not shown). The plane formed by the x and y directions can be a plane perpendicular to the z-direction, which is the first direction mentioned above (the direction perpendicular to the plane where the touch surface is located). When a touch operation occurs, it is equivalent to applying positive pressure to the touch module 10. The touch module 10 uses the Hall sensor to detect not only the positive pressure, but also lateral forces, such as friction. Subsequently, the touch operation can be classified by combining the distance in the x and y directions, high-frequency signals, and touch signals, that is, the type of touch object can be identified.

[0094] It should be noted that, although Figure 4 The N pole of the magnet 13 is in direct contact with the inner surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111, and the S pole of the magnet 13 is located on the side of the N pole facing away from the touch-sensitive layer 111. However, the embodiments of this application do not limit the arrangement of the N and S poles of the magnet 13. In other feasible implementations, the polarization direction of the magnet 13 can be adjusted from multiple angles.

[0095] This application does not specifically limit the specific placement of the magnet 13 and the sensor body 14 in the touch module 10. For example, the magnet 13 may be fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the sensor body 14 may be fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111. Alternatively, the sensor body 14 may be fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the magnet 13 may be fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111.

[0096] The magnet 13 can be composed of a magnetized permanent magnet or an electromagnet that is energized.

[0097] It should also be noted that the appendices provided in this application Figure 2 and attached Figure 3 The width of the magnet 13 in the AA' section shown is smaller than the width of the sensor body 14 in the AA' section. This is only one optional implementation provided by this application and is also to distinguish between the magnet 13 and the sensor body 14, but this application is not limited thereto.

[0098] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 , Figure 6 In one exemplary embodiment, one of the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 is a magnetic component 15, and the other is a coil 16;

[0099] The magnetic component 15 is fixed to the surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the coil 16 is fixed to the surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111; or,

[0100] The coil 16 is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the magnetic component 15 is fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111.

[0101] For example, the displacement sensor 12 can be a magnetic induction coil displacement sensor, consisting of a magnetic component 15 and a coil 16 arranged opposite to each other. The magnetic component 15 can be a magnet, a magnetic film, an electromagnetic coil, etc.; wherein, the electromagnetic coil can generate a magnetic field by being energized. During the touch operation applied to the touch surface, the displacement change between the magnetic component 15 and the coil 16 in the first direction will affect the magnetic induction intensity of the coil 16. The position of the magnetic component 15 relative to the coil 16 can be determined by the induced voltage measured by the induction coil 16 output by the displacement sensor 12, that is, the displacement generated between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 is detected. The displacement sensor 12, consisting of the magnetic component 15 and the coil 16 arranged opposite to each other, is beneficial for detecting the displacement caused by the touch operation, and thus enabling pressure detection and / or identification of the type of touch operation. Furthermore, since the magnetic component 15 and the coil 16 do not contact each other along the first direction, a rigid connection between the displacement sensor 12 and the touch-sensitive layer 111 can be avoided, which can improve the reliability and consistency of the product configured with the touch module 10.

[0102] This application does not specifically limit the specific placement of the magnetic component 15 and the coil 16 in the touch module 10. For example, the magnetic component 15 may be fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the coil 16 may be fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111. Alternatively, the coil 16 may be fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the magnetic component 15 may be fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111.

[0103] Please refer to Figures 2-6 In one exemplary embodiment, the orthographic projection of the first sensor 121 onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located inside the orthographic projection of the second sensor 122 onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111; or, the orthographic projection of the second sensor 122 onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located inside the orthographic projection of the first sensor 121 onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111.

[0104] For example, regarding the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 included in the displacement sensor 12, an alternative implementation is provided in which the orthographic projection of one of the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located is situated inside the orthographic projection of the other onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located. This configuration allows the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 included in the displacement sensor 12 disposed in the first direction to have as much overlapping area as possible, thereby making the displacement sensor 12 more effective and accurate in sensing the displacement caused by the touch operation when the touch surface is subjected to a touch operation.

[0105] It should be added that this application does not specifically limit the shape of the orthographic projection of the first sensing element 121 onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111, or the shape of the orthographic projection of the second sensing element 122 onto the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111; it is possible to set the orthographic projection shapes of the two sensing elements to be the same, such as both being rectangles or circles, but it is also possible to set the orthographic projection shapes of the two sensing elements to be different.

[0106] If the orthographic projection shapes of the two sensors differ, or their placement orientations differ, it may be impossible to guarantee that the orthographic projection of one of the first sensor 121 and the second sensor 122 on the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located inside the orthographic projection of the other on the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111. In this case, it is advisable to set the overlap area between the orthographic projection of one of the first sensor 121 and the second sensor 122 on the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111 and the orthographic projection of the other on the plane of the touch-sensitive layer 111 as large as possible, so as to ensure the displacement sensor 12's sensing effect on the displacement caused by the touch operation when the touch surface is subjected to touch operation.

[0107] In an exemplary embodiment, the displacement generated between the first sensor and the second sensor includes at least one of a first displacement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the touch surface and a second displacement in any direction of the plane of the touch surface; determining the pressure detection result includes determining at least one of a first pressure detection value in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the touch surface and a second pressure detection value in any direction of the plane of the touch surface.

[0108] For example, when a user applies a pressing operation (touch operation) to the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer, the resulting "force" includes a positive pressing pressure along the z-axis direction (the direction perpendicular to the plane of the touch surface, i.e., the first direction mentioned above), and a tangential force (lateral force or frictional force) along the x-direction or y-direction (any one of the directions in the plane of the touch surface). Here, the x-direction and y-direction are any two directions in the plane of the touch surface; they can be two perpendicular directions or simply two intersecting directions, and this application does not specifically limit this. That is, when a user applies a pressing operation to the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer, it may cause a first displacement along the first direction to the first sensor and the second sensor, or it may cause a second displacement along any direction in the plane of the touch surface to the first sensor and the second sensor. Therefore, the displacement sensor can be used to obtain a first pressure detection value related to the touch operation along the first direction based on the first displacement, and to obtain a second pressure detection value along any direction in the plane of the touch surface based on the second displacement. It can detect the pressure exerted by touch operations in multiple directions, thereby improving the accuracy of touch force sensing.

[0109] Please continue to refer to Figures 2-6 In one exemplary embodiment, the first sensing element 121 is fixed to the touch-sensitive layer 111 by either a fixed connection or a detachable connection; the second sensing element 122 is fixed to the support structure 112 by either a fixed connection or a detachable connection.

[0110] For example, the fixed connection can be glued or welded (not shown), and the detachable connection can be mechanically snapped or screwed (not shown).

[0111] The adhesives used may include pressure-sensitive adhesives, UV adhesives (Ultraviolet Rays), epoxy adhesives (such as one-component adhesives), acrylic adhesives (such as two-component adhesives), etc. Soldering may include soldering (solder paste soldering). For example, if the displacement sensor 12 is a Hall sensor, the sensor body 14 of the displacement sensor 12 can be soldered to the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) using SMT (Surface Mount Technology) solder paste.

[0112] In addition, for example, the first sensor 121 and the touch-sensitive layer 111 can be detached by mechanical snap-fit; the second sensor 122 and the support structure 112 can be detached by screw fastening.

[0113] It should be noted that, since the displacement sensor 12 provided in this application does not sense the transmitted force signal, but rather the displacement signal between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 in the displacement sensor 12, the installation of the displacement sensor 12 in the touch module 10 does not require a hard connection with the pressing layer (touch-sensitive layer 111) and / or the reference surface (support structure 112).

[0114] That is, in the touch module 10 provided in this application, the first sensing element 121 and the touch-sensitive layer 111 in the displacement sensor 12, as well as the second sensing element 122 and the support structure 112, can be fixedly connected by a soft connection. Specifically, the displacement sensor 12 can be fixed in the touch module 10 using adhesive, tape, or foam adhesive with low hardness, or it can be fixed in the touch module 10 by mechanical clips or screws. This application only provides a few selectable fixed connection and detachable connection methods, but it is not limited to these.

[0115] The displacement sensor 12 is fixed in the touch module 10 using a low-hardness adhesive, which facilitates disassembly of the displacement sensor 12 in case of future maintenance needs. Compared with a high-hardness adhesive, this reduces the damage caused by disassembling the displacement sensor 12 and makes it easier to remove residual adhesive. In addition, the low-hardness adhesive can also avoid partial absorption of high-frequency or subtle vibrations caused by touch operations, which helps to improve the sensing accuracy of the displacement sensor 12 in sensing touch operation-related information.

[0116] like Figures 2-6 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the plane containing the first sensor 121 is parallel to the plane containing the second sensor 122.

[0117] For example, one of the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 is fixed to the surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the other is fixed to the surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111. Based on this, a selectable configuration of the touch module 10 is provided, wherein the extending direction of the plane where the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located is parallel to the extending direction of the plane where the support structure 112 is located, so that the plane where the first sensing element 121 is located is parallel to the plane where the second sensing element 122 is located. In the touch module 10 configured in this way, the size of the first distance D between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 of the displacement sensor 12 is substantially equal everywhere, which can ensure the displacement detection accuracy of the displacement sensor 12 and reduce the computational difficulty of displacement changes.

[0118] like Figure 7 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the plane containing the first sensor 121 intersects the plane containing the second sensor 122.

[0119] For example, one of the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the support structure 112, and the other is fixed to the side surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111. Based on this, a selectable configuration of the touch module 10 is provided in which the extension direction of the plane where the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located is not parallel to the extension direction of the plane where the support structure 112 is located, that is, the extension direction of the plane where the touch-sensitive layer 111 is located intersects with the extension direction of the plane where the support structure 112 is located.

[0120] That is, the touch-sensitive layer 111 where the touch surface (press surface) receives the touch operation applied by the user is located, and the film layer of the corresponding support structure 112, the planes on which the two film layers are located can be non-parallel, as long as there is a displacement change when pressing; this displacement change can be caused by the displacement of the pressing surface itself, or it can be caused by the displacement change through the conduction structure.

[0121] In the above embodiment, the plane containing the first sensor 121 is not parallel to the plane containing the second sensor 122. In this type of touch module 10, the first distance D between the first sensor 121 and the second sensor 122 of the displacement sensor 12 is not always equal. When determining the detected displacement change, an average value can be taken, or the displacement at a fixed position along the first direction can be used as the standard to detect the displacement change.

[0122] Furthermore, when conditions permit, the first sensor 121 can be embedded in the touch-sensitive layer 111. For example, the surface of the first sensor 121 facing the second sensor 122 can be coplanar with the surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 facing the second sensor 122. Similarly, when conditions permit, the second sensor 122 can be embedded in the support structure 112. For example, the surface of the second sensor 122 facing the first sensor 121 can be coplanar with the surface of the support structure 112 facing the first sensor 121. This arrangement can reduce the thickness of the touch module 10, which is beneficial for the thinner design requirements of related products.

[0123] The touch module 10 provided in this application can be applied to any product that requires human-computer interaction through touch operation. For example, it can be used to form the keys (physical keys or virtual keys) of a keyboard, the touchpad of a laptop, virtual buttons in the display area of ​​other display devices, keys in the non-display area of ​​other display devices, virtual buttons on smart door locks, virtual buttons on smart home appliances such as smart switches, door lock buttons, trunk buttons, and center console buttons in vehicles, and buttons on robot vacuum cleaners (for example, you can start or pause cleaning by tapping a button with your knuckles), etc.

[0124] When the touch module 10 provided in this application is applied to a non-display area, the touch surface of the touch module 10 can be made of a non-transparent material, such as non-transparent plastic, to prevent the displacement sensor 12 and other components in the touch module 10 from being seen by the user, which helps to improve the aesthetics of the device containing the touch module 10.

[0125] Please combine Figures 1-7 Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a display panel 20, in which the above-mentioned touch module 10 is assembled. In addition, a light-emitting layer 27 is also assembled in the display panel 20. Along the light-emitting direction of the display panel 20, the displacement sensor 12 in the touch module 10 is arranged on the side of the light-emitting layer 27 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111. The touch-sensitive layer 111 includes a light-emitting area 271 and a non-light-emitting area 272.

[0126] The orthographic projection of at least one displacement sensor 12 onto the plane where the light-emitting layer 27 is located is inside the orthographic projection of the non-light-emitting region 272 onto the plane where the light-emitting layer 27 is located.

[0127] For example, the display panel 20 provided in this application can be an active light-emitting display panel 20, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or a non-active light-emitting display panel 20, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD). That is, this application does not specifically limit the light emission mode of the light-emitting layer 27 in the display panel 20, and the light emission type of the display panel 20 can be selected and set according to the needs.

[0128] In the first direction, if the displacement sensor 12 is located on the side of the light-emitting layer 27 facing away from the touch surface, the displacement sensor 12 will not affect the light emission effect of the light-emitting layer 27. In this case, if the displacement sensor 12 is located within the display area 25 of the display panel 20, there is no need to restrict the positional relationship between the displacement sensor 12 and the light-emitting area 271 and / or the non-light-emitting area 272 in the display area 25. If the displacement sensor 12 is located within the non-display area 26 of the display panel 20, there is even less need to restrict its specific location. As long as the location of the displacement sensor 12 does not affect the normal operation of other structural components in the display panel 20, it is acceptable.

[0129] For the display panel 20 including the touch module 10 and the light-emitting layer 27, this application also provides an optional implementation in which the display panel 20 adopts an OLED display panel 20. The light-emitting layer 27 of the OLED display panel 20 includes multiple light-emitting units and a pixel definition layer (PDL) surrounding each light-emitting unit. The setting area corresponding to the light-emitting unit is the light-emitting area 271, and the setting area corresponding to the PDL is the non-light-emitting area 272. In this case, the displacement sensor 12 can be optionally set inside the area corresponding to the PDL, that is, the displacement sensor 12 is set inside the non-light-emitting area 272. In this way, the setting of the displacement sensor 12 can avoid the influence of the light-emitting effect of the light-emitting unit, thereby ensuring that the display panel 20 has a good touch effect and also has a good display effect.

[0130] For the display panel 20 including the touch module 10 and the light-emitting layer 27, this application also provides an optional implementation in which the display panel 20 adopts an LCD display panel 20. The backlight module involved in the LCD display panel 20 is usually disposed on the side opposite to the light-emitting surface of the display panel 20, and the LCD display panel 20 includes multiple filters disposed in the same layer and a black matrix (BM) surrounding each filter (CF, Color filter). The area corresponding to the filter is the light-emitting area 271, and the area corresponding to the black matrix is ​​the non-light-emitting area 272. In this case, the displacement sensor 12 can be optionally disposed inside the area corresponding to the BM, that is, the displacement sensor 12 is disposed inside the non-light-emitting area 272. In this way, the placement of the displacement sensor 12 can avoid the influence of the light-emitting unit on the light emission effect, thereby ensuring that the display panel 20 has a good touch effect and also has a good display effect.

[0131] When the touch module 10 provided in this application is applied to the display panel 20, the touch surface of the touch module 10 can actually be the cover glass of the display panel 20. The touch module 10 is disposed on the side of the cover glass that faces away from the light-emitting surface of the display panel 20, which can reduce the possibility of damage to the touch module 10 during the use of related products.

[0132] Please continue to combine Figures 1-7 , refer to Figures 8-9 In one exemplary embodiment, the display panel 20 includes a display area 25 and a non-display area 26 surrounding the display area 25, with a light-emitting area 271 located within the display area 25; at least one displacement sensor 12 is located in the non-display area 26.

[0133] For example, the display panel 20 typically includes a display area 25 and a non-display area 26. Along the direction of the plane where the display panel 20 is located, the non-display area 26 surrounds the entire display area 25, or at least partially surrounds the display area 25. Taking the non-display area 26 surrounding the entire display area 25 as an example, if required, one or more displacement sensors 12 can also be provided in the non-display area 26 of the display panel 20. Since there is no light emission requirement in the non-display area 26, this application does not specifically limit the setting position of the displacement sensor 12 in the non-display area 26. The setting position of the displacement sensor 12 in the non-display area 26 can be selected according to the requirements.

[0134] Furthermore, this application also provides an alternative implementation method in which, in most cases, the touch surface of the displacement sensor 12 in the display panel 20 is on the light-emitting side of the display panel 20. However, if required, the touch surface of the displacement sensor 12 can also be selected on the side of the display panel 20, that is, the side perpendicular to the light-emitting surface of the display panel 20. In this case, the arrangement direction of the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 in the displacement sensor 12 is perpendicular to the light-emitting surface of the display panel 20. If required, the surface of the display panel 20 facing away from the light-emitting surface can also be selected as the touch surface of the displacement sensor 12.

[0135] The displacement sensor 12 is placed in the non-display area 26 of the display panel 20, which facilitates wiring and assembly, simplifies the manufacturing process of the display panel 20, reduces the manufacturing difficulty, and also saves space below the display area 25.

[0136] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a display device (not shown), which includes the display panel 20 in the above embodiments. It is understood that the display device in the embodiments of this application can be any product or component with display function, such as an OLED display device, an LCD display device, an interactive flat panel, a smart blackboard, electronic paper, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a television, a monitor, a laptop computer, a digital photo frame, a navigator, a wearable device, an IoT device, or an in-vehicle device; the embodiments disclosed in this application do not limit this.

[0137] When the touch module 10 provided in this application is applied to a display device, the support structure 112 in the touch module 10 can actually be the backlight module in the display device, such as the PDL or BM of the backlight module; in addition, the support structure 112 in the touch module 10 can also be the structure of the printed circuit board (PCB) in the display device.

[0138] Please combine Figures 1-9 Reference Figure 10 Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a touch response method, which is applied to a touch device including any of the aforementioned touch modules 10. The touch device may or may not have a display function. This application does not specifically limit whether the touch device has a display function.

[0139] An optional touch response method is provided, which may include steps 101-104, wherein:

[0140] Step 101: Receive displacement sensed by at least one displacement sensor 12 of the touch module 10; wherein, when the displacement sensor 12 receives a touch operation applied to the touch surface, the touch-sensitive layer 111 is deformed by the touch operation to generate displacement between the first sensing element 121 and the second sensing element 122 of the displacement sensor 12.

[0141] Step 102: Generate the corresponding electrical signal based on the displacement;

[0142] Step 103: Generate the corresponding digital signal based on the electrical signal;

[0143] Step 104: Determine the pressure detection result and / or identify the category of touch operation based on the digital signal to enable a response to the touch operation.

[0144] For example, when the touch device receives displacement sensed by one or more displacement sensors 12 in the touch module 10 due to the touch operation, the detected displacement can be converted into a corresponding electrical signal, and then the electrical signal can be converted into a digital signal. Based on the processing of the digital signal, the pressure value corresponding to the relevant touch operation can be obtained, and the specific category of the touch body used to apply the touch operation can be identified. That is, the pressure detection result and / or the category of the touch operation can be determined by the digital signal.

[0145] When acquiring signals through the displacement sensor 12, a feasible approach is to output the displacement signal at a frequency of 10kHz. This signal can be acquired using a built-in ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter), a standalone ADC, or the ADC of the MCU (Microcontroller Unit) on the control board. The signal is then output to the signal processing unit, such as via USB, SPI, or I2C. Typically, the signal processing unit includes the MCU built into the sensor, the MCU on the control board, and the main control SoC (System on Chip). Here, USB stands for Universal Serial Bus; SPI stands for Serial Peripheral Interface; and I2C stands for Inter-Integrated Circuit.

[0146] In an exemplary embodiment, the step 104 described above, which involves determining the pressure detection result and / or identifying the category of the touch operation based on the digital signal, can be specifically implemented by executing steps 141-143, wherein:

[0147] Step 141: Filter the digital signal to obtain the corresponding low-frequency and high-frequency signals;

[0148] Step 142, determine the pressure detection result based on the low-frequency signal, the pressure detection result including the pressure value; and / or,

[0149] Step 143: Determine the category of touch operation based on the high-frequency signal.

[0150] For example, regarding the digital signal corresponding to the displacement detected by the displacement sensor 12, how to achieve pressure detection and touch operation category recognition? This application provides an optional implementation method: first, filter the digital signal to obtain a low-frequency signal and a high-frequency signal corresponding to the digital signal. For example, the digital signal can be connected to a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter respectively, so that the digital signal is divided into two types of outputs by the low-pass filter and the high-pass filter. The low-frequency signal output by the low-pass filter is the electrical signal corresponding to the displacement formed by the quasi-static force of the pressing operation (touch operation), and the high-frequency signal output by the high-pass filter is the collision signal generated by the touch body and the pressing surface (touch surface) when the pressing operation (touch operation) touches the touch surface. Therefore, the pressure value of the pressing operation can be determined by the low-frequency signal corresponding to the digital signal, and the category of the touch body corresponding to the pressing operation can be determined by the high-frequency signal corresponding to the digital signal.

[0151] When the aforementioned pressing operation (touch operation) is applied to the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer, the resulting "force" includes positive pressing pressure along the z-axis and tangential forces (lateral forces or frictional forces) along the x and y directions. The tangential force corresponds to operations such as sliding, for example, changing the volume. The z-axis direction is the first direction, and the x and y directions are any two directions in the plane where the touch surface is located. The x and y directions can be two perpendicular directions or simply two intersecting directions; this application does not specifically limit them.

[0152] Specifically, when the pressure value determined based on the low-frequency signal is greater than or equal to the preset pressure value, it indicates that the user has pressed the button; when the pressure value determined based on the low-frequency signal is less than the preset pressure value, it indicates that the user has not pressed the button; when the pressure value is greater than or equal to the preset pressure value and lasts for a preset duration, it indicates that the user has pressed the button for a long time; when the pressure value is greater than or equal to the preset pressure value twice within a short period of time, and there is a situation where the pressure value is 0 between the two times, it indicates that the user has pressed the button twice consecutively; where "short period of time" means within a preset duration such as 1 second, this embodiment of the application is not limited.

[0153] The categories of touch objects may include parts of the human body, such as fingertips, knuckles, nails, elbows, ears, etc., as well as styluses (including different parts of the stylus, such as the tip and the end), or other tools, such as rulers, compasses, erasers, etc.

[0154] In an exemplary embodiment, the step 143 above, which determines the category of a touch operation based on a high-frequency signal, can be optionally performed as follows: inputting the high-frequency signal into a pre-trained classification model to obtain the output category of the touch operation; the classification model is trained based on at least two of the displacement, touch position, touch area, pressure detection result, and category result of the sample touch operation.

[0155] For example, regarding how to identify the category of touch operation (touch object category) based on the high-frequency signal corresponding to the digital signal, this application provides an alternative implementation method: pre-training a classification model, which can identify the category of the touch object that performs the touch operation based at least on the high-frequency signal, or based on one or more features extracted from the high-frequency signal; therefore, when the classification model is pre-trained, the high-frequency signal and other information that can be used to identify the category of the touch object can be input into the pre-trained classification model to obtain the category identification result of the touch object output by the classification model.

[0156] Regarding the aforementioned method of inputting high-frequency signals into a pre-trained classification model to obtain the category of the output touch operation, this application provides several alternative implementation methods; among which:

[0157] One feasible implementation involves inputting one or more high-frequency signals into a pre-trained classification model to obtain the category of the output touch operation.

[0158] Another feasible implementation is to take one or more high-frequency signals, perform operations such as cropping, filtering, transformation (such as Fourier transform) and / or fusion (such as weighted averaging) to become processed high-frequency signals, and then input them into a pre-trained classification model to obtain the category of the output touch operation.

[0159] Another feasible implementation involves extracting features from one or more high-frequency signals, then inputting the extracted features into a pre-trained classification model to obtain the category of the output touch operation. The feature extraction can be manually extracted temporal or spectral features, or features extracted by the model.

[0160] Another feasible implementation is to use high-frequency signals, processed high-frequency signals and / or features extracted from high-frequency signals as part of the model input; information provided by the touch-sensitive layer or low-frequency signals, including at least one quantity such as displacement of the touch operation, pressure detection results (including normal pressure and tangential force), touch position, and touch area, as another part of the model input, and input these two parts of data together into the pre-trained classification model to obtain the output category of the touch operation.

[0161] After filtering the digital signal to obtain the corresponding low-frequency and high-frequency signals, information extraction can be performed. A specific embodiment is provided below, please refer to... Figures 1-10 Reference Figure 11 ,like Figure 11 The diagram illustrates the signal changes during a single touch, press, and release of the stylus. At the moment of touch, there is a high-frequency displacement signal containing characteristic information of the colliding object; then the stylus begins to press the touch-sensitive layer, at which point the displacement gradually increases; finally, the stylus is released, and the displacement of the touch-sensitive layer rebounds to its original position.

[0162] Figure 12 The diagram shown is a schematic of a low-frequency signal obtained by low-pass filtering a digital signal according to an embodiment of this application. Please refer to... Figures 1-11 Reference Figure 12 The low-frequency signal generated during the touch process includes the pressure applied. One processing method is to map the value of the low-frequency signal to the pressure value linearly or non-linearly. For example, the pressing surface (touch-sensitive layer) and its supporting structure can be regarded as a cantilever. A non-linear method is F=k(δS)^3, where δS is the change in displacement relative to the baseline, k is a constant, and F is the pressure value. The baseline can be the cross-sectional line formed along the direction AA' on the surface of the supporting structure facing the touch-sensitive layer. It should be added that if there are multiple sensors, the actual pressure value can be characterized by a more complex mechanical model. In addition, touch data, such as the position and touch area reported by the infrared touch module and the capacitive touch module, can be combined with one or more low-frequency signals and the corresponding pressure value can be output through machine learning, template matching, and other methods.

[0163] Figure 13 The diagram shown is a schematic of a high-frequency signal obtained by high-pass filtering a digital signal according to an embodiment of this application. Please refer to... Figures 1-11 Reference Figure 13 The high-frequency signal generated during the touch process contains information about the touched object. After high-pass filtering the original displacement signal, the high-frequency signal can be used alone or in combination with other information to classify the touch event. Specifically, it identifies the type of touch object corresponding to the touch event. When the touch object comes into contact with the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer, a collision signal is generated. The collision signal is related to factors such as the material, shape, force, and angle of the collision. For example, multiple high-frequency signals can be Fourier transformed to obtain the frequency domain signal of the high-frequency signal. The multiple frequency domain signals can be weighted and averaged into one signal, or multiple frequency domain signals can be used directly. The signals are input into a pre-trained classification model, which is used to output the category of the collision event, such as a straight tap of the stylus tip or a slanted tap of the stylus tail. In addition, the position and area of ​​the touch, and / or the pressure value extracted from the low-frequency signal can be incorporated to correct the model results and obtain the touch state.

[0164] In an exemplary embodiment, before receiving the displacement sensed by at least one displacement sensor of the touch module in step 101 above, steps 105 and 106 may be included, wherein:

[0165] Step 105: Obtain the historical displacement detected by the displacement sensor within a preset time period;

[0166] Step 106: If the historical detected displacement exceeds the preset range, and / or if the fluctuation range of the historical detected displacement exceeds the preset range, update the displacement detection baseline of the displacement sensor.

[0167] For example, in order to ensure the accuracy of the displacement detection, as well as the pressure detection results and / or touch body recognition results obtained based on the detected displacement, the displacement detection baseline of the displacement sensor may be calibrated before displacement detection is performed by the displacement sensor.

[0168] This application provides a method for calibrating the displacement detection baseline of a displacement sensor, specifically implemented through steps 105 and 106 described above. In other words, when the displacement sensor needs to start working, the displacement detection baseline of the displacement sensor is first updated. One method for updating the baseline (displacement detection baseline) is to observe whether the values ​​sampled by the displacement sensor (historical detected displacement) are within a reasonable baseline range and / or within a reasonable fluctuation range at a certain time interval. For example, check whether the historical detected displacement (value) is within the preset range of [S1, S2], where S1 and S2 can respectively represent the displacement range from the reference surface to the measuring surface under assembly tolerance and without force. And / or, check whether the variance of the displacement is less than S_var within this time interval, where S_var represents the variance of the interference fluctuation of the circuit and environment (such as temperature, magnetic field, electromagnetic environment) on the sensor.

[0169] Furthermore, this application also provides an alternative implementation in which, after processing the signal triggered by the touch operation, the pressure of the touch operation and the material information used to apply the touch operation are obtained. This information can be used to generate different feedback. One alternative implementation is that the feedback can be generated by vibration, sound, or light; for example, different vibration waveforms can be generated by a linear motor, voice coil motor, or piezoelectric ceramic (not shown); different vibration waveforms, including amplitude, frequency, and duration, can be provided for different touch objects; different key sounds can also be generated, such as using a speaker or buzzer to produce different sound effects; different brightness can also be generated by LED beads, etc.

[0170] In summary, the touch response method for the touch module provided in this application may include at least four stages: a baseline update stage, a signal acquisition stage, a signal processing stage, and an output result stage. The baseline update stage is implemented by executing steps 105 and 106 above; the signal acquisition stage is implemented by executing steps 101-103 above; the signal processing stage is implemented by executing steps 141-143 above; and the output result stage, based on the pressure detection result obtained in the signal processing stage and the determined touch operation category, outputs relevant interaction data to the product component corresponding to the touch module's interaction, thereby enabling user interaction with the product containing the touch module.

[0171] Regarding the touch response method of the touch module provided in this application, taking the application of the touch module provided in this application in an interactive flat panel as an example, the touch response method may include: when a touch operation occurs on the touch-sensitive layer 111 of the interactive flat panel, the distance between the inner surface of the touch-sensitive layer 111 and the reference surface of the displacement sensor 12 (the inner surface of the support structure 112 facing the touch-sensitive layer 111) changes, that is, the touch-sensitive layer 111 is displaced. The displacement sensor 12 senses the displacement to collect relevant analog signals, that is, electrical signals, and then converts the electrical signals into digital signals and outputs them. When the number of displacement sensors 12 is at least two, the electrical signals of multiple displacement sensors 12 can be weighted and averaged to fuse them into an analog signal, and then a digital signal can be generated based on the fused analog signal. Alternatively, each displacement sensor 12 generates a digital signal based on its own analog signal to obtain multiple digital signals, and processes most of the digital signals to obtain one digital signal, which is used to determine the pressure detection result and / or touch operation classification, etc. Further, the interactive flat panel responds to the touch operation based on one digital signal. For example, the interactive flat panel uses digital signals to determine pressure detection results, thus identifying whether the user pressed the touch-sensitive layer 111, slid, the pressure applied, and the number of presses. Additionally, the interactive flat panel can perform vibration detection based on digital signals to classify touch operations, such as fingernail touches, fingertip touches, knuckle touches, and stylus touches. Then, the interactive flat panel responds to touch operations based on the pressure detection results and the category of the touch operation.

[0172] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying drawings are shown sequentially as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some of the steps in the accompanying drawings may include multiple steps or stages, which are not necessarily completed at the same time, but may be executed at different times, and the execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but may be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages of other steps.

[0173] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0174] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A touch module, characterized in that, include: A touch-sensitive layer, at least one displacement sensor, and a support structure; wherein: The displacement sensor is disposed between the touch-sensitive layer and the support structure, and the touch surface of the touch-sensitive layer is located on the side of the touch-sensitive layer facing away from the support structure. The displacement sensor includes a first sensing element and a second sensing element arranged at corresponding intervals. The first sensing element and the second sensing element are electrically connected. The first sensing element is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the second sensing element is fixed to the side surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer. At least one of the displacement sensors is configured to: when a touch operation is applied to the touch surface to deform the touch-sensitive layer to generate displacement between the first sensor and the second sensor, generate an electrical signal based on the displacement, convert the electrical signal into a digital signal and output it, the digital signal being used to determine the pressure detection result and / or identify the category of the touch operation.

2. The touch module according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the first sensing element and the second sensing element is a magnet, and the other is a sensor body; The magnet is fixed to the surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the sensor body is fixed to the surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer; or... The sensor body is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the magnet is fixed to the side surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer.

3. The touch module according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the first sensing element and the second sensing element is a magnetic component, and the other is a coil; The magnetic component is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the coil is fixed to the side surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer; or, The coil is fixed to the side surface of the touch-sensitive layer facing the support structure, and the magnetic component is fixed to the side surface of the support structure facing the touch-sensitive layer.

4. The touch module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the first sensing element onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer is located is inside the orthographic projection of the second sensing element onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer is located. or, The orthographic projection of the second sensor onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer is located is inside the orthographic projection of the first sensor onto the plane where the touch-sensitive layer is located.

5. The touch module according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The displacement generated between the first sensor and the second sensor includes at least one of a first displacement along a direction perpendicular to the plane where the touch surface is located, and a second displacement along any direction in the plane where the touch surface is located; The determination of the pressure detection result includes determining at least one of a first pressure detection value along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the touch surface and a second pressure detection value along any direction in the plane of the touch surface.

6. The touch module according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The first sensing element and the touch-sensitive layer are fixed by either a fixed connection or a detachable connection. The second sensing element is fixed to the support structure by either a fixed connection or a detachable connection.

7. The touch module according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The plane containing the first sensing element is parallel to the plane containing the second sensing element.

8. The touch module according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The plane containing the first sensor intersects with the plane containing the second sensor.

9. A display panel, characterized in that, Includes a touch module as described in any one of claims 1-8, and a light-emitting layer; along the light-emitting direction of the display panel, a displacement sensor in the touch module is disposed on the side of the light-emitting layer facing the touch-sensitive layer, and the touch-sensitive layer includes a light-emitting area and a non-light-emitting area; At least one of the displacement sensors is located within the orthographic projection of the non-light-emitting area onto the plane of the light-emitting layer.

10. The display panel according to claim 9, characterized in that, The display panel includes a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, and the light-emitting area is located within the display area; At least one of the displacement sensors is located in the non-display area.

11. A touch response method, characterized in that, The method, applied to a touch device including a touch module as described in any one of claims 1-8, comprises: The system receives displacement sensed by at least one displacement sensor of the touch module; wherein, upon receiving a touch operation applied to the touch surface, the displacement sensor senses that the touch operation causes the touch-sensitive layer to deform, thereby generating the displacement between the first and second sensing elements of the displacement sensor. A corresponding electrical signal is generated based on the displacement; A corresponding digital signal is generated based on the electrical signal; Based on the digital signal, the pressure detection result is determined and / or the category of the touch operation is identified in order to respond to the touch operation.

12. The touch response method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The determination of pressure detection results and / or identification of the category of touch operation based on the digital signal includes: The digital signal is filtered to obtain the corresponding low-frequency signal and high-frequency signal; The pressure detection result is determined based on the low-frequency signal, and the pressure detection result includes a pressure value; and / or, The category of the touch operation is determined based on the high-frequency signal.

13. The touch response method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Determining the category of the touch operation based on the high-frequency signal includes: The high-frequency signal is input into a pre-trained classification model to obtain the category of the touch operation; the classification model is trained based on at least two of the displacement, touch position, touch area, pressure detection result, and category result of the touch operation.

14. The touch response method according to claim 11, characterized in that, Before receiving the displacement sensed by at least one displacement sensor of the touch module, the method further includes: Obtain the historical detected displacement of the displacement sensor within a preset time period; If the historical detected displacement exceeds a preset range, and / or if the fluctuation range of the historical detected displacement exceeds a preset range, the displacement detection baseline of the displacement sensor is updated.

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