Proximity, touch and force sensing based on both inductance and capacitance

Abstract

A system may include a sensor and measurement circuitry communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to measure phase information associated with the sensor, determine, based on the phase information, changes in capacitance and inductance associated with the sensor, and detect physical interactions between a user and a mechanical component associated with the sensor based on the changes in capacitance and inductance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to electronic devices with user interfaces (e.g., mobile devices, game controllers, dashboards for vehicles, machines, and / or home appliances, etc.), and more specifically, to resonant phase sensing of resistive-inductive-capacitive sensors used in systems for replacing mechanical buttons in mobile devices and / or other suitable applications. Background Technology

[0002] Many traditional mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, PDAs, video game controllers, etc.) include mechanical buttons to allow interaction between the user and the device itself. Other systems and devices (e.g., automobiles) may also include mechanical buttons that allow user interaction. However, because these mechanical buttons are susceptible to aging, wear, and tear, which can shorten the lifespan of the mobile device and / or require extensive repairs in the event of a malfunction, mobile device manufacturers are increasingly looking to equip their devices with virtual buttons that act as a human-machine interface, allowing interaction between the user and the device itself. Ideally, for the best user experience, such virtual buttons should appear and feel to the user as if they were mechanical buttons rather than virtual buttons.

[0003] Currently, linear resonant actuators (LRAs) and other vibration actuators (e.g., rotary actuators, vibration motors, etc.) are increasingly used in mobile devices to generate vibration feedback in response to user interaction with the device's human-machine interface. Typically, a sensor (traditionally a force or pressure sensor) detects the user's interaction with the device (e.g., a finger pressing a virtual button on the device), and in response, the linear resonant actuator can vibrate to provide feedback to the user. For example, a linear resonant actuator can vibrate in response to user interaction with the human-machine interface to simulate the feel of clicking a mechanical button.

[0004] However, the industry needs sensors to detect user interactions with human-machine interfaces, where such sensors offer acceptable levels of sensor sensitivity, power consumption, and size. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the teachings of this disclosure, the disadvantages and problems associated with sensing in human-machine interface interaction in mobile devices can be reduced or eliminated.

[0006] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a system may include a sensor and a measurement circuit communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to measure phase information associated with the sensor, determine, based on the phase information, changes in capacitance and inductance associated with the sensor, and detect physical interactions by a user with a mechanical component associated with the sensor based on the changes in capacitance and inductance.

[0007] According to these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include measuring phase information associated with a sensor, determining, based on the phase information, changes in capacitance and inductance associated with the sensor, and detecting physical interactions by a user with a mechanical component associated with the sensor based on the changes in capacitance and inductance.

[0008] According to these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, an electromagnetic shielding member for a sensor may include a shielding material configured to block the passage of electromagnetic energy and at least one void formed in the shielding material.

[0009] The technical advantages of this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings, description, and claims included herein. The objects and advantages of the embodiments will be realized and achieved, at least by means of the elements, features, and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

[0010] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative, and do not limit the claims set forth in this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0011] A more complete understanding of this embodiment and its advantages can be obtained from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference numerals indicate similar features, and wherein:

[0012] Figure 1 A block diagram of selected components of an example mobile device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 A mechanical component spaced at a distance from an inductor coil is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3 Selected components of an inductive sensing system that can be implemented by a resonant phase sensing system according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0015] Figure 4 A diagram of selected components of an example resonant phase sensing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 5The waveform of the phase signal of a resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor in relation to the physical interaction of a mechanical component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown over time.

[0017] Figure 6 An example single-layer inductor coil according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, which can be used for implementation. Figures 2 to 4 The inductor coil depicted in the text;

[0018] Figure 7 An example mesh shielding element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 8 An example island-shaped shielding element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 9 An example island shielding of an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, in which islands are coupled to different potentials;

[0021] Figure 10 An example coil shielding according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0022] Figure 11 An example ring shield is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Figure 1 A block diagram of selected components of an example mobile device 102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the mobile device 102 may include a housing 101, a controller 103, a memory 104, a mechanical component 105, a microphone 106, a linear resonant actuator 107, a radio transmitter / receiver 108, a speaker 110, and a resonant phase sensing system 112.

[0024] Housing 101 may include any suitable shell, cover, or other enclosure for housing various components of mobile device 102. Housing 101 may be made of plastic, metal, and / or any other suitable material. Additionally, housing 101 may be adapted (e.g., sized and shaped) to make mobile device 102 easily portable by its user. Therefore, mobile device 102 may include, but is not limited to, smartphones, tablet computing devices, handheld computing devices, personal digital assistants, laptops, video game controllers, or any other device that allows for easy portability by the user of mobile device 102.

[0025] The controller 103 may be housed within the housing 101 and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data, and may include, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other digital or analog circuit configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data. In some embodiments, the controller 103 may interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data (stored in memory 104 and / or other computer-readable media accessible to the controller 103).

[0026] Memory 104 may be housed within housing 101, communicatively coupled to controller 103, and may include any system, device, or apparatus (e.g., computer-readable medium) configured to retain program instructions and / or data for a period of time. Memory 104 may include any suitable selection and / or array of random access memory (RAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) cards, flash memory, magnetic storage devices, optical-magnetic storage devices, or volatile or non-volatile memory that retains data after power is turned off from mobile device 102.

[0027] Microphone 106 may be at least partially housed within housing 101, communicatively coupled to controller 103, and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to convert sound incident at microphone 106 into an electrical signal that can be processed by controller 103, wherein such sound is converted into an electrical signal using a diaphragm or membrane having an electrical capacitance that varies based on acoustic vibrations received at the diaphragm or membrane. Microphone 106 may include an electrostatic microphone, a condenser microphone, an electret microphone, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone, or any other suitable condenser microphone.

[0028] The radio transmitter / receiver 108 may be housed within a housing 101, communicatively coupled to a controller 103, and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to generate and transmit radio frequency signals with the aid of an antenna, receive radio frequency signals, and convert information carried by such received signals into a form available to the controller 103. The radio transmitter / receiver 108 may be configured to transmit and / or receive various types of radio frequency signals, including but not limited to cellular communications (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE, etc.), short-range wireless communications (e.g., BLUETOOTH), commercial radio signals, television signals, satellite radio signals (e.g., GPS), and wireless fidelity. In some embodiments, other methods for communication (e.g., wired, optical, etc.) may be used instead of or in addition to the radio transmitter / receiver 108.

[0029] The loudspeaker 110 may be at least partially housed within or outside housing 101, communicatively coupled to controller 103, and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to generate sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. In some embodiments, the loudspeaker may include a dynamic loudspeaker employing a lightweight diaphragm mechanically coupled to a rigid frame via a flexible suspension that constrains axial movement of the voice coil through a cylindrical magnetic gap. When an electrical signal is applied to the voice coil, a magnetic field is generated by a current in the voice coil, making it a variable electromagnet. The magnetic systems of the voice coil and driver interact to generate a mechanical force that causes the voice coil (and therefore the attached cone) to move back and forth, thereby reproducing sound under the control of an applied electrical signal from an amplifier.

[0030] The mechanical component 105 may be housed within or on the housing 101 and may include any suitable system, device, or means configured to displace all or part of the mechanical component 105 in response to a force, pressure, or touch applied to or near the mechanical component 105. In some embodiments, the mechanical component 105 may be designed to function as a mechanical button on the exterior of the housing 101.

[0031] The linear resonant actuator 107 can be housed within the housing 101 and can include any suitable system, device, or means for generating oscillating mechanical forces on a single axis. For example, in some embodiments, the linear resonant actuator 107 can rely on an alternating voltage to drive a voice coil pressed against a moving mass connected to a spring. When the voice coil is driven at the resonant frequency of the spring, the linear resonant actuator 107 can vibrate with a perceptible force. Therefore, the linear resonant actuator 107 can be useful in tactile applications within a specific frequency range. Although the use of the linear resonant actuator 107 has been described for purposes of clarity and elaboration, it is understood that any other type or type of vibratory actuator (e.g., an eccentric rotating mass actuator) can be used instead of the linear resonant actuator 107 or others. Additionally, it is also understood that actuators arranged to generate oscillating mechanical forces on multiple axes can be used instead of the linear resonant actuator 107 or others. As described elsewhere in this disclosure, the linear resonant actuator 107, based on signals received from the resonant phase sensing system 112, can present haptic feedback to the user of the mobile device 102 for at least one of mechanical button replacement and capacitive sensor feedback.

[0032] The mechanical component 105 and the linear resonant actuator 107 can together form a human-interface device, such as a virtual button, which, to the user of the mobile device 102, has the appearance and feel of a mechanical button of the mobile device 102.

[0033] The resonant phase sensing system 112 may be housed within a housing 101, communicatively coupled to the mechanical component 105 and the linear resonant actuator 107, and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to detect physical interactions with the mechanical component 105 (e.g., proximity, touch, and / or displacement of the mechanical component 105), which indicates (e.g., by a user of the mobile device 102) physical interactions with the human-machine interface of the mobile device 102 (e.g., force applied by a human finger to a virtual button on the mobile device 102). As described in more detail below, the resonant phase sensing system 112 may detect physical interactions with the mechanical component 105 by performing resonant phase sensing of a resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor, for which the impedance (e.g., inductance, capacitance, and / or resistance) of the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor changes in response to the physical interaction with the mechanical component 105. Therefore, mechanical component 105 may include any suitable system, device, or apparatus that can physically interact with all or part of it, and such physical interaction may result in a change in the impedance of the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor integrated with resonant phase sensing system 112. Resonant phase sensing system 112 may also generate electronic signals for driving linear resonant actuator 107 in response to physical interactions associated with a human-machine interface associated with mechanical component 105. Details of an example resonant phase sensing system 112 according to embodiments of this disclosure are described in more detail below.

[0034] Although specific example components are above Figure 1 The components described are integrated with mobile device 102 (e.g., controller 103, memory 104, mechanical components 105, microphone 106, radio transmitter / receiver 108, one or more speakers 110, linear resonant actuator 107, etc.), but mobile device 102 according to this disclosure may include one or more components not specifically listed above. For example, although Figure 1 Some user interface components are described, but mobile device 102, in addition to... Figure 1 In addition to those described herein, one or more other user interface components (including, but not limited to, keyboards, touchscreens, and displays) may be included to allow users to interact with and / or otherwise manipulate the mobile device 102 and its associated components. Furthermore, although for clarity and illustrative purposes, Figure 1 Only a single virtual button, including mechanical component 105 and linear resonant actuator 107, is depicted. However, in some embodiments, the mobile device 102 may have multiple virtual buttons, each including a corresponding mechanical component 105 and linear resonant actuator 107.

[0035] Although, as described above, the resonant phase sensing system 112 can detect physical interaction with the mechanical component 105 by performing resonant phase sensing of a resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor, for which the impedance (e.g., inductance, capacitance, and / or resistance) changes in response to displacement of the mechanical component 105, in some embodiments, the resonant phase sensing system 112 can detect physical interaction with the mechanical component 105 (e.g., displacement of the mechanical component 105) by using resonant phase sensing to determine a change in the inductance of the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor. In these and other embodiments, the resonant phase sensing system 112 can detect interaction with the mechanical component 105 (e.g., proximity and / or touch of the mechanical component 105) by using resonant phase sensing to determine a change in the capacitance of the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor. For example, Figure 2 and Figure 3 Selected components of an example simultaneous inductive and capacitive sensing application, which can be implemented by the resonant phase sensing system 112 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, are shown.

[0036] although Figure 1 The use of the resonant phase sensing system 112 in the mobile device 102 is envisioned, but it is understood that the systems and methods described herein related to resonant phase sensing of inductance and capacitance can be applied to systems, devices and apparatuses other than mobile devices.

[0037] Figure 2 A mechanical component 105, embodied as a metal plate spaced apart from the inductor coil 202 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown. In some embodiments, the mechanical component 105 may be located at least partially on the housing of a mobile device, such as mobile device 102. Figure 3 Selected components of an inductive sensing system 300, which can be implemented by a resonant phase sensing system 112, are shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, the inductive sensing system 300 may include a mechanical component 105 (modeled as a variable resistor 304 and a variable inductor 306) and may include an inductor coil 202 physically close to the mechanical component 105, such that the inductor coil 202 and the mechanical component 105 have mutual inductance defined by a variable coupling coefficient k. Figure 3 As shown, the inductor coil 202 can be modeled as a variable inductor 308, a variable resistor 310, and a variable capacitor 312.

[0038] During operation, when a current I flows through the inductor 202, this current induces a magnetic field, which in turn induces eddy currents within the mechanical component 105. When a force is applied to and / or removed from the mechanical component 105, this changes the distance d between the mechanical component 105 and the inductor 202. The coupling coefficient k, the variable resistance 304, and / or the variable inductance 306 also change in response to the change in distance. These changes in various electrical parameters can, in turn, modify the effective impedance Z of the inductor 202. L .

[0039] In addition to the change in inductance as a function of the distance d between the mechanical component 105 and the inductor coil 202, physical interaction between the user and the mechanical component 105, including approaching the mechanical component 105 (e.g., bringing the user's finger close to the mechanical component 105) and / or touching the mechanical component 105, can also change the variable capacitance 312 associated with the inductor coil 202. Therefore, according to this disclosure, the same driving sensor (e.g., hereinafter regarding...) Figure 4 The resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402 discussed can be used to sense changes in both capacitance and inductance.

[0040] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating selected components of an example resonant phase sensing system 112 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, the resonant phase sensing system 112 may be used to implement Figure 1 The resonant phase sensing system 112. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the resonant phase sensing system 112 may include a resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402 and a processing integrated circuit (IC) 412.

[0041] like Figure 4 As shown, the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402 may include a mechanical component 105, an inductor coil 202, a resistor 404, and a capacitor 406, wherein the mechanical component 105 and the inductor coil 202 have a variable coupling coefficient k. Although in Figure 4 The inductor 202, resistor 404, and capacitor 406 are shown arranged in parallel, but it will be understood that the inductor 202, resistor 404, and capacitor 406 may be arranged in any other suitable manner that allows the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 to act as a resonant cavity. For example, in some embodiments, the inductor 202, resistor 404, and capacitor 406 may be arranged in series. In some embodiments, the resistor 404 may not be implemented as a separate resistor, but may instead be implemented by the parasitic resistance of the inductor 202, the parasitic resistance of the capacitor 406, and / or any other suitable parasitic resistance.

[0042] The processing IC 412 can be communicatively coupled to the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 and can include any suitable system, device, or apparatus configured to implement measurement circuitry to measure phase information associated with the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 and, based on this phase information, determine an interaction with the mechanical component 105 (e.g., displacement of the mechanical component 105 relative to the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402, proximity to the mechanical component 105, or touch of the mechanical component 105). Therefore, the processing IC 412 can be configured to determine, based on the phase information, the occurrence of a physical interaction (e.g., pressing or releasing a virtual button) associated with the human-machine interface associated with the mechanical component 105.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, the processing IC 412 may include a phase shifter 410, a voltage-to-current converter 408, a preamplifier 440, an intermediate frequency mixer 442, a combiner 444, a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) 414, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) 416, a phase shifter 418, an amplitude and phase calculation block 431, a DSP 432, a low-pass filter 434, and a combiner 450. The processing IC 412 may also include a coherent incident / quadrature detector implemented with an incident channel including a mixer 420, a low-pass filter 424, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 428, and an orthogonal channel including a mixer 422, a low-pass filter 426, and an ADC 430, such that the processing IC 412 is configured to use the coherent incident / quadrature detector to measure phase information.

[0044] Phase shifter 410 may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to detect an oscillating signal generated by processing IC 412 (explained in more detail below) and phase shift such oscillating signal (e.g., 45 degrees) such that the sensor signal generated by preamplifier 440 at the normal operating frequency of resonant phase sensing system 112... The incident component is approximately equal to the sensor signal. The orthogonal components are used to provide common-mode noise suppression through the phase detector implemented by the processing IC 412, as described in more detail below.

[0045] The voltage-to-current converter 408 can receive a phase-shifted oscillation signal (which can be a voltage signal) from the phase shifter 410, convert the voltage signal into a corresponding current signal, and drive the current signal on the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 at the driving frequency of the phase-shifted oscillation signal to generate a sensor signal. The signal can be processed by the processing IC 412, as described in more detail below. In some embodiments, the driving frequency of the phase-shift oscillation signal can be selected based on the resonant frequency of the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 (e.g., it can be approximately equal to the resonant frequency of the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402).

[0046] The preamplifier 440 can receive sensor signals. And adjust the sensor signal Frequency mixing is performed using mixer 442 to convert the sensor signal into frequency. Mixed to an intermediate frequency (IF) by combiner 444 with the oscillation frequency generated by VCO 416. As described in more detail below, the intermediate frequency... Significantly lower than the oscillation frequency. In some embodiments, the preamplifier 440, mixer 442, and combiner 444 may be absent; in this case, the PGA 414 can directly receive the sensor signal from the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402. However, when present, the preamplifier 440, mixer 442, and combiner 444 can allow the sensor signal to be... Downmix to lower or intermediate frequencies This allows for lower bandwidth and more efficient ADCs (e.g.) Figure 4 (ADCs 428 and 430) and / or may allow minimizing phase and / or gain mismatch in the incident and quadrature paths of the phase detector of the processing IC 412.

[0047] During operation, the PGA 414 can further amplify the sensor signal. To adjust the sensor signal This is used for processing by a coherent incident / quadrature detector. VCO 416 can generate an oscillating signal to be used as the basis for a signal driven by voltage-to-current converter 408, and as a source of amplified sensor signals for extraction by mixers 420 and 422. The oscillating signal of the incident and orthogonal components. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the mixer 420 of the incident channel can use an unshifted version of the oscillation signal generated by the VCO 416, while the mixer 422 of the positive channel can use a 90-degree shifted version of the oscillation signal phase-shifted by the phase shifter 418. As mentioned above, the oscillation frequency of the oscillation signal generated by the VCO 416 can be selected based on the resonant frequency of the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 (e.g., it can be approximately equal to the resonant frequency of the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402).

[0048] In the incident channel, mixer 420 can extract the amplified sensor signal. The low-pass filter 424 can filter out and amplify the sensor signal from the incident component. The oscillating signal is mixed to generate a direct current (DC) incident component, and the ADC428 can convert this DC incident component into an equivalent incident component digital signal for processing by the amplitude and phase calculation block 431. Similarly, in a positive traffic channel, the mixer 422 can extract the amplified sensor signal. The orthogonal components, low-pass filter 426 can filter out and amplify the sensor signal. The phase-shifted oscillating signal is mixed to generate a DC quadrature component, and the ADC 430 can convert this DC quadrature component into an equivalent quadrature component digital signal for processing by the amplitude and phase calculation block 431.

[0049] The amplitude and phase calculation block 431 may include any system, device or apparatus configured to receive phase information including incident component digital signals and quadrature component digital signals, and based thereon, extract amplitude and phase information.

[0050] DSP 432 may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data. Specifically, DSP 432 may receive phase and amplitude information generated by amplitude and phase calculation block 431, and based on this, determine the displacement of mechanical component 105 relative to resistive-inductive-capacitive sensor 402. This can indicate, based on the phase information, the occurrence of a physical interaction associated with a human-machine interface associated with mechanical component 105 (e.g., pressing or releasing a virtual button). DSP 432 may also generate an output signal indicating the displacement. In some embodiments, such an output signal may include a control signal for controlling the mechanical vibration of linear resonant actuator 107 in response to the displacement.

[0051] The phase information generated by the amplitude and phase calculation block 431 can be obtained from the reference phase by the combiner 450. The error signal is subtracted from the input to generate an error signal, which can be received by a low-pass filter 434. The low-pass filter 434 performs low-pass filtering on the error signal, and this filtered error signal can be applied to the VCO 416 to modify the frequency of the oscillation signal generated by the VCO 416, thereby reducing the frequency of the sensor signal. Orientation to reference phase Driven. Therefore, sensor signals This may include a transient decay signal in response to a “press” of a virtual button associated with the resonant phase sensing system 112, and another transient decay signal in response to a subsequent “release” of the virtual button. Therefore, the low-pass filter 434 connected to the VCO 416 can implement a feedback control loop that can track changes in the operating parameters of the resonant phase sensing system 112 by modifying the drive frequency of the VCO 416.

[0052] Despite Figure 4 The document describes a specific implementation of the processing IC, but it is understood that any other suitable processing IC may be used instead of processing IC 412, including, but not limited to, those processing ICs disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 16 / 532,850, filed August 6, 2019, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0053] Figure 5 The waveform of the phase signal (e.g., the signal “PHASE” output by the amplitude and phase calculation block 431) of the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402 in relation to the physical interaction with the mechanical component 105 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown over time. Figure 5 As shown, when a user moves their finger toward the mechanical component 105, the proximity of the finger to the mechanical component 105 causes a change in the capacitance within the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402, resulting in a decrease in the resonant phase (and a decrease in the resonant frequency) below the baseline phase, as indicated by... Figure 5 The reduced portion of the waveform 502 indicates this. Furthermore, once the user touches the mechanical component 105 and applies force to it, the change in inductance within the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402 can cause the resonant phase (and also the resonant frequency) to increase above the baseline phase, as indicated by... Figure 5 The increased portion of the waveform 504 indicates this. Additionally, when the user releases force on the mechanical component 105, a reverse change in the inductance within the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402 can occur, causing the resonant phase (and also the resonant frequency) to decrease below the baseline phase, as indicated by... Figure 5 The reduced portion of the waveform 506 indicates this. Additionally, after the force is released and as the user moves their finger away from the vicinity of the mechanical component 105, a change in capacitance within the resistive-inductive-capacitive sensor 402 (opposite to the change that occurs when the user's finger is closer to the mechanical component 105) can occur, causing an increase in the resonant phase (and a decrease in the resonant frequency) to the baseline phase, as indicated by... Figure 5 The reduced portion of the waveform is indicated by 508. Furthermore, although... Figure 5 Not depicted, but when the user's finger contacts the mechanical component 105 but no force is applied to the mechanical component 105, the resonant phase (and frequency) can remain substantially constant.

[0054] Therefore, the DSP 432 or another component of the processing IC 412 can use these various portions of the phase response to distinguish between proximity, touch, and force events in order to determine whether a valid or erroneous press of the virtual button implemented by the mechanical component 105 has occurred. For example, the DSP 432 can determine whether a valid press has occurred only when a change in inductance is associated with a change in capacitance. Similarly, if the resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor 402 experiences a change in capacitance without a corresponding change in inductance (proximity without force), or experiences a change in inductance without a corresponding change in capacitance (force without proximity), the DSP 432 can determine that an erroneous press has occurred.

[0055] Therefore, the processing IC 412 can detect changes in capacitance and inductance to determine whether a physical interaction by the user has occurred relative to the virtual button. However, in some conventional methods, the inductive sensing system includes a planar magnetic shield covering the inductor coil (e.g., similar to inductor coil 202) to maximize sensitivity to changes in inductance in the resistive-inductor-capacitive sensor 402. The presence of such a shield can shield the electric field, which minimizes sensitivity to changes in capacitance in the resistive-inductor-capacitive sensor 402. Therefore, it may be desirable to include shields that are more transparent to the electric field than those used in conventional inductance-based sensors to enable the resistive-inductor-capacitive sensor 402 to sense both changes in capacitance and inductance with appropriate sensitivity.

[0056] Figure 6 An example single-layer inductor coil 202 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, which can be used for implementation. Figures 2 to 4 The inductor coil 202 is depicted in the figure. The following figures and description depict example shielding that can be used in conjunction with the inductor coil 202 to provide electromagnetic shielding to enable the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 to be sufficiently sensitive to changes in inductance, while still enabling the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 to be sufficiently sensitive to changes in capacitance. Such shielding can be made of metal or other suitable conductive material, and in some embodiments, it can be placed between the mechanical member 105 and the inductor coil 202, and in other embodiments, it can be placed on the "back" of the mechanical member 105 (e.g., on the side of the mechanical member 105 opposite to the side of the mechanical member 105 closest to the inductor coil 202). If the shielding is placed on the back of the mechanical member 105 (i.e., not between the inductor coil 202 and the mechanical member 105), this positioning exposes the inductor coil 202 to the entire electric field, while also allowing the inductance to decrease as the inductor coil 202 is pushed closer to the shielding behind the inductor coil 202. However, one trade-off is that inductor 202 may be open to other sources of electromagnetic interference, which could reduce sensitivity.

[0057] Figure 7 An example mesh shield 700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. (As...) Figure 7 As shown, the mesh shielding member 700 may include a sheet of shielding material 702 having a plurality of openings 704. In some embodiments, the openings 704 may be similar in size and regularly spaced, such as... Figure 7 As shown. The size of the opening 704 can be configured (e.g., sized and shaped) such that the mesh shield 700 can vary from a nearly completely solid shield to a mostly open shield. A larger opening 704 allows more electric field to pass through the mesh shield 700 to the inductor coil 202, and therefore, as the opening 704 increases, the sensitivity to capacitance changes increases, and the sensitivity to inductance changes decreases, and vice versa. In some embodiments, the mesh shield 700 can be electrically grounded, while in other embodiments, the mesh shield 700 can be electrically floating. If the mesh shield 700 is grounded, only capacitance changes bridged across the opening 704 can be sensed. If the mesh shield 700 is floating, single-ended capacitance changes in the mesh shield 700 can be equally seen on the inductor coil 202.

[0058] Figure 8 An example island shield 800 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The island shield 800 can be considered the “opposite” of the mesh shield 700 and may comprise a plurality of islands 804 of shielding material spaced apart by a spacing 802. In some embodiments, the islands 804 may be similar in size and regularly spaced, such as… Figure 8 As shown. The dimensions of the island 804 can be configured (e.g., sized and shaped) such that the island shield 800 can vary from an almost entirely solid shield to a mostly open shield. A smaller opening 804 allows more electric field to pass through the island shield 800 to the inductor coil 202, and therefore as the opening 804 decreases, the sensitivity to changes in capacitance increases and the sensitivity to changes in inductance decreases, and vice versa.

[0059] Compared to the mesh shield 700, in the island shield 800, the island 804 is electrically isolated and can be electrically coupled in various ways. For example, the island 804 can be electrically grounded, creating a shield very similar to that of the grounded mesh shield 700. As another example, the island 804 can be electrically floating, such that any capacitive bridging on the island 804, due to proximity, can be coupled to the inductor 202 in a more differential manner via capacitive partitioning, and can cause a larger differential capacitance change on the inductor 202 compared to the mesh shield 700.

[0060] As a further example, Figure 9 The illustration shows an island 804 of an island shield 800 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure coupled to island shields 800 of different potentials. For example... Figure 9 As shown, in some embodiments, the island 804 can be alternately coupled to the positive (P) terminal and the negative (N) terminal of the inductor 202, which allows for the same eddy currents as in the grounded or floating embodiments described above, while also enabling the inductor 202 to be more sensitive to capacitance changes, since the capacitive division in the floating embodiment described above may not exist, and the capacitance change may be completely differential. Although Figure 9 A specific pattern of islands 804 coupled to the positive and negative terminals of inductor coil 202 is depicted, but it is understood that any suitable pattern can be used to tune the desired sensitivity of inductor coil 202 to changes in inductance and capacitance.

[0061] Figure 10 An example coil shield 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. (As...) Figure 10 As shown, the coil shield 1000 may include a coil 1002 of shielding material. In practical use, the coil shield 1000 may overlap with the inductor coil 202. In some embodiments, the coil shield 1000 may mirror the inductor coil 202 and have the same number of turns. In other embodiments, the coil shield 1000 may have a different number of turns than the inductor coil 202. In operation, the coil shield 1000 may allow eddy currents directly above the inductor coil 202, but with increased impedance compared to a fully filled mesh shield 700. The coil shield 1000 may allow capacitive sensing of electric field lines passing through gaps in the coil shield 1000 and terminating at the inductor coil 202. The coil shield 1000 may also allow capacitive sensing of capacitance from a user's finger that bridges the coil shield 1000 and is capacitively coupled to the inductor coil 202 through capacitive partitioning. Similar to other shielding methods described herein, the coil shield 1000 may be electrically coupled in a variety of ways. For example, in some embodiments, the opposing terminals of the coil shield 1000 can be coupled together (basically... Figure 10As illustrated in the embodiment, this minimizes the impedance seen through eddy currents and allows capacitive coupling to the coil shield 1000 and inductor 202 via capacitive partitioning. As another example, in other embodiments, the coil shield 1000 can be electrically coupled to ground, which also minimizes eddy current impedance but reduces capacitance on inductor 202 because the field lines terminating at the coil shield 1000 can terminate at ground. As a further example, both terminals of the coil shield 1000 can be coupled to either the positive or negative terminal of inductor 202, which can provide additional sensitivity to capacitance terminating on opposite sides of the coil shield 1000 and inductor 202, but may introduce some undesirable asymmetry in applications where single-ended capacitance sensing is undesirable.

[0062] One advantage of using the coil shield 1000 is that the presence of two coils (coil shield 1000 and inductor 202) allows for more refined functionality. For example, if inductor 202 resonates at a first frequency and coil shield 1000 resonates at a different second frequency, coil shield 1000 can also be coupled to a phase sensing circuit, and proximity can be detected by a phase change in coil shield 1000 while the phase of inductor 202 remains stable, while force can be detected by a phase change in both coil shield 1000 and inductor 202. Furthermore, the use of coil shield 1000 can completely shield inductor 202, and since the phase of inductor 202 never changes, any phase change from coil shield 1000 can be ignored.

[0063] The coil shielding method can also be extended to include two coil shields 1000 arranged orthogonally to the inductor coil 202 in three-dimensional space to enable the detection of the direction from which force is applied (e.g., the direction from which a finger approaches). As an example use case, a temperature control system would be able to determine whether to increase or decrease the driver's or passenger's temperature in a vehicle, depending on the direction from which the virtual button on the temperature control panel in the vehicle's console is pressed.

[0064] Figure 11 An example annular shield 1100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. (As...) Figure 11As shown, the annular shield 1100 may include multiple concentric annular elements 1102 of shielding material, each concentric annular element being electrically isolated from each other. Functionally, the annular shield 1100 can have effects similar to those of the coil shield 1000. Furthermore, the annular elements 1102 can be electrically coupled in various ways, similar to the island shield 800. For example, the annular element 1102 can be electrically grounded, behaving similarly to embodiments of the island shield 800 in which the island 804 is grounded. As another example, the annular element 1102 can be electrically floating, capacitively dividing the inductor coil 202 and providing sensitivity to capacitance changes bridging from one annular element 1102 to another. As a further example, the annular element 1102 can be alternately electrically coupled to the positive and negative terminals of the inductor coil 202, thereby maximizing sensitivity to capacitance changes, since this arrangement eliminates capacitive division of the inductor coil 202.

[0065] The foregoing describes a method and system for shielding a sensor that simultaneously detects both capacitance and inductance, wherein the sensor is a metallic inductor, and the shield (or metal or another conductive material) is placed to modulate the inductance of the sensor as the shield moves closer to and further away from the inductor. At least one gap may be formed in the metallic shield to allow some electric field lines, and therefore capacitance, to bypass the metallic shield, thereby allowing detection by the sensor. The sensor may include a coil of an inductor for an inductive sensing IC. The gap in the shield may form a mesh shield. The gap may be configured (e.g., sized and shaped) to enable the sensor to a desired sensitivity to changes in capacitance. The mesh shield may be positioned between an applied force (i.e., through a human finger) and the coil. The mesh shield / shield may be positioned behind the applied force (i.e., through a human finger) and the coil.

[0066] The gaps in the shielding can be formed by spaces between islands of shielding material (e.g., metal) used for the metallic shielding. These spaces can be configured (e.g., sized and shaped) to enable the sensor to a desired sensitivity to changes in capacitance. One or more of the islands can be electrically grounded. One or more of the islands can be electrically floating. The islands can be alternately electrically coupled to the positive and negative terminals of the coil.

[0067] The gaps in the shielding can be formed by the space within at least one coil shield (typically overlapping the coil). The terminals of at least two shields / coil shields or islands can be shorted together to allow capacitive coupling to at least two coil shields, and then capacitively coupled to the coil. The coil shields can be grounded to reduce capacitance on the coil, since the field lines terminating at the coil shields can terminate at ground. The two terminals of the coil shields can be electrically coupled to either the positive or negative terminal of the sensor coil. The coil can resonate at a first frequency, and the coil shields can resonate at a different second frequency, such that force is detected by the phase change between the coil and the first coil shield when they are pushed closer together, and proximity is detected when the phase of the first coil shield changes while the coil frequency remains stable.

[0068] Some embodiments may include a first coil shield and a second coil shield. The coil, the first coil shield, and the second coil shield may be arranged orthogonally in three-dimensional space to detect the direction from which the force is applied.

[0069] The gaps in the shielding can include the space between concentric rings of shielding material that form multiple rings, and the multiple rings can typically overlap with the coil.

[0070] Although the foregoing design uses a coherent incident / quadrature detector as a phase detector to determine the phase information associated with the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402, the resonant phase sensing system 112 can perform phase detection and / or otherwise determine the phase information associated with the resistor-inductor-capacitor sensor 402 in any suitable manner, including but not limited to using only one of the incident path or the quadrature path to determine the phase information.

[0071] In some embodiments, the incident / orthogonal detector as disclosed herein may include one or more frequency conversion stages that directly convert the sensor signal into a DC signal, or convert it into an intermediate frequency signal, and then convert it back into a DC signal. Any such frequency conversion stage may be implemented digitally after an analog-to-digital converter stage, or analogly before an analog-to-digital converter stage.

[0072] While the DSP 432 can process phase information to make a binary determination of whether a physical interaction associated with the human-machine interface associated with the mechanical component 105 has occurred and / or ceased to occur, in some embodiments, the DSP 432 can quantize the duration of the displacement of the mechanical component 105 to more than one detection threshold, for example, to detect different types of physical interactions (e.g., a short press of a virtual button versus a long press of a virtual button). In these and other embodiments, the DSP 432 can quantize the amplitude of the displacement to more than one detection threshold, for example, to detect different types of physical interactions (e.g., a light press of a virtual button versus a rapid hard press of a virtual button).

[0073] As used herein, when two or more elements are referred to as “coupled” to each other, the term indicates that the two or more elements are in electronic communication or mechanical connection (where applicable), whether indirectly or directly connected, with or without intervening elements.

[0074] This disclosure covers all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the exemplary embodiments herein that will be understood by those skilled in the art. Similarly, where appropriate, the appended claims cover all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the exemplary embodiments herein that will be understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, in the appended claims, references to means or systems adapted to, arranged to, capable of, configured to, enabled, operable to, or operated to perform a particular function cover such means, whether or not it or the particular function is activated, turned on, or unlocked, provided that the means, system, or component is so adapted, arranged, capable of, configured, enabled, operable, or operated. Therefore, modifications, additions, or omissions can be made to the systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, components of systems and apparatuses can be integrated or separated. Furthermore, the operation of the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein can be performed by more, fewer, or other components, and the described methods can include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps can be performed in any suitable order. As used in this document, “each” means each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set.

[0075] Although exemplary embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below, the principles of this disclosure can be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. This disclosure should not be limited in any way to the exemplary embodiments and techniques shown in the drawings and described above.

[0076] Unless otherwise specified, the items depicted in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0077] All examples and conditional language described herein are intended for educational purposes to aid the reader in understanding the contents of this disclosure and the concepts contributed by the inventors to further advance the art, and are not to be construed as being limited to these specific examples and conditions. Although embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0078] While specific advantages have been listed above, various embodiments may include some, none, or all of the listed advantages. Furthermore, other technical advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the foregoing figures and description.

[0079] To aid the Patent Office and any reader of any patent issued under this application in understanding the appended claims, the applicants wish to draw attention to the fact that, unless the terms “means for…” or “steps for…” are expressly used in a particular claim, they do not intend any of the appended claims or claim elements to invoke 35 USC. 112(f).

Claims

1. A system comprising: sensor; and A measurement circuit, communicatively coupled to the sensor, and configured to: Measure the phase information associated with the sensor; Based on the phase information, the changes in capacitance and inductance associated with the sensor are determined; and The physical interaction between the user and the mechanical components associated with the sensor is detected based on changes in the capacitance and the inductance.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The measurement circuit is configured to occur in response to a change in capacitance that is close in time to a change in inductance, determining that the user has physically interacted with the mechanical component.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The change in capacitance indicates whether a part of the user's body is increasing or decreasing near the mechanical component; and The change in inductance indicates that a force is being applied to or released from the mechanical component.

4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The mechanical component is integrated into a virtual button of the mechanical button of the replacement device.

5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The physical interaction includes one or more of the following: a part of the user's body moves in the vicinity of the mechanical component, a part of the user's body touches the mechanical component, or a force is being applied to or released from the mechanical component.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The sensor is integrated into a resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The sensor includes an inductor coil.

8. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an electromagnetic shield for the sensor, the electromagnetic shield comprising: Shielding materials configured to block the passage of electromagnetic energy; as well as At least one void is formed in the shielding material.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component is positioned between the mechanical component and the sensor.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein, The electromagnetic shield is positioned on the back of the mechanical component, on a portion of the mechanical component opposite another portion of the mechanical component closer to the sensor.

11. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component includes a mesh of shielding material, wherein the at least one gap includes one or more openings formed in the mesh.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein, The mesh is electrically grounded.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein, The mesh is electrically floating.

14. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component comprises multiple islands of shielding material, wherein the at least one gap comprises the spacing between adjacent islands among the multiple islands.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein, At least one of the plurality of islands is electrically grounded.

16. The system according to claim 14 or 15, wherein, At least one of the plurality of islands is electrically floating.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein: At least one of the plurality of islands is electrically coupled to a first island of the sensor; and At least one of the multiple islands is electrically coupled to a second terminal of the sensor.

18. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component includes a coil shielding component, wherein the at least one gap includes one or more spaces formed in the coil shielding component.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein, The sensor is an inductor coil, and the coil shield substantially overlaps the coil shield.

20. The system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein, The coil shield is electrically grounded.

21. The system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein, The coil shield is electrically floating.

22. The system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein, The terminals of the coil shield are electrically shorted together.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein, The terminals of the coil shield are electrically shorted to the terminals of the inductor coil.

24. The system according to claim 18, wherein: The inductor coil resonates at a first frequency; and The coil shield resonates at a second frequency; The measuring circuit detects the force applied to the mechanical component in response to a change in the phase of both the inductor and the coil shield.

25. The system of claim 18 or 19 further includes a second coil shield arranged such that the inductor coil is between the coil shield and the second coil shield.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein, The measuring circuit is configured to determine the direction in which the force is applied based on which of the coil shield and the second coil shield experiences a phase change.

27. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component includes a plurality of concentric rings, wherein the at least one gap comprises the space between adjacent rings among the plurality of concentric rings.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein, The sensor is an inductor coil, and the plurality of concentric rings substantially overlap the coil shield.

29. The system according to claim 27 or 28, wherein, At least one of the plurality of concentric rings is electrically grounded.

30. The system according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein, At least one of the plurality of concentric rings is electrically floating.

31. The system according to claim 27 or 28, wherein: At least one of the plurality of concentric rings, a first ring, is electrically coupled to a first terminal of the sensor; and At least one of the second rings of the plurality of concentric rings is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the sensor.

32. A method comprising: Measure the phase information associated with the sensor; Based on the phase information, the changes in capacitance and inductance associated with the sensor are determined; and The physical interaction between the user and the mechanical components associated with the sensor is detected based on changes in the capacitance and the inductance.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising determining that the user has physically interacted with the mechanical component in response to a change in capacitance occurring in time close to a change in inductance.

34. The method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein: The change in capacitance indicates whether a part of the user's body is increasing or decreasing near the mechanical component; and The change in inductance indicates that a force is being applied to or released from the mechanical component.

35. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 34, wherein, The mechanical component is integrated into a virtual button of the mechanical button of the replacement device.

36. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein, The physical interaction includes one or more of the following: a part of the user's body moves in the vicinity of the mechanical component, a part of the user's body touches the mechanical component, or a force is being applied to or released from the mechanical component.

37. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 36, wherein, The sensor is integrated into a resistance-inductance-capacitance sensor.

38. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 37, wherein, The sensor includes an inductor coil.

39. An electromagnetic shielding component for a sensor, the electromagnetic shielding component comprising: Shielding materials configured to block the passage of electromagnetic energy; as well as At least one void is formed in the shielding material.

40. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 39, wherein, The electromagnetic shield is positioned between the sensor and the mechanical component associated with the sensor.

41. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 39, wherein, The electromagnetic shield is positioned on the back of a mechanical component associated with the sensor, on a portion of the mechanical component opposite another portion of the mechanical component closer to the sensor.

42. The electromagnetic shielding component according to any one of claims 39 to 41, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component includes a mesh of shielding material, wherein the at least one gap includes one or more openings formed in the mesh.

43. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 42, wherein, The mesh is electrically grounded.

44. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 42, wherein, The mesh is electrically floating.

45. The electromagnetic shielding component according to any one of claims 39 to 41, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component comprises multiple islands of shielding material, wherein the at least one gap comprises the spacing between adjacent islands among the multiple islands.

46. ​​The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 45, wherein, At least one of the plurality of islands is electrically grounded.

47. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 45 or 46, wherein, At least one of the plurality of islands is electrically floating.

48. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 45, wherein: At least one of the plurality of islands is electrically coupled to a first island of the sensor; and At least one of the multiple islands is electrically coupled to a second terminal of the sensor.

49. The electromagnetic shielding component according to any one of claims 39 to 41, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component includes a coil shielding component, wherein the at least one gap includes one or more spaces formed in the coil shielding component.

50. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 49, wherein, The sensor is an inductor coil, and the coil shield substantially overlaps the coil shield.

51. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 49 or 50, wherein, The coil shield is electrically grounded.

52. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 49 or 50, wherein, The coil shield is electrically floating.

53. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 49 or 50, wherein, The terminals of the coil shield are electrically shorted together.

54. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 53, wherein, The terminals of the coil shield are electrically shorted to the terminals of the inductor coil.

55. The electromagnetic shielding member according to claim 49 or 50, wherein: The inductor coil resonates at a first frequency; and The coil shield resonates at a second frequency; This allows the measuring circuit to detect the force applied to the mechanical component in response to a change in the phase of both the inductor and the coil shield.

56. The electromagnetic shielding according to claim 49 or 50, further comprising a second coil shielding arranged such that the inductor coil is between the coil shielding and the second coil shielding.

57. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 56, wherein, The measuring circuit is configured to determine the direction in which the force is applied based on which of the coil shield and the second coil shield experiences a phase change.

58. The electromagnetic shielding component according to any one of claims 39 to 41, wherein, The electromagnetic shielding component includes a plurality of concentric rings, wherein the at least one gap comprises the space between adjacent rings among the plurality of concentric rings.

59. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 58, wherein, The sensor is an inductor coil, and the plurality of concentric rings substantially overlap the coil shield.

60. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 58 or 59, wherein, At least one of the plurality of concentric rings is electrically grounded.

61. The electromagnetic shielding component according to any one of claims 58 to 60, wherein, At least one of the plurality of concentric rings is electrically floating.

62. The electromagnetic shielding component according to claim 58 or 59, wherein: At least one of the plurality of concentric rings, a first ring, is electrically coupled to a first terminal of the sensor; and At least one of the second rings of the plurality of concentric rings is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the sensor.

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