Input device having integrated haptics and near field communication antenna

Abstract

An input device is provided. The input device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly including: a plurality of touch sensors configured to detect user input from a user; a haptic coil configured to provide haptic feedback to the user in response to detecting the user input; and a near field communication (NFC) antenna configured to facilitate NFC communication, wherein the haptic coil and the NFC antenna are on the same PCB of the PCB assembly.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention generally relates to a sensing touchpad, and more particularly to a sensing touchpad integrated with a near field communication (NFC) device (e.g., an NFC antenna) and a tactile device (e.g., a tactile coil).

[0001] [Related Patent References]

[0002] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 240,480, filed September 3, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Previous Technology]

[0003] Input devices are widely used in various electronic systems, such as touch sensor devices (also commonly referred to as touchpads, force pads, touch sensor devices, or other such devices). Input devices generally include a sensing area, usually marked by a surface, where the input device determines the presence, position, and / or movement of one or more input objects. Input devices provide an input interface for electronic systems. For example, input devices can be used in larger electronic systems (e.g., opaque touchpads integrated into laptops or desktop computers or as peripherals). Input devices can also be used in smaller electronic systems (e.g., touchscreens integrated into mobile phones).

[0004] Haptic devices (e.g., haptic coils) can be configured to provide haptic feedback (e.g., auditory and vibrational feedback) to a user. For example, an input device can detect user input and provide haptic feedback indicating that input has been detected, such as auditory feedback (e.g., a simulated mouse click sound) and vibrational feedback (e.g., a slight vibration). Furthermore, active (e.g., powered) near-field communication (NFC) devices (e.g., transceivers) can use radio frequency (RF) communication signals to enable short-range communication between compatible NFC devices. Currently, haptic devices and NFC devices are independent of each other, and there remain challenges in having an input device that incorporates both haptic and NFC elements. [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] In some examples, an input device is provided. The input device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly. The PCB assembly includes a plurality of touch sensors, a haptic coil, and a near field communication (NFC) antenna. The touch sensors are configured to detect user input from a user. The haptic coil is configured to provide haptic feedback to the user in response to detecting the user input. The NFC antenna is configured to facilitate NFC communication. Furthermore, the haptic coil and the NFC antenna are located on the same PCB as the PCB assembly.

[0006] In some examples, a method is provided. The method includes using a plurality of touch sensors of an input device to detect user input from a user. The input device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, and the PCB assembly includes the touch sensors, a haptic coil, and a near-field communication (NFC) antenna. The method further includes, in response to detecting the user input, providing haptic feedback to the user using the haptic coil of the input device, and facilitating NFC communication using the NFC antenna of the input device, wherein the haptic coil and the NFC antenna are on the same PCB of the PCB assembly.

[0007] In some examples, a PCB assembly is provided. The PCB assembly includes a plurality of touch sensors, a haptic coil, and a near-field communication (NFC) antenna. The touch sensors are configured to detect user input from a user. The haptic coil is configured to provide haptic feedback to the user in response to the detected user input. The NFC antenna is configured to facilitate NFC communication. Furthermore, the haptic coil and the NFC antenna are located on the same PCB of the PCB assembly. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0008] FIG1 is a block diagram illustrating an input device according to one or more examples of the present invention.

[0009] FIG2A is another block diagram illustrating an input device according to one or more examples of the present invention.

[0010] FIG2B shows a portion of an input device according to one or more examples of the present invention.

[0011] Figures 3A and 3B are example side perspective views of components within an input device according to one or more examples of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4 is a flowchart of an example program for using an input device including a tactile device and an NFC device according to one or more examples of the present invention.

[0013] Figures 5A to 5B are flowcharts of example programs for using an input device including a tactile device and an NFC device according to one or more examples of the present invention.

Implementation Method

[0014] The following detailed description is exemplary in nature only and is not intended to limit the invention or its application and use. Furthermore, it is not intended to be bound by any express or implied theory set forth in the foregoing prior art, summary, or the following detailed description.

[0015] In the following detailed description, numerous details are presented to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosed technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed technology can be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, well-known features are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.

[0016] The various examples disclosed herein provide input devices and methods that integrate haptic devices (e.g., haptic coils) and near-field communication (NFC) devices (e.g., NFC transmitters / antennas) within an input device, enabling the input device to provide haptic feedback to a user and to provide radio frequency (RF) communication functionality. NFC antennas and / or haptic coils may cause interference within the input device and may negatively affect the operation of the input device. For example, interference may include interference between the NFC antenna and the touch sensor, interference between the haptic coil and the NFC antenna, and / or interference between the haptic coil and the touch sensor. Thus, the input device can coordinate in providing haptic feedback and transmitting NFC signals to avoid electronic interference between the haptic and NFC devices.

[0017] Therefore, the implementation of haptic devices and NFC devices at close range may be difficult due to the mutual interference of the physical space occupied by the various devices, and further due to electronic interference (e.g., from coils on haptic actuators / NFC communications).

[0018] The examples disclosed herein provide input devices that integrate haptic devices (e.g., haptic coils) and NFC devices (e.g., NFC antennas), thereby providing simplified design, manufacturing, and coexistence. In particular, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of portable devices (e.g., laptops) are using force pad technology (e.g., touchpads incorporating finger pressure or force sensitivity), which uses haptic actuators to generate appropriate clicks to simulate the mechanical clicks of a conventional touchpad. For example, a force pad can measure the force applied anywhere on a surface, and when the applied force exceeds a critical value, the haptic actuator can provide haptic feedback as if a mechanical click were present. In other words, conventional touchpads may contain mechanical mechanisms that provide a click sound and feel when they are actuated and / or pressed. However, in some input devices (e.g., some touchpads, such as those employing force pad technology), the input device does not physically produce a click sound or feel when activated or pressed. Conversely, haptic devices (e.g., haptic actuators) are used to simulate the traditional click sound and feel, thereby providing haptic feedback that simulates the click sound and feel (e.g., vibration) of a traditional touchpad.

[0019] Furthermore, some input devices have NFC functionality integrated with the input device, particularly if the portable device housing is metal and therefore prevents wireless communication through the cover. In some cases, the present invention provides the integration of an electromagnetic coil for haptic feedback and an antenna for NFC communication into one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) of the input device. The haptic and NFC devices may be mounted to the bottom of the PCB, which also includes sensor electrodes (e.g., proximity sensors and / or force sensors). The haptic device may include one or more electromagnetic coils integrated into the input device and / or magnets integrated into the tray or notebook chassis. For example, a larger input device (e.g., a larger touchpad) may include multiple haptic coils. The one or more coils of the haptic device may be in the central region of the PCB and may be surrounded by NFC antenna coils in the peripheral region of the PCB. The haptic trigger may be coordinated with NFC communication so that NFC communication is unaffected. This will be described in detail below.

[0020] Among other advantages, an input device integrating a haptic device and an NFC device can offer benefits such as better performance, lower cost, and lower development expenses. Additionally and / or alternatively, the input device can also be thinner and / or have a simplified supply chain. Furthermore, in some cases, the NFC device may interfere with touch control (e.g., electrodes sensing user input), and such interference (e.g., lack of coordination between the NFC device and the touch sensor) may result in missed touches or accidental touches. Furthermore, haptic coils may also interfere with NFC communication and / or touch control, as haptic coils can cause problems with NFC and input. Therefore, the input device of the present invention reduces interference between the NFC device, the haptic device, and / or touch control, thereby providing better functionality / performance for the input device.

[0021] FIG1 is a block diagram illustrating an input device according to one or more examples of the present invention. Input device 100 may include a processing system 110, a sensing area 120, an NFC device 150 (e.g., an NFC antenna), and a haptic device 160 (e.g., a haptic coil). Although the NFC device 150 is shown as a loop antenna containing two turns of conductor within the sensing area 120, in other variations, the antenna may contain any number of turns and may extend beyond the sensing area 120 (e.g., see FIG2B, which contains a different number of turns). The NFC device 150 may be formed of wires or other suitable metallic or semi-metallic conductors, formed of conductive traces disposed on a printed circuit board or other suitable substrate, or formed in any other feasible manner. In some cases, the NFC device 150 may be an NFC antenna, such as a patch antenna, a dipole antenna, a monopole antenna, or any other technically feasible antenna design. The NFC device 150 may be coupled to a transceiver (e.g., a near field communication (NFC) transceiver) to receive and transmit NFC radio frequency (RF) communication signals. NFC communication signals can be described by ISO / IEC 14443, ISO / IEC 18092, ISO / IEC 21481, or any other technically feasible NFC standard. In other cases, any other technically feasible transceiver can be coupled to the NFC device 150, which includes, for example, a Bluetooth® transceiver or a transceiver operating according to the IEEE 802.11 specification.

[0022] The haptic device 160 (e.g., a haptic coil) can be any device that provides haptic feedback to a user. For example, the haptic device 160 can provide auditory and vibrational feedback (hereinafter referred to as "haptic feedback") to a user in response to touch input to mimic the auditory and tactile response of a mechanical device (e.g., a mechanical latch or switch) being pressed and released. For example, the haptic device 160 can provide vibration and output audio sound to replicate the tactile sensation and audible sound of a mechanical button being pressed. The haptic device 160 may include and / or be implemented by one or more actuators, such as linear resonant actuators (LRAs), piezoelectric actuators, coils, and / or solenoids. In some cases, the haptic device 160 may include coils (e.g., magnetic coils, such as magnetic voice coils) and / or magnets. For example, the haptic device 160 may include an electromagnet (e.g., a coil) integrated (e.g., positioned and / or placed) into a first part (e.g., a touchpad) of the input device 100 and a magnet integrated into a second part (e.g., a bracket or chassis) of the input device 100 and / or electronic system.

[0023] Input device 100 can be configured to provide input to an electronic system. As used herein, the term "electronic system" (or "electronic device") refers to any system capable of processing information electronically. Some non-limiting examples of electronic systems include personal computers of various sizes and shapes, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, notebook computers, tablet computers, web browsers, e-book readers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and wearable computers (e.g., smartwatches and activity tracking devices). Other examples of electronic systems include composite input devices, such as a physical keyboard that includes input device 100 and separate joysticks or push-button switches. Other examples of electronic systems include peripheral devices, such as data input devices (including remote controls and mice) and data output devices (including display screens and printers). Other examples include data output devices (e.g., display screens and printers), remote terminals, information stations, and video game consoles (e.g., video game consoles, portable gaming devices, etc.). Other examples include communication devices (including mobile phones, such as smartphones) and media devices (including recorders, editors, and players, such as televisions, set-top boxes, music players, digital photo frames, and digital cameras). Furthermore, the electronic system can be either a host or a slave of the input device.

[0024] The input device 100 may be implemented as a physical part of the electronic system, or may be physically separate from the electronic system. Alternatively, the input device 100 may be physically separate from the electronic system. Where appropriate, the input device 100 may communicate with various parts of the electronic system using any one or more of the following methods: bus, network, and other wired or wireless interconnects. Examples include internal integrated circuitry (I2C), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Personal System / 2 (PS / 2), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Bluetooth, radio frequency (RF), and Infrared Data Protocol (IRDA).

[0025] In some examples, the input device 100 may correspond to a proximity sensor device (e.g., also referred to as a "touchpad" or "touch sensor device") configured to sense input provided by one or more input objects 140 within the sensing area 120. Example input objects 140 include fingers, styluses, etc. The sensing area 120 may include any space above, around, within, and / or near the input device 100, wherein the input device 100 is capable of detecting user input (e.g., provided by one or more input objects 140). The size, shape, and / or location (e.g., relative to the electronic system) of the sensing area 120 may vary depending on the implementation.

[0026] Additionally and / or alternatively, the input device 100 may correspond to a force pad, which includes the function of performing proximity and / or force detection. Force detection is the ability to detect the magnitude of a force applied to an input surface. Proximity detection is the ability to sense input provided by one or more input objects 140 within the sensing area 120.

[0027] In some variations, the sensing area 120 extends from the surface of the input device 100 into space in one or more directions, for example, until the signal-to-noise ratio drops below a threshold suitable for object detection. For example, in various examples, the distance the sensing area 120 extends in a particular direction can be on the order of less than one millimeter, several millimeters, several centimeters, or higher, and can vary depending on the type of sensing technology used and / or the required accuracy. In some cases, the detection of input by the input device 100 involves inputs that do not have physical contact with any surface of the input device 100, contact with the input surface of the input device 100 (e.g., a touch surface), contact with the input surface of the input device 100 plus a certain amount of applied force or pressure, and / or combinations thereof.

[0028] In various examples, the input surface may be provided by the surface of the housing of the input device 100 where the sensor electrodes are located, by a panel applied to the sensor electrodes, or by any housing, etc. In some variations, the sensing area 120 has a rectangular shape when projected onto the input surface of the input device 100.

[0029] In some cases, the input device 100 may use various sensing technologies to detect user input. Examples of sensing technologies may include capacitive, elastic, resistive, inductive, magnetic, acoustic, ultrasonic, and optical sensing technologies. In some examples, the input device 100 may use capacitive sensing technology to detect user input. For example, the sensing area 120 may include one or more capacitive sensing elements (e.g., sensor electrodes) to generate an electric field. The input device 100 may detect input based on changes in the capacitance of the sensor electrodes. For example, an object in contact with (or very close to) an electric field may cause a change in the voltage and / or current in the sensor electrodes. This change in voltage and / or current can be detected as a "signal" indicating user input. The sensor electrodes may be configured in an array or other configuration to detect input at multiple points within the sensing area 120. In some aspects, some sensor electrodes may be ohm-short-circuited together to form a larger sensor electrode. Some capacitive sensing technologies may use a resistive sheet that provides a uniform resistive layer.

[0030] Example capacitive sensing technology may be based on "self-capacitance" (also known as "absolute capacitance") and / or "mutual capacitance" (also known as "transcapacitance"). Absolute capacitance sensing methods detect changes in capacitive coupling between the sensor electrodes and the input object. For example, an input object near the sensor electrodes may change the electric field near the sensor electrodes, thereby changing the measured capacitive coupling. In some variations, the input device 100 may achieve absolute capacitance sensing by adjusting the sensor electrodes relative to a reference voltage and detecting the capacitive coupling between the sensor electrodes and the input object. The reference voltage may be substantially constant or variable. In some aspects, the reference voltage may correspond to a ground reference voltage.

[0031] In some cases, the input device 100 may use transcapacitance sensing technology. Transcapacitance sensing methods detect changes in capacitive coupling between sensor electrodes. For example, an input object or ground near the sensor electrodes may alter the electric field between the sensor electrodes, thereby changing the measurement capacitive coupling of the sensor electrodes. In some cases, the input device 100 may achieve transcapacitance sensing by detecting the capacitive coupling between one or more transmitter sensor electrodes (also referred to as "transmitter electrodes" or "transmitters") and one or more receiver sensor electrodes (also referred to as "receiver electrodes" or "receivers"). The signal on the transmitter sensor electrode may be modulated relative to a reference voltage (e.g., system ground) to transmit a transmitter signal, while the receiver sensor electrode may maintain a substantially constant voltage relative to the reference voltage to receive a resulting signal. The reference voltage may be a substantially constant voltage or may be system ground. The resulting signal may be affected by environmental interference (e.g., other electromagnetic signals) and by input objects or ground in contact with or near the sensor electrodes.

[0032] The processing system 110 may be configured to operate the hardware of the input device 100 to detect input in the sensing area 120. In some cases, the processing system 110 may control one or more sensor electrodes to detect objects in the sensing area 120. For example, the processing system 110 may include part or all of one or more integrated circuits (ICs) and / or other circuit components configured to transmit signals through one or more transmitter sensor electrodes and receive signals through one or more receiver sensor electrodes. In some aspects, one or more components of the processing system 110 may be co-located, for example, adjacent to the sensing element of the input device 100. In other aspects, one or more components of the processing system 110 may be physically separable from the sensing element of the input device 100. For example, the input device 100 may be a peripheral device coupled to a computing device, and the processing system 110 may be implemented as software executed by the central processing unit (CPU) of the computing device. In another example, the input device 100 may be physically integrated into the mobile device, and the processing system 110 may at least partially correspond to the CPU of the mobile device.

[0033] In some examples, the processing system 110 may be implemented as a set of modules implemented in firmware, software, or a combination thereof. Example modules include a hardware operation module for operating hardware such as sensor electrodes and a display screen, a data processing module for processing data such as sensor signals and location information, and a reporting module for reporting information. In some variations, the processing system 110 may include: a sensor operation module configured to operate sensing elements to detect user input in the sensing area 120; a recognition module configured to recognize gestures (e.g., mode-changing gestures); and a mode-changing module for changing the operating mode of the input device 100 and / or the electronic system.

[0034] The processing system 110 is operable on the sensing element of the input device 100 to generate an electrical signal indicating input (or the absence of input) in the sensing area 120. The processing system 110 can perform any appropriate processing on the electrical signal to convert or generate information for the electronic system. For example, the processing system 110 can digitize analog signals received through the sensor electrodes and / or perform filtering or conditioning on the received signals. In some aspects, the processing system 110 can subtract or otherwise take into account a "baseline" associated with the sensor electrodes. For example, the baseline may represent the state of the sensor electrodes when no user input is detected. Therefore, the information provided to the electronic system by the processing system 110 can reflect the difference between the signal received from the sensor electrodes and the baseline associated with each sensor electrode.

[0035] Although Figure 1 shows an exemplary configuration of the components, other configurations can be used without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, various components can be combined to produce a single component. As another example, the function performed by a single component can be performed by two or more components.

[0036] FIG2A is another block diagram illustrating an input device according to one or more examples of the present invention, and FIG2B shows a portion of the input device of FIG2A according to one or more examples of the present invention. Referring to FIG2A, the input device 200 may be an example of the input device 100 of FIG1. ​​The input device 200 may include a sensing area 210 and a processing system 205. The sensing area 210 may be an example of the sensing area 120 of FIG1, and may include any space above, around, in and / or near the input device 200, wherein the input device 200 is capable of detecting user input, such as user input provided by one or more input objects (not shown for simplicity). The size, shape and / or position of the sensing area 210 may vary depending on the actual implementation.

[0037] The sensing area 210 may include a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly 211, which includes a capacitive sensor 212, a near field communication (NFC) device 214, and a haptic device 216. The PCB assembly 211 may include one or more PCBs. For example, the PCB assembly 211 may include a single PCB. The PCB may include multiple (e.g., six) layers, and these layers may include the capacitive sensor 212, the NFC device 214 (e.g., an NFC antenna), and the haptic device 216 (e.g., a haptic coil) configured to detect user input from an input object (e.g., input object 140). For example, the first four layers of the PCB may be used for the capacitive sensor 212, and the last two layers may be used for the haptic device 216 and the NFC device 214. In other cases, the PCB assembly 211 may include multiple PCBs. For example, a first PCB may be used for the capacitive sensor 212. Another PCB may be used for the NFC device 214 and / or the haptic device 216. For example, a second PCB may include the NFC antenna 214 and the haptic coil 216. PCB assembly 211 will be described in more detail in Figures 3A and 3B below.

[0038] The capacitive sensor 212 may include an array of sensor electrodes that generate an electric field in and / or around the sensing region 210. The input device 200 may sense user input by detecting changes in capacitance and / or by changes in the electric field of the capacitive sensor 212. In some variations, the capacitive sensor 212 may include transmitter sensor electrodes and receiver sensor electrodes (not shown for simplicity). In some cases, the input device 200 may include other types of sensors for detecting user input. For example, the input device 200 may include touch sensors for detecting user input (e.g., the capacitive sensor 212 and / or other types of sensors, such as optical sensors).

[0039] The capacitive sensor 212, the NFC device 214, and the haptic device 216 may be coupled to the processing system 205. The processing system 205 may include detection circuitry 220, NFC communication circuitry 230, and haptic circuitry 240. The capacitive sensor 212 may be coupled to the detection circuitry 220. The detection circuitry 220 controls the operation of the capacitive sensor 212. For example, the detection circuitry 220 may operate the capacitive sensor 212 to determine the pressure and / or position associated with an input object (e.g., input object 140). In some cases, the processing system 205 may include a touch controller (e.g., a controller configured to detect user input). For example, the detection circuitry 220 may include a touch controller. In other cases, the touch controller may be decoupled from the processing system 205. For example, the detection circuitry 220 may be used to couple or connect the touch controller to the capacitive sensor 212.

[0040] The NFC device 214 and haptic device 216 may function similarly to the haptic device 160 and NFC device 150 described in FIG. 1. The NFC device 214 (e.g., an NFC antenna) may be coupled to the NFC communication circuitry 230. The NFC communication circuitry 230 may be implemented by any circuitry and / or processor or controller associated with the electronic system including the input device 200. In some cases, the NFC communication circuitry 230 may be decoupled from the input device 200 and may be coupled to the NFC device 214 via a stripline, microstrip, coaxial cable, or other technically feasible means. The NFC communication circuitry 230 may control NFC communication via an NFC transceiver that may be coupled to the NFC device 214. The NFC communication circuitry 230 may enable the NFC transceiver to send and / or receive RF signals through the NFC device 214. In some examples, the functionality of the NFC transceiver may be included in the NFC communication circuitry 230. In other examples, the NFC communication circuitry 230 may be decoupled from the NFC transceiver.

[0041] The tactile device 216 (e.g., a tactile coil) may be coupled to the tactile circuitry 240. The tactile circuitry 240 may be implemented by any circuitry and / or processor or controller associated with the electronic system including the input device 200. In some cases, the tactile circuitry 240 may be decoupled from the input device 200 and coupled to the tactile device 216. The tactile circuitry 240 may control the tactile device 216 to provide tactile feedback to the user. For example, the tactile circuitry 240 may cause the tactile device 216 to provide tactile feedback in response to the detection circuitry 220 detecting user input.

[0042] In some cases, the input device 200 may include a second NFC device and / or a second haptic device. For example, the NFC device 214 may be an NFC antenna comprising a plurality of loops. The second NFC device may be an NFC transceiver. Additionally and / or alternatively, the haptic device 216 may be a haptic coil comprising a plurality of loops. The second haptic device may be a magnet positioned in the chassis or bracket of the input device 200 and / or may be an electronic system coupled to the input device.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 2B, a sensing region 210 is shown (e.g., the sensing region 210 of FIG. 2A). Specifically, the sensing region 210 includes a haptic device 216 as a haptic coil. Node 250 can couple the haptic coil to the haptic circuitry 240. The sensing region 210 further includes an NFC device 214 as an NFC antenna with multiple loops. Node 252 can couple the NFC antenna to the NFC communication circuitry 230.

[0044] In operation, in some examples, the NFC antenna 214 may be confined to the area of ​​the input device 200 (e.g., a touchpad) and may be located in the area of ​​the input device 200 that facilitates signal transmission from the antenna 214 behind the capacitive sensor 212 to the NFC communication circuitry 230 (e.g., an NFC transmitter) on the input device 200. The antenna 214 may include several loops, and the performance of the antenna 214 may be improved by making the coil larger (e.g., including additional loops). Therefore, as will be described in Figures 3A and 3B, examples of the invention may include one or more PCBs. Additional PCBs may be used such that they provide more space for additional loops of the antenna 214 and / or the haptic coil 216.

[0045] In some variations, the electromagnetic coil (e.g., haptic coil 216) can generate a stronger magnetic field by having more loops, and the size of the magnet embedded under the touchpad can be based on the number of loops. Using more layers in the substrate (e.g., PCB) allows for more loops to provide adequate strength. In other words, referring to FIG. 2A, the input device 200 may include a touchpad, such as a PCB assembly 211 with a capacitive sensor 212. The NFC antenna 214 and the haptic coil 216 may be disposed under the touchpad, and the magnet may be disposed below the NFC antenna 214 and the haptic coil 216. The magnet and the haptic coil 216 can be used together to provide haptic feedback to the user. Furthermore, the size of the magnet can be determined based on the number of loops within the haptic coil 216.

[0046] These two structures (e.g., NFC antenna 214 and haptic coil 216) can be embedded on the same substrate and mechanically and electrically attached to the back of the touchpad PCB. One substrate option is a 6-layer flame-retardant 4 (FR4) PCB. In other words, the PCB may contain six layers, with the first few layers (e.g., the first four layers) being the touchpad (e.g., capacitive sensor 212). Below these initial few layers (e.g., the next two layers and / or a separate PCB) can be the NFC antenna 214 and the haptic coil 216. This allows for sufficient loop to provide a sufficiently strong electromagnet for haptic feedback.

[0047] In some cases, since the NFC antenna 214 is patterned close to the periphery of the PCB, this can reduce the area or overall size of the PCB compared to the touchpad PCB. For example, when the NFC antenna 214 and the haptic coil 216 are implemented on a separate PCB, the separate PCB may be smaller in size than the touchpad PCB with the capacitive sensor 212.

[0048] Additionally and / or alternatively, the NFC antenna 214 and the haptic coil 216 may be patterned on a touchpad PCB having the capacitance sensor 212. However, this may reduce the strength of the electromagnetic coil / haptic coil, since there may only be a few layers on the PCB available for implementing the electromagnetic coil.

[0049] In some cases, to prevent interference between the haptic device 216 and the NFC device 214, the processing system 205 may disable the haptic device 216 during NFC communication (e.g., stop driving the haptic device 216) to avoid interference. In other words, to prevent and / or reduce interference caused by the input device 200 having both the haptic device 216 and the NFC device 214, the processing system 208 may use a time-sharing procedure to enable / disable the haptic device 216 and the NFC device 214 so that they do not operate simultaneously. For example, the processing system 205 may first enable the haptic device 216 to provide haptic feedback to the user. Then, during NFC communication, the processing system 205 may disable the haptic device 216 and enable the NFC device 214. After NFC communication, the processing system 205 may enable the haptic device 216 and disable the NFC device 214. Additionally and / or alternatively, enabling and disabling may be based on a timer (e.g., the haptic device 216 is enabled for a few seconds and disabled for a few seconds, and the same applies to the NFC device 214).

[0050] Additionally and / or alternatively, the processing system 205 may modify the haptic drive signals to avoid interfering with the NFC signals or to minimize interference as much as possible, while also minimizing any negative impact on the haptic experience. For example, the processing system 205 may modify the haptic signals by reducing or removing certain frequencies from the haptic signals that might interfere with the NFC signals. The modified haptic signals may be slightly weaker than regular haptic signals, but will still be able to provide haptic feedback to the user. Additionally and / or alternatively, the processing system 205 may generate, modify, select, and / or process the haptic drive signals such that these signals do not interfere with touch sensors (e.g., capacitive sensor 212).

[0051] In some variations, in addition to avoiding other interference from the device (e.g., input device 200) and / or the environment, the touch controller may select (e.g., determine) the sensing frequency to specifically avoid interference from haptic actuation and NFC communication. In some examples, the frequencies and signals used for all three functions may be selected in combination (e.g., the touch controller may select the frequencies used for the three functions in combination). Furthermore, when operating in the presence of haptic actuation or NFC communication, the touch controller may modify its analog and digital filtering. In some cases, such filtering may be undesirable in normal operation, except when interference is present (e.g., based on haptic actuation and / or NFC communication). For example, additional digital signal processing may result in a slower touch reporting rate. However, this may be disadvantageous compared to missing touches or reporting incorrect touch points. In some variations, touch sensing may be temporarily disabled when haptic and / or NFC functions are active.

[0052] Figures 3A and 3B are exemplary side perspective views of components within an input device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. In particular, Figure 3A shows a PCB assembly 300 having two separate PCBs, and Figure 3B shows a PCB assembly 320 having a single PCB. PCB assemblies 300 and 320 may be non-limiting examples of PCB assembly 211 of Figure 2.

[0053] As shown in FIG3A, PCB assembly 300 comprises two separate PCBs, each having multiple layers. These layers may be laminated and / or printed material layers. In one or more examples, the individual layers are parallel to each other. For illustrative purposes, these layers are shown with spacing between layers. However, in one or more examples, these layers are stacked. Furthermore, the thickness of each layer may vary between layers without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, the size and shape of input device 200 may differ from those shown in FIG3A and 3B without departing from the scope of the invention. Any size and shape of the layers within input device 200 is conceivable herein. The multiple layers may be divided into two PCBs. The first PCB 306 may be a sensor PCB containing a capacitive sensor 212. For example, the first PCB 306 may contain one or more sensor layers comprising sensor electrodes configured to detect the presence of an input object in a sensing area, and / or force sensor layers configured to detect forces applied to an input surface. The first PCB 306 may further include additional layers and, for example, an input surface, which may be a touch surface of the input device 200 that can be touched by an input object to provide input during operation of the input device 200. These layers may further include ground layers and / or trace layers. The second PCB 308 may be a coil PCB that includes a haptic device 216 and an NFC device 214. For example, the haptic device 216 may be a haptic coil, and the NFC device 214 may be an NFC antenna.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 3B, PCB assembly 320 includes a single PCB having multiple layers. For example, unlike FIG. 3A, PCB assembly 320 may include PCB 322 (e.g., a single PCB). PCB 322 may include capacitive sensor 212, haptic device 216, and NFC device 214. For example, the first few layers of PCB 322 may include capacitive sensing circuitry for sensing input from an input object (e.g., may include an input surface, one or more sensor layers, and / or other layers). Then, below these initial layers, PCB 322 may include haptic device 216 (e.g., haptic coil) and NFC device 214, as shown in FIG. 2B.

[0055] Figures 3A and 3B are merely examples of the PCB assembly 211 of Figure 2. In other examples, the PCB assembly 211 may include additional PCBs and / or may be implemented differently.

[0056] FIG4 is a flowchart of an example program 400 for using an input device including a tactile device and an NFC device according to one or more examples of the present invention. FIGS. 5A-5B are flowcharts of an example program for using an input device including a tactile device and an NFC device according to one or more examples of the present invention. In particular, FIGS. 5A and 5B further extend block 404 of FIG4. Therefore, FIGS. 5A and 5B will be described together with FIG4. Program 400 can be executed by input device 100 or 200, and in particular by processing system 110 or 205 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A. However, it will be appreciated that an input device including the additional and / or fewer components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used to execute program 400, any of the following blocks can be executed in any suitable order, and program 400 can be executed in any suitable environment. The descriptions, illustrations, and procedures in Figure 4 are merely exemplary, and procedure 400 may use other descriptions, illustrations, and procedures to use an input device that includes a tactile device (e.g., tactile device / coil 216) and an NFC device (e.g., NFC device / antenna 214).

[0057] In operation, at block 402, processing system 205 receives user input using an input device (e.g., input device 200), wherein the input device includes a PCB assembly (e.g., PCB assembly 211) having a haptic device (e.g., haptic device 216) and an NFC device (e.g., NFC device 214). The NFC device and the haptic device are located on the same PCB of the PCB assembly.

[0058] In block 404, processing system 205 coordinates the use of a haptic device to provide haptic feedback to the user and the use of an NFC device to transmit NFC signals. Figures 5A and 5B describe block 404 in more detail. Referring to Figure 5A, in block 502, processing system 205 drives the haptic device to provide haptic feedback to the user at a first time. In block 504, processing system 205 drives the NFC device to transmit NFC signals at a second time, different from the first time, to avoid electrical interference between the haptic device and the NFC device of the input device.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 5B, at block 512, the processing system 205 determines that the NFC device of the input device is communicating with or will communicate with a separate device. In response to this determination, at block 512, the processing system 205 modifies the haptic signal of the haptic device during the communication period to avoid electrical interference between the haptic device of the input device and the NFC device. The modification may include, for example, removing or minimizing the use of certain frequencies in the haptic signal.

[0060] In an alternative example, the tactile device can be configured to utilize a tactile signal that minimizes interference with the frequency used by the NFC device at all times, thus eliminating the need for the decision and modification steps of FIG5B.

[0061] All references cited herein (including publications, patent applications and patents) are hereby incorporated to the same extent that each reference is individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated as a reference and fully elaborated in the text.

[0062] In the context of illustrating exemplary embodiments of the disclosed content (especially in the context of the following claims), the terms “a” (a), “an” (an), “the” (an), “at least one” (at least one), and similar references shall be understood to encompass both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated in the text or clearly contradicted by the context. The use of the term “at least one” followed by a list of one or more items (e.g., “at least one of A and B”) shall be understood to mean one item selected from the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless otherwise indicated in the text or clearly contradicted by the context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” shall be understood as introductory terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to”), unless otherwise noted. The ranges of values ​​detailed herein are intended only as a simplified way of referring to each separate value falling within that range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated herein as individually stated. All methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by the context. The use of any and all examples or exemplary language provided herein (such as "e.g.") is intended only to better illustrate such exemplary embodiments of the disclosed content and does not constitute a limitation on the scope of the disclosed content unless otherwise claimed. No language in this specification should be construed as indicating that any non-claimed element is essential.

[0063] Certain specific embodiments of the disclosed content are described herein. Variations of those specific embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description. It should be anticipated that a skilled craftsman can appropriately employ such variations and implement the exemplary embodiments of the disclosed content in ways different from those specifically described herein. Accordingly, the disclosed content contemplates all modifications and equivalents of the spirit stated in the appended claims as permitted by applicable law. Furthermore, the disclosed content contemplates any combination of elements from all the variations described above, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by the context.

Claims

1. An input device comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly including: a plurality of touch sensors configured to detect a user input from a user; a haptic coil configured to provide haptic feedback to the user in response to detecting the user input; and a near field communication (NFC) antenna configured to facilitate NFC communication; wherein the PCB assembly includes a single PCB, wherein the single PCB includes a plurality of layers, and wherein the touch sensors, the haptic coil, and the NFC antenna are located on one or more of the plurality of layers of the single PCB.

2. The input device as described in claim 1 further includes: a processing system configured to: coordinate the use of the haptic coil to provide the haptic feedback to the user and the use of the NFC antenna to transmit multiple NFC signals.

3. The input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing system is configured to coordinate the provision of the haptic feedback and the transmission of the NFC signals by: driving the haptic coil to provide the haptic feedback to the user at a first time; and driving the NFC antenna to transmit the NFC signals at a second time different from the first time to avoid electrical interference between the haptic coil and the NFC antenna.

4. The input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing system is configured to coordinate the provision of the haptic feedback and the transmission of the NFC signals by: determining that the NFC antenna is communicating with or will communicate with a separate device; and in response to the determination, modifying a haptic signal of the haptic coil during a period of communication to avoid electrical interference between the haptic coil and the NFC antenna.

5. The input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processing system is configured to modify the tactile signal by reducing the intensity of one or more frequencies used by the tactile coil to provide the tactile feedback.

6. The input device as claimed in claim 1 further includes: a processing system configured to: determine a sensing frequency for the touch sensors to avoid interference caused by the haptic coil and / or the NFC antenna, wherein the touch sensors are configured to detect the user input based on the sensing frequency.

7. The input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processing system is further configured to: generate a touch signal for detecting the user input based on the sensing frequency; and modify the filtering of the touch signal based on the haptic coil providing the haptic feedback or using the NFC antenna for the NFC communication.

8. The input device as claimed in claim 1 further comprises: a processing system configured to: select a first frequency as a sensing frequency for the touch sensors; select a second frequency for the haptic coil; and select a third frequency for the NFC antenna.

9. A method for detecting user input, comprising: using a plurality of touch sensors of an input device to detect the user input from a user, wherein the input device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, wherein the PCB assembly includes the touch sensors, a haptic coil, and a near field communication (NFC) antenna, wherein the PCB assembly includes a single PCB, wherein the single PCB includes a plurality of layers, and wherein the touch sensors, the haptic coil, and the NFC antenna are located on one or more of the plurality of layers of the single PCB; in response to detecting the user input, providing haptic feedback to the user using the haptic coil of the input device; and using the NFC antenna of the input device to facilitate NFC communication.

10. The method as described in claim 9 further comprises: providing the tactile feedback to the user using the haptic coil and transmitting multiple NFC signals using the NFC antenna, which are coordinated by a processing system of the input device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the coordination of providing the haptic feedback to the user and transmitting the NFC signals comprises: driving the haptic coil to provide the haptic feedback to the user at a first time; and driving the NFC antenna to transmit the NFC signals at a second time different from the first time to avoid electrical interference between the haptic coil and the NFC antenna.

12. The method as described in claim 10, wherein providing the haptic feedback to the user and the coordination of transmitting the NFC signals comprises: determining that the NFC antenna is communicating with or will communicate with a separate device; and in response to the determination, modifying a haptic signal of the haptic coil during a period of communication to avoid electrical interference between the haptic coil and the NFC antenna.

13. The method as described in claim 12, wherein modifying the tactile signal includes reducing the intensity of one or more frequencies used by the tactile coil to provide the tactile feedback.

14. The method as described in claim 9 further comprises: determining a sensing frequency for the touch sensors by a processing system of the input device to avoid interference caused by the haptic coil and / or the NFC antenna, wherein the touch sensors are configured to detect the user input based on the sensing frequency.

15. The method as described in claim 9 further comprises: selecting a first frequency as a sensing frequency for the touch sensors; selecting a second frequency for the haptic coil; and selecting a third frequency for the NFC antenna.

16. A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising: a plurality of touch sensors configured to detect a user input from a user; a haptic coil configured to provide haptic feedback to the user in response to detecting the user input; and a near field communication (NFC) antenna configured to facilitate NFC communication; wherein the PCB assembly includes a first PCB and a second PCB, wherein the touch sensors are located on the first PCB, and wherein the NFC antenna and the haptic coil are located on the second PCB.

Images