Force Sensor Integration in Touch Screen Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional touch screens lack effective means to detect and differentiate between actual and false touch inputs, particularly in environments where varying forces are applied, leading to potential misinterpretation of user interactions.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a force sensor within the touch screen using a force-sensitive material with changing electrical or magnetic properties, coupled with electrodes and a force concentrator, which absorbs and transfers applied forces to detect changes in conductivity, enabling precise force detection and differentiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional touch screen mechanisms are used, then the touch screen can detect touch inputs, but it cannot effectively differentiate between actual and false touch inputs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a force sensor with a touch screen by integrating the force-sensitive material between the touch screen layers and the substrate. This merging allows the touch screen to simultaneously detect both touch location (through the existing touch-sensitive electrodes) and applied force (through the force sensor), enabling differentiation between actual user touches and false signals from objects like glasses or hats.
Solution Approach 2:
The force-sensitive material acts as an intermediary element between the touch screen and the user's finger or object. It mediates the detection process by providing an additional force measurement dimension that helps distinguish between valid touch inputs and false signals, without interfering with the primary touch detection function.
2Reliability
If force sensing capability is added to the touch screen, then false touch differentiation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force-sensitive material is implemented as a thin film layer that can be integrated between the existing touch screen layers. This thin-film approach adds the force sensing capability without requiring a complete redesign of the touch screen structure, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while still providing effective false touch discrimination.
Solution Approach 2:
The force-sensitive material serves multiple functions: it detects force magnitude, helps differentiate between actual and false touches, and can work in conjunction with existing touch screen electrode systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated force sensing components, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the ability to accurately detect and distinguish between touch inputs and false signals by concentrating applied forces onto a sensitive material, improving the reliability of user interaction data in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
a force sensor within a touch screen. The force sensor can comprise a force-sensitive material that can exhibit changing electrical or magnetic properties as force is applied onto the material
Implementation Method 2
a force concentrator that can absorb all, or substantially all, of a force applied onto the touch screen, thereby transferring that force to the force-sensitive material
Data Source
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AI summary
A quantum tunneling composite, or other material exhibiting changing electrical or magnetic properties as force on the material is increased, can be located within a force concentrator integrated into traditional touch screen layers to sense force applied on the touch screen. The force concentrator can be a protrusion from the layer planes of the layers in a traditional touch screen and can be formed, at least in part, from printed elements. The amount of protrusion of the force concentrator can be adjusted through multi-pass printing and thicker deposit printing. The force concentrator can also have optically clear adhesive layered over it. The force-sensitive material can be optionally pre-loaded so as to operate within a substantially linear feedback range. A sensing mechanism can be configured to detect changes in force at multiple locations or to detect the application of force irrespective of location.