Pressure-Sensing Touch Screen With Resistive Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional touch sensing technologies fail to accurately measure and resolve pressure applied to individual locations on a touch screen, often responding to proximity instead of actual contact, leading to inaccurate pressure measurement and reliance on non-intuitive gestures for content manipulation.

Innovation Solution

A pressure-sensing touch screen system that includes a transparent touch panel with orthogonal transparent electrode layers and a resilient composite layer, which measures pressure by changes in conductivity, allowing for precise measurement and proportional adjustment of content based on applied force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional touch sensing technologies are used to determine pressure based on contact area, then the system can respond to touch input, but the pressure measurement is inaccurate and does not reflect the actual force applied

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure measurement accuracyVSAvoidforce measurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional capacitive touch sensing (which measures contact area) with a force-sensitive resistive touch panel that directly measures applied force through electrical resistance changes. The force-sensitive resistive layer converts mechanical force into electrical signals through changes in resistance, providing accurate force measurement rather than relying on contact area calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the measurement parameter from contact area (capacitive sensing) to electrical resistance (resistive sensing). The force-sensitive resistive layer exhibits variable resistance that directly correlates with applied force magnitude, allowing the system to measure actual force rather than inferring it from contact area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If capacitive touch screens respond to proximity, then the screen is responsive to user input, but it may respond without actual contact being made

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch responsivenessVSAvoidcontact detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces capacitive sensing (which detects proximity through electrical field changes) with resistive sensing that requires actual physical contact. The force-sensitive resistive layer only generates signals when mechanical force is applied, ensuring that the system responds only to genuine touch input with actual contact, eliminating false responses to proximity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If non-intuitive gestures are used for content manipulation, then content can be adjusted independently of pressure, but the user interface becomes less intuitive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent manipulation capabilityVSAvoidgesture intuitiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the control parameter from gesture type (requiring complex multi-finger movements) to force magnitude (simple pressure variation). The force-sensitive resistive layer detects variations in applied force, allowing users to manipulate content through natural pressure changes - lighter touches for subtle adjustments, heavier presses for significant changes - making the interface more intuitive while maintaining versatile content manipulation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Enables intuitive and accurate manipulation of touch screen content by directly correlating pressure applied with the extent of adjustment, providing a more precise and user-friendly interface.

Implementation Method 1

a force-sensitive resistive layer having a plurality of conductive traces forming a plurality of conducting paths between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer, wherein the resistive layer is configured to measure pressure applied to the touch screen by detecting a change in resistance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPiezoresistive effect: Piezoresistive Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2470982B1Methods and apparatuses for pressure-based manipulation of content on a touch screen

Publication Date: 2017.05.03 SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES LLC

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AI summary

Methods and apparatus are provided for manipulating content displayed on a touch screen utilizing a transparent pressure-sensing touch panel. A method comprises displaying content on the touch screen and obtaining one or more pressure metrics for an input gesture on the transparent pressure-sensing touch panel. Each pressure metric corresponds to pressure (or force) applied to the transparent pressure-sensing touch panel by a respective impression of the input gesture. The method further comprises adjusting the displayed content on the touch screen in response to the input gesture, wherein the displayed content is adjusted based on the one or more pressure metrics for the input gesture.