Smartphone Touch Sensor Pressure Detection Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current smartphones lack the capability to simultaneously detect touch position and touch pressure without degrading the performance of the display module, which is essential for providing accurate user input and maintaining user experience.
Innovation Solution
A smartphone configuration that incorporates a capacitance-type touch sensor panel with drive electrodes and receiving electrodes, along with a pressure detection module, which includes a spacer layer and pressure electrodes to detect touch pressure by measuring changes in capacitance, allowing for simultaneous detection of touch position and pressure without compromising display quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a touch sensor panel is attached to the front side of a display screen to enable touch detection, then touch position detection capability is improved, but display module performance (optical transmittance and clarity) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new spatial dimension by placing pressure-sensitive electrodes between the display module and the touch sensor panel, rather than only on the front surface. This layered arrangement allows pressure detection without interfering with the optical path, thus maintaining display clarity while adding touch pressure sensitivity capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary pressure detection layer with pressure-sensitive electrodes positioned between the display module and touch sensor panel. This intermediary structure detects touch pressure through capacitance changes caused by panel deformation, enabling pressure sensitivity without compromising the display's optical properties.
2Measurement precision
If additional pressure detection components are added to detect touch pressure, then pressure detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch sensor panel serves multiple functions: it detects both touch position (through conventional capacitance sensing) and touch pressure (through deformation-induced capacitance changes in the pressure-sensitive electrodes). This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate pressure sensing components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the pressure detection function with the existing touch sensor panel structure by integrating pressure-sensitive electrodes into the same assembly. The pressure-sensitive electrodes share the same physical space and structural framework as the touch sensor, combining multiple sensing functions into a unified system.
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 the smartphone to accurately detect both touch position and pressure, enhancing user input capabilities while maintaining the display's optical transmittance and clarity.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of sensor electrodes located on the first side of the structural component configured to capacitively sense positional information associated with user input
Implementation Method 2
the pressure detection module may include a spacer layer and pressure electrodes spaced apart from each other, and the magnitude of the touch pressure may be detected by a change in capacitance between the display module and the reference potential layer
Data Source
Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b~4a
Figure 4b~4c
AI summary
A smartphone may be provided that includes: a cover layer; an LCD panel which is located under the cover layer and includes a liquid crystal layer, and a first glass layer and a second glass layer between which the liquid crystal layer is placed, wherein at least a portion of a touch sensor which senses touch in a capacitive manner is located between the first glass layer and the second glass layer; a backlight unit which is located under the LCD panel; a pressure electrode which is located under the backlight unit; a shielding member which is located under the pressure electrode; and a converter which converts a signal including information for a change amount of capacitance outputted from the pressure electrode to a digital signal. The touch sensor includes a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of receiving electrodes. A drive signal is applied to the touch sensor and a touch position is detected from a sensing signal which is outputted from the touch sensor. A magnitude of a touch pressure is detected from the digital signal.