Sensing device and method with functions of force measurement, touch control and fingerprint identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10191604-B2
Application number	US-201715482029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2017
Priority date	Apr 7, 2016
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

A sensing device is provided with functions of force measurement, touch control and fingerprint identification. A first electrode layer has plural first electrodes. A switch and wire layer includes plural switch circuits, plural switch control lines and plural sensing signal lines. Each switch circuit is corresponding to an adjacent first electrode and electrically connected to the corresponding first electrode through a contact. Each switch control line includes two control wires and is electrically connected to two switch circuits. Each sensing signal line includes one sensing wire and is electrically connected to the two switch circuits. A force electrode layer has a force electrode. A compressible dielectric layer is arranged between the first electrode layer and the force electrode layer. The compressible dielectric layer is deformed when a force is applied, and restored to the original shape after the force is removed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensing method for a sensing device with functions of force measurement, touch control and fingerprint identification, the sensing device comprising:
a sensing electrode substrate;
a first electrode layer including a plurality of first electrodes;
a switch and wire layer including:
a plurality of switch circuits, each switch circuit corresponding to an adjacent first electrode;
a plurality of switch control lines, each switch control line including at least two control wires and being electrically connected to at least two switch circuits; and
a plurality of sensing signal lines, each sensing signal line including at least a sensing wire and being electrically connected to at least two switch circuits;

a force electrode layer including at least one force electrode;
a resilient dielectric layer arranged between the first electrode layer and the force electrode layer; and
a capacitance detection and switch array control circuit for directly or indirectly generating a switch control signal applied to the plurality of switch control lines, so as to determine which sensing wire is connected to the first electrodes;
the sensing method comprising the steps of:
executing a biometric identification timing, in which the capacitance detection and switch array control circuit controls the plurality of switch circuits to sequentially or randomly apply a capacitance detection stimulation signal to a selected first electrode, and receives a biometric sensing signal from the selected first electrode, so as to execute a biometric identification operation;
executing a touch control detection timing, in which the capacitance detection and switch array control circuit controls the plurality of switch circuits to configure the plurality of first electrodes into a plurality of touch control electrodes, and sequentially or randomly applies a capacitance detection stimulation signal to a selected touch control electrode, and receives a touch control sensing signal from the selected touch control electrode, so as to execute a touch control sensing operation, wherein each of the touch control electrodes includes at least fifty first electrodes; and
executing a force detection timing, in which the capacitance detection and switch array control circuit applies a capacitance detection stimulation signal to at least one of the force electrodes, and receives a force sensing signal from the force electrode, so as to execute a force detection operation.

2. The sensing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the capacitance detection stimulation signal is an alternating voltage of sine wave, square wave, triangle wave or trapezoidal wave, or an alternating current source signal.

3. The sensing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the biometric identification timing, a reflection signal in-phase with the capacitance detection stimulation signal is further applied to the first electrodes surrounding the selected first electrode.

4. The sensing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the touch control detection timing, a reflection signal in phase with the capacitance detection stimulation signal is further applied to the touch control electrodes surrounding the selected touch control electrode.

5. The sensing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the force detection timing, a capacitance stimulation counter signal is further applied to at least a selected touch control electrode.

6. The sensing method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the capacitance stimulation counter signal is a direct reference voltage level or an alternating signal out of phase with the capacitance detection stimulation signal.

7. The sensing method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein, in the force detection timing, a reflection signal in phase with the capacitance detection stimulation signal is further applied to the touch control electrodes exclusive of the selected touch control electrode.

8. The sensing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, when the touch control timing is finished, it further determines whether there is a touch detected and, if yes, executing the force detection timing.

9. The sensing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, when the touch control timing is finished, it determines whether there is a touch detected and, if yes, executing the biometric identification timing.

10. The sensing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the touch control timing, it determines whether there is a touch detected and, if yes, setting a touch flag and recording a coordinate of the touch flag, otherwise clearing or resetting the touch flag.

11. The sensing method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein it determines whether to execute the force detection timing according to whether the touch flag is set or not.

12. The sensing method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein it determines whether to execute the biometric identification timing according to whether the touch flag is set or not.

13. A sensing device with functions of force measurement, touch control and fingerprint identification, comprising:
a sensing electrode substrate;
a first electrode layer arranged at one side of the sensing electrode substrate and including a plurality of first electrodes arranged along a first direction and a second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction;
a switch and wire layer including:
a plurality of switch circuits, each switch circuit including at least three switches, each switch circuit corresponding to an adjacent first electrode and having a contact electrically connected to the corresponding first electrode;
a plurality of switch control lines, each switch control line including at least two control wires and being electrically connected to at least two switch circuits; and
a plurality of sensing signal lines, each sensing signal line including at least a sensing wire and being electrically connected to at least two switch circuits;

a force electrode layer arranged at one side of the first electrode layer opposite to the sensing electrode substrate, and including at least one force electrode; and
a resilient dielectric layer arranged between the first electrode layer and the force electrode layer, wherein the resilient dielectric layer is deformed when a force is applied thereto, and is restored to its original volume and shape when the force is removed therefrom.

14. The sensing device with functions of force measurement, touch control and fingerprint identification as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising a second electrode layer arranged between the switch and wire layer and the resilient dielectric layer, the second electrode layer including a plurality of second electrodes, each second electrode being corresponding to and electrically connected to one of the plurality of first electrodes.

15. The sensing device with functions of force measurement, touch control and fingerprint identification as claimed in claim 13 , wherein each of the switch control lines controls the switch circuits connected thereto for determining that each of the corresponding first electrodes is connected to which one of the sensing wires.

16. The sensing device with functions of force measurement, touch control and fingerprint identification as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising a capacitance detection and switch array control circuit for directly or indirectly generating a switch control signal for being applied to the plurality of switch control lines so as to configure that each of the first electrodes is connected to which one of the sensing wires thereby generating a capacitance detect

Assignees

• Superc Touch Corp

Inventors

• Lee Hsiang-Yu
• Chin Shang
• Lin Ping-Tsun

Classifications

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F2203/04111

  Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate · CPC title

• G06F2203/04106

  Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection · CPC title

• G06F3/0414 Primary

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title