Force detection method, apparatus and device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10534469-B2
Application number	US-201815942709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 23, 2016
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of touch technologies, and provides a force detection method, apparatus and device. The force detection method includes: receiving a deformation caused by external force and identified by at least one sensing electrode, and converting the deformation into a corresponding raw feature value characterized by an electrical signal, wherein the raw feature value corresponds to the force; and calculating force information fed back by the at least one sensing electrode according to the raw feature value of the at least one sensing electrode. With the force detection method, apparatus and device according to the invention, when a plurality of positions is pressed by force, the force information at each position may be accurately acquired. In practice, multi-finger press detection may be implemented on the touch screen by using fewer electrodes, thereby reducing the cost and improving the user experience.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A force detection device, comprising:
a force sensor, comprising at least one sensing electrode, and configured to identify a deformation caused by external force applied to the force sensor, and convert the deformation into a corresponding raw feature value characterized by an electrical signal, wherein the raw feature value is corresponding to the force;
at least one processor, configured to
acquire a force curve corresponding to each of the at least one sensing electrode, wherein the force curve represents a relationship between the raw feature value of the corresponding sensing electrode and the force, wherein the force curve is acquired by way of directly presetting or independently establishing,
acquire a relative elastic coefficient of a position relative to each sensing electrode, wherein the elastic coefficient is acquired by way of directly presetting or independently establishing, and the relative elastic coefficient is configured to indicate a difference of deformation of the sensing electrode when force is applied to different positions relative to the sensing electrode, and
calculate force information fed back by the at least one sensing electrode according to the raw feature value of the at least one sensing electrode; and
a memory, configured to store data supporting normal operation of the processor.

2. The force detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the force sensor comprises a resistive sensor and/or a capacitive sensor.

3. The force detection device according to claim 2 , wherein the force sensor further comprises a press surface and a detection circuit unit; wherein when the external force is applied to the press surface, the deformation of the press surface causes a resistance and/or capacitance variation between the press surface and the sensing electrode, and the detection circuit unit is configured to identify the resistance and/or capacitance variation and convert the variation into an electrical signal, the electrical signal is output in a specific format to be the raw feature value representing a corresponding press force.

4. A force detection method, comprising:
receiving a deformation caused by external force and identified by at least one sensing electrode;
converting the deformation into a corresponding raw feature value characterized by an electrical signal, wherein the raw feature value corresponds to the force;
acquiring a force curve corresponding to each of the at least one sensing electrode, wherein the force curve represents a relationship between the raw feature value of the corresponding sensing electrode and the force, wherein the force curve is acquired by way of directly presetting or independently establishing;
acquiring a relative elastic coefficient of a position relative to each sensing electrode, wherein the elastic coefficient is acquired by way of directly presetting or independently establishing, and the relative elastic coefficient is configured to indicate a difference of deformation of the sensing electrode when force is applied to different positions relative to the sensing electrode; and
calculating force information fed back by the at least one sensing electrode according to the raw feature value of the at least one sensing electrode.

5. The force detection method according to claim 1 , wherein the acquiring a relative elastic coefficient of a position relative to each sensing electrode comprises:
dividing an entire touch screen into a plurality of regions, each region is configured as a logic channel;
recording feature data of each sensing electrode when been pressed at the center of each region by predetermined force, and;
introducing the recorded feature data of each sensing electrode into the force curve corresponding to each sensing electrode to obtain calculated force; and
calculating the relative elastic coefficient of each logic channel relative to each sensing electrode according to the calculated force.

6. The force detection method according to claim 5 , wherein the calculating force information fed back by each sensing electrode according to the raw feature value of the sensing electrode comprises:
introducing the acquired raw feature value of each sensing electrode into the force curve corresponding to the sensing electrode;
reading prestored data of the relative elastic coefficient of the current logic channel relative to the sensing electrode; and
rectifying the calculated force according to the data of the relative elastic coefficient, and outputting a final result.

7. The force detection method according to claim 6 , wherein when the press position does not fall at the center of the logic channel, the relative elastic coefficient at the press position is estimated according to the relative elastic coefficient of the logical channel adjacent to the press position.

8. The force detection method according to claim 6 , wherein when M different positions are respectively pressed by M forces simultaneously, a set of equations is established based on forces fed back by the sensing electrodes and relative elastic coefficients at the M positions relative to the sensing electrodes, and Q equations are selected from the set of equations to solve the force corresponding to each position, wherein Q and M are both positive integers, and Q≥M.

Assignees

• Shenzhen Goodix Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Gui Xintao
• Chen Xiaoxiang
• Cui Jian
• Chen Zhiyou

Classifications

• G06F3/045

  using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact · CPC title

• G01L1/14 Primary

  by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G01L1/205

  using distributed sensing elements · CPC title

• G06F3/0414 Primary

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title