Characterization of force-sensor equipped devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11733112-B2
Application number	US-202117218322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2021
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A method of recording measurement data for characterizing a response of a given type of device to an applied force, the given type defining devices of that type as comprising a defined arrangement of a surface and N force sensors of the device concerned, where N≥1, each force sensor configured to output a sensor signal, wherein in the defined arrangement the N force sensors are operatively coupled to a defined input region of the surface so as to sense a force applied to that input region, the method comprising: for a specimen device of the given type, performing at least one measurement procedure, each measurement procedure comprising at least one measurement operation, each measurement operation comprising applying a defined force at a corresponding location on the input region of the device concerned and recording measurement data for that device and location based on the sensor signals of the N force sensors of that device. Also disclosed are a related computer-implemented method of generating a characterization definition for devices of the given type, a computer-implemented method of generating a configuration definition for devices of the given type for a given use case defined by a use-case definition, a method of configuring a candidate device of the given type for the given use case, and a method of assessing or calibrating a candidate device of the given type.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a configuration definition for configuring a given type of device for a given use case defined by a use-case definition, the given type defining devices of that type as comprising a defined arrangement of a surface and N force sensors of the device concerned, where N≥2, each force sensor configured to output a sensor signal, wherein in the defined arrangement the N force sensors are operatively coupled to a defined input region of the surface so as to sense a force applied to that input region, the method comprising:
recording measurement data for devices of the given type by:
for a specimen device of the given type, performing at least one measurement procedure, each measurement procedure comprising at least one measurement operation, each measurement operation comprising applying a defined force at a corresponding location on the input region of the device concerned and recording measurement data for that device and location based on the sensor signals of the N force sensors of that device,
wherein each measurement procedure comprises P measurement operations, where P≥2, the respective locations for the P measurement operations on the input region of the device concerned being different from one another,
wherein the corresponding locations for the P measurement operations are distributed across the input region of the device concerned, and
wherein the method comprises performing each measurement procedure using a computer-controlled machine;

generating a characterization definition for devices of that type based on the recorded measurement data, wherein the characterization definition defines a response of devices of the given type to an applied force, and wherein generating the characterization definition comprises, based on the recorded measurement data, generating a characterization function per force sensor of the N force sensors, each characterization function defining a relationship between input region location and sensitivity of the force sensor concerned; and
generating the configuration definition based on the characterization definition and the use-case definition,
wherein generating the configuration definition comprises generating cross-talk information by determining from the characterization definition, for at least one of the N force sensors, a magnitude of the sensor signal for each other force sensor of the N force sensors at an input region location where the sensor signal for the force sensor concerned has its maximum value.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the use-case definition defines M virtual buttons, where M≥1, each virtual button corresponding to a respective portion of the input region; and
the configuration definition defines a mapping between the N force sensors and the M virtual buttons, such as between the sensor signals of the N force sensors and button signals of the M virtual buttons.

3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising generating the mapping based on information defining locations of the N sensors relative to the input region or respective portions of the input region corresponding to the M virtual buttons.

4. The method according to claim 2 , comprising generating the mapping based on one or more use-case cost functions each defining an effect of the mapping on one or more performance metrics which measure performance of the device concerned against the use-case definition.

5. The method according to claim 4 , comprising generating the mapping to reduce, minimize, increase or maximize at least one use-case cost function or a combination of at least two use-case cost functions.

6. The method according to claim 4 , comprising generating the mapping to:
reduce or minimize cross-talk between the M virtual buttons, where M≥2, by adjusting the mapping to reduce or minimise a cross-talk cost function being a use-case cost function which defines an effect of the mapping on cross-talk between the M virtual buttons;
assist detection of simultaneous pressing of two of the M virtual buttons, where M≥2, by adjusting the mapping to reduce or minimise a simultaneous-press cost function being a use-case cost function which defines an effect of the mapping on simultaneous-press detection of two of the M virtual buttons; and/or
cause a maximum normalized force for each of the M virtual buttons to tend towards a common defined value, where M≥2, by adjusting the mapping to reduce or minimise a normalized-force cost function being a use-case cost function which defines the effect of the mapping on the maximum normalized force for each of the M virtual buttons.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein:
the configuration definition comprises parameter values which define the mapping;
the parameter values comprise standard parameter values defined for the given type of device and non-standard parameter values not defined for the given type of device; and
the method comprises generating the mapping based on the one or more use-case cost functions to maintain the number of non-standard parameter values at or below a threshold number of non-standard parameter values.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the use-case definition defines boundaries of portions of the input region corresponding to the M virtual buttons.

9. A method of configuring a candidate device of a given type for a given use case defined by a use-case definition, the given type defining devices of that type as comprising a defined arrangement of a surface and N force sensors of the device concerned, where N≥2, each force sensor configured to output a sensor signal, wherein in the defined arrangement the N force sensors are operatively coupled to a defined input region of the surface so as to sense a force applied to that input region, the method comprising:
obtaining a configuration definition for configuring devices of the given type for the given use case, the configuration definition generated by the method of claim 1 ; and
configuring the candidate device with the configuration definition.

10. A method of assessing or calibrating a candidate device of a given type, the given type defining devices of that type as comprising a defined arrangement of a surface and N force sensors of the device concerned, where N>2, each force sensor configured to output a sensor signal, wherein in the defined arrangement the N force sensors are operatively coupled to a defined input region of the surface so as to sense a force applied to that input region, the method comprising:
performing at least one measurement operation on the candidate device, the measurement operation comprising applying a defined force at a given location on its input region and recording test data for the candidate device and that location based on the sensor signal of at least one of the N force sensors of the candidate device; and
assessing or calibrating the candidate device based on the test data and a configuration definition for devices of that type, the configuration definition generated by the method of claim 1 .

11. The method according to claim 10 , comprising:
calculating sensitivities of one or more of the N force sensors of the candidate device based on the test data and the characterization definition;
comparing the calculated sensitivities to corresponding sensitivities of one or more of the N force sensors defined by the characterization definition; and
adjusting one or more parameters of the candidate device, or determining that the candidate device does not meet a performance requirement defined for the given type, based on the comparison.

12. A computer-implemented method of generating a co

Assignees

• Cirrus Logic Int Semiconductor Ltd
• Cirrus Logic Inc

Inventors

• Birchall Tom
• Sepehr Hamid
• Campbell Colin
• Kulpe Jason
• Yong Chin
• Peso Parada Pablo

Classifications

• G01L5/16 Primary

  for measuring several components of force · CPC title

• G06F3/0414

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F1/1692 Primary

  the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders · CPC title

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title