Sensing apparatus, electronic device, and control method for electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12411552-B2
Application number	US-202318324010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2023
Priority date	Nov 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

This application discloses a sensing apparatus, an electronic device, and a control method for the electronic device. The sensing apparatus includes a circuit board and a plurality of control points fixed to the circuit board, and each of the plurality of control points is located at a different position on the circuit board. Each control point includes memory alloy layers and elastic layers that are superposed and fixed in a one-to-one correspondence. When temperatures of all the memory alloy layers are lower than a specified threshold, all the memory alloy layers are located in a first plane. When a temperature of a specified memory alloy layer is higher than the specified threshold, the specified memory alloy layer is bent and deformed. Each memory alloy layer is connected to two electrodes for connecting the memory alloy layer to a circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensing apparatus, comprising a circuit board and a plurality of control points fixed to the circuit board,
wherein each control point of the plurality of control points is located at a different position on the circuit board, each control point comprises at least two memory alloy layers and an elastic layer, the at least two memory alloy layers and the elastic layer of each control point are superposed and fixed in a one-to-one correspondence, each memory alloy layer is connected to two electrodes, and the two electrodes are located on the circuit board,
wherein, when a temperature of each memory alloy layer is lower than a specified threshold, all the control points are located on a first plane, and, when a temperature of a specified memory alloy layer is higher than the specified threshold, the specified memory alloy layer and the elastic layer are deformed, and a part of a control point corresponding to the specified memory alloy layer is protruded from the first plane, and
wherein vibration frequencies of the at least two memory alloy layers of a first control point are configured to be controlled to be different.

2. The sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each control point comprises at least two memory alloy layers.

3. The sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory alloy layer is a strip memory alloy layer, one end of the strip memory alloy layer is fixed to the circuit board, and another end of the strip memory alloy layer is free relative to the circuit board.

4. An electronic device, comprising:
a sensing apparatus, the sensing apparatus comprising a circuit board and a plurality of control points fixed to the circuit board,
wherein each control point of the plurality of control points is located at a different position on the circuit board, each control point comprises at least two memory alloy layers and an elastic layer, the at least two memory alloy layers and the elastic layer of each control point are superposed and fixed in a one-to-one correspondence, each memory alloy layer is connected to two electrodes, and the two electrodes are located on the circuit board, and
wherein, when a temperature of each memory alloy layer is lower than a specified threshold, all the control points are located on a first plane, and, when a temperature of a specified memory alloy layer is higher than the specified threshold, the specified memory alloy layer and the elastic layer are deformed, and a part of a control point corresponding to the specified memory alloy layer is protruded from the first plane; and

a control circuit electrically connected to the sensing apparatus, wherein the control circuit comprises a plurality of groups of input/output interfaces, the two electrodes of each memory alloy layer are electrically connected to a group of input/output interfaces of the plurality of groups of input/output interfaces in a one-to-one correspondence,
wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust an amount of electricity of one or more of the memory alloy layers, wherein the amount of electricity controls a temperature of the memory alloy layer,
wherein the control circuit is configured to receive to-be-transmitted information, and control, based on the to-be-transmitted information, the amount of electricity of a memory alloy layer of a first control point of the plurality of control points, so that the memory alloy layer of the first control point vibrates, and
wherein the control circuit is further configured to control that vibration frequencies of the at least two memory alloy layers of the first control point are different.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein each control point comprises at least two memory alloy layers.

6. The electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the memory alloy layer is a strip memory alloy layer, one end of the strip memory alloy layer is fixed to the circuit board, and another end of the strip memory alloy layer is free relative to the circuit board.

7. The electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to control a vibration sequence of the first control point based on the to-be-transmitted information.

8. The electronic device according to claim 4 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to monitor the temperature of the memory alloy layer, the control circuit is configured to obtain a temperature signal of the temperature sensor, and the temperature signal is a signal triggered in response to the temperature of the memory alloy layer that is detected by the temperature sensor reaching the specified threshold, and
wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine an amount of electricity when the temperature signal is received as an amount of electricity driving deformation of the memory alloy layer.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8 , further comprising a reference memory alloy layer disposed on the circuit board, wherein the temperature sensor is further configured to monitor a temperature of the reference memory alloy layer.

10. The electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the electronic device comprises a virtual keyboard, the sensing apparatus and the virtual keyboard are superposed, the virtual keyboard comprises a virtual key, the virtual key corresponds to one of the control points of the sensing apparatus, and, when the virtual key is operated, the control circuit is further configured to control vibration of a control point corresponding to an operated virtual key.

11. The electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the electronic device comprises a watch, a wristband, a ring, a glove, a mobile phone, or smart clothing.

12. A control method for an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a sensing apparatus, and the sensing apparatus comprising a circuit board and a plurality of control points fixed to the circuit board,
wherein each control point of the plurality of control points is located at a different position on the circuit board, each control point comprises at least two memory alloy layers and an elastic layer, the at least two memory alloy layers and the elastic layer of each control point are superposed and fixed in a one-to-one correspondence, each memory alloy layer is connected to two electrodes, and the two electrodes are located on the circuit board, and
wherein, when a temperature of each memory alloy layer is lower than a specified threshold, all the control points are located on a first plane, and, when a temperature of a specified memory alloy layer is higher than the specified threshold, the specified memory alloy layer and the elastic layer are deformed, and a part of a control point corresponding to the specified memory alloy layer is protruded from the first plane;

a control circuit electrically connected to the sensing apparatus, wherein the control circuit comprises a plurality of groups of input/output interfaces, the two electrodes of each memory alloy layer are electrically connected to a group of input/output interfaces of the plurality of groups of input/output interfaces in a one-to-one correspondence,
wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust an amount of electricity of one or more of the memory alloy layers, wherein the amount of electricity controls a temperature of the memory alloy layer,
wherein the control circuit is configured to receive to-be-transmitted information, and control, based on the to-be-transmitted information, the amount of electricity of a memory alloy layer of a first control point, so that the memory alloy layer of the first control point vib

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ni Gang
• Huang Tao
• Zhang Huimin

Classifications

• G09B21/003 Primary

  using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays · 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

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G04G17/045

  Mounting of the display · CPC title

• G04G17/02

  Component assemblies · CPC title