Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
  • G06F3/0412—Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
  • G06F3/044—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means by capacitive means
  • G06F3/0447—Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of multitouch tactile sensors for controlling a device, preferably via a graphical interface, the sensor being provided with means for simultaneous acquisition of the position, the pressure, the size, the shape and movement of several fingers on its surface.
• Known multipoint touch sensors are known in the state of the art.
• the patent WO2005 / 091104 describes a device for the control of a computerized equipment comprising a two-dimensional multicontact sensor for the acquisition of tactile information, characterized in that it further comprises a display screen disposed under the two-dimensional tactile sensor, and a memory for the recording of graphic objects each associated with at least one processing law, and a local computer for analyzing the position of the acquired tactile information and the application of a treatment law according to said position with respect to the position of the graphic objects.
• the sensors of the state of the art have the drawback of an erroneous response in the case where three contacts are aligned along two orthonormal axes. In this case, it is not possible to detect the presence or the disappearance of an additional contact. The first three contacts hide the detection of additional contacts.
• an active matrix multipoint touch sensor comprising:
• a matrix layer having NxM independent cells each of the P xy cells being connected to a line L x and to a column C through an element of switching, the lines L x being common to all the cells P x ⁇ i being between 1 and N, and the columns C y being common to all the cells P jy j being between 1 and Q, Q being at most equal to M, - an intermediate layer capable of causing a local modification of the electrical properties of the cells located beneath the tactile activation zone, said intermediate layer being placed between the active surface and the adjacent surface of said P xy - an upper activation layer allowing a tactile interaction
• an electronic circuit controlling sequentially for each set of cells C a # bl . b2 with b2-b1 being between 1 and Q, a first step of activating said cells C a # b1 b2 and then a second step of detecting the electrical properties of each cell C a 1 b 1 b 2 individually to deliver representative information activated zones tactilely.
• each of the layers is transparent. This variant makes it possible to visualize through the sensor graphical information, in particular information the configuration of which is controlled by the actions detected by the sensor positioned on this screen.
• the senor further comprises an additional display layer common to all the cells.
• each of the cells P XfY further comprises display means.
• said display means are activated by the signal generated during said first activation step.
• the circuit comprises means for controlling said signal generated during said first activation step as a function of the desired display parameters, and detection control means during said second step, a function of the signal applied to said cell. during the first stage. This variant makes it possible to alternately control the display and the detection of the signal.
• the intermediate layer is cut into separate elements each corresponding to at least one cell.
• the intermediate layer is formed by a single zone.
• the intermediate layer comprises a piezoelectric material.
• a sensor is constituted by a dielectric substrate on which distributed electrodes are deposited to form an active matrix of cells, this matrix layer being covered by an intermediate detection layer formed by a sheet of piezoelectric material, this sheet being covered by a uniform transparent conductor sheet.
• it consists of a dielectric substrate on which are deposited electrodes each coated with a piezoelectric material, this matrix layer being covered by a uniform transparent conductor sheet.
• the senor according to the invention comprises activation means of the piezoelectric material by electrical signals applied to said electrodes.
• the intermediate layer comprises a dielectric material, the detection being carried out by an impedance measurement.
• such a sensor is constituted by a dielectric substrate on which distributed electrodes are deposited to form an active matrix of cells, this matrix layer being covered by an intermediate detection layer formed by a sheet of material whose resistivity is a function of the deformation in a direction perpendicular to the sensor surface, this sheet being covered by a uniform transparent conductor sheet.
• it is constituted by a dielectric substrate on which electrodes each coated with a material whose resistivity is a function of the deformation in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sensor, this matrix layer being covered by a sheet of uniform transparent conductor.
• the senor is constituted by a dielectric substrate on which distributed electrodes are deposited to form an active matrix of cells, this matrix layer being covered by an insulating layer.
• said switching element is a bidirectional element. This solution makes it possible to modify the behavior of the intermediate layer and to measure the variations of its behavior.
• the senor is constituted by a dielectric substrate on which are deposited electrodes forming a matrix coated with a layer of liquid crystal, this layer being covered by a uniform transparent conductor sheet.
• the senor is constituted by a dielectric substrate on which are deposited electrodes forming an active matrix coated with a liquid crystal layer, this layer being covered by a uniform transparent conductor sheet.
• said switching element is a MOSFET transistor.
• FIG. 1 represents an exploded view of a sensor according to an embodiment in which the intermediate layer is uniform
• FIG. 2 represents an exploded view of a sensor according to an embodiment where the intermediate layer is cut into isolated zones
• FIG. 3 represents a detailed view of a set of cells of a first embodiment
• FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of a set of cells of a second embodiment
• FIG. 5 represents a detailed sectional view of a set of cells of a third embodiment
• FIG. 6 represents a detailed sectional view of a set of cells of a fourth embodiment
• FIG. 7 is a detailed sectional view of a set of cells of a fifth embodiment.
• Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a sensor according to an embodiment where the intermediate layer is uniform.
• FIG. 2 represents an exploded view of a sensor according to an embodiment in which the intermediate layer is cut into isolated zones
• Figure 3 shows a detailed view of a set of cells of a first embodiment.
• the multicontact touch screen is constituted by a TFT active matrix having NxM independent cells, each cell Ci being addressed independently by two signals.
• Active matrixing makes it possible to independently address a matrix composed of X identical cells. Milling is done with two signals per cell. The signals are common for cells aligned on the same column or on the same line. In this way, the number of signals to be transmitted (2 minimums per cell) to control N x M cells is only N + M instead of N x M x 2.
• the use of a transistor at the terminals of each cell allows to independently address a cell.
• Each cell comprises a MOSFET transistor (20) with three electrodes (21 to 23): a gate (22), a drain (23) and a source (21).
• the transistor is on when the Grid / Source voltage (Vgs) is greater than a threshold (Vth).
• the drain (23) is connected to the box (24).
• the grid (gate) is connected to the line and the source (21) to the column.
• Figure 4 shows a sectional view of a capacitive sensor using the construction of a TFT liquid crystal display.
• This sensor includes: a substrate (40), for example a glass sheet with a thickness of two millimeters,
• a metallized TFT matrix on a lower layer comprising transparent conductive cells forming electrodes (41) made of a material such as ITO, conductive polymers, other transparent conductive material, with a surface of 10 mm 2, for example.
• a top layer (42) transparent dielectric thin (100 ⁇ m) and high relative permittivity (eg PVC: 5) and protecting the lower layer of external aggression.
• This layer (42) is transparent.
• the activation system (for example a finger) creates a closed electrical circuit with one of the reference voltages of the measuring system (eg the mass) when it is close to the cell (it behaves like an electrode ).
• Fig. 5 shows a pressure sensitive sensor based on a transparent piezoelectric material.
• This sensor includes:
• an intermediate layer (54) of transparent piezoelectric material eg piezoelectric polymer, piezoelectric ceramic, etc.
• transparent piezoelectric material eg piezoelectric polymer, piezoelectric ceramic, etc.
• the TFT matrix makes it possible to independently measure the voltages at each location where an electrode is located. If the piezoelectric material is deposited in independent cells, the effects due to mechanical stress (pressure) will be localized and will not create mechanical-piezoelectric interdependence.
• the piezoelectric layer is, in the example described, common to all the cells.
• the sensor comprises a piezoelectric layer forming independent cells corresponding to the TFT cells.
• Figure 6 shows a detailed sectional view of a set of cells of a fourth embodiment. This variant is a pressure sensitive sensor based on a transparent conductive material whose resistivity changes under the effect of a deformation (due to mechanical pressure). This sensor includes:
• substrate (60) formed by a glass sheet having a thickness of two millimeters
• a metallized TFT matrix on a lower layer comprising transparent conductive cells (61 to 63),
• An intermediate layer of transparent conductive material for example a conductive polymer, uniform or forming cells independent of each other and covering the lower electrodes.
• a conductive upper layer (65) forming a transparent substrate metallized on a protective film (66).
• the TFT matrix makes it possible to independently measure the resistance at each location where an electrode is located.
• the implementation can be done in two ways:
• Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view of a cell assembly of a fifth sensor embodiment utilizing the integral construction of a standard TFT LCD.
• the sensor When pressure is exerted on the upper layer of an LCD, optical changes in the pressure zone and changes in the electrical properties of the liquid crystal in the same zone follow.
• the electrical characteristics R, C, charging time, etc.
• the sensor is connected to an electronic control circuit comprising N + M connections.
• the electrical circuit delivers a temporal scanning signal activating sequentially the NxM cells, and detecting the variations of the signal produced by the passage of the activated cell.
• the information is stored in a temporary memory to form an image of the sensor for each scan cycle.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 2006
  • 2006-06-28 FR FR0605828A patent/FR2903207B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2007
  • 2007-06-28 US US12/306,802 patent/US20100066686A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-06-28 CN CNA2007800321848A patent/CN101512467A/zh active Pending
  • 2007-06-28 EP EP07803805A patent/EP2033077A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-06-28 WO PCT/FR2007/001096 patent/WO2008000964A1/fr not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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