# US 10,120,507 B2 · Touch type input device

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- Number: US 10,120,507 B2
- Document ID: US10120507B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/751,428
- Filed: 2015-06-26
- Published: 2015-10-22
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-27
- Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masamichi Ando; Hidekazu Kano; Hiroaki Kitada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120507B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers}
- G06F 3/0445: {using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer}
- G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes}
- G06F 3/0485: Scrolling or panning
- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- G06F 2203/04102: Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
- G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
- G06F 2203/04106: 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
- G06F 2203/04806: Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
- G06F 2203/04808: Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

When determining that a level of a deformation detection signal is greater than a threshold, a controller assumes that a touch operation is performed at an initially-detected position and virtually at another position different from the position, and outputs a position detection signal to a processor indicating that the two touch positions and separate from each other based on the touch position. Thus, the controller converts the deformation detection signal into the position detection signal corresponding to a pinch-out operation, and outputs the position detection signal to the processor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A touch type input device comprising:
an operation surface;
a touch sensor configured to detect a single touch position corresponding to a location where a user has used a single finger to input a touch operation on the operation surface and to output a position detection signal indicating the single touch position;
a deformation detection sensor configured to detect a level of a deformation operation at the single touch position on the operation surface and to output a deformation level detection signal which varies over time as a function of the level of the deformation operation; and
a controller configured to output a position signal as a function of the position detection and deformation level detection signals, the position signal corresponding to:
(a) the single touch position when the deformation level detection signal is less than a threshold value; and
(b) two or more spaced locations on the operation surface when the level detection signal is greater than the threshold value, the spaced locations varying over time, one of the two or more spaced locations corresponding to the single touch position, the other of the spaced locations corresponding to virtual touch positions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The touch type input device of claim 1, wherein the pair of position signals correspond two or more spaced locations correspond to a pinch operation and the spaced locations move relative to one another over time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The touch type input device of claim 2, wherein the touch position moves over time and the controller determines whether the pinch operation is a pinch-in or a pinch-out operation as a function of movement of the touch position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The touch type input device of claim 3, wherein the touch position moves over time and the controller determines that the pinch operation is a pinch-in operation when the location of the touch position moves in a first direction and determines that the pinch operation is a pinch-out operation when the location of the touch position moves in a second direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The touch type input device of claim 2, wherein the controller determines whether the pinch operation is a pinch-in or a pinch-out operation as a function of the number of times a touch operation takes place within a predetermined time period.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The touch type input device of claim 1, wherein a distance between the spaced locations varies as a function of the level of the deformation level detection signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The touch type input device of claim 1, wherein the deformation operation is one of a pressing operation, a bending operation or a twisting operation.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The touch type input device of claim 1, wherein the level of the deformation sensor detects deformation of a side surface of the touch type input device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The touch type input device of claim 1, wherein the deformation sensor detects the level of the deformation of a rear surface of the touch type input device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The touch type input device of claim 1, wherein the deformation operation is detected at the location of the touch operation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The touch type input device of claim 10, wherein the spaced locations on the operation surface are a function of the location of the deformation operation on the operation surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The touch type input device of claim 1, wherein the deformation detection sensor comprises a piezoelectric film made of a chiral polymer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The touch type input device of claim 12, wherein the chiral polymer is composed of polylactic acid.

### Claim 14

A method for detecting a touch operation on an operation surface of an input device, the method comprising:
detecting a single touch position corresponding to a location where a user has used a single finger to input a touch operation on the operation surface and outputting a position detection signal indicating the single touch position;
detecting a level of a deformation operation at the single touch position on the operation surface and outputting a deformation level detection signal which varies as a function of the level of the deformation operation; and
outputting a position signal as a function of the position detection and deformation level detection signals, the position signal:
(a) the single touch position when a level of the deformation level detection signal is less than a threshold value; and
(b) two or more spaced locations on the operation surface when the level of the deformation level detection signal is greater than the threshold value, the spaced locations varying over time, one of the two or more spaced locations corresponding to the single touch position, the other of the spaced locations corresponding to virtual touch positions.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the two or more spaced locations correspond to a pinch.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the touch position moves over time and it is determined that (a) the pinch operation is a pinch-in operation when the touch position moves in a first direction and (b) the pinch operation is a pinch-out operation when the touch position moves in a second direction.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether the pinch operation is a pinch-in or a pinch-out operation as a function of movement of the touch position over time.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the pinch operation is a pinch-in or a pinch-out operation as a function of the number of times a touch operation takes place within a predetermined time period.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a distance between the spaced locations vary as a function of the level of the deformation level detection signal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the deformation operation is one of a pressing operation, a bending operation or a twisting operation.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the deformation operation takes place on the operation surface.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the deformation operation takes place on a side surface of the input device.

### Claim 23 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the deformation operation takes place on a rear surface of the touch input device.

### Claim 24 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the deformation operation takes place on the operation surface at a location corresponding to the touch operation.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the spaced locations on the operation surface are a function of the location of the deformation operation on the operation surface.