# US 2017/0285840 A1 · Substrate, Display Device and Force Identification Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0285840 A1 - Document ID: US20170285840A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/399,353 - Filed: 2017-01-05 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. - Applicants: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Xiaoliang Ding; Xue Dong; Haisheng Wang; Xiaochuan Chen; Yingming Liu; Wei Liu; Pengpeng Wang; Tao Ren - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285840A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/045: using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/04166: {Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184)} - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G06F 2203/04104: Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A substrate includes a plurality of force sensitive resistors, among which at least two force sensitive resistors connected in series forms a force sensing unit, wherein the first end of the force sensing unit applied with a first voltage, and the second end of the force sensing unit applied with a second voltage which is different from the first voltage; a readout signal line tapped between two adjacent force sensitive resistors connected in series; and the force sensitive resistors are made of piezoresistive material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate, comprising a plurality of force sensitive resistors, among which at least two force sensitive resistors connected in series forms a force sensing unit, wherein the first end of the force sensing unit applied with a first voltage, and the second end of the force sensing unit applied with a second voltage which is different from the first voltage; a readout signal line tapped between two adjacent force sensitive resistors connected in series; and the force sensitive resistors are made of piezoresistive material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate according to claim 1, further comprising a current sensor connected with the force sensing unit in series, wherein the current sensor configured to measure a current flowing through the force sensing unit and the readout signal line is configured to read a voltage at a connection between the two adjacent force sensitive resistors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The substrate according to claim 1, wherein the force sensitive resistors is formed by a sensing wire disposed in a shape of continuous S. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The substrate according to claim 3, wherein the substrate is a display substrate, and the display substrate comprises a pixel unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The substrate according to claim 4, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of pixel units forming a pixel unit set and arranged in a matrix in the pixel unit set, the sensing wire is disposed along peripheries of the pixel units in the pixel unit set to form a shape of continuous S. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The substrate according to claim 1, wherein the force sensitive resistors are formed of a plurality of closed sensing wires which are connected in series. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The substrate according to claim 6, wherein the substrate is a display substrate, the display substrate comprises a plurality of pixel units, each of the closed sensing wires is disposed at periphery of the respective pixel units. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The substrate according to claim 1, further comprising a black matrix, wherein the force sensitive resistors are disposed over the black matrix. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The substrate according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a color filter substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A display device comprising the substrate according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A display device according to claim 9, further comprising a touch control element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A force identification method applicable to the display device of claim 10, comprising: applying a first voltage and a second voltage to the first end and the second end of the force sensing unit, respectively; acquiring a voltage drop across the respective force sensitive resistors through the readout signal line; wherein it is determined that a force is touched on the display device where the voltage drop varies. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The force identification method of claim 12, comprising: acquiring an initial voltage drop of the respective force sensitive resistors, acquiring an initial current flowing through the force sensing unit, and determining an initial resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors on basis of the acquired initial voltage drop and the acquired initial current; acquiring a current voltage drop of the respective force sensitive resistors, acquiring a present current flowing through the force sensing unit, and determining a current resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors on basis of the acquired current voltage drop and the acquired present current; and comparing the initial resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors with the current resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors, and determining a force sensitive resistor, resistance of which varies, being touched. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The force identification method of claim 12, comprising: acquiring an initial voltage at an output terminal of the respective force sensitive resistors through the readout signal line so as to obtain an initial voltage drop on the respective force sensitive resistors, acquiring an initial current flowing through the force sensing unit, and determining an initial resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors on basis of the initial voltage drop and the initial current, and storing the initial resistance; acquiring a current voltage at the output terminal of the respective force sensitive resistors through the readout signal line so as to obtain a current voltage drop on the respective force sensitive resistors, acquiring a present current flowing through the force sensing unit, and determining a current resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors on basis of the current voltage drop and the present current and storing the current resistance; comparing the current resistance with the initial resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors and determining resistance variation of the respective force sensitive resistors; and comparing the resistance variation of the respective force sensitive resistors with a threshold resistance; and determining the number of fingers pressing on the display device on basis of distribution of resistance variations of all the force sensitive resistors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The force identification method of claim 14, wherein determining the number of fingers pressing on the display device on basis of distribution of resistance variations of all the force sensitive resistors comprises: determining the amount of local greatest resistance variations on basis of resistance variation of the respective force sensitive resistors, so as to determining the amount of fingers touching. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The force identification method of claim 12, wherein the display device comprises a touch control element, and the force identification method comprises: acquiring an initial voltage at an output terminal of the respective force sensitive resistors through the readout signal line so as to obtain an initial voltage drop on the respective force sensitive resistors, acquiring an initial current flowing through the force sensing unit, and determining an initial resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors on basis of the initial voltage drop and the initial current, and storing the initial resistance; the touch control element detecting a touch position; acquiring a current voltage at the output terminal of the respective force sensitive resistors through the readout signal line so as to obtain a current voltage drop on the respective force sensitive resistors, acquiring a present current flowing through the force sensing unit, and determining a current resistance of the respective force sensitive resistors on basis of the current voltage drop and the present current, and storing the current resistance; calculating the maximum resistance variation of the force sensitive resistors at the touch position, and identifying a force according to the maximum resistance variation; and comparing the force with force level thresholds and determining a force level.