# US 2019/0171325 A1 · Tactile touch sensor system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171325 A1 - Document ID: US20190171325A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/259,230 - Filed: 2019-01-28 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-27 - Assignees: Sensel, Inc. - Applicants: Sensel, Inc. - Inventors: IIya Daniel Rosenberg; John Aaron Zarraga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171325A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/04144: {using an array of force sensing means (position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447)} - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - G06F 3/042: by opto-electronic means - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - 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 2203/04103: Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices - 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 2203/04106: 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: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A tactile touch sensor (TTS) system and method allowing physical augmentation of a high-resolution touch sensor array (TSA) is disclosed. Physical augmentation is accomplished using a TSA physical overlay (TPO) placed on top of the TSA. The TPO is constructed to transmit forces to the underlying TSA. Force transmission is accomplished by either using a flexible overlay or with a rigid mechanical overlay that transmits user forces exerted on the overlay to the underlying TSA. Incorporation of TPO identifiers (TPI) within the TPO permits identification of the TPO by a TPO detector (TPD) allowing operational characteristics of the TSA to be automatically reconfigured to conform to the currently applied TPO structure by a user computing device (UCD). The UCD may be configured to automatically load an appropriate application software driver (ASD) in response to a TPI read by the TPD from the currently applied TPO. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tactile touch sensor system comprising: an overlay associated with a functionality and capable of receiving a first force; an identifier associated with the overlay and comprising a first force sensing element and a second force sensing element configured to detect the first force; a touch sensor array coupled to the overlay; and wherein the overlay is capable of transmitting the first force to the sensor array; and the touch sensor array generates a first touch data based on the force. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tactile touch sensor system of claim 1, wherein the first touch data comprises an input for the functionality. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tactile touch sensor system of claim 1, wherein the functionality is an application program. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tactile touch sensor system of claim 1, wherein the tactile touch sensor system is configured for the functionality based on the identifier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tactile touch sensor system of claim 1, wherein the overlay includes an indicator associated with the identifier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tactile touch sensor system of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises one of a group consisting of a magnet, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a dot pattern, a raised indicia, an antenna coupled to a microcontroller, an optical indicia, a shorting bar, a conductive electrode, and a conductive bar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tactile touch sensor system of claim 1, wherein the overlay is detachably coupled to the touch sensor array. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tactile touch sensor system of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor array is capable of generating a second touch data based on a second force received on the overlay in a same user input as the first force. ### Claim 9 A method for operating a tactile touch sensor system comprising: coupling an overlay associated with a functionality to a touch sensor array; associating an identifier with the overlay; receiving a first force on the overlay; transmitting a first force from the overlay to the touch sensor array; detecting a first magnitude of a first portion of the first force applied at a first portion of the touch area; detecting a second magnitude of a second portion of the first force applied at a second portion of the touch area; and generating a first touch data based on the first force. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first touch data comprises an input for the functionality. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the functionality is an application program. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the tactile touch sensor system for the functionality based on the identifier. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the overlay includes an indicator associated with the identifier. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the indicator comprises one of a group consisting of a magnet, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a dot pattern, a raised indicia, an antenna coupled to a microcontroller, an optical indicia, a shorting bar, a conductive electrode, and a conductive bar. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the overlay is detachably coupled to the touch sensor array. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a second touch data based on a second force received on the overlay in a same user input as the first force. ### Claim 17 An overlay comprising: a first contact location for receiving a first force; a second contact location for transmitting the first force to a touch sensor array; and means for indicating a functionality associated with the overlay; wherein, the touch sensor array comprises a first force sensing element and a second force sensing element configured to detect the first force. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The overlay of claim 17, wherein the functionality is an application program. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The overlay of claim 17, wherein the means for indicating is associated with an identifier. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The overlay of claim 17, wherein the means for indicating comprises one of a group consisting of a magnet, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a dot pattern, a raised indicia, an antenna coupled to a microcontroller, an optical indicia, a shorting bar, a conductive electrode, and a conductive bar.