User-input systems and methods of delineating a location of a virtual button by haptic feedback and of determining user-input

A user-input system for delineating a location of a virtual button by haptic feedback, comprising:

• a touch-input sub-system comprising a cover layer, having an outer surface which can be touched by a finger and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, and a plurality of force-measuring and touch-sensing integrated circuit (FMTSIC), each of the FMTSICs coupled to the inner surface at a respective position, each of the FMTSICs corresponding to one of a plurality of virtual buttons, each of the virtual buttons corresponding to a respective region of the cover layer;
• a processor coupled to the touch-input sub-system;
• a haptic transducer vibrationally coupled to the cover layer;
• and
• a haptic controller coupled to the processor and optionally coupled to the touch-input sub-system;
• wherein each of the FMTSICs comprises:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• signal processing circuitry on the semiconductor substrate;
• at least one piezoelectric micromechanical force-measuring element (PMFE);
• at least one piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) configured as a transmitter (PMUT transmitter);
• and
• at least one PMUT configured as a receiver (PMUT receiver);
• the PMUT transmitters of each of the FMTSICs are configured to transmit ultrasound signals towards the cover layer;
• the PMUT receivers of each of the FMTSICs are configured to output voltage signals (PMUT voltage signals) in response to reflected ultrasound signals arriving from the cover layer, the PMUT voltage signals being converted to PMUT digital data at the signal processing circuitry of the respective FMTSIC;
• and
• the PMFEs of each of the FMTSICs are configured to output voltage signals (PMFE voltage signals) in accordance with a time-varying strain at respective portions of a piezoelectric layer at the respective PMFEs resulting from a low-frequency mechanical deformation, the PMFE voltage signals being converted to PMFE digital data at the signal processing circuitry of the respective FMTSIC;
• the touch-input sub-system or the processor is configured to determine supplemental haptic feedback commands if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are satisfied for all of the Touched FMTSICs;
• the touch-input sub-system or the processor is configured to determine primary touch inputs and optionally determine primary haptic feedback commands if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are not satisfied for at least one of the Touched FMTSICs;
• the haptic controller is configured to drive the haptic transducer to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the primary haptic feedback commands and the supplemental haptic feedback commands;
• haptic feedback generated in accordance with supplemental haptic feedback commands delineates a location of at least one of the virtual buttons;
• the light-force conditions of each of the FMTSICs comprise:
• the PMFE digital data of the respective FMTSIC indicates an applied force less than a light-force threshold Flight;
• and
• the “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data are obtained from the PMUT digital data.

A user-input system, comprising:

• a touch-input sub-system comprising a cover layer, having an outer surface which can be touched by a finger and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, and a plurality of force-measuring and touch-sensing integrated circuit (FMTSIC), each of the FMTSICs coupled to the inner surface at a respective position, each of the FMTSICs corresponding to one of a plurality of virtual buttons, each of the virtual buttons corresponding to a respective region of the cover layer;
• another input sub-system;
• a processor coupled to the touch-input sub-system and to the other input sub-system;
• a haptic transducer vibrationally coupled to the cover layer;
• and
• a haptic controller coupled to the processor and optionally coupled to the touch-input sub-system;
• wherein each of the FMTSICs comprises:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• signal processing circuitry on the semiconductor substrate;
• at least one piezoelectric micromechanical force-measuring element (PMFE);
• at least one piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) configured as a transmitter (PMUT transmitter);
• and
• at least one PMUT configured as a receiver (PMUT receiver);
• the PMUT transmitters of each of the FMTSICs are configured to transmit ultrasound signals towards the cover layer;
• the PMUT receivers of each of the FMTSICs are configured to output voltage signals (PMUT voltage signals) in response to reflected ultrasound signals arriving from the cover layer, the PMUT voltage signals being converted to PMUT digital data at the signal processing circuitry of the respective FMTSIC;
• and
• the PMFEs of each of the FMTSICs are configured to output voltage signals (PMFE voltage signals) in accordance with a time-varying strain at respective portions of a piezoelectric layer at the respective PMFEs resulting from a low-frequency mechanical deformation, the PMFE voltage signals being converted to PMFE digital data at the signal processing circuitry of the respective FMTSIC;
• the touch-input sub-system or the processor is configured to determine zeroth supplemental touch inputs if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is False for all of the FMTSICs;
• the touch-input sub-system or the processor is configured to determine first supplemental touch inputs and optionally determine supplemental haptic feedback commands if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are satisfied for all of the Touched FMTSICs;
• the touch-input sub-system or the processor is configured to determine primary touch inputs and optionally determine primary haptic feedback commands if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are not satisfied for at least one of the Touched FMTSICs;
• the haptic controller is configured to drive the haptic transducer to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the primary haptic feedback commands and the supplemental haptic feedback commands;
• the processor is configured to determine combined inputs in accordance with (1) primary inputs from the other input sub-system and (2) the zeroth supplemental touch inputs or the first supplemental touch inputs;
• the light-force conditions of each of the FMTSICs comprise:
• the PMFE digital data of the respective FMTSIC indicates an applied force less than a light-force threshold Flight;
• and
• the “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data are obtained from the PMUT digital data.

A method of delineating a location of a virtual button by haptic feedback, comprising:

• (A1) configuring a touch-input sub-system comprising a cover layer having an outer surface, which can be touched by a finger and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, and a plurality of force-measuring and touch-sensing integrated circuits (FMTSICs), each of the FMTSICs coupled to the inner surface at a respective position, each of the FMTSICs corresponding to one of the virtual buttons, each of the virtual buttons corresponding to a respective region of the cover layer, each of the FMTSICs comprising:
• signal processing circuitry, at least one piezoelectric micromechanical force-measuring element (PMFE), at least one piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) configured as a transmitter (PMUT transmitter), and at least one PMUT configured as a receiver (PMUT receiver);
• (A2) configuring a haptic transducer vibrationally coupled to the cover layer;
• (A3) configuring a haptic controller to drive the haptic transducer, coupled to the touch-input sub-system;
• (A4) transmitting, by the PMUT transmitters of each of the FMTSICs, ultrasound signals towards the cover layer;
• (A5) outputting, by the PMUT receivers of each of the FMTSICs, voltage signals (PMUT voltage signals) in response to reflected ultrasound signals arriving from the cover layer;
• (A6) converting, by the signal processing circuitry of each of the FMTSICs, the respective PMUT voltage signals to PMUT digital data;
• (A7) outputting, by the PMFEs of each of the FMTSICs, voltage signals (PMFE voltage signals) in accordance with a time-varying strain at respective portions of a piezoelectric layer at the respective PMFEs resulting from a low-frequency mechanical deformation;
• (A8) converting, by the signal processing circuitry of each of the FMTSICs, the respective PMFE voltage signals to PMFE digital data;
• (A9) determining, by the touch-input sub-system, supplemental haptic feedback commands if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are satisfied for all of the Touched FMTSICs;
• (A10) determining, by the touch-input sub-system, primary touch inputs if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are not satisfied for at least one of the Touched FMTSICs;
• and
• (A11) driving the haptic transducer to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the supplemental haptic feedback commands, the haptic feedback generated in accordance with supplemental haptic feedback commands delineating a location of at least one of the virtual buttons;
• wherein the light-force conditions of each of the FMTSICs comprise:
• the PMFE digital data of the respective FMTSIC indicates an applied force less than a light-force threshold Flight;
• and
• the “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data are obtained from the PMUT digital data.

A method of delineating a location of a virtual button by haptic feedback, comprising:

• (B1) configuring a touch-input sub-system comprising a cover layer having an outer surface, which can be touched by a finger and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, and a plurality of force-measuring and touch-sensing integrated circuits (FMTSICs), each of the FMTSICs coupled to the inner surface at a respective position, each of the FMTSICs corresponding to one of the virtual buttons, each of the virtual buttons corresponding to a respective region of the cover layer, each of the FMTSICs comprising:
• signal processing circuitry, at least one piezoelectric micromechanical force-measuring element (PMFE), at least one piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) configured as a transmitter (PMUT transmitter), and at least one PMUT configured as a receiver (PMUT receiver);
• (B2) configuring a processor coupled to the touch-input sub-system;
• (B3) configuring a haptic transducer vibrationally coupled to the cover layer;
• (B4) configuring a haptic controller to drive the haptic transducer, coupled to processor and optionally coupled to the touch-input sub-system;
• (B5) transmitting, by the PMUT transmitters of each of the FMTSICs, ultrasound signals towards the cover layer;
• (B6) outputting, by the PMUT receivers of each of the FMTSICs, voltage signals (PMUT voltage signals) in response to reflected ultrasound signals arriving from the cover layer;
• (B7) converting, by the signal processing circuitry of each of the FMTSICs, the respective PMUT voltage signals to PMUT digital data;
• (B8) outputting, by the PMFEs of each of the FMTSICs, voltage signals (PMFE voltage signals) in accordance with a time-varying strain at respective portions of a piezoelectric layer at the respective PMFEs resulting from a low-frequency mechanical deformation;
• (B9) converting, by the signal processing circuitry of each of the FMTSICs, the respective PMFE voltage signals to PMFE digital data;
• (B10) determining, by the touch-input sub-system or the processor, supplemental haptic feedback commands if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are satisfied for all of the Touched FMTSICs;
• (B11) determining, by the touch-input sub-system or the processor, primary touch inputs if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are not satisfied for at least one of the Touched FMTSICs;
• and
• (B12) driving the haptic transducer to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the supplemental haptic feedback commands, the haptic feedback generated in accordance with supplemental haptic feedback commands delineating a location of at least one of the virtual buttons;
• wherein the light-force conditions of each of the FMTSICs comprise:
• the PMFE digital data of the respective FMTSIC indicates an applied force less than a light-force threshold Flight;
• and
• the “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data are obtained from the PMUT digital data.

A method of determining user-input, comprising:

• (C1) configuring a touch-input sub-system comprising a cover layer having an outer surface, which can be touched by a finger and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, and a plurality of force-measuring and touch-sensing integrated circuits (FMTSICs), each of the FMTSICs coupled to the inner surface at a respective position, each of the FMTSICs corresponding to one of the virtual buttons, each of the virtual buttons corresponding to a respective region of the cover layer, each of the FMTSICs comprising:
• signal processing circuitry, at least one piezoelectric micromechanical force-measuring element (PMFE), at least one piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) configured as a transmitter (PMUT transmitter), and at least one PMUT configured as a receiver (PMUT receiver);
• (C2) configuring another input sub-system;
• (C3) configuring a processor coupled to the touch-input sub-system and to the other input sub-system;
• (C4) configuring a haptic transducer vibrationally coupled to the cover layer;
• (C5) configuring a haptic controller to drive the haptic transducer, coupled to the processor and optionally coupled to the touch-input sub-system;
• (C6) transmitting, by the PMUT transmitters of each of the FMTSICs, ultrasound signals towards the cover layer;
• (C7) outputting, by the PMUT receivers of each of the FMTSICs, voltage signals (PMUT voltage signals) in response to reflected ultrasound signals arriving from the cover layer;
• (C8) converting, by the signal processing circuitry of each of the FMTSICs, the respective PMUT voltage signals to PMUT digital data;
• (C9) outputting, by the PMFEs of each of the FMTSICs, voltage signals (PMFE voltage signals) in accordance with a time-varying strain at respective portions of a piezoelectric layer at the respective PMFEs resulting from a low-frequency mechanical deformation;
• (C10) converting, by the signal processing circuitry of each of the FMTSICs, the respective PMFE voltage signals to PMFE digital data;
• (C11) determining, by the touch-input sub-system or the processor, zeroth supplemental touch inputs if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is False for all of the FMTSICs;
• (C12) determining, by the touch-input sub-system or the processor, first supplemental touch inputs if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are satisfied for all of the Touched FMTSICs;
• (C13) determining, by the touch-input sub-system or processor, primary touch inputs if “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data is True for at least one of the FMTSICs (Touched FMTSICs) and light-force conditions are not satisfied for at least one of the Touched FMTSICs;
• and
• (C14) determining, by the processor, combined inputs in accordance with (1) primary inputs from the other input sub-system and (2) the zeroth supplemental touch inputs or the first supplemental touch inputs;
• wherein the light-force conditions of each of the FMTSICs comprise:
• the PMFE digital data of the respective FMTSIC indicates an applied force less than a light-force threshold Flight;
• and
• the “PMUT Triggered” Boolean data are obtained from the PMUT digital data.