# US 2023/0304875 A1 · Force measurement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0304875 A1 - Document ID: US20230304875A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/187,655 - Filed: 2023-03-21 - Published: 2023-09-28 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-22 - Assignees: Interlink Electronics, Inc. - Applicants: Interlink Electronics, Inc. - Inventors: Gene Chen; Shengi Geng; Declan Flannery - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230304875A1 ## CPC - G01L 5/0038: {applying a pushing force} - G06F 3/04142: {the force sensing means being located peripherally, e.g. disposed at the corners or at the side of a touch sensing plate} - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A force sensing device may include a plate and a sensor plate. The sensor plate may be a first surface coupled to the plate and a second surface opposite the first surface. The sensor plate may also include an actuation structure coupled to the second surface and extending away from the second surface of the sensor plate. The force sensing device may further include a sensor aligned with the sensor plate such that a first force applied to the plate causes the actuation structure to directly contact and apply a second force to the sensor. The force sensing device may be used to determine a location, a magnitude, and/or an angle of the force applied on the plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A force measuring system comprising: a plate; a sensor plate including: a first surface coupled to the plate; a second surface opposite the first surface; an actuation structure coupled to the second surface; and a cushion coupled to the actuation structure, the actuation structure and the cushion extending away from the second surface of the sensor plate; and a sensor aligned with the sensor plate such that a first force applied to the first surface of the plate causes the cushion to contact and apply a second force to the sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The force measuring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to output a sensor signal in response to the sensor plate contacting and applying the second force to the sensor, the system further comprising a computing system coupled to the sensor and configured to: receive the sensor signal, and determine a magnitude of the first force applied to the plate based on the sensor signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The force measuring system of claim 2, wherein the computing system is further configured to determine a location on the first surface of plate where the first force is applied based on the sensor signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The force measuring system of claim 1, wherein the first force has a direction non-parallel to a normal of the first surface of the plate in a location where the first force is applied to the plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The force measuring system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first surface of the plate has a non-planar surface profile. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The force measuring system of claim 1, wherein a surface profile of the first surface is different than the surface profile of the second surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The force measuring system of claim 1, further comprising: a support configured to support the sensor; and a plate stand coupled between the support and the sensor plate, the plate stand including material configured to compression when the first force is applied to the first surface to allow the actuation structure to directly contact the sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The force measuring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor plate includes a plurality of actuation structures that include the actuation structure, each of the plurality of actuation structures coupled to the second surface and extending away from the second surface of the sensor plate, wherein when the first force is applied to the first surface at least one of the plurality of actuation structures directly contacts the sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The force measuring system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of sensor plates that include the sensor plate, the plurality of sensor plates include a plurality of actuation structures extending away from the plurality of sensor plates; and a plurality of sensors that includes the sensor, each of the plurality of sensors aligned with a different one of the plurality of sensor plates such that a first force applied to the first surface of the plate causes the plurality of actuation structures to directly contact and apply a plurality of forces to the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 10 A force sensing device comprising: a plate; a sensor plate including: a first surface coupled to the plate; a second surface opposite the first surface; and an actuation structure coupled to the second surface and extending away from the second surface of the sensor plate; and a sensor aligned with the sensor plate such that a first force applied to the plate causes the actuation structure to directly contact and apply a second force to the sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The force sensor device of claim 10, wherein the first force has a direction non-parallel to a normal of the first surface of the plate in a location where the first force is applied to the plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The force sensor device of claim 10, wherein a portion of the first surface of the plate has a non-planar surface profile. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The force sensor device of claim 10, wherein a surface profile of the first surface is different than the surface profile of the second surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The force sensor device of claim 10, further comprising: a support configured to support the sensor; and a plate stand coupled between the support and the sensor plate, the plate stand including material configured to compression when the first force is applied to the first surface to allow the actuation structure to directly contact the sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The force sensor device of claim 10, wherein the actuation structure includes a cushion made of a flexible material coupled between the sensor plate and the sensor, the cushion configured to directly contact the sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The force sensor device of claim 10, wherein the sensor plate includes a plurality of actuation structures that include the actuation structure, each of the plurality of actuation structures coupled to the second surface and extending away from the second surface of the sensor plate, wherein when the first force is applied to the first surface at least one of the plurality of actuation structures directly contacts the sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The force sensor device of claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of sensor plates that include the sensor plate, the plurality of sensor plates include a plurality of actuation structures extending away from the plurality of sensor plates; and a plurality of sensors that includes the sensor, each of the plurality of sensors aligned with a different one of the plurality of sensor plates such that a first force applied to the first surface of the plate causes the plurality of actuation structures to directly contact and apply a plurality of forces to the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 18 A method to determine a force, the method comprising: obtaining sensor data from a plurality of sensors in response to a first force applied to a plate, the plate coupled to a plurality of sensor plates, each of the plurality of sensor plates including an actuation structure that directly contacts and applies a second force to one of the sensors in response to the first force being applied to the plate; determining a location on the plate receiving the first force based on the sensor data and the distribution of the sensors within the plate; and determining a magnitude of the first force based on the sensor data and the location of the first force applied to the plate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein a direction of the first force is applied at a non-parallel angle with respect to a normal of the first surface of the plate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising obtaining coefficients associated with the distribution of the sensors within the plate; wherein the location on the plate receiving the first force is determined based on the coefficients and force magnitudes from the sensor data from each of the plurality of sensors.