Strain-based force sensor module in a touch-based electronic device
AssigneeSemtech Corporation
InventorsOmkar Padhye, Ilya Rosenberg, Julius Minglin Tsai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strain-based force sensor module in a touch-based electronic device is disclosed. Herein, the strain-based force sensor module is a standalone printed circuit board (PCB) module premanufactured to integrate a strain-based force sensor(s). In an embodiment, the strain-based force sensor module can be attached to a touch interface in the touch-based electronic device without requiring such auxiliary parts as flexible printed circuits (FPC), stiffeners, and connectors. As such, it is possible to reduce the bill-of-material (BOM) and simplify the process for attaching the strain-based force sensor module onto the touch interface.
Claims18
A touch-based electronic device comprising:
- a touch interface comprising a touch substrate and a touch surface provided on one side of the touch substrate;
- and
- at least one strain-based force sensor module comprising:
- a printed circuit board (PCB) having a backside attached to an opposite side of the touch substrate relative to the touch surface;
- and
- a strain-based force sensor integrated circuit (IC) soldered onto a frontside of the PCB and electrically coupled to the touch surface, the strain-based force sensor IC is configured to:
- detect a deformation of the touch interface when an external force is applied onto the touch surface;
- and
- generate an electrical signal quantifying the deformation of the touch interface.
A method for providing a strain-based force sensor module in a touch-based electronic device comprising:
- assembling a touch interface comprising a touch substrate and a touch surface provided on one side of the touch substrate;
- preassembling at least one strain-based force sensor module to include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a frontside and a backside and a strain-based force sensor integrated circuit (IC) soldered onto the frontside of the PCB and electrically coupled to the touch surface;
- and
- attaching the backside of the PCB to an opposite side of the touch substrate relative to the touch surface such that the at least one strain-based force sensor module can detect a deformation of the touch interface when an external force is applied onto the touch surface and generate an electrical signal quantifying the deformation of the touch interface.
A wireless device comprising:
- a touch interface comprising a touch substrate and a touch surface provided on one side of the touch substrate;
- and
- at least one strain-based force sensor module comprising:
- a printed circuit board (PCB) having a backside attached to an opposite side of the touch substrate relative to the touch surface;
- and
- a strain-based force sensor integrated circuit (IC) soldered onto a frontside of the PCB and electrically coupled to the touch surface, the strain-based force sensor IC is configured to:
- detect a deformation of the touch interface when an external force is applied onto the touch surface;
- and
- generate an electrical signal quantifying the deformation of the touch interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.