Interleaved piezoelectric tactile interface

A computing device, comprising

• a processor;
• a display coupled to the processor and configured to display graphics under the control of the processor;
• a touch screen overlaying the display and coupled to the processor;
• the touch screen including:
• a first signal layer having a plurality of rows of sensing regions aligned in a first direction;
• a second signal layer having a plurality of columns of sensing regions aligned in a second direction;
• a plurality of piezoelectric regions, each piezoelectric region being positioned at an intersection of a row and a column, at least one piezoelectric region generating a voltage when deformed by tactile input;
• and
• a sensing circuit coupled the first and second signal layers configured to determine the tactile input from signals generated by at least one of the piezoelectric regions in the touch screen;
• a voltage recovery circuit coupled to at least one of the piezoelectric regions in the touch screen configured to receive the voltage generated in the touch screen;
• and
• a battery coupled to the voltage recovery circuit and configured to be charged by the voltage generated in the touch screen.

An interface, comprising:

• a piezoelectric layer configured to overlay a display, the piezoelectric layer having at least one piezoelectric region generating a voltage when deformed by tactile input;
• a plurality of sensors disposed in a pattern over the piezoelectric layer, the sensors configured to sense signals generated by the piezoelectric layer in the interface;
• a sensing circuit coupled to the piezoelectric layer and configured to determine the tactile input from signals sensed by the sensors in the interface;
• and
• a voltage recovery circuit coupled to the piezoelectric layer configured to receive a voltage generated in the interface by tactile input to the at least one piezoelectric region and charge a battery coupled to the voltage recovery circuit.