Uneo Incorporated

Universal Cement Corporation

Industrial Technology Research Institute

Universal Clement Corporation

Chih-Sheng Hou

Chia-Hung Chou

Yann-Cherng Chern

Chih-Hung Huang

Han-Ying Lei

Hsin-Lin Yu

Cheng-Tsung Chen

Cheng-Yen Tsai

Chia-hung Chou

Shao-Chuan Fang

Hsuan-Hao Tsai

Si-Wei Chen

Chueh Chiang

Sih-Wei Chen

A sensor with plurality of sensor elements arranged on a flexible substrate, including a flexible substrate, multiple perforations formed in the flexible substrate, multiple open-ended moat-like cut-out areas formed in the flexible substrate, wherein the perforations and the open-ended moat-like cut-out areas are arranged in a staggered array on the flexible substrate, and each open-ended moat-like cut-out area defines an active area nearly enclosed by one open-ended moat-like cut-out area and connecting the flexible substrate through a bridge feature not enclosed by the open-ended moat-like cut-out area, and multiple sensor elements, wherein each sensor element is set on one active area.

Sensor with plurality of sensor elements arranged on a flexible substrate

The present invention relates to an extension structure of flexible substrates with conductive wires thereon. In a first embodiment, three flexible substrates are prepared, each having multiple conductive wires configured on their front surfaces. The third flexible substrate is flipped over, with its conductive wires facing downwards, and bonded across a boundary formed by the first and second flexible substrates. As a result, the corresponding conductive wires between the first and second flexible substrates are electrically coupled with each other through being physically pressed by corresponding conductive wires in the third flexible substrate.

Extension structure of flexible substrates with conductive wires thereon

A cantilever force sensor with relatively lower On-Force is disclosed, which comprises a top stack, a bottom stack, and a spacer. The first spacer is configured between the top stack and the bottom stack and configured in a first side of the force sensor. A second side, opposite to the first side, of the top stack, is cantilevered from the bottom stack. When the force sensor is depressed from the top side, the second side of the top stack moves down using the first spacer as a fulcrum. Since the cantilevered side can be easily depressed down so that the On-Force for the force sensor is reduced and hence a force sensor with a relatively higher sensitivity is created.

Cantilever force sensor

A force sensing device includes a sensor array, a first substrate, a second substrate and a plurality of electrodes. The first substrate has a sensor region and a side region. The second substrate has a sensor region and a side region. The sensor array is formed above the sensor region of the first substrate. The plurality of electrodes are formed on the sensor region and the side region of the first substrate and below the sensor region and the side region of the second substrate, and coupled to the sensor array. The side region of the first substrate, the side region of the second substrate and the plurality of electrodes on the side region are foldable to a back side of the sensor array.

Foldable force sensing device

A fast response force sensor is disclosed. The fast response force sensor comprises a solid-state bonding (SSB) spacer and piezo material therein. The SSB spacer is sandwiched between a top stack and a bottom stack of the force sensor. The SSB spacer maintains a fixed relative position between a top stack and a bottom stack of the force sensor when a fixed force is applied or removed. The SSB spacer is in solid state and shall not be significantly deformed while being depressed by a user, and therefore the response time of an output signal is vastly determined by the properties of the piezo material of the force sensor when a force is applied against the force sensor. Therefore, a fast response force sensor can respond quickly to a force applied against it.

Piezo force sensor with solid-state bonding spacer

A force sensor having a noise shielding layer is disclosed. For a first embodiment, a top noise shielding layer is configured on a top surface of a force sensor to screen noise signals which are caused by human body's touch or approaching from top of the force sensor. For a second embodiment, a bottom noise shielding layer is configured on a bottom surface of the force sensor to screen noise signals which are caused by human body's touch or approaching from bottom of the force sensor.

Force sensor with noise shielding layer

A hybrid digital analog key switch is designed to generate both a digital signal and an analog signal (DA) from a single key switch after the key is depressed. A pair of spring metal electrodes are electrically coupled to up and down movement of the key stem, and a force sensor is configured on a bottom side of the key module. Both a digital signal and an analog signal are generated when the key is depressed by a user.

Hybrid digital analog key switch

A force sensing structure and a force sensing device including the same are provided. The force sensing structure is configured to detect a proximity of an object to the force sensor from an upside and a force applied by the object to the force touch sensor. The force sensing structure includes a first electrode and a first capacitance material layer. The first capacitance material layer is disposed adjacent to the first electrode. When the object approaches the force touch sensor, the force touch sensor is configured to detect the proximity of the object according to a first capacitance variation, and when the object contacts the force sensor and deforms of the first capacitance material layer, the force touch sensor is configured to detect the force applied by the object according to a second capacitance variation.

Force sensing structure and force sensing device including the same

A force sensing module is disclosed. One of the embodiments disclosed a first force sensor, and a second force sensor stacked on a top surface of the first force sensor; a signal processing circuit electrically coupled to the first signal force sensor and the second force sensor; when a force is applied on a top surface of the stack, a corresponding force signal is generated; wherein a strength of the force signal is related to an amount of the force applied against the stack.

Force sensing module

A surface mount force sensing module is disclosed. A first embodiment shows that the surface mount force sensing module has a bottom electrode designed to be mounted on a circuit board. A second, third, and fourth embodiments show that the sensing module has a pair of bottom electrodes amenable for mounting onto a circuit board.

Surface mount force sensing module

An embedded button without having gap is disclosed according to the present invention. The button area just bends to operate instead of moving back and forth to operate within a through hole so that no water, vapor, or dust shall enter into the device. One of the embodiment comprises an inner bump configured on an inner side of an outer frame; a pressure switch is configured under the inner bump and touches the bottom surface of the bump; and an activating electrical signal is triggered when the button area is pressed by user with a force exceeding a threshold force level from outside surface of the outer frame of the electronic device.

Embedded button for an electronic device

A resistive input system is disclosed, which includes a resistor matrix. The resistor matrix includes M first traces, N second traces, and M*N resistors. First ends of the resistors of a same column are coupled to one of the M first traces, second ends of the resistors of a same row are coupled to one of the N second traces, M is integers greater than 1, and N is integers greater than and equal to 1. The M*N resistors include variable resistors. A measurement circuit measures variations of a first voltage level of each of the second traces while a power control circuit provides the first voltage to the one of the M first traces and the second voltage to the rest of the M first traces. At least one input point is determined according to the variation of the first voltage level of each of the second traces.

Resistive input system with resistor matrix

A green headphone is disclosed. A force sensor is configured between a speaker cover and a cushion of the headphone. The headphone switches on automatically to play audio when a user puts the headphone on his head. The headphone switches off automatically to stop playing audio when a user puts the headphone off his head, the power consumption is saved.

Green headphone

An instant response pressure sensor is disclosed. An embodiment shows no continuous gap is configured between a piezoresistor and neighboring element(s) in thickness direction. The instant response pressure sensor is able to respond immediately to an extremely small pressure applied thereupon in the early stage with an extremely small distance movement because the instant response pressure sensor without having an extra press journey to move before trigging.

Instant response pressure sensor

A key switch is disclosed. The key switch includes an axis, a pressure sensor layer, an axis component, and a key cap. The axis support includes a first opening. The pressure sensor layer is made of a pressure-sensitive electronic material and disposed on an upper surface of the axis support. The axis component is disposed in the first opening and vertically movable with respect to the axis support and the pressure sensor layer. The keycap is mounted on the axis component and includes a lower surface facing the upper surface of the axis support. When the keycap is depressed, the lower surface of the keycap depresses the pressure sensor layer and an electronic property of the pressure sensor layer varies. An analog pressure detection system including the key switch is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Taipei, Taiwan

Chih-Sheng Hou