Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Federico Zannier

On Haran

Lincoln Matthew Ghioni

Ahia Peretz

Donghwi Kim

Thomas Joseph Longo

Rhishikesh A Sathe

Tianyu Zhao

Lalit Anil Palve

Jean-Louis Villecroze

Adwaita Anil Dani

Force sensing touchpads and related computing devices are disclosed. In one example, a force sensing touchpad comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a plurality of PCB electrodes. A base plate is spaced from the PCB and defines an aperture. A spring is mounted on the base plate overlying the aperture in the base plate. The spring comprises a plurality of spring electrodes, a first beam extending from a first internal wall to a first side of a central portion that overlies the aperture, and a second beam extending from a second internal wall that is opposite the first internal wall to a second side of the central portion that is opposite to the first side. A spacer located between the PCB and the central portion of the spring. Each of the PCB electrodes is spaced from and overlies one of the spring electrodes of the spring.

Force sensing touchpad

Computing devices and methods for adjusting a driving signal for a haptic trackpad are disclosed. In one example, a computing device comprises a trackpad that comprises a printed circuit board. An accelerometer is affixed to the printed circuit board and a haptic actuator is coupled to the trackpad. A memory stores instructions executable by a processor to drive the haptic actuator to cause a first trackpad acceleration. The accelerometer measures the first trackpad acceleration, and an acceleration variance is determined by comparing the first trackpad acceleration to a target acceleration. The acceleration variance is used to adjust a driving signal for the haptic actuator to an adjusted driving signal. The haptic actuator is driven with the adjusted driving signal to cause a second trackpad acceleration different from the first trackpad acceleration.

Computing device with haptic trackpad

The described technology provides an apparatus for a computing device. The apparatus includes a touchpad configured to receive a force input, a printed circuit board (PCB) configured below the touchpad, the PCB being supported by a spring mechanism on a backet, and a plurality of sensing pads configured between the PCB and the backet such that an airgap exists between each of the plurality of sensing pads the backet, wherein each of the airgaps between the sensing pads and the backet has a height different than other airgaps.

Differential capacitive force sensing

Supplementing the movement stroke of a trackpad with a haptic response is one way to restore some or all of a reduced trackpad feel and overall performance caused by a reduction in the movement stroke. However, incorporating haptic responses in a clickable trackpad may interfere with accurate force measurement using physical movement of the trackpad as a proxy. The following describes haptic trackpads with anisotropic compliant spacers. The disclosed haptic trackpads permit selective haptic responses to a user, while also permitting accurate force measurement using displacement of a sensing surface caused by the user's finger(s) as a proxy.

Haptic trackpad with anisotropic compliant spacer

An integrated processing and projection device suitable for use on a supporting surface includes a processor and a projector designed to provide a display on the supporting surface proximate to the device. Various sensors enable object and gesture detection in a detection area in the display area. Trigger zones are defined in the detection area such that interaction of an object or human limb in the detection zone provides object and zone specific feedback by the integrated processing and projection device. The feedback can be provided in the projection area or may be provided as audible or active feedback to a device having active feedback capabilities.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Federico Zannier