MULTI-SENSE CONTROL BUTTON AND PROCESSING
In an embodiment of the techniques presented herein, a control button comprises a body, a touch sensor proximate a first surface of the body, a force sensor, and a multi-sense controller connected to the touch sensor and the force sensor and configured to identify a touch event based on an analog response of the touch sensor and identify a force event based on an analog response of the force sensor.
1 . A control button, comprising:
a body;
a touch sensor proximate a first surface of the body;
a force sensor; and
a multi-sense controller connected to the touch sensor and the force sensor and configured to:
identify a touch event based on an analog response of the touch sensor; and
identify a force event based on an analog response of the force sensor.
2 . The control button of claim 1 , comprising:
a printed circuit board, wherein:
the multi-sense controller is mounted to the printed circuit board;
the multi-sense controller is connected to the touch sensor by the printed circuit board; and
the multi-sense controller is connected to the force sensor by the printed circuit board.
3 . The control button of claim 2 , wherein:
the printed circuit board is perpendicular to the first surface.
4 . The control button of claim 2 , wherein:
the body encapsulates the touch sensor, the force sensor, the printed circuit board, and the multi-sense controller.
5 . The control button of claim 1 , comprising:
a first printed circuit board; and
a second printed circuit board connected to the first printed circuit board, wherein:
the touch sensor is connected to the first printed circuit board;
the force sensor is connected to the first printed circuit board; and
the multi-sense controller is mounted to the second printed circuit board.
6 . The control button of claim 1 , comprising:
a first printed circuit board; and
a second printed circuit board connected to the first printed circuit board, wherein:
the touch sensor is connected to the first printed circuit board;
the force sensor is connected to the second printed circuit board; and
the multi-sense controller is mounted to the second printed circuit board.
7 . The control button of claim 1 , comprising:
a support member, wherein the analog response of the force sensor is a function of displacement relative to the support member.
8 . The control button of claim 1 , wherein:
the analog response of the force sensor is a function of displacement relative to a casing of a device with which the control button is associated.
9 . The control button of claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises:
a base portion supporting the touch sensor; and
an extending portion extending from the base portion and supporting the force sensor.
10 . The control button of claim 1 , wherein:
the force sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, a strain gauge, a piezoelectric film sensor, or a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer.
11 . The control button of claim 1 , comprising:
a mechanical switch configured to generate a digital signal indicating displacement of the body.
12 . A multi-sense controller, comprising:
a sensor interface; and
a processor configured to:
receive analog touch data over the sensor interface;
identify a touch event based on the touch data;
receive analog force data over the sensor interface;
identify a force event based on the force data; and
communicate the touch event and the force event to a device.
13 . The multi-sense controller of claim 12 , wherein:
the analog touch data comprises capacitance data.
14 . The multi-sense controller of claim 12 , wherein:
the analog force data comprises displacement data indicative of displacement associated with a control button.
15 . The multi-sense controller of claim 12 , wherein:
the touch event comprises at least one of a touch or a slide.
16 . The multi-sense controller of claim 12 , wherein:
the force event comprises at least one of a click of a control button or a tilt of the control button.
17 . A method, comprising:
receiving analog touch data over a sensor interface;
identifying a touch event based on the touch data;
receiving analog force data over the sensor interface;
identifying a force event based on the force data; and
communicating the touch event and the force event to a device.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
receiving the analog touch data comprises receiving capacitance data.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
receiving the analog force data comprises receiving at least one of capacitance data, inductance data, force data, or displacement data.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
receiving the analog force data comprises receiving displacement data indicative of displacement associated with a control button relative to a casing of the device.