IP Library Granted Patent US 11,989,362
Granted Patent B1
US 11,989,362 · App. 18/203,118 · Granted May 21, 2024

Inductance coil of a capacitance module

Inventors: Paul Glad (Sandy, UT); Douglas Steck (Riverton, UT)
G06F3/0414H01F17/04H01F27/2885
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,989,362
App. No.
18/203,118
Granted
May 21, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

A capacitance module may include at least one touch electrode on a first surface of the capacitance module; a first portion of an inductance coil deposited on a second surface of the capacitance module; and a second portion of the inductance coil deposited on a third surface of the capacitance module where the first portion of the inductance coil and the second portion of the inductance coil may be electrically connected and where the inductance coil may be positioned to interact with a magnet adjacent to the inductance coil.

Claims (42)

1. A capacitance module, comprising:

at least one touch electrode on a first surface of the capacitance module;

a first portion of an inductance coil deposited on a second surface of the capacitance module; and

a second portion of the inductance coil deposited on a third surface of the capacitance module;

wherein the first portion of the inductance coil and the second portion of the inductance coil are electrically connected;

wherein the inductance coil is positioned to interact with a magnet adjacent to the inductance coil;

wherein the inductance coil is part of a group of inductance coils;

the second surface has a plurality of corners; and

at least one of the inductance coils from the group of inductance coils is located near each of the corners of the second surface.

2. The module of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is configured to provide a haptic effect on the capacitance module by moving the inductance coil with a change in a magnetic force.

3. The module of claim 1 , further comprising a controller and memory;

the memory having programmed instruction that, when executed, cause the controller to detect an applied force on the capacitance module by measuring a change in a distance between the inductance coil and the magnet.

4. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is on a first substrate;

the second surface is on a second substrate;

the third surface is also on the second substrate; and

a shield is located between the first surface and the second surface.

5. The module of claim 1 , further comprising a controller and memory;

the memory having programmed instruction that, when executed, cause the controller to impose a varying signal on the inductance coil that interacts with the magnet to provide a haptic effect on the capacitance module.

6. The module of claim 1 , further comprising a shield that is located between the at least one touch electrode and both the first portion of the inductance coil and the second portion of the inductance coil.

7. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the inductance coil and the second portion of the inductance coil are electrically connected at multiple places within the first portion and the second portion.

8. The module of claim 1 , wherein a third portion of the inductance coil is deposited on a fourth surface of the capacitance module.

9. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the inductance coil has a plurality of loops;

the second portion of the inductance coil has a plurality of loops; and

each of the plurality of loops of the first portion of the inductance coil is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of loops of the second portion of the inductance coil.

10. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the inductance coil and the second portion of the inductance coil are connected in series.

11. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the inductance coil and the second portion of the inductance coil are connected in parallel.

12. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the inductance coil is located near a corner of the second surface.

13. The module of claim 1 , further comprising an oscillating enhancement mechanism connected to the capacitance module.

14. The module of claim 13 , wherein the oscillating enhancement mechanism is foam, a spring, or combinations thereof.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving an input from an inductance coil formed on multiple substrate layers of a capacitance module;

determining that a user is applying pressure to the capacitance module based at least in part on the received input; and

determining a relative displacement of the capacitance module based at least in part on the received input;

wherein at least one substrate of the capacitance module includes a via that electrically connects a first portion of the inductance coil with a second portion of the inductance coil.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the received input represents a change in electrical current in the inductance coil.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

sending a signal to a magnet proximate the inductive coil to cause at least one variation in a magnetic field of the magnet to interact with the inductance coil to cause the capacitance module to vibrate in response to determining that the user is applying a pressure to the capacitance module.

18. A computer-program product for detecting a pressure input, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

receive an input from an inductance coil formed on multiple substrate layers of a capacitance module;

determine that a user is applying pressure to the capacitance module based at least in part on the received input; and

determine a relative displacement of the capacitance module based at least in part on the received input;

wherein at least one substrate of the capacitance module includes a via that electrically connects a first portion of the inductance coil with a second portion of the inductance coil.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2023
From: GLAD, PAUL; STECK, DOUGLAS
To: CIRQUE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063792/0912 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,204,715 US 12,299,210