Touch sensitive film, touch sensing device, and electronic device

1. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) comprising:

a conductive layer ( 2 ) having a touch sensing region ( 3 ) and an immediately adjacent surrounding area, and

a user input surface ( 4 ) within the touch sensing region ( 3 ), the user input surface ( 4 ) comprising a touch sensitive film that defines a touch sensing electrode that is configured to serve as a touch-based user interface where, upon touch of a user's finger or stylus and without movement of the user input surface ( 4 ), changes electrical properties of an electrical measuring circuitry to which the user input surface ( 4 ) is connected,

wherein the touch sensing electrode within the touch sensing region ( 3 ) and the user input surface ( 4 ) comprises a tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 , 14 , 15 ) that, when touched by a user, provides the user with a first tactile feel, wherein the conductive layer at the tactilely distinguishable surface feature, in cross section view, has an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having a first contour line that includes plural adjacent upward protuberances and the lower surface having a second contour line that matches the first contour line of the upper surface and includes plural adjacent upward protuberances at locations matching the upward protuberances of the first contour line,

wherein the surrounding area immediately adjacent the touch sensing region ( 3 ) has a surface that is free of the upward protuberances and, when touched by a user, provides the user with a second tactile feel, the first and second tactile feels being different such that the user recognizes the tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 , 14 , 15 ) as tactilely deviating from the immediately adjacent surrounding area of the user input surface, the tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 , 14 , 15 ) thereby identifying the location of the touch sensing region ( 3 ) and the user input surface ( 4 ).

2. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer ( 2 ) comprises one or more High Aspect Ratio Molecular Structure (HARMS) networks.

3. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein a height of the protuberances extends above a surface of the surrounding area of the user input surface ( 4 ) immediately adjacent the touch sensing region ( 3 ).

4. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user input surface ( 4 ) comprises plural of the touch sensing electrode, each of the touch sensing electrode comprising one of the tactilely distinguishable surface feature and a different respective set of electrodes ( 9 ).

5. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the tactilely distinguishable surface feature comprises first texture ( 14 ) different from a second texture of the user input surface ( 4 ), wherein, when touched by the user, the first texture is distinguishable from the second texture by the user.

6. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 , 14 ) is configured to create a graded tactile feeling.

7. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive film comprises a curved section, and at least one of the touch sensitive region ( 3 ) and the tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 ) lies on said curved section.

8. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensing region ( 3 ) is configured to act as a slider.

9. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 8 , wherein the touch sensing region ( 3 ) configured to act as a slider is substantially U-shaped.

10. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensing region ( 3 ) has substantially annular shape and is configured to act as a dial.

11. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive film ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of touch sensing regions ( 3 , 6 ).

12. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 11 , wherein the touch sensitive film is configured to cover different surfaces of a three-dimensional device, the plurality of touch sensing regions ( 3 ) comprising a touch sensing region ( 6 ) configured to cover the area of a display ( 8 ) to form a touch screen.

13. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the tactilely distinguishable surface feature comprises a recessed annular ring that encircles the user input surface ( 4 ).

14. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive film ( 1 ) is formed as a deformable structure so as to allow conformal deformation of the touch sensitive film along a three dimensional surface.

15. A touch sensing device ( 16 ) comprising a touch sensitive film ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , the touch sensing device further comprising:

means for supplying an electrical excitation signal to the touch sensitive film and receiving an electrical response signal from the touch sensitive film, and

means for processing the electrical response signal for detecting one or more touches on the basis of the effects of the touch on the response signal.

16. An electronic device ( 7 ) as defined in claim 1 , the touch sensitive film being configured to serve as a user interface of the electronic device, and wherein the touch sensitive film ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of touch sensing regions ( 3 , 6 ), the plurality of touch sensing regions comprising a touch sensing region ( 6 ) covering the area of a display ( 8 ) to form a touch screen.

17. An electronic device ( 7 ) as defined in claim 1 , the touch sensitive film being configured to serve as a user interface of the electronic device, and the electronic device being a mobile electronic device.

18. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , wherein the tactilely distinguishable surface feature is an elevated annular ring ( 14 ) that encircles the user input surface ( 4 ), the touch sensitive film being one of the group consisting of

i) a capacitive touch sensitive film, the touch sensing electrode configured to detect the touch by capacitive sensing, and

ii) an inductive sensing film, the touch sensing electrode configured to detect the touch by inductive coupling.

19. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate ( 11 ), the conductive layer ( 2 ) being located on the substrate ( 11 ), the substrate ( 11 ) having an upper surface with a third contour line that matches the first contour line of the upper surface of the conductive layer at the tactilely distinguishable surface feature, and wherein the third contour line includes plural adjacent upward protuberances at locations matching the upward protuberances of the first contour line.

20. A touch sensitive film ( 1 ) comprising:

a conductive layer ( 2 ) having a touch sensing region ( 3 ) and an immediately adjacent surrounding area, and

a user input surface ( 4 ) within the touch sensing region ( 3 ), the user input surface ( 4 ) comprising a touch sensitive film that defines a touch sensing electrode that is configured to serve as a touch-based user interface where, upon touch of a user's finger or stylus and without movement of the user input surface ( 4 ), changes electrical properties of an electrical measuring circuitry to which the user input surface ( 4 ) is connected,

wherein the touch sensing electrode within the touch sensing region ( 3 ) and the user input surface ( 4 ) comprises a tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 , 14 , 15 ) formed as one of the group consisting of surface deviating protrusions, surface deviating indentations, and surface deviating grooves, that, when touched by a user, provides the user with a first tactile feel, wherein the conductive layer at the tactilely distinguishable surface feature, in cross section view, has an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having a surface deviating, first contour line and the lower surface having a surface deviating, second contour line that matches the surface deviating, first contour line,

wherein the surrounding area immediately adjacent the touch sensing region ( 3 ) has a surface that is free of the upward protuberances and, when touched by a user, provides the user with a second tactile feel, the first and second tactile feels being different such that the user recognizes the tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 , 14 , 15 ) as tactilely deviating from the immediately adjacent surrounding area of the user input surface, the tactilely distinguishable surface feature ( 5 , 14 , 15 ) thereby identifying the location of the touch sensing region ( 3 ) and the user input surface ( 4 ).