Background technology
The device with touch-control input function, the Trackpad of notebook computer (Touch pad) for example, or the touch-control screen (Touch screen) of personal digital assistant (PDA), PDA mobile phone (PDA phone), intelligent mobile phone (Smart phone) etc., its touch controllable function is mainly to reach according to two kinds of technology, be a resistance-type, another kind is condenser type.The touch controllable function of resistance type touch control device can be applied to the contact of any object, for example contact of pointer or finger, but its shortcoming for only having a contact point simultaneously, and for example the contact of a finger is considered as the input of single piece of information.And the technological merit of capacitive touch device is to accept 2 above inputs to be combined into multi-purpose application simultaneously, for example, by two finger inputs that can be considered as two information placed thereon simultaneously, do mutual leaving or close function, to drive user's man-machine interface, for example, photo is zoomed in or out.Yet the shortcoming of capacitive touch device maximum be for cannot be applicable to general object, pointer for example simultaneously if having and be greater than 2 above inputs, needs three fingers to contact simultaneously, very difficult in use.And capacitive touch device can only be applicable to finger and wait the object with electrostatic function, limited its application, and capacitive contactor control device cannot be used in the environment of water.
Moreover above-mentioned two technology are all the application of macroscopic, for example with finger, use contactor control device constantly, the contact of a finger only can be considered as a contact point, cannot further be resolved to the lines of each finger skin, to produce thus more information.And along with the compact trend of electronic product, the microminiaturization of contactor control device is an important trend especially.
And in product configurations, known resistance or capacitive touch device can be divided into two parts, one is touch-control sensing element, the touch-control sensing integrated circuit (IC) of another part, and then the two is fitted together.Touch-control sensing element is to be made in for example glass substrate or other polymeric substrates, be therefore difficult for IC integration and making thereon, be unfavorable for the decline of cost, and the size after assembling is also large, is difficult for dwindling.
Therefore, a kind of miniature touch control device (micro touch device with multiple input messages) of tool multi-input information is provided, utilize single finger can reach multi-input information, and the contact that can be used in finger or any object is used, and complete waterproof interference, reach compact device, the real solution for institute of the present invention wish realization.
Accompanying drawing explanation
Fig. 1 shows the exploded schematic perspective view according to the miniature touch control device of preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 shows according to one of application of the miniature touch control device of preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 shows the example according to the side view of the sensing element of preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 shows another example according to the side view of the sensing element of preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 6 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of second embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 7 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of third embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 8 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of fourth embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 9 shows the calcspar according to the integrated circuit of various embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 10 shows according to two of the application of the miniature touch control device of preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Drawing reference numeral
F: finger/object
AG: gap
F_ridge: line peak
1: miniature touch control device
2: notebook computer
3: cursor of mouse
4: mobile device
10: silicon substrate
10B: the back side
10F: front
20: sensing element
21: lower conductor layer
22: support structure layers
23B: the back side
23F: front
23: suspension touch control layer
231: input connection gasket
232: conductor line
233: output connection gasket
24: upper conductor layer
30: integrated circuit
31: control logic circuit
32: amplifier
33: analog/digital converter
34: treatment circuit
35: input/output interface
40: upper connection gasket
50: through electrode
60: insulation course
60B: the back side
70: lower connection gasket
70B: the back side
80: packed layer
90: solder projection
Embodiment
For foregoing of the present invention can be become apparent, a preferred embodiment cited below particularly, and coordinate appended accompanying drawing, be described in detail below.
Fig. 1 shows the exploded schematic perspective view according to the miniature touch control device of preferred embodiment of the present invention.Fig. 2 shows according to one of application of the miniature touch control device of preferred embodiment of the present invention.As shown in Figures 1 and 2, miniature touch control device 1 of the present invention is applied in a notebook computer 2, be used for controlling the movement of the cursor of mouse 3 of notebook computer 2, can also level of control and the movement of vertically scrolling, also can experience the function of clicking or double-clicking of finger.The characteristic of miniature touch control device maximum of the present invention is approximately slightly pointed size or is less than finger for its size, is different from traditional contactor control device size all much larger than the size of pointing.Its advantage is, do not occupy the too many area of product appearance, can allow product more easily design, and has more beautiful outward appearance, moreover while using as long as single only finger as long as slight mobile, quite laborsaving.
Simultaneously, the array that miniature touch control device 1 of the present invention is comprised of quite small sensing element, its sensing finger move mode is the movement of judgement lines, that is to say that this device has the input function of many information, its information contains the part or all of lines of finger, completely different from conventional art (single finger only has single piece of information).For this reason, miniature touch control device of the present invention also can be simultaneously as finger print sensing apparatus, also or be positioned at the sensing of the subcutaneous other biological information of finger, and microvascular thermal imagery for example, volume of blood flow, blood band oxygen amount etc.Moreover, the sensing element of apparatus of the present invention can be experienced for example pressure of finger, can certainly be as general pressure survey, for example pressure judgement when atmospheric pressure or human blood-pressure or object striking, therefore except reaching the touch controllable function of multi-input information, be also the device of multifunctional application.
Moreover the exposed face of each sensing element of apparatus of the present invention is a suspension structure independently, is connected on a substrate by fixed support point.Be subject to the contact of foreign body and produce physical quantity changing, suspension structure can produce deformation or there is no deformation because of the contact of object, and physical quantity changes can contain pressure, temperature, optical, electrical and magnetic etc.
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show according to preferred embodiment of the present invention, by pressure physical quantity, changes and the side view of the single sensing element that suspension structure deformation is implemented.The sensing element of these two examples can be applied to the miniature touch control device in three following embodiment.
Fig. 5 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of first embodiment of the invention.As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 3, the miniature touch control device 1 of a kind of tool multi-input information of the present invention at least comprises a silicon substrate 10, a plurality of sensing element 20 and one group of integrated circuit 30.
Silicon substrate 10 has a positive 10F and a back side 10B.
It is upper that these sensing elements 20 are positioned at the positive 10F of silicon substrate 10, is used for a plurality of physical quantitys that the different piece of sensing one object F is contacted with on described a plurality of sensing elements 20 to change, and produces a plurality of electric signal.These sensing elements 20 at least comprise a plurality of lower conductor layer 21, a support structure layers 22 and a suspension touch control layer 23 (suspension structure layer).These lower conductor layer 21 are positioned at the positive 10F of silicon substrate 10.Support structure layers 22 is positioned at the positive 10F of silicon substrate 10 and each lower conductor layer 21 around.Suspension touch control layer 23 is positioned on the top and support structure layers 22 of these lower conductor layer 21, between suspension touch control layer 23 and each lower conductor layer 21, form a gap AG, the suspension touch control layer 23 of each sensing element 20 can be contacted to produce physical quantity by described a plurality of different pieces of object F and change, and and then is transformed into electric signal.Suspension touch control layer 23 has a whole plane when compressive deformation not.That is design of the present invention can be so that miniature touch control device 1 be a complete plane with a surface of contact of object.Each sensing element 20 can have a suspension touch control layer 20 independently, or all sensing elements 20 can share a suspension touch control layer 20.Suspension touch control layer 23 can be a conductor layer or a nonconductor layer, or at least comprises a conductor layer and a nonconductor layer.
This group integrated circuit 30 is formed at the positive 10F of silicon substrate 10, and is electrically connected to each sensing element 20, and processes a plurality of electric signal, to produce multi-input information.
In addition, miniature touch control device 1 can more comprise a plurality of upper connection gaskets 40.On these, connection gasket 40 is positioned on the positive 10F of silicon substrate 10, and integrated circuit 30 is so far organized in electrical connection.Miniature touch control device 1 can more comprise a plurality of lower connection gaskets 70, and it is formed at a back side 60B of insulation course 60.On these, connection gasket 40 and these lower connection gaskets 70 can go between to reach electrical connection by several.
In the present embodiment, these gaps AG of these sensing elements 20 communicates with each other.Yet in other embodiment, these gaps AG of these sensing elements 20 can also not be communicated with each other.
Fig. 6 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of second embodiment of the invention.As shown in Figure 6, the miniature touch control device 1 of the present embodiment can more comprise a plurality of through electrodes 50 and insulation course 60.These through electrodes 50 connect silicon substrate 10 and are electrically connected to respectively connection gasket 40 on these.Insulation course 60 is on these between connection gasket 40 and silicon substrate 10, and the back side 10B of silicon substrate 10 is upper, and between these through electrodes 50 and silicon substrate 10.The material of insulation course 60 at least comprises monox, dielectric material or insulating polymeric material.
Moreover miniature touch control device 1 can more comprise a plurality of lower connection gaskets 70, it is formed at a back side 60B of insulation course 60, and these lower connection gaskets 70 are electrically connected to connection gasket 40 on these by these through electrodes 50 respectively.Or insulation course 60 can be considered as is a part for silicon substrate 10.Under this situation, lower connection gasket 70 can be considered to be the back side that is formed at silicon substrate.
Again, miniature touch control device 1 can more comprise a packed layer 80, and it is filled between the upper and suspension touch control layer 23 of positive 10F of silicon substrate 10, is used for covering the positive 10F of connection gasket 40 and silicon substrate 10 partly these on.
In addition, miniature touch control device 1 can more comprise a plurality of solder projections 90, the back side 70B that it is electrically connected to respectively these lower connection gaskets 70 and is positioned at these lower connection gaskets 70.
The second embodiment, by the design of through electrode, can, so that whole miniature touch control device (comprising sensing element and peripheral chip) has planar appearance completely, be beneficial to the design of electronic product.
In first and second embodiment, the metering system of sensing element is described as follows.When user is when finger F or other placing objects are on miniature touch control device, as shown in Figure 3, some sensing element 20 in miniature touch control device is depressed and is out of shape by the line peak F_ridge of finger F.Finger F can be regarded as a conductor, and the distance of itself and lower conductor layer 21 has determined an electric capacity, by the electric signal of corresponding this electric capacity is read, can judge the pressured state of each sensing element.Therefore, miniature touch control device can be read the fingerprint of finger F.When finger F is slided, this group integrated circuit or extra computation device or method can calculate the relative motion of finger F between two time points, and carry out the function of mouse beacon cursor movement.Because the resulting data of two times are array data, so judged result can be more accurate.In addition, miniature touch control device of the present invention is installed also not to be needed fingerprint sensing device is additionally installed again, and has cost-effective advantage.
Fig. 7 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of third embodiment of the invention.As shown in Figure 7, these sensing elements 20 of the miniature touch control device 1 of the present embodiment can more comprise a plurality of upper conductor layer 24, and it is connected to suspension touch control layer 23, and correspond respectively to these lower conductor layer 21, wherein, these upper conductor layer 24 can be regarded as all or part of of suspension touch control layer 23.These upper conductor layer 24 are positioned at a back side 23B of suspension touch control layer 23 and directly face respectively these lower conductor layer 21.Or in other embodiment, these upper conductor layer 24 can be arranged in a positive 23F of suspension touch control layer 23 or be positioned at suspension touch control layer 23.
The combination of suspension touch control layer 23 and these upper conductor layer 24, be a flexible circuit board (Flexible printed circuit board) in the present embodiment, flexible circuit board be by metallic circuit and for example the polymer material layer of pi (polyimide) formed.Metallic circuit and polymer material layer can be single or multiple lifts, can reach the design of above-mentioned suspension touch control layer 23 and upper conductor layer 24 by the layout of metal level.Yet the present invention is not limited to this, suspension touch control layer 23 and these upper conductor layer 24 can utilize semiconductor standard manufacture technique to form.
In the 3rd embodiment, the metering system of sensing element is described as follows.When user is when finger F or other placing objects are on miniature touch control device, as shown in Figure 4, some sensing element 20 in miniature touch control device is depressed and is out of shape by the line peak F_ridge of finger F.Upper conductor layer 24 has determined an electric capacity with the distance of lower conductor layer 21, by the electric signal of corresponding this electric capacity is read, can judge the pressured state of each sensing element.Therefore, miniature touch control device can be read the fingerprint of finger F.When finger F moves, this group integrated circuit or extra computation device or method can calculate the relative motion of finger F between two time points, and carry out the function of mouse beacon cursor movement.Because the resulting data of two times are frame data more than two groups, so judged result can be more accurate.In addition, miniature touch control device of the present invention is installed not to be needed fingerprint sensing device is additionally installed again yet, and has cost-effective advantage.
Insulation course 60 that it should be noted that Fig. 5 to Fig. 7 can utilize under one step and form, and maybe can utilize multiple step to form.When insulation course 60 is that while utilizing multiple step to form, its material can be commaterial or non-same material.
Fig. 8 shows the side view according to the miniature touch control device of fourth embodiment of the invention.As shown in Figure 8, the present embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, and difference is that suspension touch control layer 23 is a flexible circuit board, and it has a plurality of input connection gaskets 231, many strip conductors line 232 and a plurality of output connection gasket 233.Input connection gasket 231 is electrically connected to connection gasket 40, and conductor line 232 is electrically connected to input connection gasket 231 by output connection gasket 233.
Fig. 9 shows the calcspar according to the integrated circuit of various embodiments of the present invention.As shown in Figure 9, this group integrated circuit 30 at least comprises an amplifier 32, an analog/digital converter 33, a treatment circuit 34, an input/output interface 35 and a control logic circuit 31.
Amplifier 32 is electrically connected to these sensing elements 20.Analog/digital converter 33 is electrically connected to amplifier 32.Treatment circuit 34 is electrically connected to analog/digital converter 33.Input/output interface 35 is electrically connected to treatment circuit 34.Control logic circuit 31 is electrically connected to these sensing elements, amplifier 32, analog/digital converter 33, treatment circuit 34 and input/output interface 35, is used for controlling its running.Treatment circuit more can comprise the storer of an arithmetic unit and method and temporary related data in the present embodiment, so that the movement of above-mentioned all objects or striking can be immediately in this calculating, finally only by result of calculation with simple formatted output, the communication format of mouse apparatus for example.
Figure 10 shows according to two of the application of the miniature touch control device of preferred embodiment of the present invention.As shown in figure 10, miniature touch control device 1 of the present invention is applied to a mobile device 4, for example, in mobile phone, is used for controlling the movement of the option of mobile device 4, can also level of control and movement or the omnidirectional movement of vertically scrolling, also can experience the function of clicking or double-clicking of finger.
Because the surface of miniature touch control device is can be out of shape with sensing pressured state, so whether finger has humidity can't have influence on the pressured state of each sensing element.Therefore by miniature touch control device of the present invention, can solve the problem that part technology (for example condenser type) cannot the wet finger of sensing, and can effectively improve sensitivity.
Another advantage of the present invention shared area quite little (the little or rough finger size that equals than finger) on be assembled in PCB time, the rough real area that is equal to whole sensing wafer circuit design, it is compact that this emphasizes present electronic product is very important.In brief, apparatus of the present invention are designed silicon substrate front are designed to finger contact sensing face by through electrode, and the silicon substrate back side is designed to the surface of contact of assembling with PCB, therefore are for example applicable to being very much applied to, on miniaturized electronics (mobile phone).
The specific embodiment proposing in the detailed description of preferred embodiment is only used for facilitating explanation technology contents of the present invention, but not the present invention is narrowly limited to above-described embodiment, in the situation that does not exceed spirit of the present invention and claim, the many variations of doing is implemented, and all belongs to scope of the present invention.