EP4619846A1

EP4619846A1 - Sensing device and computing system

Info

Publication number: EP4619846A1
Application number: EP24861297.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Xinmei Yang; Yu-Chun Chen; Junrong Zhou
Original assignee: Lenovo Beijing Ltd
Current assignee: Lenovo Beijing Ltd
Priority date: 2024-02-07
Filing date: 2024-02-07
Publication date: 2025-09-24
Also published as: JP2026512205A; WO2025166610A1; EP4619846A4; CN121311860A

Abstract

A sensing device includes: a lower portion including magnets; an upper portion; and resilient spacers disposed between and connecting the upper portion and the lower portion. The upper portion includes a first coil that receives a first current and generates a first pole at an end of the first coil facing the magnets and a second coil that receives a second current and generates a second pole at an end of the second coil facing the magnets. The first coil, the second coil, and the magnets form a locking mechanism that prevents relative displacement between the upper portion and the lower portion connected by the resilient spacers in a case where the first pole and the second pole have opposite polarities under the first current and the second current.

Description

SENSING DEVICE AND COMPUTING SYSTEM

BACKGROUND

Haptic feedback is a technology that provides users with tactile sensations or vibrations in response to their input or interactions. The haptic feedback feature provides the users with natural and immersive experience by simulating a feeling of pressing physical buttons or interacting with textured surfaces, even though a contact surface is generally flat and smooth.
When manufacturing a computing device including a sensing device (e.g., a laptop having a touchpad) with haptic feedback, the sensing device may be picked up from a top surface and placed into the computing system. Because at least a portion of the sensing device is composed of a resilient material, different portions of the sensing device may have relative displacement during pick and place, and therefore, causing misalignment. Accordingly, there exists a need for a technique that prevents relative displacement during the assembly of the sensing device.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sensing device including: a lower portion including magnets; an upper portion including: a first coil that receives a first current and generates a first pole at an end of the first coil facing the magnets; and a second coil that receives a second current and generates a second pole at an end of the second coil facing the magnets; and resilient spacers disposed between and connecting the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the first coil, the second coil, and the magnets form a locking mechanism that prevents relative displacement between the upper portion and the lower portion connected by the resilient spacers in a case where the first pole and the second pole have opposite polarities under the first current and the second current.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sensing device, wherein the upper portion includes a cover layer and a touch layer, and the first coil and the second coil are embedded in the touch layer.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sensing device, wherein the lower portion includes a baseplate having a void, and the magnets are disposed inside the void.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sensing device 1-3, wherein the sensing device includes a flex layer having holes, and the spacers are disposed inside the holes.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sensing device 1-4, wherein the first coil, the second coil, and the magnets form a haptic mechanism, in a case when the first pole and the second pole have same polarity under the first current and the second current, that provides a haptic feedback.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of manufacturing a computing system, including: disposing a sensing device into the computing system; and forming a locking mechanism that prevents relative displacement between an upper portion of the sensing device and a lower portion of the sensing device connected by resilient spacers, including: supplying a first current to a first coil disposed in the upper portion of the sensing device, generating a first pole at one end of the first coil facing magnets disposed in a lower portion of the sensing device; and supplying a second current to a second coil disposed in the upper portion, generating a second pole having opposite polarities to the first pole at one end of the second coil facing the magnets.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the disposing of the sensing device into the computing system is performed after the forming of the locking mechanism.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the forming of the locking mechanism further includes aligning the upper portion of the sensing device with the lower portion of the sensing device using a frame.
Other aspects and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a top view scheme of a sensing device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view scheme of a sensing device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2A and 2B show schemes of magnetic fields and forces between coils and magnets in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 shows a scheme of a sensing device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4A shows a scheme of a computing system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4B shows a block diagram of a computing system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart for a method for manufacturing a computing system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a sensing device equipped with a locking mechanism that prevents relative replacement between different portions of the sensing device connected by resilient spacers. The sensing device also provides a function of haptic feedback. Further, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computing system including the sensing device, as well as methods of manufacturing the computing system including assembly of the sensing device.
Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.
Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1A is a top view scheme of a sensing device 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The sensing device may be a part of a computing system (not shown in FIGs. 1A and 1B) . The sensing device 100 is intended to encompass any device that is configured to detect inputs of a user and translates the inputs into signals that may be processed by the computing system. In one or more embodiments, the sensing device is a touch screen, such as a touchpad, that detects movement and position of a finger, a stylus, or any other object that may be detected.
The sensing device 100 includes at least a cover layer 111. In one or more embodiments, the cover layer 111 includes a relatively translucent or transparent substance that is capable of isolating electronic components in the sensing device from ambient and is sturdy enough to withstand user interactions and potential impacts. The cover layer 111 may be composed of, for example, glass, treated glass, plastic, diamond, sapphire, acrylic, or other materials. The cover layer 111 usually has a smooth or slightly textured surface.
The sensing device 100 includes at least a baseplate 121, providing support and stability to the sensing device and its assembly. The baseplate 121 is a structural foundation of the sensing device and is usually made of a rigid material, such as metal or metal alloy, plastic or glass fiber reinforced plastic, ceramics, or rigid composite materials. The baseplate 121 has a plurality of openings 121a reserved to facilitate the assembly of the sensing device in the computing system. The openings 121a serve as attachment points for screws and are precisely positioned to align with corresponding openings in a chassis or housing of the computing system. In one or more embodiments, the sensing device is assembled into a keyboard cover of the computing system through screws at the openings 121a. In one or more embodiments, the openings 121a in the baseplate 121 may have threads or be designed to accommodate threaded inserts, ensuring the connection of the sensing device in the computing system when screws are tightened.
A cross-sectional view of the sensing device 100 according to one or more embodiments is shown in FIG. 1B. The sensing device 100 includes an upper portion 110, a lower portion 120, a plurality of spacers 130 connecting the upper portion 110 and the lower portion 120, a coil 151, and a magnet 152.
The upper portion 110 of the sensing device refers to a space occupied by the sensing device from a top surface of the sensing device to a plane occupied by the spacers, as well as all components of the sensing device within this space. In one or more embodiments shown in FIG. 1B, the upper portion 110 of the sensing device includes the cover layer 111, a coil 151, and other electronic components configured to detect a touch and/or force from user. The cover layer 111 is generally a top layer of the sensing device 100. The coil 151 is fixed and embedded in the upper portion. In one or more embodiments, the coil 151 is embedded in the electronic components configured to detect a touch and/or force.
The lower portion 120 of the sensing device refers to a space occupied by the sensing device from a bottom surface of the sensing device to a plane occupied by the spacers, as well as all components of the sensing device within this space. In one or more embodiments shown in FIG. 1B, the lower portion 120 of the sensing device includes at least the baseplate 121 and a magnet 152. In some implementations, the baseplate 121 is a bottom layer of the sensing device 100. Alternatively, there may be another one or more protection layers attached to a bottom surface of the baseplate 121. The magnet 152 is fixed to or embedded in the lower portion 120. In one or more embodiments, the magnet 152 is embedded in a void of the baseplate 121, as shown in FIG. 1B. Alternatively, the magnet 152 may be disposed directly on the baseplate 121 or embedded in a tray that is attached to the baseplate 121.
The spacers 130 are composed of a resilient material. Examples of the resilient material may include rubber, silicone, foam materials, or any other resilient material. The choice of materials for spacers depends on factors such as the required mechanical properties, durability, and compatibility with the overall design of the sensing device. The spacers 130 may be arranged in a variety of configurations, including linearly, in an array, or at irregular intervals. A number of the spacers 130 may be adjusted as needed and is not limited by any of the figures. In one or more embodiments, the spacers 130 may be coated with an adhesive layer to secure the connection with the upper portion 110 and the lower portion 120 of the sensing device.
The sensing device 100 includes at least a coil 151 and a magnet 152. While only one coil and one magnet are shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1B, it is recognized to one having ordinary skill in the art that the amount of coil and magnet may be adjusted based on need and design of the actuator. The magnet 152 is a permanent magnet. The coil 151 is positioned within the magnetic field generated by the magnet 152. When a current is supplied, the coil 151 becomes an electromagnet due to the electromagnetic induction phenomenon. Specifically, the flow of the current through the coil 151 produces a magnetic field around it according to Ampere's law, and a direction of the magnetic field changes with the direction of the current flowing in the coil 151. The coil 151 may have a north pole or a south pole facing the magnet 152. As a result, there may be an attractive or repulsive force generated between the magnetic field generated in the coil 151 and the magnetic field of the magnet 152. The force may be used to form a locking mechanism between the coil and magnet, preventing relative displacement between the upper potion and the lower portion of the sensing device. The force may also be used for an actuator providing a haptic feedback. Specific embodiments of the locking mechanism and the actuator providing haptic feedback will be described in detail in accordance with FIGs. 2A and 2B.
FIGs. 2A and 2B show non-limiting examples of magnetic fields and forces generated between a coil and a magnet in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A shows magnetic fields and forces for function of an actuator with haptic feedback. FIG. 2B shows magnetic fields and forces for formation of a locking mechanism. While two coils 251a and 251b and two magnets 252a and 252b are shown in FIGs. 2A and 2B, the numbers of coils and magnets may be adjusted based on need and design of the actuator or sensing device.
In one or more embodiments as shown in FIG. 2A, the two magnets 252a and 252b are arranged in a specific pattern to form alternating south and north poles. The first coil 251a and the second coil 251b are supplied with a first current and a second current, respectively, to generate magnetic fields in the same directions. For example, the first coil 251a and the second coil 251b both have south poles at their ends facing the magnets. Accordingly, each of the first coil 251a and the second coil 251b receives a repulsive force from the south poles of the magnets 252a and 252b and an attractive force from the north poles of the magnets 252a and 252b. Because the spacers are resilient, the first coil 251a and the second coil 251b may be displaced under these forces and may move horizontally towards the right relative to the magnets 252a and 252b.
When currents are in reversed directions to those shown in FIG. 2A, the first coil 251a and the second coil 251b both have north poles at their ends facing the magnets. Accordingly, the first coil 251a and the second coil 251b each receives a repulsive force from the north poles of the magnets 252a and 252b and an attractive force from the south poles of the magnets 252a and 252b. As a result, the first coil 251a and the second coil 251b may be displaced and may move horizontally towards the left relative to the magnets 252a and 252b under these forces.
When an alternating current (AC) is applied to the first coil 251a and the second coil 251b in FIG. 2A, the forces may constantly change direction, resulting in a vibration. The frequency of the vibration can be controlled by adjusting the frequencies of the alternating currents applied to the coils.
In one or more embodiments as shown in FIG. 2B, the two magnets 252a and 252b are arranged in a specific pattern to form alternating south and north poles. The first coil 251a and the second coil 251b are each supplied with a current to generate magnetic fields in opposite directions, resulting in opposite polarities facing the magnets. The first coil 251a has a south pole at an end facing the magnets, and the second coil 251b has a north pole at an end facing the magnets. Accordingly, the forces received by the first coil 251a and the forces received by the second coil 251b counteract with each other in the horizontal plane. Thus, a locking mechanism is formed by locking the coils and magnets with each other, such that the upper portion and the lower portion of the sensing device are prohibited from relative displacement ad.
As shown in FIGs. 2A and 2B, by controlling the currents supplied to the coils, the coils and the magnets may serve as an actuator to provide haptic feedback when the generated magnetic fields have the same directions and the poles of the coils facing the magnets have the same polarity, and as a locking mechanism when the generated magnetic fields have opposite directions and the poles of the coils facing the magnets have opposite polarities.
Returning to FIGs 1A and 1B, when assembling a sensing device into a computing system, the sensing device may be picked up, for example by a pick-and-place tool, at the cover layer 111 and placed into the computing system (not shown) under instructions of an alignment system (not shown) . The alignment system may include a camera or a charge-coupled device (CCD) , used to check one or more markers or edges of the cover layer. Because the spacers are composed of a resilient material, relative displacement may occur between the upper portion and the lower portion of the sensing device during assembly. Any external force or vibration may cause misalignment between the openings on the baseplate and the openings in the chassis or housing of the computing system. The misalignment may be avoided by the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 2B.
A sensing device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in a specific implementation shown in FIG. 3. The sensing device 300, as shown in FIG. 3, is directed to a touch pad including a cover layer 311, an adhesive layer 312, a touch layer 313, a coil 351, spacers 330, a flex layer 340, a baseplate 321, and a magnet 352. The cover layer, baseplate, coil, magnet, and spacers shown in FIG. 3 may have the same features as those described in accordance with other figures. The cover layer 311, the adhesive layer 312, the coil 351, and the touch layer 313 may be disposed in an upper portion 310 of the sensing device. The baseplate 321 may be disposed in a lower portion 320 of the sensing device, having openings 321a that serve as attachment points for screws and are precisely positioned to align with corresponding openings in a chassis or housing of a computing system. The upper portion 310 and the lower portion 320 are connected through the spacers 330 that are resilient. Specifically, the touch layer 313 and the baseplate 321 are connected by the spacers 330. The coil 351 may be embedded in the touch layer 313. The magnet 352 may be embedded in a void of the baseplate 321, or disposed directly on the baseplate 321, or embedded in a tray that is attached to the baseplate 321.
The adhesive layer 312 may be any type of adhesive that secures the touch layer 313 to the cover layer 311. While only one adhesive layer is shown in FIG. 3, it would be recognized to one having ordinary skill in the art that the sensing device may include a plurality of adhesive layers that couple the various layers or components together.
The touch layer 313 is configured to sense a touch of a user. In one or more embodiments, the touch layer 313 may include circuitry, such as a printed circuit board (PCB) or a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) , for detection of the touch, including determination of a position and/or a movement or gesture of the user, in a dedicated sensing region. A projection of the dedicated sensing region may occupy a part or a whole of a surface of the touch layer 313 that is exposed to the user. The dedicated sensing region may occupy a space above the surface of the touch layer 313.
The flex layer 340 is configured to detect a pressure or force applied to the sensing device. The flex layer 340 may be a flexible printed circuit (FPC) , including photolithography metal on a flexible sheet such as a Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material or lamination of metal traces within PET material. The flex layer 340 may have one or more apertures or holes 340a through the flex layer 340 to accommodate the spacers 330. The flex layer 340 may be disposed directly on the baseplate 321 and may be coupled to the baseplate 321 using an adhesive.
The coil 351 and the magnet 352 may have configurations shown in FIGs. 2A and 2B. When magnetic fields generated from two coils have the same directions, the sensing device 300 may have a haptic feedback feature. When magnetic fields generated from two coils have opposite directions, the upper portion and the lower portion of the sensing device 300 may be locked, and a relative displacement between them is prohibited.
While only one configuration is shown in FIG. 3, one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the present disclosure is not intended to be limiting and other implementations may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. One or more components of the sensing device shown in FIG. 3 may be added, omitted, or modified. For example, the sensing device may include a protection layer coupled to the baseplate to an opposite side of the flex layer. One or more adhesive layers, tapes, or cartridges may be used to immobilize components of the sensing device. The sensing device may include cables or other conductive materials for transmission of signal and/or power. While a capacitive touch mechanism is shown in FIG. 3, other touch mechanisms may also be used. The coil and magnet disclosed herein may be applied to other touch mechanisms, for example, elastic, resistive, inductive, magnetic, acoustic, ultrasonic, piezoelectric, strain gauge-based, or optical.
The sensing device disclosed herein may be implemented as a part of a computing system. One or more embodiments of such a computing system that comprises the sensing device will be described in accordance with FIGs. 4A and 4B.
FIGs. 4A and 4B show a scheme and a block diagram of a computing system 40 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively. The computing system 40 is intended to encompass any computing system such as a server, desktop computer, laptop/notebook computer, wireless data port, smart phone, personal data assistant (PDA) , tablet computing device, one or more processors within these devices, or any other suitable processing device, including both physical or virtual instances (or both) of the computing system. The computing system 40 can serve in a role as a client, network component, a server, a database or other persistency, or any other component (or a combination of roles) of a computer for performing the subject matter described in the present disclosure. The computing system 40 may be communicatively coupled with a network, internally or externally. In some implementations, one or more components of the computing system 40 may be configured to operate within environments, including cloud-computing-based, local, global, or other environment (or a combination of environments) . At a high level, the computing system 40 is an electronic device operable to receive, transmit, process, store, or manage data and information associated with the described subject matter. Non-limiting examples of the computing system may include personal computers of all sizes and shapes, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, netbook computers, tablets, web browsers, e-book readers, remote terminals, kiosks, and video game machines, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) .
According to one or more embodiments shown in FIG. 4A, the computing system 40 includes at least the sensing device 400 and a host system 500. The sensing device 400 may be implemented as a physical part of the computing system 40 (e.g., a touchpad integrated in the body of a laptop) . The sensing device 400 may be assembled into a void space in the computing system 40, for example, into a cover where the keyboard is disposed as shown in FIG. 4A. The sensing device 400 may communicate with the host system 500 using any one or more of the following: buses, networks, and other wired or wireless interconnections. Examples include I2C, SPI, PS/2, Universal Serial Bus (USB) , Bluetooth, RF, and IRDA.
The sensing device 400 includes a coil 451, a magnet 452, and a processor 470. The coil 451 and the magnet 452 may have configurations described in one or more embodiments along with one or more figures in the present disclosure.
The processor 470 is configured to operate the hardware of the sensing device 400. For example, the processor 470 includes parts of, or all of, one or more integrated circuits (ICs) and/or other circuitry components coupled to the sensing elements (e.g., touch layer) in the sensing device 400. In one or more embodiments, the processor 470 may include transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals with transmitter sensor electrodes and/or receiver circuitry configured to receive signals with receiver sensor electrodes. In one or more embodiments, the processor 470 may include mutual and absolute capacitance circuitry and/or circuitry for other types of sensing modalities such as strain gauges, resistive sensors, piezoelectric sensors. In one or more embodiments, the processor 470 also performs other functions, such as driving an actuator with haptic feedback.
In one or more embodiments, the processor 470 includes electronically readable instructions, such as firmware code, software code, and/or the like. The processor 470 may include software configured to run on a central processing unit of the host system and one or more ICs (perhaps with associated firmware) separate from the central processing unit. As another example, the processor 470 may include circuits and firmware that are part of a main processor of the computer system. In some embodiments, components composing the processor 470 are located inside sensing device 400. In other embodiments, components of the processor 470 may be partially or entirely implemented to the host system 500, for example, as a part of the processor 520.
The host system 500 may include various elements of the computing system 40, such as interface 510, processor 520, memory 530, and application 540. The interface 510 is used by the computing system 40 for communicating with other systems in a distributed environment, for example, in a network. Generally, the interface 510 includes software supporting one or more communication protocols such that the interface's hardware is operable to communicate physical signals within and outside of the computing system.
The processor 520 may execute instructions and manipulate data to perform the operations of the computing system 40 and any algorithms, methods, functions, processes, flows, and procedures as described in the present disclosure. The processor 520 may include a central processing unit (CPU) , one or more cores or micro-cores of a processor, etc. Further, one or more elements of one or more embodiments may be located at a remote location and connected to the other elements over network.
The memory 530 holds data for components in the computing system 40 or other components that are communicatively connected to the computing system 40. The memory 530 may include a non-transitory electronically readable media such as various discs, physical memory, memory, memory sticks, memory cards, memory modules, and/or any other computer readable storage medium. Electronically readable media may be based on flash, optical, magnetic, holographic, or any other storage technology. The application is an algorithmic software engine providing functionality according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computing system 40, particularly with respect to functionality described in the present disclosure.
In one or more embodiments, an external system 600 is used to control and provide power to the sensing device 400. The external system 600 may be coupled to the sensing device through wired or wireless interconnections, such as cable or USB. The external system 600 includes an external power 610 and an external processor 620. In one or more embodiments, when assembling the sensing device 400 into the computing system 40, the external power 610 may supply a current to the sensing device 400, for example, the first current and the second current described in one or more embodiments. The external processor 620 may control a direction and a power value of the current, such that a locking mechanism may be realized when the interaction between the coil and the magnet prevents relative displacement between the upper portion and the lower portion of the sensing device 400. In other implementations, the processor 470 of the sensing device 400 may also be used to control the formation of the locking mechanism, while power is supplied by the external power 610.
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart for a method of manufacturing a computing system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. While the various blocks in FIG. 5 are presented and described sequentially, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that some or all of the blocks may be executed in different orders, may be combined or omitted, and some or all of the blocks may be executed in parallel. Furthermore, the blocks may be performed actively or passively.
The method may include step S1001, disposing a sensing device into the computing system. The sensing device and the computing system may have configurations as described in accordance with other figures. The disposing of the sensing device may be performed under instructions of an alignment system, for example, a camera or a charge-coupled device (CCD) , used to check one or more markers or edges of the cover layer. The disposing of the sensing device may be performed by a pick-and-place machine, by picking up the sensing device (e.g., at a top surface) and place the sensing device inside a void in the computing system.
The method may include step S1002, forming a locking mechanism that prevents relative displacement between an upper portion of the sensing device and a lower portion of the sensing device connected by resilient spacers. The forming of the locking mechanism may include step S1003, supplying a first current to a first coil disposed in the upper portion of the sensing device, generating a first pole at one end of the first coil facing magnets disposed in a lower portion of the sensing device; and step S1004, supplying a second current to a second coil disposed in the upper portion, generating a second pole having opposite polarities to the first pole at one end of the second coil facing the magnets. By supplying the first current and the second current such that the two coils have opposite polarities facing the magnets, the forces received by the two coils may counteract with each other in the horizontal plane. Thus, the upper portion and the lower portion of the sensing device are prohibited from relative displacement and are locked with each other.
In one or more embodiments, the disposing of the sensing device into the computing system is performed after the formation of the locking mechanism, such than no misalignment would occur during assembly of the sensing device into the body of the computing system.
In one or more embodiments, the forming of the locking mechanism is performed while aligning the upper portion of the sensing device with the lower portion of the sensing device using a frame that is rigid. At the time of forming the locking mechanism, the sensing device may be disposed inside the frame to ensure that no relative displacement occurs. The frame may be dissembled or removed from the sensing device after the alignment and formation of the locking mechanism. The frame may be made of any material that is rigid. The frame may have a size and shape in accordance with those of the sensing device. For example, the frame may have four edges aligned with four edges of the sensing device, both the upper portion and the lower portion, during forming of the locking mechanism.
It should be understood that while many embodiments of the disclosure are described in the context of a fully functioning apparatus, the mechanisms of the present disclosure are capable of being distributed as a program product (e.g., software) in a variety of forms. For example, the mechanisms of the present disclosure may be implemented and distributed as a software program on information-bearing media that are readable by electronic processors (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable and/or recordable/writable information bearing media that is readable by the processing system or the host system) .
Although the disclosure has been described with respect to only a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that various other embodiments may be devised without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.

Claims

A sensing device comprising:

a lower portion comprising magnets;

an upper portion comprising:

a first coil that receives a first current and generates a first pole at an end of the first coil facing the magnets; and

a second coil that receives a second current and generates a second pole at an end of the second coil facing the magnets; and

resilient spacers disposed between and connecting the upper portion and the lower portion,

wherein the first coil, the second coil, and the magnets form a locking mechanism that prevents relative displacement between the upper portion and the lower portion connected by the resilient spacers in a case where the first pole and the second pole have opposite polarities under the first current and the second current.
The sensing device according to claim 1, wherein

the upper portion comprises a cover layer and a touch layer, and

the first coil and the second coil are embedded in the touch layer.
The sensing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the lower portion comprises a baseplate having a void, and

the magnets are disposed inside the void.
The sensing device according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein

the sensing device includes a flex layer having holes, and

the spacers are disposed inside the holes.
The sensing device according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the first coil, the second coil, and the magnets form a haptic mechanism, in a case when the first pole and the second pole have same polarity under the first current and the second current, that provides a haptic feedback.
A method of manufacturing a computing system, comprising:

disposing a sensing device into the computing system; and

forming a locking mechanism that prevents relative displacement between an upper portion of the sensing device and a lower portion of the sensing device connected by resilient spacers, including:

supplying a first current to a first coil disposed in the upper portion of the sensing device, generating a first pole at one end of the first coil facing magnets disposed in a lower portion of the sensing device; and

supplying a second current to a second coil disposed in the upper portion, generating a second pole having opposite polarities to the first pole at one end of the second coil facing the magnets.
The method of claim 6, wherein the disposing of the sensing device into the computing system is performed after the forming of the locking mechanism.
The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein the forming of the locking mechanism further includes aligning the upper portion of the sensing device with the lower portion of the sensing device using a frame.