Force sensing resistive touch sensor

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Force sensing touch (FST) sensors provide extra functionality compared to existing touchsensors based on capacitive sensing. They enable a new type of gesturing – the ability forelectronic devices to recognize the location and amount of force or pressure of a touch point.This can be used in track-pads, keyboards, touch screens, game controllers and the like. Theyenhance the user’s ability to interact with an electronic device or computer and for themanufacturer they can really differentiate their product in the marketplace. The problem isthat existing FST sensors have poor uniformity of response, give false triggering, have poormechanical robustness and need too large a first touch activation force. Our concept is toeliminate these problems by using a novel type of flexible circuit board in the construction ofthe sensor. This board will enable us to make resistive FST sensors without any spacerstructures or air gaps and with much lower resistance of the individual sensor drive lines inthe matrix pattern. Our sensor will have the additional benefits of being free from electricalinterference and will draw less power, as no current flows until the sensor is touched.