TWI852035B - Touch input device with haptic feedback - Google Patents

Abstract

A touch input device with tactile feedback incudes a touch input receiver and a plurality of vibrators. The touch input receiver includes a plurality of press-sensing units. The press-sensing units and the vibrators are dispersedly disposed under a touch operation surface of the touch input receiver. Vibrator projections of the plurality of vibrators on the touch operation surface define a plurality of non-overlapping areas on the touch operation surface. Each area is bounded by at least three of the vibrator projections and corresponds to at least one of the press-sensing units. A sensing unit projection of each press-sensing unit on the touch operation surface is located on the area corresponding to the press-sensing unit. Thereby, in response to the triggering of one of the press-sensing units, the at least three vibrators defining the area corresponding to the press-sensing unit vibrate.

Description

Touch input device with tactile feedback

The present invention relates to an input device, and more particularly to a touch input device with tactile feedback.

Touch input devices, such as touchpads, have been widely used in input devices (such as laptops). They provide most of the functions of a general mouse, such as moving the cursor and clicking icons, by tracking touch tracks and receiving touch operations such as clicks. The touch surface of a general touchpad adopts a single-chip structure and a fixed setting design. In principle, the touchpad cannot provide users with tactile feedback such as pressing a mouse button, making it difficult for users to judge whether the click is successful, causing trouble in input operations.

In view of the problems in the prior art, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a touch input device with tactile feedback, which has dispersed pressure sensing units and vibrators, so that different pressure positions of the user can be separated, and at least three vibrators can be selectively controlled to vibrate as tactile feedback of the user's pressure.

According to the present invention, a touch input device with tactile feedback includes a touch input receiver, a plurality of vibrators and a controller. The touch input receiver has a touch operation surface and a plurality of pressure sensing units, and the plurality of pressure sensing units are dispersedly arranged below the touch operation surface. The plurality of vibrators are dispersedly arranged below the touch operation surface. The vibrator projections of the plurality of vibrators on the touch operation surface define a plurality of non-overlapping areas on the touch operation surface, each area is defined by at least three adjacent vibrator projections, each area corresponds to at least one pressure sensing unit, and the sensing unit projection of each pressure sensing unit on the touch operation surface is located on the corresponding area. In this way, in response to the triggering of one of the pressure sensing units, the at least three vibrators corresponding to the area of the pressure sensing unit are vibrated to provide tactile feedback to the user.

The advantages and spirit of the present invention can be further understood through the following detailed description of the invention and the attached drawings.

1,4: Touch input device

12: Touch input receiver

12a: Touch operation surface

122: Pressure sensing layer

122a: Connection end

122b: Component avoidance space

1222: Pressure sensing unit

1222a,1222b: switch contacts

1224: Upload board

1226: Download board

1228: Spacer

1228a: Open mouth

1230: protrusion

124: Touch sensing layer

126: Protective layer

14: Vibrator

142:Metal substrate

142a:Electrode pad

144: Piezoelectric film

144a:Electrode pad

15:FPC

15a: Connect the end

16: Controller

18: Structural framework

20: Insulation film

22: Installation base plate

24: Adhesive layer

3: Computer

A1~A2,B1~B3,C1~C2,D1~D4,E1~E4,F1~F3,G1~G5,H1:Sensing unit projection

Dv: vertical direction

P1~P8: Vibrator projection

S1~S8: Area

Vin: power supply end

pin1~8: detection end

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a touch input device with tactile feedback according to one of the first embodiments.

Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the touch input device in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the touch input device in Figure 1 without the controller.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the touch input device along line X-X in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a top view of the touch input device in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a block diagram of the circuit logic of the pressure sensing unit in Figure 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a touch input device with tactile feedback according to one of the second embodiments.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the touch input device in Figure 7, and the cross-sectional position is equivalent to the line X-X in Figure 1.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 4. According to the first embodiment, a touch input device 1 with tactile feedback includes a touch input receiver 12, a plurality of vibrators 14 and a controller 16 (shown as a block in FIG. 1). The touch input receiver 12 has a touch operation surface 12a and includes a pressure sensing layer 122 and a touch sensing layer 124 stacked on the pressure sensing layer 122. The pressure sensing layer 122 forms a plurality of pressure sensing units 1222 (shown as circles with hatching in FIG. 3), which are dispersedly arranged below the touch operation surface 12a. The plurality of vibrators 14 are dispersedly arranged below the touch operation surface 12a. The controller 16 (for example, implemented as a circuit board module, which may include a printed circuit board and a processing/control chip, a connection interface and required electronic components disposed on the printed circuit board) is electrically connected to the pressure sensing layer 122 and the vibrator 14. The touch operation surface 12a is used as an interface for the user to perform input operations on the touch input device 1. The touch input receiver 12 uses the touch sensing layer 124 to sense the user's touch operations such as movement and tapping on the touch operation surface 12a; and uses the pressure sensing layer 122 to sense the user's press operation on the touch operation surface 12a. Each pressure sensing unit 1222 corresponds to at least one vibrator 14. When the controller 16 determines that one of the plurality of pressure sensing units 1222 senses a pressure on the touch operation surface 12a, the controller 16 controls at least one vibrator 14 corresponding to the determined pressure sensing unit 1222 to vibrate. Therefore, the controller 16 can receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensing layer 122 and selectively control the vibration of the vibrator 14 accordingly as tactile feedback of the user's pressure.

In the first embodiment, the pressure sensing layer 122 can be implemented by a thin film circuit board and connected to the controller 16 via the connecting tail 122a. The thin film circuit board includes two layers of upper and lower carriers 1224 and 1226 and a spacer 1228 sandwiched therebetween. Switch circuits are arranged on the opposite surfaces of the upper and lower carriers 1224 and 1226 to form corresponding switch contacts 1222a and 1222b as the pressure sensing unit 1222 (as shown in FIG. 4). The spacer 1228 has an opening 1228a corresponding to each pressure sensing unit, and the switch contacts 1222a and 1222b are arranged corresponding to the corresponding opening 1228a. To simplify the diagram, the pressure sensing layer 122 is still shown as a single structural member in the first and third figures. In the first embodiment, the switch contacts 1222a and 1222b are relatively arranged on the upper and lower loading boards 1224 and 1226, and the pressure sensing unit 1222 is triggered by direct contact. However, in practice, the switch contacts 1222a and 1222b can also be arranged on the upper loading board 1224 or the lower loading board 1226, and a conductive contact is arranged on the lower loading board 1226 or the upper loading board 1224 relative to the switch contacts 1222a and 1222b, and the pressure sensing unit 1222 is triggered by the conductive contact contacting the switch contacts 1222a and 1222b at the same time. In addition, in practice, the pressure sensing unit 1222 can also be realized by other structures. For example, a plurality of switches are set on a single circuit board (such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC)) to serve as the pressure sensing unit 1222. In addition, in the first embodiment, the vibrator 14 is made of piezoelectric material and connected to the controller 16 via the FPC 15 (the connecting end 15a). The vibrator 14 includes a metal substrate 142 (such as but not limited to a brass plate) and a piezoelectric sheet 144 attached to the metal substrate 142. The metal substrate 142 and the piezoelectric sheet 144 are provided with electrode pads 142a and 144a, respectively, for connecting to the FPC 15. The controller 16 can apply a control signal (such as voltage) to each vibrator 14 via the FPC 15 to achieve a local vibration effect. In practice, the vibrator 14 can also be implemented by other devices that can generate vibration, such as an eccentric motor, a fixed coil and a movable magnet.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the touch sensing layer 124 can be implemented by a thin circuit board with an electrode array, and its thickness and material can be designed to allow the circuit board to produce elastic deformation so that the pressure sensing unit 1222 can be triggered. In practice, the pressing stroke of the user pressing the touch operation surface 12a to trigger the pressure sensing unit 1222 is significantly greater than the vertical displacement that may be generated by the user tapping the touch operation surface 12a; further, the vertical displacement that may be generated by the user tapping the touch operation surface 12a can be regarded as zero. Therefore, the user will feel different operation tactile sensations when pressing (or tapping hard, relative to tapping) the touch operation surface 12a and tapping the touch operation surface 12a, and can identify two different operations. In actual application, pressing the touch operation surface 12a can simulate the operation of a physical key. In addition, in the first embodiment, the connection port of the touch sensing layer 124 is located on its lower surface, so each component below it (such as the press sensing layer 122, FPC 15, etc.) has an opening to expose the connection port. The connection port can be connected to the controller 16 via a connection line (not shown in the figure). The controller 16 is then connected to an external device (for example, connected to a personal computer via a USB interface). In addition, in practice, a protective layer 126 can be covered on the touch sensing layer 124, and the upper surface of the protective layer 126 is the touch operation surface 12a that the user directly touches.

Please also refer to FIG. 5 , in which the projection of the pressure sensing unit 1222 on the touch operation surface 12a in a vertical direction Dv is represented by a dashed small circle, and the projection of the vibrator 14 on the touch operation surface 12a in the vertical direction Dv is represented by a dashed large circle. For the convenience of explanation, the plurality of vibrator projections are respectively labeled P1 to P8, and the plurality of sensing unit projections are respectively labeled A1 to A2, B1 to B3, C1 to C2, D1 to D4, E1 to E4, F1 to F3, G1 to G5, and H1. The plurality of vibrator projections P1-P8 define a plurality of non-overlapping regions S1-S8 on the touch operation surface 12a, each region S1-S8 is defined by three adjacent vibrator projections P1-P8 (for example, defined by the connection (indicated by a link in the figure) of the centers (indicated by a cross mark) of the vibrator projections P1-P8), and each region S1-S8 corresponds to at least one pressure sensing unit 1222. Therefore, in the first embodiment, each region S1-S8 is triangular, and the corresponding vibrator projections P1-P8 are located at the vertices; in practice, the geometric shape of the region S1-S8 is not limited to a triangle (for example, it can be a quadrilateral, for example, defined by four vibrator projections), nor is it limited to a convex polygon. In the first embodiment, area S1 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P1, P4, and P6, area S2 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P1, P2, and P4, area S3 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P2, P4, and P5, area S4 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P2, P3, and P5, area S5 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P4, P6, and P7, area S6 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P4, P5, and P7, area S7 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P5, P7, and P8, and area S8 is defined by connecting the centers of vibrator projections P3, P5, and P8. Areas S1~S8 are spliced together to form a complete area, which is equivalent to the area surrounded by the connection of the centers of the outermost vibrator projections P1~P3 and P6~P8; but this is not limited to this in practice, for example, there is a gap between adjacent areas S1~S8. In addition, each vibrator projection P1~P8 simultaneously defines at least one area S1~S8, that is, each vibrator projection P1~P8 is also the vertex of at least one area S1~S8; in addition, two adjacent areas S1~S8 correspond to at least two identical vibrator projections P1~P8 (or correspond to at least two identical vibrators 16), that is, they share two identical vibrator projections P1~P8. But this is not limited to this in practice, for example, adjacent areas S1~S8 do not have common vibrator projections P1~P8.

In the first embodiment, area S1 corresponds to the pressure sensing unit 1222 (corresponding to the sensing unit projections A1~A2), and the sensing unit projections A1~A2 are located on the corresponding area S1, more precisely, at the midpoint of the edge of area S1 (i.e., the center line connecting the vibrator projections P1 and P6 and the center line connecting the vibrator projections P1 and P4, respectively). Area S2 corresponds to the pressure sensing unit 1222 (corresponding to the sensing unit projections B1~B3), and the sensing unit projections B1~B3 are located on the corresponding area S2. More precisely, the sensing unit projection B1 is located at the vertex of area S1 (that is, the center of the vibrator projection P1) (or so to speak), and the sensing unit projections B2~B3 are located at the midpoint of the edge of area S1 (that is, the center line connecting the vibrator projections P1 and P2 and the center line connecting the vibrator projections P2 and P4, respectively). Area S3 corresponds to (corresponding to the sensing unit projections C1~C2) the pressing sensing unit 1222, the sensing unit projections C1~C2 are located on the corresponding area S3, more precisely, the sensing unit projection C1 is located at the vertex of area S3, and the sensing unit projection C2 is located inside area S1. Area S4 corresponds to (corresponding to the sensing unit projections D1~D4) the pressing sensing unit 1222, the sensing unit projections D1~D4 are located on the corresponding area S4, more precisely, the sensing unit projections D1~D2 are located inside area S4, the sensing unit projection D3 is located at the midpoint of the side of area S4, and the sensing unit projection D4 is located at the vertex of area S4. Area S5 corresponds to the press sensing unit 1222 (corresponding to the sensing unit projections E1 to E4), the sensing unit projections E1 to E4 are located on the corresponding area S5, more precisely, the sensing unit projections E1 and E3 are located at the vertex of area S5, the sensing unit projection E2 is located at the midpoint of the side of area S5, and the sensing unit projection E4 is located inside area S5. Area S6 corresponds to the press sensing unit 1222 (corresponding to the sensing unit projections F1 to F3), the sensing unit projections F1 to F3 are located on the corresponding area S6, more precisely, the sensing unit projections F1 to F2 are located at the midpoint of the side of area S5, and the sensing unit projection F3 is located inside area S6. Area S7 corresponds to the press sensing unit 1222 (corresponding to the sensing unit projections G1~G5), and the sensing unit projections G1~G5 are located on the corresponding area S7. More precisely, the sensing unit projections G1 and G5 are located at the vertices of area S7, and the sensing unit projections G2~G4 are located at the midpoint of the side of area S7. Area S8 corresponds to the press sensing unit 1222 (corresponding to the sensing unit projection H1), and the sensing unit projection H1 is located on the corresponding area S8, more precisely, it is located at the midpoint of the side of area S8.

From another perspective, in the first embodiment, the number of sensing unit projections corresponding to at least one region is less than or equal to three, and these sensing unit projections are located on the center line of two vibrator projections in the region to which they belong, or overlap the projection of any vibrator in the region to which they belong. For example, in region S2, sensing unit projections B2-B3 are located on the center line of vibrator projections P1 and P2 and the center line of vibrator projections P2 and P4, respectively, and sensing unit projection B1 overlaps vibrator projection P1. For another example, in region S5, sensing unit projection E2 is located on the center line of vibrator projections P4 and P6, and sensing unit projections E1 and E3 overlap vibrator projections P4 and P6, respectively. In the first embodiment, the number of sensing unit projections corresponding to at least one region is greater than three, and at least one of the sensing unit projections is neither located on the center line of two of the vibrator projections of the region to which it belongs, nor overlaps with any of the vibrator projections of the region to which it belongs. For example, in region S4, sensing unit projections D1~D2 are neither located on the center line of any two of the corresponding vibrator projections P2, P3, and P5, nor overlap with the corresponding vibrator projections P2, P3, and P5. In addition, in the first embodiment, one of the vibrator projections can be simultaneously used as the vertex of 2 to 5 of the regions. For example, vibrator projection P1 is simultaneously used as the vertex of regions S1~S2. For another example, vibrator projection P2 is simultaneously used as the vertex of regions S2~S4. For another example, the vibrator projection P4 is also the vertex of the regions S1~S3 and S5~S6. In practice, the relative positions of the sensing unit projections A1~A2, B1~B3, C1~C2, D1~D4, E1~E4, F1~F3, G1~G5, H1 and the corresponding regions S1~S8 are not limited to the above, and can be determined according to actual needs, and no further explanation is given. In addition, the number of regions (such as S1~S8) and vibrator projections (such as P1~P8) is not limited to the above, and no further explanation is given.

Therefore, there is a corresponding relationship between the vibrator 14 and the pressure sensing unit 1222, so that when one of the pressure sensing units 1222 is triggered, the controller 16 will control the corresponding vibrator 14 to vibrate; in other words, when the controller 16 determines that one of the multiple pressure sensing units 1222 senses a press on the touch operation surface 12a, the controller 16 controls the at least three vibrators 14 defined in the area S1~S8 corresponding to the determined pressure sensing unit 122 to vibrate. For example, in the first embodiment, when the user presses and touches the operating surface 12a to trigger the press sensing unit 1222 corresponding to the sensing unit projection A1 or A2 (wherein, the actual pressing position of the user does not need to be precisely located at the sensing unit projection A1 or A2 to trigger the corresponding press sensing unit 1222. In principle, when the actual pressing position is close to the sensing unit projection A1 or A2, the corresponding press sensing unit 1222 can be triggered), the controller 16 controls the vibrator 14 of the vibrator projections P1, P4, and P6 corresponding to the defined area S1 to vibrate. For another example, when the user presses and touches the operation surface 12a to trigger the pressure sensing unit 1222 corresponding to the sensing unit projection B1, B2 or B3, the controller 16 controls the vibrator 14 corresponding to the vibrator projection P1, P2, P4 of the defined area S1 to vibrate. And so on. Thus, the touch input device 1 can distinguish the user's pressing at different positions on the touch operation surface 12a through the dispersed pressure sensing units 1222, and can provide the user with local tactile feedback through the dispersed vibrators 14, which can help the user identify which finger the tactile feedback is for; in other words, generally, the touch input device 1 can respond to the pressing operation on the touch operation surface 12a in different areas (roughly speaking, corresponding to areas S1~S8). In actual use, the controller 16 only responds to the triggered pressure sensing unit 1222 to control the corresponding vibrator 14 to vibrate, and the other vibrators 14 do not vibrate. This local vibration effect can effectively use power and avoid driving all vibrators 14 together to cause too high a load; at the same time, since the amplitudes may cancel each other out when multiple zones vibrate synchronously, the vibration of other vibrators 14 in the non-triggering area will reduce the amplitude of the corresponding vibrator 14 of the triggered pressure sensing unit 1222, resulting in poor tactile feedback. Therefore, the local vibration effect of this embodiment also helps to avoid the vibration of other vibrators 14 interfering with the amplitude of the aforementioned vibrator 14, ensuring that a single triggering area can produce better tactile feedback.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the number of the pressure sensing units 1222 is significantly greater than the number of the vibrators 14. The plurality of pressure sensing units 1222 are divided into a plurality of groups (i.e., A, B, ..., H), and the vibrators 14 are arranged in three rows as an example, but are not limited to this in practice. Among them, the vibrators 14 are arranged more evenly, and the pressure sensing units 1222 are arranged offset in a local area to avoid structural interference. For example, the pressure sensing unit 122 of the touch input receiver 12 has a component avoidance space 122b located below the touch operation surface 12a. A plurality of press sensing units 1222 (for example, the press sensing units 1222 corresponding to the sensing unit projections C2, D1~D3, and G1) are arranged around the component avoidance space 122b, which can increase the sensitivity of the press operation on the area of the touch operation surface 12a corresponding to the component avoidance space 122b; in other words, as shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of press sensing units 1222 are unevenly dispersed below the touch operation surface 12a. Furthermore, the aforementioned distribution and correspondence between the pressure sensing unit 1222 and the vibrator 14 are merely examples; in practice, the distribution and correspondence between the vibrator 14 and the pressure sensing unit 1222 can be determined based on design, testing or actual use scenarios, and are not limited to the above and will not be elaborated on.

In addition, in the first embodiment, each time the touch input device 1 responds to the user's pressing, multiple vibrators 14 vibrate simultaneously to provide the user with tactile feedback. Generally speaking, the user's pressing position is usually located in one of the areas S1-S8, and the user's finger can receive the vibration of the three vibrators 14 corresponding to the pressing position in the area S1-S8 (in principle, the three vibrators 14 closest to the pressing position); on the other hand, at this time, the finger can in principle receive vibrations from multiple directions, and the vibration feedback felt by the finger is more uniform. In contrast, if a plurality of pressure sensing units 1222 are corresponding to a single vibrator 14, then unless the pressure position is directly above the vibrator 14, the vibration received by the finger is directional, and the received amplitude (or the strength of the tactile feedback felt by the finger) will significantly decrease as the actual distance from the vibrator 14 increases. In addition, in the latter case, only a single vibrator 14 provides tactile feedback, and its strength will be significantly lower than the tactile feedback strength provided by the touch input device 1 with multiple vibrators 14 in the first embodiment. In addition, in the first embodiment, the pressure sensing layer 122 includes an outwardly protruding protrusion 1230 corresponding to each switch contact 1222a, 1222b of the pressure sensing unit 1222. The protrusion 1230 protrudes (upward) from the upper carrier 1224 and can be implemented by but not limited to a small piece of Mylar (polyester film). The protrusion 1230 is arranged to align with the switch contacts 1222a, 1222b so that the switch contacts 1222a, 1222b can still be effectively contacted even when the user presses the switch contacts 1222a, 1222b without aligning them, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the pressure sensing unit 1222. In addition, in practice, the protrusion 1230 can also be changed to be disposed on the lower carrier 1226 and protrude (downward) from the lower carrier 1226, which can also produce the aforementioned effect of increasing the sensitivity of the pressure sensing unit 1222.

In addition, please refer to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 6 shows a block diagram of the circuit logic of the press sensing unit 1222, and the same group of press sensing units 1222 are represented by the same block. For example, the block marked "A" represents the press sensing units 1222 located at positions A1 and A2; similarly, the block marked "B" represents the press sensing units 1222 located at positions B1, B2, and B3. The same applies to the rest. One of the switch contacts 1222a, 1222b (not shown in Figures 5 and 6) of each press sensing unit 1222 is connected to a common power supply terminal Vin; the power supply terminals of the multiple press sensing units are electrically connected to each other. The other of the switch contacts 1222a, 1222b of each pressure sensing unit 1222 is connected to the corresponding detection terminal pin1~8. The detection terminal pin1~8 can be extended to the connection end 122a of the pressure sensing layer 122, so that the controller 16 can directly detect the triggering status of each group of pressure sensing units 1222.

In addition, please return to Figures 1, 3, and 4. In the first embodiment, the touch input device 1 further includes a structural frame 18, an insulating sheet 20, and a device bottom plate 22. The structural frame 18 is disposed below the plurality of vibrators 14 and above the device bottom plate 22. The metal substrate 142 of the vibrator 14 directly abuts against the structural frame 18. The structural frame 18 can provide structural support for the plurality of vibrators 14, which is helpful for the vibration transmission of the vibrator 14 and is also beneficial to the overall structural strength of the touch input device 1. The insulating sheet 20 (such as but not limited to Mylar sheet) is sandwiched between the structural frame 18. When the structural frame 18 and the device base plate 22 are made of metal materials (such as but not limited to brass, stainless steel), the insulating sheet 20 can provide insulation to avoid affecting the operation of the vibrator 14.

As described above, in the touch input device 1, the pressure sensing layer 122 is located above the vibrator 14, so the pressure sensing layer 122 can provide good pressure sensing sensitivity, but it is not limited to this in practice. Please refer to Figures 7 and 8. According to one of the second embodiments, the touch input device 4 with tactile feedback is similar to the aforementioned touch input device 1, so the touch input device 4 generally uses the component symbols of the touch input device 1. For other descriptions of the touch input device 4, please refer to the relevant descriptions of the components of the touch input device 1 and its variations, which will not be repeated. The main difference between the touch input devices 1 and 4 is that the relative positions of the pressure sensing layer 122 and the vibrator 14 in the vertical direction Dv are different. In the touch input device 4, the pressure sensing layer 122 and the touch sensing layer 124 of the touch input receiver are not arranged adjacent to each other, and the vibrator 14 is arranged between the pressure sensing layer 122 and the touch sensing layer 124. Similarly, the controller 16 can receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensing layer 122, and selectively control the vibrator 14 to vibrate accordingly, as a tactile feedback of the user's pressure. Since the vibrator 14 is closer to the touch operation surface 12a, the vibrator 14 can provide tactile feedback of good strength.

In addition, in the second embodiment, the structural frame 18 is disposed between the plurality of vibrators 14 and the pressure sensing layer 122. The insulating sheet 20 is disposed between the structural frame 18 and the pressure sensing layer 122. The protrusion 1230' of the pressure sensing layer 122 is disposed on the lower carrier 1226 and protrudes from the lower carrier 1226 (downward); similarly, the protrusion 1230' can also be disposed on the upper carrier 1224 and protrude from the upper carrier 1224 (upward). Both can produce the aforementioned effect of increasing the sensitivity of the pressure sensing unit 1222. In addition, the FPC 15 used to control the vibrator 14 is combined with the touch sensing layer 124 via an adhesive layer 24.

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the patent application of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.

1: Touch input device

12a: Touch operating surface

122: Press the sensing layer

122a: Connection end

122b: Component avoidance space

1222: Pressure sensing unit

1230: protrusion

124: Touch sensing layer

126: Protective layer

14: Vibrator

142:Metal substrate

142a:Electrode pad

144: Piezoelectric film

144a:Electrode pad

15:FPC

15a: Connect the end

18: Structural framework

20: Insulation film

22: Installation base plate

Claims (18)

A touch input device with tactile feedback comprises: a touch input receiver having a touch operation surface and a plurality of pressure sensing units, wherein the plurality of pressure sensing units are unevenly distributed below the touch operation surface; and a plurality of vibrators, which are dispersed below the touch operation surface, wherein the projection of the vibrators on the touch operation surface defines a plurality of uneven pressure sensing units on the touch operation surface. Overlapping areas, each area is defined by at least three adjacent vibrator projections, each area corresponds to at least one pressure sensing unit, and the sensing unit projection of each pressure sensing unit on the touch operation surface is located on the corresponding area, and at least one of the sensing unit projections is located on the center line of two of the vibrator projections in the area, and the center line is one side of the area. The touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1 further comprises a controller electrically connected to the touch input receiver and the plurality of vibrators, wherein when the controller determines that one of the plurality of pressure sensing units senses a pressure on the touch operation surface, the controller controls the at least three vibrators defining the area corresponding to the determined pressure sensing unit to vibrate. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein two of the plurality of regions correspond to different numbers of pressure sensing units. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of sensor unit projections is located at a vertex or edge of the corresponding area. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of sensing unit projections is located at the midpoint of the side of the corresponding area. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein the touch operating surface has a front side, a rear side relative to the front side, a left side, and a right side relative to the left side, and an area close to the rear side and the right side corresponds to the largest number of press sensing units. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein the touch input receiver has a component avoidance space located below the touch operation surface, and a plurality of the plurality of pressure sensing units are arranged adjacent to the component avoidance space. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein the touch input receiver includes a pressure sensing layer and a touch sensing layer stacked on the pressure sensing layer, and the pressure sensing layer forms the plurality of pressure sensing units. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 8, wherein each pressure sensing unit includes a correspondingly set switch contact. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 9, wherein the pressure sensing layer includes an outwardly protruding protrusion corresponding to the switch contact of each pressure sensing unit. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 9, wherein the pressure sensing layer comprises an upper substrate, a lower substrate opposite to the upper substrate, and a spacer sandwiched between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, the spacer has an opening corresponding to each pressure sensing unit, the switch contact is arranged corresponding to the corresponding opening, and the switch contact of the pressure sensing layer corresponding to each pressure sensing unit comprises a protrusion protruding outward from the upper substrate or the lower substrate. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 8, wherein the plurality of vibrators are disposed between the pressure sensing layer and the touch sensing layer. The touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 12 further comprises a structural frame disposed between the plurality of vibrators and the pressure sensing layer. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein two adjacent areas correspond to at least two identical vibrators. In the touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, the number of the projections of the sensing units corresponding to one of the regions is less than or equal to three, and the projections of the sensing units are located on the center line connecting two of the projections of the vibrators in the region, or overlap the projections of any one of the vibrators in the region. In the touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, the number of the sensing unit projections corresponding to one of the regions is greater than three, and at least one of the sensing unit projections is neither located on the center line connecting two of the vibrator projections in the region to which it belongs, nor overlaps with any of the vibrator projections in the region to which it belongs. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein the number of vibrators is 8 and the number of regions defined by the projections of the vibrators is 8. A touch input device with tactile feedback as described in claim 1, wherein one of the vibrator projections can simultaneously serve as the vertex of 2 to 5 of the regions.

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