Patent Publication Number: US-2016238433-A1

Title: Electronic device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device with weight measuring function. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the advancement of technology, various electronic devices are widely used in people&#39;s daily lives. Today, more and more electronic devices are equipped with touchpad or touch panel for enhanced user experiences. In general, touchpad or touch panel utilizes capacitive sensing or resistive sensing for touch sensing. Specifically, capacitive touch panels determine the coordinate of points of touch by detecting the induced current generated by capacitance change resulted from electrostatic combination between a plurality of transparent electrodes and the human body. In contract, resistive touch panels have an upper ITO conductive layer and a lower ITO conductive layer having electrodes conductive to each other upon pressure, and determine the coordinate of touch points by calculating voltage change on the panel. As compared with resistive touch panels, capacitive touch panels have better touch performance and shorter response time; therefore, capacitive touch panels have been widely used in consumer electronic products due to their high sensitivity and responsiveness. Further, capacitive touch panels tend to have longer device lifetime. 
     In addition to capacitive touch panels, more expandable functions in existing electronic devices are expected. For example, a traveler may need to measure the weight of his or her luggage at the airport before checking in. However, most travelers typically would not bring a weighing device along to the airport, and therefore some may have to spend extra time on the boarding procedure for overweight luggage. In addition, a shopper may need to measure the weight of purchased items while shopping. However, some shoppers may be taken advantage of if they do not have a weighing device on hand and cannot examine the weight of the merchandise before purchasing. To date, no existing electronic device can provide simple and accurate weight measuring function. Additionally, extra weighing circuits would be required if having to combine an electronic device with a weight measuring system, which would impact not only the power consumption but also the volume of the circuit layout. 
     Therefore, there is a need to develop an electronic device capable of providing a weight measuring function without having to alter the original internal circuit configuration of the electronic device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the present invention provides an electronic device, which includes a housing, a touch panel, a processor and one or more conductive rubbers. The touch panel has a contact surface. The processor is disposed inside the housing and coupled to the touch panel. When the one or more conductive rubbers contact the contact surface of the touch panel and the one or more conductive rubbers are compressed by a gravity provided by an object, the processor detects a first value on the touch panel and obtains a weight of the object according to the first value. 
     For making the above and other purposes, features and benefits become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art, the preferred embodiments and the detailed descriptions with accompanying drawings will be put forward in the following descriptions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of weight information displayed by a touch panel display while the electronic device of  FIG. 1  is initializing; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of weight information displayed by a touch panel display while the electronic device of  FIG. 1  is weighing; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7A  is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7B  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electronic device, taken along line P-P′ in  FIG. 7A ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the electronic device  100  of the present embodiment includes a conductive rubber  10 , a carrier  20 , a housing  30 , a touch panel  40  and a processor  50 . The electronic device  100  is configured to measure the weight of an object D. The touch panel  40  is disposed on one surface of the housing  30  and has a contact surface for sensing the contact area between the object D and the contact surface. The processor  50  is disposed inside the housing  30  and coupled to the touch panel  40 . The carrier  20  is used to bear the object D. The conductive rubber  10  is disposed between the contact surface of the touch panel  40  and the carrier  20 . The conductive rubber  10  has a ground port  60  for grounding the conductive rubber  10  so to improve the weighing efficiency of the electronic device  100 . The carrier  20  is disposed between the object D and the conductive rubber  10 . In the present embodiment, the carrier  20  may be any object capable of bearing the object D and may be made of metal or non-metal materials. The conductive rubber  10  utilizes high-performance silicone rubber as the base material, combining with special fillers (such as copper coated silver, aluminum coated silver, glass coated silver and graphite coated nickel particles, etc.) and additives. The conductive rubber  10  in the present embodiment may be any conductive object with certain elastic coefficient; wherein the elastic coefficient is not limited in the present invention. However, taking factors such as cost, loss and deformation capacity into consideration, nickel-copper, silver-glass and silver coated copper are preferably selected as the conductive fillers in the present embodiment, so that the electronic device of the present invention is more effective. In the present embodiment, the touch panel  40  is a capacitive touch panel. When being touched, the touch panel  40  is configured to generate capacitance via self-capacitance sensing or mutual-capacitance sensing. When the conductive rubber  10  is grounded via the ground port  60 , the electronic device  100  has higher weighing efficiency due to the area of contact between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40  having a wide dynamic range of capacitance. In the present embodiment, based on the positive downward force (or gravity) provided by the object D, the processor  50  is configured to calculate the weight of the object D according to the capacitance generated between the touch panel  40  and the conductive rubber  10  via a look-up table or a transfer function. In the present embodiment, the electronic device  100  uses the carrier  20  to bear the object D; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the electronic device  100  may use the conductive rubber  10  to directly bear the object D. The weighing process and weighing principle of the electronic device  100  of the present embodiment will be described in detail as follows. 
     Following provides an example for demonstrating the weighing process and weighing principle of the electronic device  100 . When using the electronic device  100  to measure the weight of the object D having an actual weight W D , firstly a user would have to place the object D onto the carrier  20  of the electronic device  100 . The gravity of the object D is transmitted to the conductive rubber  10  through the carrier  20  and causes deformation (i.e., compression) of the conductive rubber  10 . At this moment, the total weight received at the bottom of the conductive rubber  10  is the sum of the weight W D  of the object D, weight W 20  of the carrier  20  and weight W 10  of the conductive rubber  10 . It is to be understood that compressional deformation of the conductive rubber  10  would increase the bottom area of the conductive rubber  10 , therefore increasing the contact area between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40 . As described above, the touch panel  40  is a capacitive touch panel in the present embodiment, thus satisfying the formula for contact capacitance: C=∈A/d; wherein C is the equivalent contact capacitance value, ∈ is the dielectric constant, A is the contact area, and d is the equivalent distance between two capacitor plates. According to the formula, the contact capacitance value C is positively proportional to the contact area A under fixed ∈ and d; that is, the contact capacitance value C increases with the increase of the contact area A between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40 . After detecting the contact area A of the touch panel  40  resulted from the aforementioned gravity and obtaining the corresponding contact capacitance value C, the processor  50  would calculate the estimated weight W Est  of the object D via the look-up table or transfer function. If the estimated weight W Est  calculated by the processor  50  is highly accurate, the estimated weight W Est  of the object D would satisfy the equation W Est =W D +W 10 +W 20 . In order to obtain the actual weight W D  of the object D, the initial weight of the electronic device  100  (that is, the sum of the weight W 20  of the carrier  20  and the weight W 10  of the conductive rubber  10 ) must be obtained first. Therefore, the user would have to remove the object D from the carrier  20  of the electronic device  100 . At this moment, the total weight received at the bottom of the conductive rubber  10  is the sum of the weight W 20  of the carrier  20  and the weight W 10  of the conductive rubber  10 . As the weight received by the conductive rubber  10  has reduced, the conductive rubber  10  has decreased bottom area due to milder compressional deformation. Therefore, the contact area A between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40  would decrease, resulting in reduced contact capacitance value C. After detecting the contact area A of the touch panel  40  without the gravity of the object D and obtaining the corresponding contact capacitance value C, the processor  50  would calculate the initial weight W ini  of the electronic device  100  via the look-up table or transfer function. The initial weight W ini  of the electronic device  100  would satisfy the equation W Ini =W 10 +W 20  if the initial weight W ini  calculated by the processor  50  is highly accurate. Thereafter, the processor  50  may obtain a calculated weight W D   _   Est  of the object D by subtracting the initial weight W ini  from the estimated weight W Est , that is W D   _   Est →W Ini . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of weight information displayed by a touch panel display of the electronic device  100  when initializing.  FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of weight information displayed by the touch panel display while the electronic device  100  is weighing. In the present embodiment, the touch panel  40  is a touch panel display. In  FIG. 2 , the information displayed by the touch panel  40  is the analog to digital converter (ADC) values corresponding to contact area R between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40 , and the ADC values corresponding to the area outside the contact area R. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the ADC values in the contact area R are much higher than the ADC values outside the contact area R. In the present embodiment, the ADC values in the contact area R are positively proportional to the contact capacitance value C between the conductive rubber  10  and the touch panel  40 ; therefore, a higher ADC value represents a larger gravity received by the touch panel  40 . In the present embodiment, as the touch panel  40  is a capacitive touch panel, the touch panel  40  includes a touch signal transmitting layer and a touch signal receiving layer, and each of the layers includes a plurality of touch signal transmitting lines and touch signal receiving lines. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the touch panel  40  may also display a display area RC, showing the coordinate of the area of contact between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40 . Specifically, the horizontal axis of the coordinate represents the index of the touch signal receiving lines (or logical receivers), and the vertical axis represents the index of the touch signal transmitting lines (or logical transmitters). In addition, the highlighted area in the display area RC represents the contact area between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40 . In  FIG. 3 , similarly, the touch panel  40  also displays the ADC values corresponding to the contact area R between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40  and the ADC values corresponding to the area outside the contact area R. In addition, the touch panel  40  in  FIG. 3  also displays in the display area RC the area and coordinate of contact between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40 . In contrast to the initialization state of the electronic device  100  in which the object D is not loaded as in  FIG. 2 , the electronic device  100  loaded with the object D as in  FIG. 3  has a larger contact area R as the conductive rubber  10  is further compressed by the gravity provided by the loaded object D. Additionally, the highlighted area in the display area RC in  FIG. 3  is also larger than that in  FIG. 2 , representing that the compression of the conductive rubber  10  by the gravity of the object D has caused the contact area between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact surface of the touch panel  40  to cover more touch signal transmitting lines and touch signal receiving lines. In the present embodiment, the touch panel  40  is able to display real-time information such as the coordinate, area, value (e.g., ADC value) of the contact area between the conductive rubber  10  and the contact area of the touch panel  40 , therefore allowing a user to observe and assess in real-time the gravity change while the electronic device  100  is weighing the object D. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are schematic diagrams showing the structure of electronic devices in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention. In the embodiments of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the conductive rubber  10  is a combination of a plurality of conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  with an identical elastic coefficient. In the embodiments of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are compressionally deformed by being compressed by the gravity of the object D. After detecting the contact area A 1 , which is the sum of the contact areas between each of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  and the touch panel  40 , and obtaining the corresponding contact capacitance value C, the processor  50  can calculate the weight W D  of the object D via the look-up table or transfer function. As the process of weighing the object D in the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is identical to that in the first embodiment, no redundant detail is to be given herein. It is to be noted that if the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  have different elastic coefficients or other characteristics, respective look-up tables or transfer functions for each of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are required for weighing of the object D, instead of simply performing the aforementioned summing operation. The structures and weighing process of the electronic devices of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  will be described in detail as follows. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the electronic device  200  of the present embodiment includes a back cover  21 . One side (e.g., the upper side in the present embodiment) of the back cover  21  is pivotally connected to one side (e.g., the lower side) of the housing  30 . In one embodiment, the back cover  21  is also used as a shell casing of the electronic device  200  for protecting the housing  30  and is pivotally secured onto the housing  30 ; that is, when folded with respect to the touch panel  40 , the back cover  21  may also provide protection for the touch panel  40  or battery (not shown). The back cover  21  has a first surface  211  and a second surface  212 . The conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are disposed on the second surface  212 . When using the electronic device  200  to measure the weight W D  of the object D, firstly a user would have to let the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  on the second surface  212  of the back cover  21  contact the contact surface of the touch panel  40 , and place the object D on the first surface  211  of the back cover  211 , thereby making the first surface  211  of the back cover  211  to bear the object D. The gravity of the object D is transmitted to the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  via the back cover  211 , and therefore causing deformation of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104 . Thereafter, the processor  50  may calculate the weight W D  of the object D in accordance with the deformation of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104 . Similarly, in the present embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the processor  50  may obtain the weight W D  of the object D by subtracting the initial weight W ini  from the estimated weight W Est . In the present embodiment, it is to be understood that the estimated weight W Est  is the sum of the weight W D  of the object D, the total weight W 10  of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104 , and the weight of the back cover  21 ; and the initial weight W ini  is the sum of the total weight W 10  of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  and the weight of the back cover  21 . In the present embodiment, the electronic device  200  uses the back cover  21  to bear the object D; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the electronic device  200  may use any flat object (e.g., a side cover) that can pivotally connect to the housing  30  to bear the object D. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the housing  30  of the electronic device  300  of the present embodiment has a first surface  311  and a second surface  312 . The touch panel  40  is disposed on the first surface  311  and has a contact surface. The second surface  312  is used to bear the object D. In the electronic device  300 , the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are disposed on a plane S. The conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are used to bear the housing  30  and contact the contact surface of the touch panel  40 . In the present embodiment, the housing  30  is functioned as a bearing plate for bearing the object D. When using the electronic device  300  to measure the weight W D  of the object D, firstly a user would have to place the object D on the second surface  312  of the housing  30 . The gravity of the object D is transmitted to the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  via the housing  30 , and therefore deforms the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104 . Thereafter, the processor  50  may calculate the weight W D  of the object D in accordance with the deformation of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104 . Similarly, in the present embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the processor  50  may obtain the weight W D  of the object D by subtracting the initial weight W ini  from the estimated weight W Est . In the present embodiment, it is to be understood that the estimated weight W Est  is the sum of the weight W D  of the object D and the total weight of the housing  30  and the internal components therein; and the initial weight W ini  is the total weight of the housing  30  and the internal components therein. In the present embodiment, as having to bear the electronic device  300  (specifically, the housing  30 ), the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  may be designed in one-piece. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the lower parts of the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are connected and integrated into one piece; thus, the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  can support the electronic device  300  more stably. In one embodiment, the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  may be arranged in a three-point or linear structure in accordance with the demands of the user. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the conductive rubber  110  of the electronic device  400  of the present embodiment is disposed inside the housing  30  and the touch panel  40  can move upwards and downwards with respect to the housing  30 . Specifically, the conductive rubber  110  is disposed between the back surface of the touch panel  40  and the bottom surface of the housing  30 ; wherein touch function of the touch panel  40  is implemented on the back surface thereof. When using the electronic device  400  to measure the weight W D  of the object D, firstly a user would have to place the object D on the touch panel  40 . The gravity of the object D is transmitted to the conductive rubber  110  disposed inside the housing  30  via the touch panel  40 , and therefore the conductive rubber  110  deforms and contacts the back surface of the touch panel  40 . Thereafter, the processor  50  may calculate the weight W D  of the object D in accordance with the deformation of the conductive rubber  110  (specifically, the contact area between the conductive rubber  110  and the back surface of the touch panel  40 ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , the conductive rubber  110  is disposed along the four sides of the housing to support the touch panel  40 ; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 7A  is a schematic illustration of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 7A , a surface of the electronic device  500  of the present embodiment adjacent to the touch panel  40  includes a display area V 1  and a non-display area V 2 . The display area V 1  is used to display images and the non-display area V 2  is an area without display function for disposing receiving buttons or touch symbols. The conductive rubbers  105  and  106  may be enclosed within the housing  30 .  FIG. 7B  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electronic device, taken along line P-P′ in  FIG. 7A . As shown in  FIG. 7B , surface of the electronic device  500  is disposed with a transparent protective plate  70 , having an area approximately equaling the area of the surface (e.g., the upper surface) of the electronic device  500 . The conductive rubber  105  and the touch panel  40  are disposed under the transparent protective plate  70 . The touch panel  40  is secured by the internal structure of the housing  30 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7A , the conductive rubbers  105  and  106  are disposed on two sides of the electronic device  500  to support the transparent protective plate  70 . When the object D is placed on the transparent protective plate  70 , the transparent protective plate  70  may move with respect to the housing  30  in response to the gravity of the object D; and consequently, the conductive rubbers  105  and  106  may deform, accompanied by change in the areas of contact between the conductive rubbers  105 ,  106  and the touch panel  40 . Compared with the previously described embodiments, the difference lies in that the touch panel  40  in the present embodiment is disposed corresponding not only to the display area V 1  but also to the non-display area V 2 , so as to achieve the weighing function of the present invention. When using the electronic device  500  to measure the weight W D  of the object D, firstly a user would have to place the object D on the transparent protective plate  70 . The gravity of the object D is transmitted to the conductive rubbers  105  and  106  via the transparent protective plate  70 , and therefore deforms the conductive rubbers  105  and  106 . Thereafter, the processor  50  may calculate the weight W D  of the object D in accordance with the deformation of the conductive rubbers  105  and  106 . 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic illustration of the structure of an electronic device in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the electronic device  600  of the present embodiment is similar to the electronic device  200  in  FIG. 4 . The difference lies in that the electronic device  600  of the present embodiment includes a hook  90 . The hook  90  is connected to a side (e.g., the lower side) of the back cover  21  and a side (e.g., the lower side) of the housing  30 . The hook  90  is used to hang the object D thereon. When using the electronic device  600  to measure the weight W D  of the object D, firstly a user would have to hang the object D onto the hook  90 . As the hook  90  is connected to the lower sides of the back cover  21  and the housing  30 , a positive downward force (that is, the weight W D ) provided by the object D is equal to the resultant force of the pressure P 21  received by the back cover  21  and the pressure P 30  received by the housing  30 . In this case, the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are compressed by the horizontal component P L  of the pressure P 21  and the horizontal component P R  of the pressure P 30 . More precisely, the pressures P R , P L , P 21  and P 30  satisfy the following equations: P R =P 30  cos(θ 1 ) and P L =P 21  cos(θ 2 ); wherein θ 1  is the angle between the pressures P R  and P 30 , θ 2  is the angle between the pressures P L  and P 21 . As the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are deformed upon compression by the pressures P R  and P L , the contact areas A 1  between the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  and the touch panel  40  would change and the processor  50  may calculate the weight W D  of the object D accordingly. 
     In the aforementioned embodiments as described above, the conductive rubbers  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  are used for exemplary purpose only; that is, the number of the conductive rubber is not limited in the aforementioned embodiments. Further, the cylindrical conductive rubbers in the aforementioned embodiments are only exemplary; the shape of the conductive rubbers of the present invention is not limited thereto. However, it is to be understood that conductive rubbers with cylinder structure can respond to the impact of the gravity on the contact area more sensitively due to an even distribution of force around the cylinder structure; therefore electronic devices having cylinder-structured conductive rubbers can weigh more accurately. 
     In summary, the present invention provides an electronic device with weight measuring function without having to alter the original internal circuit configuration of the electronic device. Specifically, the weight measuring function of the electronic device of the present invention is realized by employing at least one conductive rubber, which deforms upon compression by a gravity provided by an object. The deformation of the conductive rubber causes a change in the area of contact between the conductive rubber and the contact surface of the touch panel of the electronic device. Therefore, the processor of the electronic device may calculate the weight of the object according to the change in contact area. In the present invention, the conductive rubber and the housing of the electronic device may be integrated into one-piece, therefore enabling the user to carry a small weighing device simultaneously with the electronic device. Consequently, the electronic device of the present invention is highly convenient especially for occasions in which self measurement of weight is required. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.