Patent Description:
Computer systems may include a cursor control device that allow a user to control the position of a cursor on a display. Some cursor control devices such as a mouse cursor control device require a relatively large amount of space to change the position of the cursor and/or may have a number of loose components. While such cursor control devices may be suitable for environments such as in an office, at school, or at home, they are unsuitable for use on moving vehicles such as aircraft. In particular, the components may become loose and move during movement of the vehicle, resulting in unintentional cursor movement. Additionally, vehicles may not have the space available to allow for movement of the cursor control devices. Existing cursor control devices may also be difficult to customize, require complex assembly, and may be difficult to repair and/or remove as needed. <NPL> describes a transparent touch sensor fabricated with a drop-on-demand inkjet printing technique on borosilicate glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates.

According to the current invention a cursor control device for a vehicle comprising a touch sensor is provided as set out in claim <NUM>.

In various embodiments, the touch sensor further may include a protective layer, and the protective layer may include an electrically insulating ink printed on the touch area of the first printed layer and within a border defined by the second printed layer. In certain embodiments, the support layer may be a first support layer with a flexible substrate and an adhesive layer on the second surface of the first support layer, and the touch sensor may also include a second support layer. In various embodiments, the second support layer may be rigid relative to the first support layer and may include a first surface and a second surface. The first support layer may be assembled with the second support layer such that the adhesive layer contacts and joins the first support layer with the second support layer.

In certain embodiments, the touch sensor may include a plurality of wires electrically connected to the second printed layer and extending away from the touch sensor. In some embodiments, the housing may include a base, a support surface extending upwards from the base at an oblique angle, and a palm support, and the touch sensor may be supported on the support surface.

According to the current invention, a method of assembling a cursor control device is provided as set out in claim <NUM>.

In various embodiments, printing at least one of the first conductive ink or the second conductive ink includes at least one of contact printing or non-contact printing.

In various embodiments, the support layer may be a first support layer with a flexible substrate and an adhesive layer on the second surface, and the method may include positioning the first support layer on a second support layer after printing the first conductive ink and after printing the second conductive ink on the first support layer. In some embodiments, the second support layer may be rigid relative to the first support layer and may include an insulating substrate. Positioning the first support layer may include engaging the adhesive layer with the second support layer such that the adhesive layer joins the first support layer with the second support layer.

Various implementations described herein can include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected as long as they fall within the scope of the accompanying claims.

The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. Directional references such as "up," "down," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "forward," and "aft," among others, are intended to refer to the orientation as illustrated and described in the figure (or figures) to which the components and directions are referencing.

The described embodiments provide touch sensors for cursor control devices. In the current invention, the cursor control devices are for use in a vehicle, including, but not limited to, an aircraft. While the touch sensors and cursor control devices are discussed for use with aircraft, they are by no means so limited. Rather, embodiments of the touch sensors and cursor control devices may be used in vehicles of any type or otherwise as desired, or may be used in other environments or applications not involving a vehicle.

According to certain embodiments of the invention, as shown in <FIG>, a cursor control device <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> and a touch sensor <NUM> supported on the housing <NUM>. The cursor control device <NUM> is designed for use in a cockpit of an aircraft, but as mentioned, the touch sensor <NUM> and/or cursor control device <NUM> may be used in other types of vehicles and/or in applications that do not involve a vehicle.

The housing <NUM> includes a base <NUM> and a support surface <NUM> extending upwards and at an oblique or other angle relative to a plane of the base <NUM>. In certain embodiments, the touch sensor <NUM> is supported on the support surface <NUM>. Optionally, the cursor control device <NUM> may include a palm support <NUM>, various buttons or switches <NUM>, and/or other components as desired. The particular cursor control device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> should not be considered limiting, and the touch sensor <NUM> may be provided on various other cursor control devices having other shapes, dimensions, components, or arrangement of components as desired. When the cursor control device <NUM> is provided in a particular location, including, but not limited to, in an aircraft, a user may use the cursor control device <NUM> by engaging at least the touch sensor <NUM> (e.g., with the user's finger(s)) to move and/or position a cursor on a screen of an associated computer display (not illustrated in <FIG>).

As best illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the touch sensor <NUM> generally includes a first printed layer <NUM>, a second printed layer <NUM>, and at least one of a rigid support layer <NUM> or a flexible support layer <NUM> (or both the rigid support layer <NUM> and the flexible support layer <NUM>). In various embodiments, the first printed layer <NUM> provides a touch area having a uniform resistance, and the second printed layer <NUM> provides a border of distributed resistance around the touch area. The touch sensor <NUM> with the first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> may have no moving parts required to move or change the position of a cursor on a screen. The touch sensor <NUM> may also have a reduced thickness, reduced number of components, and improved structure for customization, assembly, maintenance, and removal compared to existing touch sensors. As one non-limiting example, the first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> may allow for the touch sensor <NUM> to be assembled with a reduced thickness compared to existing touch sensors while providing at least the same, and in some cases improved, functionality. As another non-limiting example, the first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> may allow for the provision of the functioning touch sensor <NUM> while omitting materials or components typically found in existing touch sensors, including but not limited to resistors, a layer of indium-tin-oxide, etc. As an additional non-limiting example, the first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> may allow for improved assembly and customization because particular conductive inks may be selected for the layers <NUM>, <NUM> as desired and depending on application, and during the assembly process, a type of conductive ink may be easily changed or replaced as desired. The printed layers <NUM>, <NUM> may also allow for optical features (as well as other features) to be incorporated into the layers as sub-layers, which may improve the appearance and functionality of the touch sensor <NUM> compared to existing sensors. As another non-limiting example, the first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> may allow for improved assembly and/or removal because the printed layers <NUM>, <NUM> may be assembled separately from other components of the cursor control device <NUM> (and may be mass produced at once) and later assembled with the cursor control device <NUM> as desired. The particular shape of the touch sensor <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> should not be considered limiting on the current disclosure, as the touch sensor <NUM> may have various suitable shapes as desired. In certain embodiments, the touch sensor <NUM> may have a shape that facilitates corresponding cursor motion on a screen associated with the touch sensor <NUM>.

The first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> each include a printable, electrically conductive ink. In various cases, the electrically conductive ink may include a polymer filled with semi-conductors, although various other compositions or types of printable, electrically conductive inks may be utilized. In various embodiments, a resistivity of the electrically conductive ink of the first printed layer <NUM> and/or the second printed layer <NUM> may be tunable/adjustable as desired to have a desired resistivity. Optionally, the resistivity may be adjusted or tuned depending on a particular application of the touch sensor <NUM>.

In certain examples, the electrically conductive ink of the first printed layer <NUM> is different from the electrically conductive ink of the second printed layer <NUM>. In some examples, the first printed layer <NUM> has a first electrically conductive ink and the second printed layer <NUM> has a second electrically conductive ink such that a resistivity of the first printed layer <NUM> is greater than a resistivity of the second printed layer <NUM>. In one non-limiting example, the first electrically conductive ink may be a conductive ink such as LOCTITE® M <NUM> POL E&C (Henkel, Düsseldorf, Germany), and the second electrically conductive ink may be a conductive ink such as LOCTITE® M <NUM> RS E&C (Henkel, Düsseldorf, Germany).

While the first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> are each illustrated as a single layer in <FIG> and <FIG>, in certain embodiments, the first printed layer <NUM> and/or the second printed layer <NUM> may include one or more sub-layers in the thickness and/or along the length and/or the width. In embodiments with sub-layers, at least one characteristic of one sub-layer may optionally be different from another sub-layer. As one non-limiting example, a first sub-layer of the first printed layer <NUM> may include an image or logo such that the image or logo may appear in a portion of the first printed layer <NUM> (e.g., in a portion of a touch area <NUM>). As another non-limiting example, a first sub-layer of the first printed layer <NUM> may include a diffusing pattern and/or optical modifications to diffuse glare and/or otherwise provide a particular surface appearance. As a further non-limiting example, a first sub-layer of the first printed layer <NUM> may include a texture or surface modification and a second sub-layer may be flat and/or smooth to provide a particular feel in different regions of the touch area <NUM>. Various other characteristics and/or sub-layers may be utilized as desired. In some cases, the at least one sub-layer with the different characteristic may be the topmost layer, although it need not be in other examples.

The first printed layer <NUM> is printed on the rigid support layer <NUM> or the flexible support layer <NUM> and in electrical communication (e.g., able to send/receive electrical signals) with the rigid support layer <NUM> or the flexible support layer <NUM> (discussed in detail below), and the second printed layer <NUM> is printed on the first printed layer <NUM> and in electrical communication with the first printed layer <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the first printed layer <NUM> is printed on the flexible support layer <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the first printed layer <NUM> is printed on the rigid support layer <NUM>. The first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM> may each be assembled via various suitable contact or non-contacting printing techniques as desired, and the technique used to print the first printed layer <NUM> need not be the same as the technique used to print the second printed layer <NUM>. Printing techniques suitable for assembling the first printed layer <NUM> and/or the second printed layer <NUM> include, but are not limited to, screen printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, soft lithographic printing, laser direct writing, aerosol jet printing, inkjet printing, other contact printing techniques, other non-contact printing techniques, or combinations thereof.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the first printed layer <NUM> includes a printed surface <NUM> that is opposite from the support layer on which the first printed layer <NUM> is printed (in <FIG> and <FIG>, opposite from the flexible support layer <NUM>). A portion of the printed surface <NUM> defines the touch area <NUM> of the touch sensor <NUM> that the user can contact and engage with to move the cursor on the screen of the associated display. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the second printed layer <NUM> is printed on the printed surface <NUM> such that the second printed layer <NUM> forms a border around the touch area <NUM> and defines the boundary of the touch area <NUM>. In the current invention, and as best illustrated in <FIG>, the second printed layer <NUM> forms a continuous border surrounding the touch area <NUM> of the printed surface <NUM> of the first printed layer <NUM>. In various embodiments, the second printed layer <NUM> is printed on the first printed layer <NUM> such that the second printed layer <NUM> does not cover the touch area <NUM>.

Optionally, and as illustrated in <FIG>, the touch sensor <NUM> includes a protective layer <NUM> that covers the touch area <NUM> of the printed surface <NUM> of the first printed layer <NUM>. In embodiments with the protective layer <NUM>, the second printed layer <NUM> may surround the protective layer <NUM> on the printed surface <NUM>. In some embodiments, the protective layer <NUM> is constructed from various materials suitable for protecting the touch area <NUM> from abrasion and/or contamination. Optionally, the protective layer <NUM> may be constructed from an electrically insulating material. In some cases, the protective layer <NUM> may be a printable, electrically insulating ink that is printed on the touch area <NUM> of the first printed layer <NUM>. However, in other embodiments, the protective layer <NUM> need not be printed and may be formed via various other suitable techniques for forming a protective layer as desired. In yet other embodiments, the protective layer <NUM> may be omitted (see, e.g., <FIG>).

As mentioned, the touch sensor <NUM> includes at least one of the rigid support layer <NUM> or the flexible support layer <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the touch sensor <NUM> includes both the rigid support layer <NUM> and the flexible support layer <NUM>. <FIG> illustrate another embodiment of a touch sensor <NUM> that is substantially similar to the touch sensor <NUM> except that the touch sensor <NUM> omits the flexible support layer <NUM>. Likewise, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, a touch sensor may omit the rigid support layer <NUM> and include the flexible support layer <NUM>.

The rigid support layer <NUM> and the flexible support layer <NUM> may each be constructed from materials suitable for receiving and supporting at least the first printed layer <NUM> and the second printed layer <NUM>. In various embodiments, the rigid support layer <NUM> may be constructed from a material that is more rigid than a material of the flexible support layer <NUM>. As some non-limiting examples, the rigid support layer <NUM> may be constructed from various materials including, but not limited to, glass, reinforced polymers (with or without flame retardant), acrylic, polycarbonate, other materials as desired, or combinations thereof. The flexible support layer <NUM> may be constructed from various materials including, but not limited to, polymers such as polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, polydimethylsiloxane, polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane, and/or other suitable flexible materials or combinations of materials as desired. In one non-limiting example, the rigid support layer <NUM> may be an etched or printed circuit board (PCB) or glass, and the flexible support layer <NUM> may be a polyethylene terephthalate film. In the current invention, at least one of the support layers may be a dielectric or electrically insulating layer. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the rigid support layer <NUM> is glass and is an electrically insulating layer.

The rigid support layer <NUM> and/or the flexible support layer <NUM> may each be formed via various suitable techniques or processes as desired. In some non-limiting examples, the rigid support layer <NUM> and/or the flexible support layer <NUM> may optionally be formed via a printing technique similar to or different from that used to print the first printed layer <NUM> and/or the second printed layer <NUM>. In other embodiments, the rigid support layer <NUM> and/or the flexible support layer <NUM> need not be formed by a printing technique. The rigid support layer <NUM> and/or the flexible support layer <NUM> need not be formed by the same technique.

In various embodiments, the rigid support layer <NUM> includes a first surface <NUM> and a second surface <NUM> opposite from the first surface <NUM>. Similarly, the flexible support layer <NUM> includes a first surface <NUM> and a second surface <NUM> opposite from the first surface <NUM>. In certain embodiments, a thickness of the rigid support layer <NUM> is greater than a thickness of the flexible support layer <NUM>. In various embodiments, the thickness of the rigid support layer <NUM> and/or the thickness of the flexible support layer <NUM> may predetermined based on a desired use for the touch sensor <NUM>.

As previously mentioned, in the embodiment of <FIG>, the first printed layer <NUM> is printed on the first surface <NUM> of the flexible support layer <NUM>. In various embodiments, an adhesive layer <NUM> is optionally provided on the second surface <NUM> of the flexible support layer <NUM>. In other embodiments, the adhesive layer <NUM> may be omitted from the flexible support layer <NUM>. The adhesive layer <NUM> may be various suitable materials for joining the flexible support layer <NUM> with another component such as the rigid support layer <NUM>. In certain embodiments, printing the first printed layer <NUM> on the flexible support layer <NUM> (rather than the rigid support layer <NUM>) may allow for the printed layers <NUM>, <NUM> to be printed, die cut, or otherwise formed and later applied to the target location (e.g., in a cockpit). In this embodiment, the adhesive layer <NUM> may be on a bottom surface of the flexible support layer <NUM> (i.e., opposite from the printed layers) such that the touch sensor <NUM> may be a "sticker" that can be positioned at various locations as desired. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the adhesive layer <NUM> contacts and engages the second surface <NUM> of the flexible support layer <NUM> and the first surface <NUM> of the rigid support layer to join the flexible support layer <NUM> (and printed layers) with the rigid support layer <NUM>.

In the current invention, and as best illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the touch sensor <NUM> may include a radiative plane layer <NUM> attached to the second surface <NUM> of the rigid support layer <NUM>. The radiative plane layer <NUM> may reflect or otherwise provide an electrical signal to the printed layers that interacts with the user's fingers when the touch sensor <NUM> is used such that the user's touch of the touch sensor <NUM> may be converted to another electrical signal that moves the cursor on the associated display, and/or the radiative plane <NUM> may serve as a return path for a signal (e.g., when the user's fingers touch the touch area). In these embodiments, the radiative plane layer <NUM> may be capacitively coupled to the first printed layer <NUM> and/or the second printed layer <NUM> via the rigid support layer <NUM> (and/or the flexible support layer <NUM>). The radiative plane layer <NUM> may be constructed from various materials suitable for providing a signal that interacts with a user's fingers when the touch sensor <NUM> is touched. As one non-limiting example, the radiative plane layer <NUM> may include a metal such as copper. As another non-limiting example, the radiative plane layer <NUM> may include a printable, electrically conductive ink such as LOCTITE® M 2001RS E&C (Henkel, Düsseldorf, Germany). When the touch sensor <NUM> is used, the radiative plane layer <NUM> may receive an electrical signal (e.g., from a control circuit or other suitable controller) which capacitively couples to the first printed layer <NUM> and/or the second printed layer <NUM>. In an absence of a user's touch, the signal affects all areas equally, while a user's touch in any location causes an imbalance that can be measured and used to control the position of the cursor on the screen of the associated display.

As best illustrated in <FIG>, in various embodiments, the touch sensor <NUM> may include electrical connectors <NUM> extending from the touch sensor <NUM>. In various aspects, the electrical connector(s) <NUM> may electrically connect the touch sensor <NUM> with another component such that the touch sensor <NUM> can send and receive signals from the other component. As one non-limiting example, the electrical connector(s) <NUM> may electrically connect the touch sensor <NUM> to a controller of the cursor control device <NUM>. The electrical connectors <NUM> have been omitted from <FIG> and <FIG> for clarity of the figures, respectively.

The electrical connector(s) <NUM> may be attached to various locations on the touch sensor <NUM> as desired, covering different amounts of areas, and/or in various other configurations or patterns as desired. In some embodiments, the electrical connector(s) <NUM> may be attached to the second printed layer <NUM> (see, e.g., <FIG>). In certain embodiments, if the rigid support layer <NUM> is a PCB, the electrical connector(s) <NUM> may optionally be attached to solder pads on the PCB. In various embodiments, and as illustrated in <FIG>, the electrical connector(s) <NUM> may be attached to a corner of the touch sensor <NUM>; however, in other embodiments, the electrical connector(s) <NUM> need not be at the corners of the touch sensor <NUM>. As a non-limiting example, in some embodiments, the electrical connector(s) <NUM> may be arranged in a linear pattern, circular pattern, at non-corner portions of the touch sensor (e.g., along edges or at an internal location), etc. as desired. The electrical connector(s) <NUM> may be attached to the touch sensor <NUM> via various suitable attachment mechanisms as desired. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the electrical connector <NUM> is attached to the touch sensor using conductive epoxy.

In <FIG>, two electrical connectors <NUM> is shown, but in other examples, any number of electrical connectors <NUM> may be utilized as desired to electrically connect the touch sensor <NUM> with other equipment or components as desired. As a non-limiting example, the touch sensor <NUM> may include a single electrical connector <NUM>, three electrical connectors <NUM>, four electrical connectors <NUM>, or more than four electrical connectors <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the electrical connectors <NUM> are wires <NUM>; however, in other embodiments, other suitable electrical connectors may be utilized as desired. As a non-limiting example, in other embodiments, the touch sensor <NUM> may include one or more conductive flaps or copper traces in place of the wires <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate another embodiment of the touch sensor <NUM> that is substantially similar to the touch sensor <NUM> except that the touch sensor <NUM> omits the flexible support layer <NUM> and the protective layer <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the first printed layer <NUM> is printed on the first surface <NUM> of the rigid support layer <NUM>.

A method of assembling a touch sensor is also provided. Referring to <FIG>, in various embodiments, the method may include providing a support layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, and printing the first conductive ink on the first surface of the support layer to form the first printed layer <NUM>.

In some embodiments, providing the support layer may include providing the flexible support layer <NUM>. In these embodiments, printing the first conductive ink includes printing on the first surface <NUM> of the flexible support layer <NUM>. In various embodiments, providing the support layer may include providing the rigid support layer <NUM>, and printing the first conductive ink includes printing on the first surface <NUM> of the rigid support layer <NUM>. Printing the first conductive ink to form the first printed layer <NUM> on either the flexible support layer <NUM> or the rigid support layer <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, screen printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, soft lithographic printing, laser direct writing, aerosol jet printing, inkjet printing, other contact printing techniques, other non-contact printing techniques, or combinations thereof. Optionally, providing the support layer may include printing the support layer via a printing technique, which may be the same as or different from the printing technique used to print the first printed layer <NUM>.

The method includes printing the second conductive ink on the first printed layer <NUM> to form the second printed layer <NUM>. Printing the second conductive ink may utilize a printing technique which may be the same as or different from the printing technique used to print the first printed layer <NUM>. In various embodiments, printing the second conductive ink may include forming the second printed layer <NUM> as a border around the touch area <NUM> of the first printed layer <NUM>, and in certain embodiments, the border is a continuous border.

Claim 1:
A cursor control device (<NUM>) for a vehicle, the cursor control device (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>); and
a capacitive touch sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>) supported on the housing (<NUM>), the capacitive touch sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
a support layer (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a first surface (<NUM>, <NUM>) and a second surface (<NUM>, <NUM>) opposite from the first surface (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the support layer is an electrically insulating support layer;
a first printed layer (<NUM>) comprising a first conductive ink, wherein the first printed layer (<NUM>) is printed on the first surface (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the support layer (<NUM>, <NUM>) and comprises a printed surface (<NUM>) opposite from the support layer (<NUM>, <NUM>), and wherein a portion of the printed surface (<NUM>) of the first printed layer (<NUM>) defines a touch area (<NUM>) of the touch sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>);
characterized by:
a second printed layer (<NUM>) comprising a second conductive ink, wherein the second printed layer (<NUM>) is printed on the printed surface (<NUM>) of the first printed layer (<NUM>) and is electrically connected to the first printed layer (<NUM>), wherein the second printed layer (<NUM>) forms a continuous border around the touch area (<NUM>) and does not cover the touch area (<NUM>), and wherein a resistivity of the second printed layer (<NUM>) is less than a resistivity of the first printed layer (<NUM>); and
a radiative plane layer (<NUM>) on the second surface (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the support layer (<NUM>), wherein the radiative plane layer (<NUM>) is capacitively coupled to the first printed layer (<NUM>) and the second printed layer (<NUM>) via the support layer (<NUM>).