Touchscreen including force sensors

Abstract

Computing devices and at least one machine readable medium for controlling the functioning of a touch screen are described herein. The computing device includes a touchscreen having one or more force sensors. The computing device also includes first logic to detect a force applied to the touchscreen via the one or more force sensors and second logic to control a functioning of the touchscreen in response to the applied force.

1 . A computing device, comprising:
 a touchscreen having one or more force sensors;   first logic to detect a force applied to the touchscreen via the one or more force sensors; and   second logic to control a functioning of the touchscreen in response to the applied force.   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the second logic is to:
 determine whether the applied force exceeds a threshold; and   control the functioning of the touchscreen if the applied force exceeds the threshold.   
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the second logic is to activate the touchscreen from a deactivated mode in response to the applied force. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second logic is to activate the touchscreen from the deactivated mode if the applied force comprises a continuous force applied to the touchscreen in a specified position. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more force sensors include a plurality of force sensors, and wherein the second logic is to control the functioning of the touchscreen based on differences between an amount of force sensed by each of the plurality of force sensors. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of force sensors comprises a force sensor positioned at each corner of the touchscreen. 
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 1 , comprising logic to:
 identify a position of the applied force; and   control an orientation of the touchscreen based on the position of the applied force.   
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more force sensors comprise a plurality of force sensors, and wherein the position of the applied force is to be identified based on differences between an amount of force sensed by each of the plurality of force sensors. 
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the touchscreen comprises a capacitive sensing capability, and wherein the second logic is to control the functioning of the touchscreen by enabling the capacitive sensing capability of the touchscreen in response to the applied force. 
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 1 , comprising logic to detect a weight of an object positioned on the touchscreen using the one or more force sensors. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile phone. 
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 1 , comprising a touchscreen controller to implement the first logic and the second logic. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 1 , comprising a processor to implement the first logic and the second logic. 
     
     
         14 . A computing device, comprising:
 a touchscreen having one or more force sensors;   a processor that is configured to execute stored instructions; and   a storage device to stores instructions, the storage device comprising processor executable code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to:
 detect a force applied to the touchscreen via the one or more force sensors; and 
 control a functioning of the touchscreen in response to the applied force. 
   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor executable code is configured to:
 determine whether the applied force exceeds a threshold; and   control the functioning of the touchscreen if the applied force exceeds the threshold.   
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile phone. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor executable code is configured to activate the touchscreen from a deactivated mode in response to the applied force. 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more force sensors comprise a plurality of force sensors, and wherein the processor executable code is configured to:
 identify a position of the applied force based on differences between an amount of force sensed by each of the plurality of force sensors; and   control an orientation of the touchscreen based on the position of the applied force.   
     
     
         19 . At least one machine readable medium having instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 detect a force applied to a touchscreen of the computing device via one or more force sensors for the touchscreen; and   control a functioning of the touchscreen in response to the applied force.   
     
     
         20 . The at least one machine readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions cause the computing device to:
 determine whether the applied force exceeds a threshold; and   control the functioning of the touchscreen if the applied force exceeds the threshold.   
     
     
         21 - 25 . (canceled)