Capacitance sensing electrode with integrated I/O mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10359813-B2
Application number	US-201816196772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2018
Priority date	Jul 6, 2006
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

A touch sensing device is disclosed. The touch sensing device includes one or more multifunctional nodes each of which represents a single touch pixel. Each multifunctional node includes a touch sensor with one or more integrated I/O mechanisms. The touch sensor and integrated I/0 mechanisms share the same communication lines and I/O pins of a controller during operation of the touch sensing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device comprising:
an input region having touch sensing and display functionality and coupled to first communication lines; and
a movable circular touch-sensitive element located on a periphery of the input region, the movable circular touch-sensitive element configured for detecting movement of an object on the periphery and coupled to second communication lines different from the first communication lines;
wherein the input region and the movable circular touch-sensitive element are configured for being independently actuated and generating first and second signals transmitting respectively through the first and second communication lines and corresponding to first and second scrolling inputs to the electronic device.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the input region and the movable circular touch-sensitive element further comprises one or more multifunctional nodes, each multifunctional node including a touch sensor and one or more input/output (I/O) mechanisms.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more processors and one or more data storage elements communicatively coupled to the input region and the circular movable touch-sensitive element.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the input region is configured for detecting translational movement of the object across the input region.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the input region and the circular movable touch-sensitive element comprises one or more capacitive sensing electrodes for providing the touch sensing functionality.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a data port enabling wireless data transfer.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a button located on the periphery of the input region.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a haptic output element enabling generation of a haptic output.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a biometric sensor configured for biosensing functionality.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a light source and an optical detector.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the input region is configured to sense pressure.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the scrolling inputs are configured to scroll displayed GUI elements.

13. A method of providing input to a portable electronic device having an input region with touch sensing and display functionality and a movable circular touch-sensitive element located in a periphery of the input region, the method comprising:
detecting a touch input at the input region and generating first signals corresponding to first scrolling inputs to the electronic device;
detecting movement of an object at the movable circular touch-sensitive element and generating second signals corresponding to second scrolling inputs to the electronic device; and
performing a scrolling operation based on one of the first scrolling inputs and the second scrolling inputs.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising detecting translational movement of the object across the input region.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the input region and the circular movable touch-sensitive element comprises one or more capacitive sensing electrodes and at least one of detecting the touch input and detecting the movement of the object comprises detecting with the one or more capacitive sensing electrodes.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating a haptic output in response to an input.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising detecting a biometric input.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising detecting an input from at least one of a light source and an optical detector.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting the input further comprises detecting pressure applied to the input region.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein performing the scrolling operation comprises scrolling displayed GUI elements.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hotelling Steven P

Classifications

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• H03K17/962

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title

• G06F3/0485

  Scrolling or panning · CPC title

• H01H2003/0293

  with an integrated touch switch · CPC title