Input devices incorporating biometric sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11366493-B2
Application number	US-202016951446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A button assembly for an electronic device is disclosed. The button assembly integrates a biometric sensor below a top surface of the button. The button assembly is positioned relative to a secondary display of an electronic device. The secondary display can be positioned relative to a keyboard, such as above a top row of keys of the keyboard.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laptop computing device comprising:
an upper portion comprising a display;
a hinge;
a lower portion coupled to the upper portion by the hinge; and
a keyboard coupled to the lower portion and comprising a set of depressible keys including a depressible power button comprising:
a cap configured to receive a touch input and a press input, the cap configured to move from an undepressed position to a depressed position in response to the press input;
a biometric sensor positioned below the cap and configured to obtain fingerprint information in response to the touch input, the laptop computing device configured to authorize a function in response to the fingerprint information corresponding to stored information associated with an authorized user;
a compressible switch positioned below the biometric sensor and configured to detect the press input; and
a spring plate positioned below the cap and configured to resist movement of the cap in response to the touch input and deform out of plane in response to the cap moving from the undepressed position to the depressed position.

2. The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein the depressible power button is configured to change a power state of the laptop computing device in response to the press input and the fingerprint information corresponding to the stored information associated with the authorized user.

3. The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is a capacitive sensor that is positioned between the compressible switch and the cap.

4. The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the lower portion defines an indentation that is recessed with respect to an upper surface of the lower portion; and
the keyboard and the depressible power button are positioned within the indentation.

5. The laptop computing device of claim 1 , further comprising a secondary display positioned in the lower portion.

6. The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a sapphire material that forms a top surface of the depressible power button.

7. The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein the spring plate is configured to restore the cap to the undepressed position in response to the press input being released.

8. The laptop computing device of claim 7 , wherein the spring plate is positioned below the compressible switch.

9. A laptop computing device comprising:
an upper portion comprising a display;
a hinge;
a lower portion coupled to the upper portion by the hinge; and
a depressible power button coupled to the lower portion and comprising:
a cap defining a top surface of the depressible power button and configured to receive a touch input and a press input:
a spring plate positioned below the cap and configured to bend inward in response to the press input and to maintain the cap in an undrepressed position in response to the touch input;
a biometric sensor positioned below the cap and above the spring plate, the biometric sensor configured to obtain a biometric in response to the touch input; and
a compressible switch positioned below the biometric sensor and above the spring plate, the compressible switch configured to detect the press input.

10. The laptop computing device of claim 9 , wherein:
the lower portion comprises a keyboard comprising a set of depressible keys; and
the set of depressible keys comprises the depressible power button.

11. The laptop computing device of claim 9 , wherein the laptop computing device is configured to authorize a function in response to the touch input corresponding to a touch by an authorized user.

12. The laptop computing device of claim 9 , wherein the spring plate defines a set of cutouts that facilitates deflection of the spring plate in response to the press input.

13. The laptop computing device of claim 9 , wherein the spring plate comprises:
an inner tongue that is coupled to the lower portion: and
an outer tongue that is coupled to the cap and configured to bend with respect to the lower portion in response to the press input.

14. The laptop computing device of claim 9 , wherein the depressible power button is configured to change a power state of the laptop computing device in response to the press input and in response to the biometric corresponding to stored information associated with an authorized user.

15. The laptop computing device of claim 14 , wherein:
the laptop computing device is configured to identify the authorized user based on the biometric; and
in response to identifying the authorized user, the laptop computing device is configured to change the power state of the laptop computing device.

16. A laptop computing device comprising:
an upper portion comprising a display;
a hinge;
a lower portion coupled to the upper portion by the hinge; and
a power button positioned within an indentation in the lower portion and comprising:
a cap defining an upper surface of the power button and configured to transition between an undepressed position and a depressed position;
a biometric sensor positioned below the cap;
a spring plate positioned below the cap; and
a compressible switch positioned below the biometric sensor; wherein:
in response to a user touch, the spring plate is configured to resist movement of the cap to maintain the cap in the undepressed position and the biometric sensor is configured to detect a fingerprint; and
in response to a user press, a portion of the spring plate is configured to bend away from the cap to allow the cap to move to the depressed position and the compressible switch is configured to detect movement of the cap.

17. The laptop computing device of claim 16 , wherein:
in response to the biometric sensor detecting the fingerprint of an authorized user, the laptop computing device is configured to authorize a function; and
in response to the compressible switch detecting movement of the cap to the depressed position, the power button is configured to change a power state of the laptop computing device.

18. The laptop computing device of claim 16 , wherein:
the cap comprises a sapphire material that defines the upper surface; and
the biometric sensor comprises a capacitive sensor that is configured to detect the fingerprint of the user touch applied to the sapphire material.

19. The laptop computing device of claim 16 , wherein the spring plate is coupled to the cap by a standoff.

20. The laptop computing device of claim 19 , wherein, in response to the user press, the spring plate is configured to bend to facilitate movement of the cap to the depressed position.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Cao Robert Y
• Mccord Michael K
• Lancaster-Larocque Simon R

Classifications

• H01H2221/08

  composed of different parts · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• G06F1/1671

  Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop (G06F1/1666 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06V40/12

  Fingerprints or palmprints · CPC title