Capacitive touch panel for sensing mechanical inputs to a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12008178-B2
Application number	US-202318351438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2023
Priority date	Aug 28, 2013
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A device including a mechanical input and a touch-sensitive surface for detecting one or more touch inputs and an input from the mechanical input. The touch-sensitive surface can include a first portion for detecting at least the touch inputs, and a second portion for detecting at least the mechanical input. The touch-sensitive surface can include a first portion for detecting at least the touch inputs and the mechanical input. The mechanical input can comprise an electrically conductive material, and the mechanical input can be detected based on capacitance measurements between the mechanical input and the touch-sensitive surface. The device can include a sensing element, the mechanical input can comprise an electrically insulating material, and the mechanical input can be detected based on capacitance measurements between the touch-sensitive surface and the sensing element. The device can include logic to differentiate between the touch inputs and the mechanical input.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a mechanical input element, wherein at least a portion of the mechanical input element is disposed within the device, and the mechanical input element is manipulable by a user to cause the mechanical input element to move within the device;
a touch-sensitive surface, wherein the touch-sensitive surface comprises:
a first portion configured to detect one or more touch inputs from one or more objects external to the device, and
a second portion configured to detect the movement of the mechanical input element; and

circuitry configured to differentiate between the one or more touch inputs and the movement of the mechanical input element detected at the touch-sensitive surface based on a difference in one of magnitude, size, or shape of a capacitance measurement associated with the one or more touch inputs and a capacitance measurement associated with the movement from the mechanical input element.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to detect the movement of the mechanical input element by detecting a change in capacitance detected via the second portion of the touch-sensitive surface.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical input element is disposed below the touch-sensitive surface.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is disposed outside of a boundary of a display layer of the device.

5. A method comprising:
detecting, by a first portion of a touch-sensitive surface of a device, one or more touch inputs from one or more objects external to the device;
detecting, by a second portion of the touch-sensitive surface, movement of a mechanical input element, wherein at least a portion of the mechanical input element is disposed within the device, and the mechanical input element is manipulable by a user to cause the mechanical input element to move within the device; and
differentiating, by circuitry, between the one or more touch inputs and the movement of the mechanical input element detected at the touch-sensitive surface based on a difference in one of magnitude, size, or shape of a capacitance measurement associated with the one or more touch inputs and a capacitance measurement associated with the movement from the mechanical input element.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the circuitry is configured to detect the movement of the mechanical input element by detecting a change in capacitance detected via the second portion of the touch-sensitive surface.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the mechanical input element is disposed below the touch-sensitive surface.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second portion is disposed outside of a boundary of a display layer of the device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to perform:
detecting, by a first portion of a touch-sensitive surface, one or more touch inputs from one or more objects external to the device;
detecting, by a second portion of the touch-sensitive surface, movement of a mechanical input element, wherein at least a portion of the mechanical input element is disposed within the device, and the mechanical input element is manipulable by a user to cause the mechanical input element to move within the device; and
differentiating, by circuitry, between the one or more touch inputs and the movement from the mechanical input element detected at the touch-sensitive surface based on a difference in one of magnitude, size, or shape of a capacitance measurement associated with the one or more touch inputs and a capacitance measurement associated with the movement from the mechanical input element.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is configured to detect the movement of the mechanical input element by detecting a change in capacitance detected via the second portion of the touch-sensitive surface.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the mechanical input element is disposed below the touch-sensitive surface.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the second portion is disposed outside of a boundary of a display layer of the device.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Shedletsky Anna-Katrina
• Werner Christopher
• Ely Colin M
• Rothkopf Fletcher R

Classifications

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G06F3/0362 Primary

  with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts · CPC title

• G06F3/0446

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/0443

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title