Input Devices Incorporating Biometric Sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022308620-A1
Application number	US-202217842597-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2022
Grant date	—

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:
a housing comprising:
a top portion;
a hinge; and
a bottom portion connected to the top portion via the hinge;
a primary display integrated in the top portion of the housing; a keyboard integrated in the bottom portion of the housing; a secondary display integrated in the bottom portion of the housing between the keyboard and the hinge; and a restricted-access button positioned at an end of the secondary display and integrated in the bottom portion of the housing.

2 . The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the restricted-access button comprises a fingerprint sensor; and the restricted-access button is configured to function as a power button.

3 . The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein a first top surface of the restricted access button is flush with a second top surface of the secondary display.

4 . The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein the secondary display extends across a length of the keyboard.

5 . The laptop computing electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the restricted-access button is associated with a power function of the laptop computing device.

6 . The laptop computing device of claim 1 , wherein the top portion of the housing is removable from the bottom portion.

7 . A button assembly for a laptop computing device, the button assembly comprising:
a button cap comprising:
a frame;
a cover attached to the frame and forming an external surface of the button cap; and
a standoff extending from a bottom surface of the frame, configured to insert within a through-hole defined in a housing of the laptop computing device;
a spring plate comprising:
an inner tongue coupled to an interior surface of the housing and adjacent the through-hole; and
an outer tongue coupled to the standoff; and
a biometric sensor abutting a bottom surface of the cover; wherein the spring plate is configured to constrain motion of the button cap in at least one direction; and the button cap is configured to depress downwardly such that the standoff causes the outer tongue of the spring plate to deflect away from the interior surface.

8 . The button assembly of claim 7 , wherein the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor.

9 . The button assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the button assembly comprises an electrical switch positioned between the biometric sensor and a top surface of the housing; and the electrical switch is configured to operate as a power button of the laptop computing device.

10 . The button assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the cover is formed from sapphire; and the biometric sensor is positioned below the cover.

11 . The button assembly of claim 7 , wherein the button cap is positioned adjacent an input component of the laptop computing device.

12 . The button assembly of claim 11 , wherein the input component comprises a rectilinear display.

13 . The button assembly of claim 11 , wherein a top surface of the button cap is substantially flush with a top surface of the input component.

12 . A portable electronic device comprising:
a housing; a set of keys extending at least partially through at least one aperture defined by the housing; a touch-sensitive display disposed at least partially within an opening defined by the housing and along a side of the set of keys; and a power button disposed at least partially within the opening and abutting the touch-sensitive display, wherein: the power button is configured to capture a biometric input when a user of the portable electronic device presses the power button; and the power button is configured to depress in a cantilevered manner such that the power button does not transfer a load to the touch-sensitive display.

13 . The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the touch-sensitive display includes one or more of: a force sensor or a touch sensor.

14 . The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the power button is configured to change a power state of the electronic device upon determining that the biometric input matches a previously-obtained biometric input.

15 . The portable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the power button comprises a fingerprint sensor.

16 . The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the power button is offset from the touch-sensitive display by a gap.

17 . The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the power button comprises:
a fingerprint sensor; and a compressible dome switch positioned below the fingerprint sensor.

18 . The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the power button comprises a bumper configured to impact a surface of the housing when the power button is pressed by a user.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F21/32 Primary

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title

• H01H13/86

  characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size · CPC title

• H01H2221/08

  composed of different parts · CPC title

• G06F1/165 Primary

  the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information · 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