Force-sensitive fingerprint sensing input

• US 10,209,148 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lyon, Benjamin B., Setlak, Dale, Wittenberg, Michael B., Choi, Shin John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunlap, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hollington, Octavia
• Application Number:
  US14/775,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20160033342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 73862626
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960765 Details of shielding arrangements

Abstract

An object can depress an input device, such as, for example, a function button in an electronic device. A resistive element having a mechanically resistive force can be disposed to resist the depression or movement of the input device. One or more electrodes can be disposed to provide a measure of capacitance based on the depression of the input device. A shield can be disposed to reduce the parasitic capacitance between the one or more electrodes and the object. The electronic device can include a fingerprint sensor operably connected to at least one of the one or more electrodes.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an input device depressible in response to a finger;

a resistive element having a mechanically resistive force, the resistive element disposed to resist depression of the input device;

one or more electrodes disposed to provide a measure of capacitance based on a depression of the input device, the measure of capacitance indicating an amount of force associated with the depression of the input device, and at least one of the one or more electrodes being coupled to the resistive element; and

a fingerprint sensor coupled to the input device and configured to capture a fingerprint image in response to the depression of the input device, wherein;

the resistive element is disposed at least partially around the fingerprint sensor.

2. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a function button.

3. The electronic device as in claim 2, wherein the function button comprises a stack of layers, the stack of layers including a lens disposed over an insulator.

4. The electronic device as in claim 3, wherein a shield is included in the stack of layers and is disposed between the lens and the insulator.

5. The electronic device as in claim 1, further comprising a shield disposed over at least one of the one or more electrodes and not disposed over the fingerprint sensor, the shield reducing parasitic capacitance between the at least one of the one or more electrodes and the finger.

6. The electronic device as in claim 5, wherein:

the one or more electrodes include a first electrode disposed on a first side of the resistive element and a second electrode disposed on a second side of the resistive element, wherein a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode changes based on the depression of the input device, and

the shield includes an electrode disposed between the one or more electrodes.

7. The electronic device as in claim 6, wherein:

a spacer is disposed between the first electrode and a trim; and

the second electrode is separated from the trim by an insulator.

8. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the resistive element comprises an elastomeric substance disposed to resist depression of the input device.

9. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor is operably connected to at least one electrode.

10. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the resistive element has a resistance that changes under pressure.

11. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the resistive element includes a piezoelectric material.

12. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the resistive element is disposed in a ring about the fingerprint sensor.

13. The electronic device as in claim 12, wherein at least one electrode comprises electrode segments that are disposed in different directions, and wherein the electronic device can measure a direction and the amount of the force.

14. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes include a first electrode disposed on a first side of an insulator and a second electrode disposed on a second side of the insulator, the first electrode connected to a trim and the second electrode connected to ground.

15. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein:

the one or more electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being disposed substantially perpendicular to a surface of the input device, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode include tines disposed substantially parallel to the surface of the input device, the tines of the first electrode interlaced with the tines of the second electrode.

16. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein:

the one or more electrodes includes a first electrode that includes a first plurality of plates disposed substantially parallel to a surface of the input device and a second electrode that includes a second plurality of plates disposed substantially parallel to the surface of the input device, the first plurality of plates being interlaced with the second plurality of plates, and

wherein depression of the input device adjusts a distance between the first plurality of plates and the second plurality of plates.

17. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes includes a first trim portion disposed below the input device and on a first side of an insulator, and a second trim portion disposed on a second side of the resistive element.

18. The electronic device as in claim 17, wherein the first trim portion is separated from the input device by the insulator.

19. The electronic device as in claim 17, wherein the first trim portion is connected to ground.

20. The electronic device as in claim 17, wherein the second trim portion is connected to the one or more electrodes.

21. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor is configured to capture the fingerprint image in response to the measure of capacitance exceeding a threshold.

22. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the fingerprint sensor is configured to capture the fingerprint image in response to the one or more electrodes providing the measure of capacitance.

23. An electronic device, comprising:

an input device depressible in response to an applied force by a finger;

a fingerprint sensor coupled to the input device and configured to capture a fingerprint image of the finger;

a resistive element having a mechanically resistive force, the resistive element disposed at least partially around the fingerprint sensor and disposed to resist depression of the input device;

a drive electrode;

a sense electrode disposed below the drive electrode, wherein the drive electrode and the sense electrode provide a measure of capacitance based on a depression of the input device; and

a processor configured to determine an amount of the applied force based on the measure of capacitance;

wherein;

at least one of the drive electrode or the sense electrode is coupled to the resistive element.

24. The electronic device as in claim 23, wherein the fingerprint sensor is configured to capture the fingerprint image in response to the measure of capacitance exceeding a threshold.

25. The electronic device as in claim 23, further comprising a shield disposed over at least one of the drive electrode or the sense electrode and not disposed over the fingerprint sensor, the shield reducing parasitic capacitance between the at least one of the drive electrode or the sense electrode and the finger.

26. The electronic device as in claim 23, wherein the resistive element comprises an elastomeric substance disposed to resist depression of the input device.

27. The electronic device as in claim 23, wherein the input device comprises a function button, the function button comprising a stack of layers, the stack of layers including a lens disposed over an insulator.

28. The electronic device as in claim 27, wherein a shield is included in the stack of layers and is disposed between the lens and the insulator.

29. The electronic device as in claim 23, wherein the resistive element has a resistance that changes under pressure.

30. The electronic device as in claim 23, wherein the resistive element includes a piezoelectric material.

31. An electronic device, comprising:

an input device depressible in response to an applied force by a finger;

a fingerprint sensor coupled to the input device and configured to capture a fingerprint image of the finger;

a resistive element disposed at least partially around the fingerprint sensor and configured to resist depression of the input device;

an electrode configured to provide a measure of capacitance based on a depression of the input device; and

a processor configured to determine an amount of the applied force based on the measure of capacitance.

32. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein the electrode is coupled to the resistive element.