Touch-sensitive button with two levels

• US 10,296,136 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bokma, Louis W., Fisher, Jr., Joseph R., Vora, Saket
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US15/898,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20180173364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 345174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9615 using three electrodes per touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

A touch-sensitive depressible button with multiple depression thresholds is provided. When the button is depressed to a first depression threshold, the touch sensor can be switched from a low-power, non-sensing state to a sensing state. When the button is depressed to a second depression threshold, the touch sensor can sense the touch context and input can be generated based on the depression and the touch context. In this way, the touch-sensitive depressible button with multiple depression thresholds can facilitate timely switching of the touch sensor to a sensing state.

Claims

1. A system including a touch sensitive button, the touch sensitive button comprising:

a touch sensor array for detecting input events; and

an actuator coupled with the touch sensor array;

the system including a controller communicatively coupled to the touch sensor array and the actuator, the controller configured for

placing the touch sensor array in a low-power state when no touch of the button is detected by the actuator;

switching the touch sensor array from the low-power state to an active scan state when a touch of the button is detected by the actuator; and

receiving a touch signal from the touch sensitive button indicative of an amount of pressure applied to the touch sensor array, and generating a control signal when a pressure threshold is exceeded.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an electrode, the electrode configured for changing at least one parameter when an object touches the button.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a self-capacitive actuator configured for changing its self-capacitance to ground when an object touches the button.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dome switch for detecting when an amount of pressure exceeding the pressure threshold is being applied to the touch sensor array.

5. The system of claim 1, the controller further configured for scanning the touch sensor array to detect one or more touches of one or more objects when the touch sensor array is switched to the active scan state.

6. The system of claim 5, the controller further configured for performing a series of scans of the touch sensor array to detect one or more positions of the one or more touches.

7. The system of claim 5, the controller further configured for detecting a shape of the one or more touches.

8. The system of claim 5, the controller further configured for performing an identification of the one or more objects.

9. A method for generating input from a touch sensitive button, comprising:

placing a touch sensor array in a low-power state when no touch of the button is detected by an actuator;

switching the touch sensor array from the low-power state to an active scan state when a touch of the button is detected by the actuator;

detecting input events at the touch sensor array when the touch sensor array is switched to the active scan state;

identifying an object touching the button; and

generating a control signal when a pressure threshold is exceeded.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the actuator comprises an electrode, the method further comprising changing at least one parameter of the electrode and detecting the change in the at least one parameter when an object touches the button.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the actuator comprises a self-capacitive actuator, the method further comprising changing a self-capacitance to ground of the actuator and detecting the change in the self-capacitance when an object touches the button.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising initiating an operation when the control signal is generated.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising scanning the touch sensor array to detect one or more touches causing the input events when the touch sensor array is switched to the active scan state.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing a series of scans of the touch sensor array to detect one or more positions of the one or more touches when the touch sensor array is switched to the active scan state.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting a shape of the one or more touches.

16. A touch sensitive button, comprising:

touch sensing means for detecting a touch at the button;

means for placing the touch sensing means in a low-power state when no touch of the button is detected;

means for switching the touch sensing means from the low-power state to an active scan state when a touch of the button is detected;

means for detecting input events when the touch sensing means is switched to the active scan state;

means for identifying an object touching the button; and

means for generating a control signal when a pressure threshold is exceeded.

17. The touch sensitive button of claim 16, further comprising means for scanning the touch sensing means to detect one or more touches of one or more objects when the touch sensing means is switched to the active scan state.

18. The touch sensitive button of claim 16, further comprising means for initiating an operation when the control signal is generated.