CAPACITANCE SENSING ELECTRODE WITH INTEGRATED I/O MECHANISM

• US 20160004278A1
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: HOTELLING, Steven P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,139,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96015 Constructional details for touch switches for capacitive touch switches see H03K2217/9607
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96046 Key-pad combined with display, back-lit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960795 using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED

Abstract

A touch sensing device is disclosed. The touch sensing device includes one or more multifunctional nodes each of which represents a single touch pixel. Each multifunctional node includes a touch sensor with one or more integrated I/O mechanisms. The touch sensor and integrated I/O mechanisms share the same communication lines and I/O pins of a controller during operation of the touch sensing device.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display,

a moveable input element enabling generation of first input signals, wherein the display and the moveable input element are arranged to enable scrolling through items displayed on the display in response to one or more generated first input signals, and

a biometric sensor.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first input signals are generated in response to a rotational input applied to the moveable input element.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the moveable input element comprises an annular element.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the moveable input element comprises a ring.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein receipt of the first input signals enables scrolling through items along a first axis and scrolling through items along a second axis, the first axis and the second axis being mutually perpendicular.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein receipt of the first input signals enables detection of at least one of a speed associated with the moveable input element and an acceleration associated with the moveable input element and the device is configured to scroll through items displayed on the display based on at least one of the detected speed and the detected acceleration.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 2 comprising a light output element, wherein the light output element is distinct from the display.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 2 comprising a haptic output element enabling generation of a haptic output.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the haptic output comprises a vibratory output.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 2 comprising at least one of a speaker and a microphone.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 2 comprising a light-sensitive element, the light-sensitive element generating second input signals based on light input to the device.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 2 comprising at least one button enabling at least one device function.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the device function comprises displaying previously displayed items.

15. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display,

a moveable ring enabling generation of first input signals in response to rotational input to the moveable ring, wherein the display and the moveable ring are arranged to enable scrolling through items displayed on the display in response to one or more generated first input signals, and

a biometric sensor.