Electronic Devices With Shear Force Sensing
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a first structure;
a second structure;
a shear force sensor coupled between the first and second structures; and
control circuitry that uses the shear force sensor to measure shear force applied to the first structure relative to the second structure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device may be provided with a display, trackpad member, or other structure that can shift laterally with respect to another device structure in response to the application of shear force. Shear force may be applied by the fingers of a user. Shear force sensors may be provided in an electronic device to measure the shear force that is applied. The shear force sensors may be capacitive sensors. A capacitive shear force sensor may have capacitive electrodes. In response to application of shear force, the capacitive electrodes may move with respect to each other. Parallel planar electrodes may shift with respect to each other so that the amount of overlap and therefore capacitance between the electrodes changes or the separation distance between parallel planar electrodes may increase or decrease to produce measureable capacitance changes.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a first structure; a second structure; a shear force sensor coupled between the first and second structures; and control circuitry that uses the shear force sensor to measure shear force applied to the first structure relative to the second structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electronic device comprising:
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a housing; a display mounted in the housing; control circuitry; and a shear force sensor with which the control circuitry measures shear force applied to the display relative to the housing. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A shear force sensor that detects lateral movement within a plane of a first structure relative to a second structure as a shear force is applied to the first structure, the shear force sensor comprising:
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a first planar capacitive electrode; a second planar capacitive electrode; and an elastomeric structure coupled to the first planar capacitive electrode and coupled to the second planar capacitive electrode, wherein the elastomeric structure deforms in response to the lateral movement of the first structure within the plane. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification