INPUT DEVICES INCORPORATING BIOMETRIC SENSORS

• US 20170091515A1
• Filed: 09/08/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cao, Robert Y., McCord, Michael K., Lancaster-Larocque, Simon R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,922,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 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 Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/52 : the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 : characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/08 : composed of different parts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 : with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 : portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02

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.

Claims

1. A 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 an electronic 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 the motion of the button 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.

2. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor.

3. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the button assembly comprises an electrical switch positioned below 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 electronic device.

4. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the cover is formed from sapphire; and

the biometric sensor is positioned below the cover.

5. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein button cap is positioned adjacent an input component of the electronic device.

6. The button assembly of claim 5, wherein the input component comprises a rectilinear display.

7. The button assembly of claim 5, wherein a top surface of the button cap is substantially flush with a top surface of the input component.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a housing defining an opening and a set of apertures;

a set of keys extending at least partially through the set of apertures;

a display disposed at least partially within the opening; and

a power button disposed at least partially within the opening configured to capture a biometric input when a user of the electronic device presses the power button, the power button disposed adjacent the rectilinear display area;

wherein

the power button is configured to depress in a cantilevered manner such that the power button does not transfer a load to the rectilinear display area.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the rectilinear display area is coupled to at least one of a force sensor, a touch sensor, or a display.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, 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.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint sensor.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the restricted-access button is positioned below a button cap of the restricted-access button.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the restricted-access button comprises:

a fingerprint sensor; and

a compressible dome switch positioned below the fingerprint sensor.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the restricted-access button comprises a bumper configured to impact a surface of a housing of the electronic device when the restricted-access button is pressed by a user.

15. A method of operating a restricted-access button comprising:

detecting a press of the button using one of an electrical switch within the restricted-access button or a biometric sensor within the restricted-access button;

obtaining biometric data from the biometric sensor;

comparing the obtained biometric data to template data; and

upon determining that that obtained biometric data matches the template data, invoking a command associated with the button press.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether a restricted action should be performed in response to the button press.