DEVICE HAVING INTEGRATED INTERFACE SYSTEM

• US 20180218859A1
• Filed: 03/28/2018
• Published: 08/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ligtenberg, Christiaan A., Degner, Brett W., Hopkinson, Ron A., Hussain, Asif, Mathew, Dinesh C., Silvanto, Mikael M., Zhang, Chang, Gao, Zheng, Cao, Robert Y.
• Granted Patent: US 10,871,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/165 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 1/169 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 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• 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 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 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 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0216 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of a keyboard for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1664
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive 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: 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: G06V 40/107 : Static hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 : characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 : characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/785 : characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/85 : characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 : characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/036 : Variable resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/05 : electromechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 : piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/002 : replaceable; adaptable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/004 : Magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/046 : above switch site
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/056 : Diffuser; Uneven surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 : sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 : using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/943 : using a plurality of optical emitters or detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 : using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9643 : using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9647 : using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/98 : having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94089 : Wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96003 : using acoustic waves, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/9653 : with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/20 : with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators

Abstract

A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display, a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a glass top case. The glass top case defines an exterior surface and a keyboard opening through the glass top case from the exterior surface to an interior surface. The portable computer further includes a keyboard positioned at least partially within the keyboard opening and comprising a substrate, a key configured to move relative to the substrate, and a fabric cover disposed over the key and defining a user interface surface of the key.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a display portion comprising a display;

a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and comprising a glass top case defining;

an exterior surface; and

a keyboard opening through the glass top case from the exterior surface to an interior surface; and

a keyboard positioned at least partially within the keyboard opening and comprising;

a substrate;

a key configured to move relative to the substrate; and

a fabric cover disposed over the key and defining a user interface surface of the key.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein:

the keyboard further comprises a key web defining a key opening and a plurality of additional key openings;

the key is positioned at least partially in the key opening;

the keyboard comprises a plurality of additional keys, each positioned at least partially in a corresponding key opening;

the fabric cover is disposed over the key web and the plurality of additional keys; and

the fabric cover defines;

a keyboard region covering the key and the plurality of additional keys; and

an outer region framing the keyboard region.

3. The portable computer of claim 2, wherein the outer region is captured between the glass top case and an underlying component.

4. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the fabric cover is adhered to the key.

5. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the glass top case further defines a trackpad region.

6. The portable computer of claim 5, wherein:

the keyboard opening is a rectangular opening;

the trackpad region comprises;

a first portion of the glass top case along a first side of the keyboard opening;

a second portion of the glass top case along a second side of the keyboard opening; and

a third portion of the glass top case along a third side of the keyboard opening; and

the portable computer further comprises a touch sensing system configured to detect a touch input applied to any of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the glass top case.

7. The portable computer of claim 6, further comprising a force sensing system configured to determine a force associated with the touch input.

8. The portable computer of claim 6, wherein the glass top case defines:

a top of the base portion; and

at least three sidewalls of the base portion.

9. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensing system below the glass top case and configured to detect touch inputs applied to the user interface surface of the key.

10. A notebook computer, comprising:

a display portion comprising;

a display housing; and

a display within the display housing;

a base portion coupled to the display portion and comprising;

a bottom case; and

a glass top case coupled to the bottom case and defining an opening extending through the glass top case;

a touch sensing system below the glass top case and configured to detect a touch input applied to any location on the glass top case; and

a keyboard positioned at least partially in the opening and comprising;

a plurality of key mechanisms; and

a fabric cover extending across a gap between two of the key mechanisms.

11. The notebook computer of claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of key mechanisms each comprise;

a keycap support; and

a keycap; and

at least a portion of the fabric cover is disposed between the keycap support and the keycap.

12. The notebook computer of claim 11, wherein:

the portion of the fabric cover disposed between the keycap support and the keycap is adhered to the keycap support; and

the keycap is adhered to the fabric cover above the keycap support.

13. The notebook computer of claim 10, wherein the glass top case defines a surface that extends continuously around the opening.

14. The notebook computer of claim 13, further comprising an additional display positioned under at least a portion of the glass top case.

15. The notebook computer of claim 14, wherein the additional display is configured to display affordances that are selectable by a user touching the glass top case.

16. A device, comprising:

a display portion comprising a display;

a base portion flexibly coupled to the display portion and comprising;

a keyboard comprising keys and having a flexible sheet covering a gap between adjacent keys; and

a continuous glass frame extending around a periphery of the keyboard and defining;

a first touch-sensitive input region adjacent a first side of the keyboard; and

a second touch-sensitive input region adjacent a second side of the keyboard; and

a touch sensing system configured to determine a location of touch inputs applied to the first and second touch-sensitive input regions.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein:

the keyboard defines a first portion of a top of the base portion; and

the continuous glass frame defines all remaining portions of the top of the base portion.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the flexible sheet is captive between keycap supports and respective keycaps that are coupled to respective keycap supports.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein a key of the keys comprises an input surface defined exclusively by the flexible sheet.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the display is a first display; and

the device further includes a second display configured to display an affordance on the first touch-sensitive input region.