Touch-sensitive button with two levels

• US 8,581,870 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bokma, Louis W., Fisher, Joseph R. Jr., Vora, Saket
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/312,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 touch-sensitive depressible button comprising:

a touch sensor for detecting touch events on a surface of the touch sensor; and

an actuator coupled with the touch sensor and depressible from an initial position to both a first and a second depression threshold;

wherein the touch sensor is configured to switch from a non-sensing state to a sensing state when the actuator is depressed to the first depression threshold; and

wherein the touch sensor is configured to determine a touch context based on detected touch events when the actuator is depressed to the second depression threshold.

2. The touch-sensitive depressible button of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises:

a first deformable electrode dome;

a second deformable electrode dome within the first electrode dome; and

a first electrode within the second electrode dome;

wherein the first electrode dome is configured to contact the second electrode dome when the actuator is depressed to the first depression threshold; and

wherein the second electrode dome is configured to contact the first electrode when the actuator is depressed to the second depression threshold.

3. The touch-sensitive depressible button of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises:

a self-capacitive deformable electrode dome;

a first electrode within the electrode dome;

wherein the electrode dome is configured to detect the presence of a proximate touch object when the actuator is depressed to the first depression threshold; and

wherein the electrode dome is configured to contact the first electrode when the actuator is depressed to the second depression threshold.

4. The touch-sensitive depressible button of claim 1, further comprising:

a display device situated between the touch sensor and the actuator.

5. The touch-sensitive depressible button of claim 1 incorporated within a computing system.

6. A method for generating input from a touch-sensitive depressible button, the method comprising:

setting a touch sensor of the button to a non-sensing state;

determining that the button has been depressed to a first depression threshold;

switching the touch sensor to a sensing state based on the determination that the button has been depressed to the first depression threshold;

determining that the button has been depressed to a second depression threshold;

determining a touch context based on a touch event performed on the touch sensor; and

generating input based on the touch context.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein setting the touch sensor to the non-sensing state includes supplying power to the touch sensor without scanning for touch events.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that the button has been depressed to the first depression threshold includes determining that a first electrode has contacted a second electrode.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that the button has been depressed to the second depression threshold includes determining that a second electrode has contacted a third electrode.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein switching the touch sensor to the sensing state includes initiating a scanning process for detecting touch events.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

scanning the touch sensor to detect the touch event performed on the touch sensor.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch context includes a motion of a touch object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the motion of the touch object includes one of a velocity of the touch object or a gesture of the touch object.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch context includes a position of a touch object.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch context includes a touchdown time.

16. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a first depression threshold time based on the determination that the button has been depressed to the first depression threshold;

determining a second depression threshold time based on the determination that the button has been depressed to the second depression threshold; and

determining an elapsed time between the first depression threshold time and the second depression threshold time;

wherein the touch context includes the elapsed time.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

sending a command to a computing system based on the generated input.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the command includes one of adjusting a volume level, initiating an application, or moving a cursor.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored therein, which, when executed by an apparatus including a touch-sensitive mechanical button, causes the apparatus to perform a method comprising:

setting a touch sensor of the button to a non-sensing state;

determining that the button has been depressed to a first depression threshold;

switching the touch sensor to a sensing state based on the determination that the button has been depressed to the first depression threshold;

determining that the button has been depressed to a second depression threshold;

determining a touch context based on a touch event performed on the touch sensor; and

generating input based on the touch context.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the touch context includes a motion of a touch object.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the motion of the touch object includes one of a velocity of the touch object or a gesture of the touch object.

22. A computing system comprising;

a processor;

a memory; and

a touch-sensitive depressible button;

wherein the button comprises

a touch sensor for detecting touch events on a surface of the touch sensor, and

an actuator coupled with the touch sensor and depressible from an initial position to both a first and a second depression threshold;

wherein the touch sensor is configured to switch from a non-sensing state to a sensing state when the actuator is depressed to the first depression threshold; and

wherein the touch sensor is configured to determine a touch context based on detected touch events when the actuator is depressed to the second depression threshold.