Disappearing button or slider

• US 8,786,568 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Leung, Omar S., Amm, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US13/888,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 324/669, 361/679.3, 361/679.4, 361/681, 361/752, 340/5, 340/54
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/14 with many small apertures
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An input device receives an input that is a deflection based capacitive sensing input. Deflection of a metal frame of the input device causes a change in capacitance that is used to control a function of an electrical device. The input appears invisible because it is made of the same material as the housing it is contained in. Invisible backlit holes may make the input selectively visible or invisible to the user.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a frame having selectively visible holes formed in a top face and an interior wall formed within the frame, the interior wall separated from the top face by an interior space;

a capacitive reference on an inner surface of the top face in the area of the selectively visible holes;

a capacitor plate disposed on a surface of the interior wall opposite to the capacitive reference;

a light source disposed in the interior space configured to shine through the selectively visible holes when lit; and

a capacitive sensor electrically connected to the capacitive reference and to the capacitor plate,

wherein deformation of the frame caused by pressure thereon in the area of the selectively visible holes causes a change in capacitance between the capacitive reference and the capacitor plate that is detected by the capacitive sensor and converted to an electrical signal.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric medium disposed in the interior space wherein the dielectric medium comprises at least one of air, foam, rubber, or a dielectric gel.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the top face includes a first portion including the selectively visible holes that comprises at least one of a button or a switch.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the capacitive reference comprises conductive paint.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the conductive paint is printed on the inner surface of the top face.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the capacitor plate comprises conductive paint.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the conductive paint is printed on the surface of the interior wall.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises aluminum.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the top face includes a first portion with the selectively visible holes and a second portion without the selectively visible holes that is flush with the first portion.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the light source is illuminated based at least on ambient lighting conditions, change in capacitance between the capacitive reference and the capacitor plate, detected motion, detected sound, or detected heat.

11. A method for configuring an electronic device with a selectively visible input, comprising:

forming a frame having a top face with selectively visible holes formed therein, an interior wall within the frame and separated from the top face, and an interior space between the top face and the interior wall;

disposing a dielectric medium in the interior space, a capacitive reference on an inner surface of the top face in an area of the selectively visible holes, a capacitor plate on a surface of the interior wall opposite to the capacitive reference, and a light source in the interior space that shines through the selectively visible holes when illuminated; and

electrically connecting a capacitive sensor to the capacitive reference and the capacitor plate wherein deformation of the frame caused by pressure from an object placed thereon in the area of the selectively visible holes causes a change in capacitance between the capacitive reference and the capacitor plate that is detected by the capacitive sensor and converted to an electrical signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the dielectric medium comprises at least one of air, foam, rubber, or a dielectric gel.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the top face includes a first portion including the selectively visible holes that comprises at least one of a button or a switch.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the capacitive reference comprises conductive paint.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the conductive paint is printed on the inner surface of the top face.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the capacitor plate comprises conductive paint.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the conductive paint is printed on the surface of the interior wall.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the frame comprises aluminum.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the top face includes a first portion with the selectively visible holes and a second portion without the selectively visible holes that is flush with the first portion.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the light source is illuminated based at least on ambient lighting conditions, change in capacitance between the capacitive reference and the capacitor plate, detected motion, detected sound, or detected heat.