Sensing capacitance changes of a housing of an electronic device

• US 9,069,426 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pance, Aleksandar, King, Nicholas Vincent, Kerr, Duncan, Bilbrey, Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai M
• Application Number:
  US13/750,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 341/33, 341/34, 178 1806- 1807, 345/168, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94052 with evaluation of actuation pattern or sequence, e.g. tapping
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that allow measurement of a user'"'"'s interaction with the housing of an electronic device. Some embodiments may measure the electrical characteristics of a housing of an electrical device, where the housing is capable of being temporarily deformed by the user'"'"'s interaction. By measuring the electrical characteristics of the housing, such as the housing'"'"'s capacitance, the user'"'"'s interaction with the housing can be measured in a manner that is independent of the user'"'"'s electrical characteristics and/or in a manner that may allow the pressure applied to the housing to be quantified.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a display coupled to the housing;

at least one sensor within the housing and configured to detect a motion of the display with respect to the sensor;

a processing unit configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor in response to the sensor detecting the motion of the display; and

one or more LEDs under the at least one sensor, the one or more LEDs configured to generate a display pattern on the display based on the motion of the display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises one or more terminals adjacent to the display.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a plastic or ceramic.

4. The electronic device of 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect the motion of the at least one portion of the housing above a threshold, wherein the threshold is configurable by user input.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having at least one portion configured to allow a user to bend the housing locally;

at least one sensor disposed adjacent to the at least one portion of the housing, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a motion of the at least one portion of the housing;

a processing unit configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor in response to the sensor detecting the motion of the at least one portion of the housing; and

one or more LEDs positioned under the at least one sensor, wherein micro-perforations formed through the at least one portion of the housing emit at least a portion of the light from the one or more LEDs to produce a pattern on a surface of the at least one portion of the housing.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect the motion of the at least one portion of the housing above a threshold, wherein the motion represents a user input.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the threshold is configurable by programming the processing unit.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the threshold has at least first and second configurations, wherein the first configuration represents a light touch from a user and the second configuration represents a firm press from a user.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises one or more terminals adjacent to the at least one portion of the housing.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises a cavity between the at least one portion of the housing and the at least one or more terminals, wherein the cavity is filled with foam.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the at least one portion of the housing comprises a conductive material as one terminal of the capacitive sensor.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the at least one portion of the housing comprises a plastic or ceramic.

15. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the housing has a first thickness and the at least one portion configured to allow a user to bend the housing locally has a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness.

16. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned in a cavity and a top surface of the cavity has a concave shape.

17. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor and a second sensor adjacent the first sensor, and wherein the processing unit is configured to receive a signal from the first and second sensors in response to at least one sensor detecting the motion of the at least one portion of the housing and interpret a user'"'"'s interaction when the user interacts with the housing in between the first and second sensors.

18. A method of operating an electronic device that includes an array of terminals adjacent a bendable portion of a housing of the electronic device, wherein the bendable portion of the housing and the array of terminals cooperatively form an array of capacitive sensors and a processing unit is operably connected to each capacitive sensor, the method comprising:

receiving, by the bendable portion of the housing, a force at a location in between a first capacitive sensor and an adjacent second capacitive sensor in the array of capacitive sensors;

determining, by the processing unit, a change in a capacitance of the first capacitive sensor and a change in a capacitance of the second capacitive sensor based on the applied force;

determining, by the processing unit, if the change in the capacitance of the first capacitive sensor is greater than the change in the capacitance of the second capacitive sensor;

interpreting, by the processing unit, that the applied force is intended for the first capacitive sensor when the change in the capacitance of the first capacitive sensor is greater than the change in the capacitance of the second capacitance sensor; and

based on the interpretation, indicating user interaction with the first capacitive sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

interpreting, by the processing unit, that the applied force is intended for the second capacitive sensor when the change in the capacitance of the second capacitive sensor is greater than the change in the capacitance of the first capacitance sensor; and

indicating user interaction with the second capacitive sensor.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

prior to determining if the change in the capacitance of the first capacitive sensor is greater than the change in the capacitance of the second capacitive sensor, determining, by the processing unit, if the changes in the capacitance of the first capacitive sensor and the second capacitive sensor are equal to or greater than a threshold; and

if the changes in the capacitance of the first and second capacitive sensors are not equal to or greater than the threshold, ignoring, by the processing unit, the applied force.