Capacitive gap sensor ring for an input device

• US 10,061,399 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bushnell, Tyler S., Petty, Collin R., Clavelle, Adam T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Larry
• Application Number:
  US15/210,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20180018026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/005 Multiple switches G04C3/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/007 Electromechanical contact-making and breaking devices acting as pulse generators for setting
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• 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 3/0338 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 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• 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

Abstract

An input mechanism for a portable electronic device includes a rotational manipulation mechanism, such as a cap or shaft. The input mechanism also includes a sensor having first capacitive elements coupled to the manipulation mechanism, second capacitive elements, and a dielectric positioned between the first and second capacitive elements. Movement of the manipulation mechanism alters the positions of the first and second capacitive elements with respect to each other and is determinable based on capacitance changes resulting therefrom. In some implementations, the second capacitive elements may be part of an inner ring or partial ring nested at least partially within an outer ring or partial ring.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device comprising:

a multi-directional input device comprising;

a shaft;

a cap operable to move with respect to the shaft;

a sensor coupling the cap to the shaft and comprising;

an outer set of capacitive elements; and

an inner set of capacitive elements; and

a returning structure operable to;

in response to a force applied to the cap, allow movement of the outer set of capacitive elements with respect to the inner set of capacitive elements; and

in response to the force being removed from the cap, return the outer set of capacitive elements to a default position.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein a first element of the outer set of capacitive elements completely overlaps a first element of the inner set of capacitive elements.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein a first element of the outer set of capacitive elements is offset from a first element of the inner set of capacitive elements.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

the first element of the outer set of capacitive elements is offset from the first element of the inner set of capacitive elements by a first distance;

a second element of the outer set of capacitive elements is offset from a second element of the inner set of capacitive elements by a second distance; and

the first and second distances are different.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shaft is moveable.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric positioned between the outer and inner sets of capacitive elements.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the dielectric comprises at least one of silicone, an adhesive, or an air gap.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the dielectric is the returning structure.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wearable electronic device is operable to determine rotation of the cap with respect to the shaft, lateral translation of the cap with respect to the shaft, and horizontal translation of the cap with respect to the shaft based on capacitance changes between the outer and inner sets of capacitive elements.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

an input device comprising;

a rotational manipulation mechanism;

a first array of capacitive elements coupled to the rotational manipulation mechanism;

a second array of capacitive elements; and

a dielectric positioned between the first and second arrays of capacitive elements;

wherein;

the electronic device is operable to determine either a linear translation or a rotation of the rotational manipulation mechanism based on a change in capacitance between the first and second arrays of capacitive elements.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising:

a first ring comprising the first array of capacitive elements disposed in a first circular pattern; and

a second ring comprising the second array of capacitive elements disposed in a second circular pattern.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the dielectric operates as a seal for the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the rotational manipulation mechanism is configured to rotate or translate in response to a force applied to the rotational manipulation mechanism.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first array of capacitive elements has a different number of elements than the second array of capacitive elements.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first and second arrays of capacitive elements experience the change in capacitance in response to a touch on the rotational manipulation mechanism.

16. An input device comprising:

a rotational manipulation mechanism;

a first array of capacitive elements coupled to the rotational manipulation mechanism;

a second array of capacitive elements; and

a dielectric positioned between the first and second arrays of capacitive elements;

wherein;

movement of the rotational manipulation mechanism results in a change in a first overlap area between a first pair of the first and second arrays of capacitive elements and movement of the rotational manipulation mechanism results in a change in a second overlap area between a second pair of the first and second arrays of capacitive elements, the first overlap area being different from the second overlap area.

17. The input device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first array of capacitive elements or the second array of capacitive elements is curved.

18. The input device of claim 16, wherein the input device comprises a watch crown.

19. An electronic device having an input device, the input device comprising:

a manipulation mechanism;

a first array of capacitive elements coupled to the manipulation mechanism;

a second array of capacitive elements separated from the first array of capacitive elements; and

a dielectric positioned between the first and second arrays of capacitive elements;

wherein;

movement of the manipulation mechanism results in a change in a first distance between a first pair of the first and second arrays of capacitive elements;

movement of the manipulation mechanism results in a change in a second distance between a second pair of the first and second arrays of capacitive elements; and

the first distance is different from the second distance.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the input device comprises a joystick.