Capacitance sensing electrode with integrated I/O mechanism

• US 10,139,870 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hotelling, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Viet D
• Application Number:
  US14/850,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20160004278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96015 Constructional details for touch switches for capacitive touch switches see H03K2217/9607
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96046 Key-pad combined with display, back-lit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960795 using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED

Abstract

A touch sensing device is disclosed. The touch sensing device includes one or more multifunctional nodes each of which represents a single touch pixel. Each multifunctional node includes a touch sensor with one or more integrated I/O mechanisms. The touch sensor and integrated I/O mechanisms share the same communication lines and I/O pins of a controller during operation of the touch sensing device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

an annular region having both touch sensing and display functionality;

a central region inside the annular region having both touch sensing and display functionality, the annular and central regions coupled to first communication lines; and

a movable touch-sensitive element located along a periphery of the annular region and surrounding the annular region, the movable touch-sensitive element configured for detecting lateral movement of an object along the device and coupled to second communication lines different from the first communication lines;

wherein the annular region, the central region and the movable touch-sensitive element are configured for being independently actuated and generating first and second signals transmitting respectively through the first and second communication lines and corresponding to first and second distinct inputs to the electronic device.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the annular region, the central region, and the movable touch sensitive element further comprises one or more multifunctional nodes, each multifunctional node including a touch sensor and one or more input/output (I/O) mechanisms.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising one or more processors and one or more data storage elements communicatively coupled to the annular region, the central region, and the movable touch-sensitive element.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the processor is capable of receiving an input from the movable touch-sensitive element to access data in the data storage element.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the central region further comprises display functionality.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the annular region, the central region, and the movable touch sensitive element comprises one or more capacitive sensing electrodes for providing the touch sensing functionality.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a data port enabling wireless data transfer.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a button outside a periphery of the movable touch sensitive element.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a haptic output element enabling generation of a haptic output.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the haptic output comprises a vibratory output.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a speaker and a microphone.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a biometric sensor configured for biosensing functionality.

13. A method for providing a user interface for a portable electronic device, comprising:

providing touchscreen functionality in an annular region of the device;

providing touchscreen functionality in a central region inside the annular region;

coupling first communication lines to the annular and central regions;

providing a movable touch-sensitive interface along a periphery of the annular region and surrounding the annular region capable of detecting lateral movement of an object along the device;

coupling second communication lines, different from the first communication lines, to the moveable touch-sensitive interface;

providing for independent actuation of the annular region, the central region and the movable touch-sensitive element; and

providing for generation of first and second signals transmitting respectively through the first and second communication lines.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing one or more multifunctional nodes in the annular region, each multifunctional node including a touch sensor and an input/output (I/O) mechanism.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a display in the central region.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing touch sensing functionality in at least one of the annular region, the central region, and the movable touch sensitive element using capacitive sensing electrodes.

17. A portable electronic device, comprising:

means for providing touchscreen functionality in an annular region of the device;

means for providing touchscreen functionality in a central region inside the annular region;

means for coupling first communication lines to the annular and central regions;

means for providing a movable touch-sensitive interface along a periphery of the annular region and surrounding the annular region capable of detecting lateral movement of an object along the device;

means for coupling second communication lines, different from the first communication lines, to the moveable touch-sensitive interface;

wherein the annular region, the central region and the movable touch-sensitive element are configured for being independently actuated and generating first and second signals transmitting respectively through the first and second communication lines.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17, further comprising multifunctional node means in the annular region, each multifunctional node means including means for touch sensing and means for providing input/output (I/O) functionality.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 17, further comprising display means in the central region.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 17, further comprising touch sensing means in at least one of the annular region, the central region, and the movable touch sensitive element using capacitive sensing electrodes.