Apparatus for sensing user input

• US 10,642,383 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kugler, Tyler Reed, Polyudov, Alexey, Sundara-Rajan, Kishore, Mukherjee, Debanjan, Miller, James B., Cooper, James Aaron, Kwong, Kelvin, Quinn, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Carolyn R
• Application Number:
  US15/991,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20180284906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces

Abstract

An apparatus utilizes multiple strain gauge (“SG”) sensing units which are each disposed adjacent an inner surface of the device housing. Electrical voltage generated by the SGs is amplified by one or more amplifiers to maximize the resolution between a voltage output of an SG when in a non-pressed state and a voltage output of the SG when in a pressed state. Additionally, an electronic circuit is configured to identify a baseline voltage output for an SG over a period of time for comparing to a voltage output for the SG when the SG is in a pressed state such that the pressed state of the SG can be identified by the electronic circuit by comparing a current output voltage of the SG to the identified baseline voltage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing user input provided on an exterior surface of a device, comprising:

a first strain gauge configured to couple with a housing of an electronic device;

an amplifier electrically coupled to the first strain gauge and configured to generate a plurality of analog signals by amplifying an electrical property of the first strain gauge;

an analog-to-digital converter electrically coupled to the amplifier and configured to receive the plurality of analog signals from the amplifier and generate a plurality of digital signals that are representations of the plurality of analog signals generated by the amplifier;

a motion detecting sensor to detect motion of the electronic device, the motion detecting sensor being distinct from the first strain gauge; and

an electronic circuit electrically coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and configured to;

(i) receive digital signals from the analog-to-digital converter,

(ii) receive signals indicative of motion information detected by the motion detecting sensor,

(iii) determine, at least in part based on the signals indicative of motion information detected by the motion detecting sensor, to implement a power management process to reduce power consumption by reducing a sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals output by the analog-to-digital converter, and

(iv) implement the power management process to reduce power consumption by reducing the sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals output by the analog-to-digital converter from a first sampling rate to a second sampling rate, the second sampling rate being lower than the first sampling rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion detecting sensor of the electronic device comprises an accelerometer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion detecting sensor of the electronic device comprises an accelerometer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to change the sampling rate from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to a proximity detector of the electronic device detecting an object within a threshold distance of the electronic device, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to change the sampling rate from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to (1) determining that the electronic device is within a threshold distance of an object, based on signals generated by a proximity detector of the electronic device;

and (2) an input mechanism of the computing device not having received user input for a specified period of time, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to reduce the sampling rate from the first sampling rate to the second sampling rate in response to determining that the electronic device has moved in a particular direction more than a threshold amount.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to change the sampling rate from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to determining that the electronic device has entered a sleep mode, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to change the sampling rate from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to determining that the electronic device is in an inactive mode, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sampling rate is approximately 100 Hz and the second sampling rate is approximately 10 Hz.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to change the sampling rate from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to determining that the electronic device is attached to a docking station, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to reduce the sampling rate from the first sampling rate to the second sampling rate in response to determining that the electronic device is connected to a power source and is positioned in a relatively horizontal position.

12. A method of controlling an electronic circuit of an electronic device, wherein the electronic circuit is in operative communication with a first strain gauge coupled to the housing of the electronic device, the method comprising:

sampling, at a first sampling rate by the electronic circuit, digital signals generated by an analog-to-digital converter in response to user input that interacts with the housing of the electronic device, the analog-to-digital converter configured to receive a plurality of analog signals generated by an amplifier in operative communication with the first strain gauge of the electronic device, the analog-to-digital converter further configured to generate a plurality of digital signals that are representations of the collections of analog signals generated by the amplifier;

receiving signals from at least one motion sensor of the electronic device, the at least one motion sensor being distinct from the first strain gauge,

identifying, by the electronic circuit and using the signals received from the at least one motion sensor, a trigger event; and

in response to identifying the trigger event, sampling, at a second sampling rate by the electronic circuit, digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter, the second sampling rate being different from the first sampling rate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one motion sensory comprises one or more accelerometers of the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one motion sensory comprises one or more gyroscopes of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising, changing a sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to detection of an object within a threshold distance of the electronic device by one or more proximity detectors of the electronic device, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the one or more proximity detectors no longer detect an object within the threshold distance of the electronic device; and

in response to determining that the one or more proximity detectors no longer detect an object within the threshold distance of the electronic device, sampling, at the third sampling rate by the electronic circuit, the digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising, changing a sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to the electronic device entering a sleep mode, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising, changing a sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to the electronic device exiting a sleep mode, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising, changing a sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to the electronic device transitioning from a relatively horizontal position to a relatively non-horizontal position, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising, changing a sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to the electronic device receiving an incoming phone call or text message, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying the trigger event is performed based on a determination as to if the electronic device is connected to a power source.

22. An apparatus for sensing user input provided on an exterior surface of an electronic device, comprising:

a first strain gauge configured to couple with a housing of the electronic device;

an amplifier electrically coupled to the first strain gauge and configured to generate a plurality of analog signals by amplifying an electrical property of the first strain gauge;

an analog-to-digital converter electrically coupled to the amplifier and configured to receive the plurality of analog signals from the amplifier and generate a plurality of digital signals that are representations of the plurality of analog signals generated by the amplifier;

a motion detecting sensor to detect motion of the electronic device, the motion detecting sensor being distinct from the first strain gauge; and

an electronic circuit electrically coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and configured to;

(i) receive digital signals from the analog-to-digital converter,

(ii) receive signals indicative of motion information detected by the motion detecting sensor,

(iii) detect, at least in part based on the signals indicative of motion information detected by the motion detecting sensor, motion of the electronic device, and

(iv) increase a sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals output by the analog-to-digital converter from a first sampling rate to a second sampling rate at least in part in response to the detected motion of the electronic device, the second sampling rate being higher than the first sampling rate.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to change the sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to the electronic device exiting a sleep mode, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to change the sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in response to the electronic device receiving an incoming phone call or text message, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the motion detecting sensor of the electronic device comprises an accelerometer.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the motion detecting sensor of the electronic device comprises a gyroscope.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to change the sampling rate at which the electronic circuit samples digital signals generated by the analog-to-digital converter from a third sampling rate to a fourth sampling rate in based on one or more signals generated by one or more proximity detectors of the electronic device, wherein the fourth sampling rate is distinct from the third sampling rate.