Movable Track Pad with Added Functionality

• US 20100079404A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: LIGTENBERG, Chris A., KESSLER, Patrick, CASEBOLT, Matthew P., ANDRE, Bartley K., DEGNER, Brett William, WILSON, Thomas W. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,441,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

An input device is disclosed. The input device includes a movable touch-sensitive track pad capable of detecting an object in close proximity thereto so as to generate a tracking control signal. The input device also includes a movement indicator capable of detecting the movements of the movable track pad so as to generate one or more other control signals (e.g., button signals). The control signals can be used to perform actions in an electronic device operatively coupled to the input device.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a touch sensitive track pad having a track surface;

a flexure hinge pivotably connected at one end of the track pad to allow displacement of the track pad from a neutral position to an active position when a force is applied to substantially any portion of the track surface, and to bias the track pad towards the neutral position from the activate position;

wherein the track pad generates a first control signal when the track pad is at the active position and the track pad generates a second control signal when an object is moved relative to the track surface.

2. The input device as recited in claim 1 wherein the flexure hinge is a resilient plate connected to the track pad.

3. The input device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first control signal is a button signal and the second control signal is a tracking signal.

4. The input device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a frame, the track pad being pivotably connected to the frame to allow movement of the track pad relative to the frame.

5. The input device as recited in claim 4 wherein the track pad is connected to a cantilever extension of the frame.

6. The input device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a movement indicator for sensing movement of the track pad, wherein the first control signal is based on movements of the track pad sensed by the movement indicator.

7. The input device as recited in claim 6 wherein the movement indicator is a tactile switch which is depressed when the track pad is in the active position.

8. The input device as recited in claim 1 wherein the track pad includes a touch sensor arrangement configured to sense the object, the second control signal being based on a position of the object relative to the track surface.

9. The input device as recited in claim 8 wherein the touch sensor arrangement includes a capacitive sensor.

10. The input device as recited in claim 9 wherein the touch sensor arrangement is a layered stack comprising the track surface disposed above an electrode layer;

wherein the electrode layer is electrically connected to an integrated circuit configured to displace with the track pad between the neutral and the active positions.

11. The input device as recited in claim 10 wherein the electrode layer has a cantilevered end which forms the flexure hinge.

12. The input device as recited in claim 10 wherein the track surface is made of a dielectric material.

13. The input device as recited in claim 12 wherein the dielectric material is glass.

14. The input device as recited in claim 10 further comprising a stiffener connected to the electrode layer.

15. The input device as recited in claim 14 wherein the stiffener has a cantilevered end which forms the flexure hinge.

16. The input device as recited in claim 4 wherein the frame has a shoulder configured to keep the track surface substantially flush with an adjacent surface of the frame when the track pad is at the neutral position.

17. The input device as recited in claim 16 further comprising a shock absorber connected to the shoulder.

18. The input device as recited in claim 1 wherein a distance between the neutral position and the active position is adjustable.

19. The input device as recited in claim 13 wherein the track pad is delineated into zones.

20. The input device as recited in claim 19 wherein the zones are user-selectable and include a track zone and a pick zone.

21. The input device as recited in claim 19 further comprising means for separating the zones.

22. The input device as recited in claim 19 wherein the means for separating the zones is formed by a textured glass surface with light emitting diode side lighting, infra red ink with light emitting diode side lighting, electro-luminescence, magnetic ink, or two-tone rolling wire.

23. The input device as recited in claim 13 wherein the track surface is an active matrix display.

24. The input device as recited in claim 23 wherein the active matrix display includes electronic paper.

25. The input device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a magnet connected to the track pad to bias the track pad to the neutral position.

26. A computing system, comprising:

a computing device capable of receiving, processing and outputting data; and

an input device configured to send data to the computing device in order to perform an action in the computing device;

the input device comprising a depressible touch-sensitive track pad coupled to the computing device by a flexure hinge and configured to generate tracking signals, and a movement indicator configured to generate a button signal when the track pad is depressed.

27. The computing system as recited in claim 26 wherein the movement indicator is a tactile switch configured to be depressed when the track pad is depressed.

28. The computing device as recited in claim 26 wherein the track pad includes a touch sensor arrangement configured to sense movements of an object, the tracking signals being based on a position of the object relative to the track pad.

29. The computing device as recited in claim 28 wherein the touch sensor arrangement includes a capacitive sensor.

30. The computing device as recited in claim 28 wherein the track pad comprises a glass display screen.

31. The computing device as recited in claim 30 wherein the computing device is a mobile phone or media player.

32. The computing system as recited in 26, further comprising a magnet connected to the track pad to bias the track pad to a neutral position.

33. A method for creating low friction, high transmissivity glass, the method comprising steps of:

(a) etching a surface of glass to form a fine pitched seed surface having peaks and a characteristic first peak-to-peak ratio between the peaks; and

(b) applying an acid to the seed surface to produce a final surface having peaks and a second peak-to-peak ratio roughly an order of magnitude larger than the first peak-to-peak ratio.

34. The method as recited in claim 33 wherein the etching step is formed by chemically or mechanically etching a glass surface.

35. The method as recited in claim 34 wherein the acid is hydrofluoric acid.