Disappearing Button or Slider

• US 20170003783A1
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Leung, Omar S., Amm, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,146,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/14 with many small apertures
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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 3/0202 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An input device is disclosed. The input is a deflection based capacitive sensing input. Deflection of a metal frame of the input device causes a change in capacitance that is used to control a function of an electrical device. The input appears invisible because it is made of the same material as the housing it is contained in. Invisible backlit holes may make the input selectively visible or invisible to the user.

Claims

1-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A laptop computing device, comprising:

a housing;

a display coupled to the housing;

a keyboard coupled to the housing;

a trackpad coupled to the housing; and

a touch-operated control region, proximate to the keyboard, forming a portion of the housing.

50. The laptop computing device of claim 49, wherein the housing forms an input surface of the touch-operated control region.

51. The laptop computing device of claim 49, wherein a function associated with the touch-operated control region is configurable.

52. The laptop computing device of claim 49, wherein the touch-operated control region is illuminable.

53. The laptop computing device of claim 52, wherein illumination of the touch-operated control region indicates a function of the touch-operated control region.

54. The laptop computing device of claim 49, wherein the touch-operated control region includes multiple capacitor plates and activation of the touch-operated control region changes a capacitance between the multiple capacitor plates.

55. The laptop computing device of claim 49, wherein an input surface of the touch-operated control region is formed of a same material as the housing.

56. An electronic device, comprising:

a first enclosure;

a display coupled to the first enclosure;

a second enclosure hingedly connected to the first enclosure;

a keyboard coupled to the second enclosure;

a trackpad coupled to the second enclosure; and

an input area defined as a portion of the second enclosure close to the keyboard.

57. The electronic device of claim 56, wherein a function associated with the input area is dependent on an operating state of the electronic device.

58. The electronic device of claim 56, wherein the input area includes holes extending through the second enclosure.

59. The electronic device of claim 58, wherein a light source is configured to illuminate the holes.

60. The electronic device of claim 59, wherein the holes are visually imperceptible when not illuminated by the light source.

61. The electronic device of claim 58, wherein the light source illuminates the holes when a function associated with the input area becomes available.

62. The electronic device of claim 56, wherein the portion of the second enclosure is flexible.

63. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing portion;

keys coupled to the housing portion; and

a control surface forming an exterior portion of the electronic device that is near the keys and visually imperceptible when not indicated by an control surface indicator.

64. The electronic device of claim 63, wherein the control surface is a contextual control.

65. The electronic device of claim 63, wherein the control surface is a metal surface.

66. The electronic device of claim 63, wherein the control surface deforms when force is applied.

67. The electronic device of claim 63, wherein the electronic device comprises an external keyboard.

68. The electronic device of claim 63, wherein the control surface comprises a capacitive touch surface.