公开(公告)号：US10268303B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-23

申请号：US15083102

申请日：2016-03-28

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jeffrey Traer Bernstein ,  David T. Amm ,  Omar S. Leung ,  Christopher Tenzin Mullens ,  Brian Michael King ,  Brian Richards Land ,  Reese T. Cutler

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/0486 ,  G06F3/0481 ,  G06F3/0484

Abstract: Improved capacitive touch and hover sensing with a sensor array is provided. An AC ground shield positioned behind the sensor array and stimulated with signals of the same waveform as the signals driving the sensor array may concentrate the electric field extending from the sensor array and enhance hover sensing capability. The hover position and/or height of an object that is nearby, but not directly above, a touch surface of the sensor array, e.g., in the border area at the end of a touch screen, may be determined using capacitive measurements of sensors near the end of the sensor array by fitting the measurements to a model. Other improvements relate to the joint operation of touch and hover sensing, such as determining when and how to perform touch sensing, hover sensing, both touch and hover sensing, or neither.

公开(公告)号：US20180284937A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：US15927803

申请日：2018-03-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Martin Paul Grunthaner ,  Fletcher R. Rothkopf ,  Christopher Tenzin Mullens ,  Steven Porter Hotelling ,  Sean Erk O'Connor

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  H03K17/975 ,  H03K17/96 ,  H03K17/955

Abstract: Combined force and proximity sensing is disclosed. One or more sensors can concurrently sense a force applied by an object on a device surface and a proximity of the object to the surface. In an example, a single sensor can sense both force and proximity via a resistance change and a capacitance change, respectively, at the sensor. In another example, multiple sensors can be used, where one sensor can sense force via either a resistance change or a capacitance change and another sensor can sense proximity via a capacitance change.

公开(公告)号：US09632608B2

公开(公告)日：2017-04-25

申请号：US14619958

申请日：2015-02-11

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Wayne Carl Westerman ,  Christopher Tenzin Mullens

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/01 ,  G06F3/0354 ,  G06F3/0488

CPC classification number: G06F3/0412 ,  G06F3/017 ,  G06F3/03543 ,  G06F3/03547 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/0414 ,  G06F3/0416 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  G06F2203/04104 ,  G06F2203/04105 ,  G06F2203/04808

Abstract: Embodiments are related to user input devices that accept complex user input including a combination of touch and push (or pick) input. Embodiments of the invention provide for selective ignoring or rejection of input received from such devices in order to avoid interpreting unintentional user actions as commands. Furthermore, some input signals can be modified. The selective rejection or modification can be performed by the user interface device itself or by a computing device that includes or is attached to the user interface device. The selective rejection or modification may be performed by a module that processes input signals, performs the necessary rejections and modifications and sends revised input signals to higher level modules.