Moisture-Insensitive Optical Touch Sensors

    公开(公告)号:US20230057534A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-02-23

    申请号:US17404783

    申请日:2021-08-17

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may have an optical touch sensor that is insensitive to the presence of moisture. The display may present images through a display cover layer. A light source may illuminate an external object such as a user's finger when the object contacts a surface of the display cover layer. This creates scattered light that may be detected by an array of light sensors. A metasurface grating may be used to couple light from the light source into the display cover layer at an angle such that total internal reflection within the display cover layer is sustained across the display cover layer even when the display cover layer is immersed in water or otherwise exposed to moisture. Additional metasurface gratings may be formed on the display cover layer to redirect light propagating within the display cover layer away from edges that might otherwise defeat total internal reflection.

    System and method for acoustic touch and force sensing

    公开(公告)号:US11347355B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-31

    申请号:US15989063

    申请日:2018-05-24

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Acoustic touch and/or force sensing system architectures and methods for acoustic touch and/or force sensing can be used to detect a position of an object touching a surface and an amount of force applied to the surface by the object. The position and/or an applied force can be determined using time-of-flight (TOF) techniques, for example. Acoustic touch sensing can utilize transducers (e.g., piezoelectric) to simultaneously transmit ultrasonic waves along a surface and through a thickness of a deformable material. The location of the object and the applied force can be determined based on the amount of time elapsing between the transmission of the waves and receipt of the reflected waves. In some examples, an acoustic touch sensing system can be insensitive to water contact on the device surface, and thus acoustic touch sensing can be used for touch sensing in devices that may become wet or fully submerged in water.

    Composite cover material for sensitivity improvement of ultrasonic touch screens

    公开(公告)号:US11157115B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-10-26

    申请号:US15476244

    申请日:2017-03-31

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to one or more intermediate layers located on a surface of a cover material of an acoustic touch screen. In some examples, the one or more layers can include one or more intermediate layers. The one or more intermediate layers can include a first layer including a plurality of features and a second layer located between the first layer and the cover material. In a touch condition, the touch object can apply a force to the top surface of the acoustic touch sensor. The applied force can create one or more local bends causing the plurality of features to move closer to the cover material and causing one or more surface discontinuities in the cover material. The acoustic waves can undergo reflections (e.g., causing the signal to be attenuated) due to the discontinuities located in the path of the wave propagation.

    Thermal compensation for force-sensitive button

    公开(公告)号:US10599247B2

    公开(公告)日:2020-03-24

    申请号:US15257831

    申请日:2016-09-06

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Thermal compensation can be applied to force measurements of a force-sensitive button. A temperature differential between an object and the force-sensitive button can result in changes in the reconstructed force by the force sensor due to thermal effects rather than actual user force, which in turn can result in degraded performance of the force sensor (e.g., false positive or inconsistent activation force). In some examples, a force-sensitive button can include a force sensor configured to measure an amount of force applied to the force-sensitive button, and a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature associated with the force sensor. The measured temperature can be used to compensate the amount of force measured by the force sensor based on the temperature associated with the force sensor. In some examples, the thermal compensation can be applied when an object is detected contacting the force-sensitive button (i.e., when rapid temperature differentials can occur).

    ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING MASK COLLIMATION AND RELATED METHODS

    公开(公告)号:US20190095672A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-03-28

    申请号:US15718887

    申请日:2017-09-28

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate and a dielectric cover layer above the substrate. The electronic device may also include light emitting diodes (LEDs) carried by the substrate to direct light to the dielectric cover layer and optical image sensors carried by the substrate below the dielectric cover layer and adjacent the plurality of LEDs. Each optical image sensor may include at least one photodetector, a mask having at least one opening therein above the at least one photodetector, and an optical element above the mask and cooperating therewith to collimate light reflected from the dielectric cover layer to the at least one photodetector.

    Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in display bezel

    公开(公告)号:US09984271B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-05-29

    申请号:US14514308

    申请日:2014-10-14

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G06K9/0002 G06F3/0436

    Abstract: An electronic device that includes an enclosure having an external surface and a first array of ultrasonic transducers arranged along a first direction and a second array of ultrasonic transducers arranged along a second direction. The first array of ultrasonic transducers may be configured to produce a surface wave along the external surface. A set of scattered waves may be created by the touch on the external surface. The second array of ultrasonic transducers may be configured to receive a portion of the set of scattered waves and produce an output. The device may also include a processing unit that is configured to identify the touch using the output. The processing unit may be further configured to create a reconstruction of at least a portion of a fingerprint associated with the touch on the cover, and to identify the fingerprint using the reconstruction.

    Fingerprint sensor in an electronic device

    公开(公告)号:US09984270B2

    公开(公告)日:2018-05-29

    申请号:US14451076

    申请日:2014-08-04

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G06K9/0002 G06K9/228 H04M1/0266 H04M1/67

    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor is incorporated in a display stack in an electronic device. A single fingerprint can be captured at one time at a single pre-defined fixed location on a display. Alternatively, a single fingerprint can be acquired at one time at any location on a display. Alternatively, multiple touches on the display can be acquired substantially simultaneously where only one fingerprint is captured at a time or where all of the fingerprints are acquired at the same time. The fingerprint sensor can be implemented as an integrated circuit connected to a bottom surface of a cover sheet, near the bottom surface of the cover sheet, or connected to a top surface of a display. Alternatively, the fingerprint sensor can be implemented as a full panel fingerprint sensor.

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