Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Force sensing based on capacitance changes
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Application No.: US14651214Application Date: 2013-03-15
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Publication No.: US10168814B2Publication Date: 2019-01-01
- Inventor: Steven P. Hotelling , Martin P. Grunthaner , Peter W. Richards , Romain A. Teil , Charley T. Ogata , Michael B. Wittenberg
- Applicant: Apple Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA Cupertino
- Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Cupertino
- Agency: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
- International Application: PCT/US2013/032712 WO 20130315
- International Announcement: WO2014/092758 WO 20140619
- Main IPC: G06F3/041
- IPC: G06F3/041 ; G06F3/044

Abstract:
A force sensing device for electronic device. The force inputs may be detected by measuring changes in capacitance, as measured by surface flex of a device having a flexible touchable surface, causing flex at a compressible gap within the device. A capacitive sensor responsive to changes in distance across the compressible gap. The sensor can be positioned above or below, or within, a display element, and above or below, or within, a backlight unit. The device can respond to bending, twisting, or other deformation, to adjust those zero force measurements. The device can use measure of surface flux that appear at positions on the surface not directly the subject of applied force, such as when the user presses on a part of the frame or a surface without capacitive sensors.
Public/Granted literature
- US20150370396A1 Force Sensing Based on Capacitance Changes Public/Granted day:2015-12-24
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