IP Library Granted Patent US 10,656,714
Granted Patent B2
US 10,656,714 · App. 15/939,016 · Granted May 19, 2020

Device having integrated interface system

Inventors: Christiaan A. Ligtenberg (San Carlos, CA); Brett W. Degner (Menlo Park, CA); Ron A. Hopkinson (Campbell, CA); Asif Hussain (San Jose, CA); Dinesh C. Mathew (San Francisco, CA); Mikael M. Silvanto (San Francisco, CA); Chang Zhang (San Jose, CA); Zheng Gao (Sunnyvale, CA); Robert Y. Cao (San Francisco, CA); Keith J. Hendren (San Francisco, CA); Bryan W. Posner (LaSelva Beach, CA); Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque (San Jose, CA); Alex J. Lehmann (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,656,714
App. No.
15/939,016
Granted
May 19, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.

Claims (78)

1. A portable computer comprising:

a display portion comprising a display; and

a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and comprising:

a bottom case; and

a top case, formed from a dielectric material and configured to locally deform in response to a touch input applied to a top surface of the top case, the top case coupled to the bottom case and comprising:

a top member defining a top surface of the base portion; and

a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion; and

a sensing system comprising:

a first sensing system configured to determine a location of the touch input; and

a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input and to register an input at the location of the touch input if the determined force exceeds a threshold force; and

a haptic device configured to produce a haptic output at the top case in response to registering the input at the location of the touch input.

2. The portable computer of claim 1 , wherein the top case is formed from a single glass member.

3. The portable computer of claim 2 , wherein:

the sidewall is a first sidewall;

the side surface is a first side surface; and

the top case further comprises:

a second sidewall integrally formed with the first sidewall and the top member and defining a second side surface of the base portion; and

a third sidewall integrally formed with the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the top member and defining a third side surface of the base portion.

4. The portable computer of claim 3 , wherein:

the first sensing system is positioned below the top member and extends over an entire area of the top member; and

the second sensing system is positioned below the top member and extends over the entire area of the top member.

5. The portable computer of claim 3 , wherein:

the top member defines an opening; and

the portable computer further comprises a keyboard positioned in the opening.

6. The portable computer of claim 3 , wherein:

the display is a first display; and

the portable computer further comprises a second display within the base portion and viewable through the top case.

7. The portable computer of claim 6 , wherein the second display is configured to display an image of a keyboard in a keyboard region of the top case.

8. The portable computer of claim 7 , wherein:

the image of the keyboard includes an image of a key; and

the second sensing system is configured to register a key input in response to detecting an input applied to the key and having a force exceeding a force threshold.

9. A device comprising:

a display portion comprising:

a display housing; and

a display within the display housing; and

a base portion coupled to the display portion and comprising:

a bottom case; and

a glass top case coupled to the bottom case and defining a top exterior surface of the base portion;

a sensing system configured to:

determine a location of a touch input applied to any location on the top exterior surface of the base portion;

determine a force of the touch input applied to any location on the top exterior surface of the base portion; and

register an input at the location of the touch input if the determined force exceeds a threshold force; and

a haptic device configured to produce a haptic output at the glass top case in response to registering the input at the location of the touch input;

wherein the glass top case is configured to locally deform in response to the touch input.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein:

the sensing system comprises:

a touch sensing system configured to determine the location of the touch input; and

a force sensing system configured to determine the force of the touch input and to determine the location of the touch input.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the haptic output produces a localized haptic output such that a magnitude of the haptic output at the location is greater than the magnitude of the haptic output at a different location adjacent to the location.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein:

the glass top case defines an opening; and

the device further comprises a keyboard positioned at least partially in the opening.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein:

the bottom case defines:

a bottom member;

a first sidewall integrally formed with the bottom member;

a second sidewall integrally formed with the bottom member; and

a third sidewall integrally formed with the bottom member; and

the glass top case is attached to the bottom case via the first, second, and third sidewalls.

14. The device of claim 9 , wherein the haptic output is localized to the location of the touch input.

15. A notebook computer comprising:

a display portion comprising a display; and

a base portion flexibly coupled to the display portion and comprising:

a bottom case; and

a glass top case coupled to the bottom case and defining substantially an entire top surface of the base portion, the glass top case configured to locally deform in response to a touch event applied to the glass top case;

a touch sensing system configured to determine a location of the touch event; and

a force sensing system configured to cause the notebook computer to register an input in response to a force associated with the touch event exceeding a threshold; and

a haptic device configured to produce a haptic output at the glass top case in response to registering the input at the location of the touch event.

16. The notebook computer of claim 15 , wherein:

the glass top case defines a keyboard region and a trackpad region; and

the notebook computer is configured to register the input as a key input if the location of the touch event is within the keyboard region.

17. The notebook computer of claim 16 , wherein:

the force sensing system is configured to determine if a palm of a user is resting on the trackpad region;

in response to the force sensing system determining that the palm of the user is not resting on the trackpad region, the notebook computer sets the threshold to a first threshold; and

in response to the force sensing system determining that the palm of the user is resting on the trackpad region, the notebook computer sets the threshold to a second threshold different from the first threshold.

18. The notebook computer of claim 16 , wherein the notebook computer is configured to register the input as a trackpad input if the location of the touch event is within the trackpad region.

19. The notebook computer of claim 18 , wherein the notebook computer is configured to take a first action in response to registering the input as the key input and to take a second action different from the first action in response to registering the input as a trackpad input.

20. The notebook computer of claim 15 , wherein the haptic output is localized to the location of the touch event.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2018
From: LIGTENBERG, CHRISTIAAN A.; DEGNER, BRETT W.; HOPKINSON, RON A.; HUSSAIN, ASIF; MATHEW, DINESH C.; SILVANTO, MIKAEL M.; ZHANG, CHANG; GAO, ZHENG; CAO, ROBERT Y.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 046045/0252 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2018
From: HENDREN, KEITH J.; POSNER, BRYAN W.; LANCASTER-LAROCQUE, SIMON R.; LEHMANN, ALEX J.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 045859/0846 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62478537 · Mar 29, 2017
Related Publication 20180217668A1 · Aug 2, 2018
Cited By (8)
US 12,189,439 US 12,193,839 US 12,265,670 US 12,396,677 US 12,407,089 US 12,422,930 US 12,632,116 US 12,632,131