# US 10,120,450 B2 · Touch pad with force sensors and actuator feedback > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,450 B2 - Document ID: US10120450B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/808,549 - Filed: 2017-11-09 - Published: 2018-05-10 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-10 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein; Avi Cieplinski; Brett W. Degner; Duncan Kerr; Patrick Kessler; Paul Puskarich; Marcelo H. Coelho; Aleksandar Pance - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120450B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - G06F 1/1613: {for portable computers (cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202)} - G06F 1/1662: {Details related to the integrated keyboard} - G06F 1/1692: {the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders} - G06F 3/0227: {Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer (G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence)} - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F 3/0414: {using force sensing means to determine a position} - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G09G 5/006: {Details of the interface to the display terminal (specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04)} - A63B 2022/0092: {for training agility or co-ordination of movements} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 2203/04103: Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices - G06F 2203/04104: Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract Electronic devices may use touch pads that have touch sensor arrays, force sensors, and actuators for providing tactile feedback. A touch pad may be mounted in a computer housing. The touch pad may have a rectangular planar touch pad member that has a glass layer covered with ink and contains a capacitive touch sensor array. Force sensors may be mounted under each of the four corners of the rectangular planar touch pad member. The force sensors may be used to measure how much force is applied to the surface of the planar touch pad member by a user. Processed force sensor signals may indicate the presence of button activity such as press and release events. In response to detected button activity or other activity in the device, actuator drive signals may be generated for controlling the actuator. The user may supply settings to adjust signal processing and tactile feedback parameters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable computer comprising: an upper housing; a display positioned within the upper housing; a lower housing pivotally coupled with the upper housing; a keyboard positioned within the lower housing; and a touch pad disposed within the lower housing and comprising: a cover layer forming a touch surface of the touch pad; a printed circuit board having a capacitive sensor and coupled to the cover layer by a first adhesive layer; a stiffener layer coupled to the printed circuit board by a second adhesive layer; and a set of force sensors positioned below the printed circuit board and configured to produce a variable output that corresponds to an amount of force applied to the touch surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the first and second adhesive layers include a pressure-sensitive adhesive component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the stiffener layer comprises a stainless steel sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The portable computer of claim 1, wherein: the cover layer is formed from a glass sheet; and an ink layer is positioned between the glass sheet and the printed circuit board. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising a set of flexible pads, each flexible pad positioned between the stiffener layer and a respective force sensor of the set of force sensors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The portable computer of claim 5, further comprising an I/O device operably coupled to the touch pad and configured to produce a haptic feedback in response to the applied force exceeding a threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The portable computer of claim 6, wherein: the haptic feedback of the I/O device includes a lateral displacement of the touch pad, and the lateral displacement is parallel with the touch surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The portable computer of claim 7, wherein the set of flexible pads includes a gel material and are configured to allow for the lateral displacement of the touch pad. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The portable computer of claim 1, wherein each of the force sensors of the set of force sensors includes a strain gauge configured to produce the variable output that corresponds to the applied force. ### Claim 10 A portable computing device comprising: an upper housing; a display positioned within the upper housing; a lower housing pivotally coupled with the upper housing and comprising; a keyboard; a glass sheet forming a touch-sensitive surface; a circuit layer positioned below the glass sheet and coupled to the glass sheet by a first adhesive layer; a capacitive sensor array formed on the circuit layer; and a stiffener layer coupled to the circuit layer by a second adhesive layer; a set of force sensors positioned below the circuit layer and configured to produce a variable output that corresponds to an amount of force applied to the touch-sensitive surface; and an output device configured to produce a haptic output in response to the amount of force exceeding a threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The portable computing device of claim 10, wherein the output device produces a lateral movement of the glass sheet that is in-plane with the touch-sensitive surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The portable computing device of claim 10, wherein a button press is detected when the amount of force exceeds the threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The portable computing device of claim 12, wherein, when the keyboard is in use, an increased threshold is used to detect the button press. ### Claim 14 A portable device comprising: a display portion; and a base portion coupled to the display portion and comprising: a keyboard; a touch pad positioned along the keyboard and comprising: a cover sheet defining a touch surface of the touch pad; a circuit layer having a capacitive sensor and coupled to the cover sheet by a first adhesive layer; a stiffener layer coupled to the circuit layer by a second adhesive layer; and a set of force sensors positioned below the circuit layer and configured to produce a variable output that corresponds to an amount of force applied to the touch surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The portable device of claim 14, further comprising a set of flexible pads, each flexible pad positioned between the stiffener layer and a respective force sensor of the set of force sensors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The portable device of claim 15, further comprising an output device operably coupled to the touch pad and configured to produce a haptic feedback in response to the applied force exceeding a threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The portable device of claim 14, wherein the touch pad is configured to interpret palm-check settings such that input from a palm of a hand when the keyboard is in use is rejected. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The portable device of claim 14, wherein the set of force sensors is configured to detect a button activation event if the applied force exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The portable device of claim 18, wherein: the button activation event includes a press event having a corresponding press threshold; and the button activation event includes a release event having a corresponding release threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The portable device of claim 19, wherein the press threshold is the same as the release threshold.