Electronic device with strain-based force sensor
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsThayne M. Miller, Jean-Marie Bussat, Steven P. Hotelling, Sawyer I. Cohen, Tyler B. Cater
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Abstract
Input members with capacitive sensors are disclosed. In one embodiment of an electronic button, a first circuit is configured to capture a fingerprint of a user's finger placed on the electronic button, and a second circuit is configured to sense a force applied to the electronic button by the user's finger. The first circuit is further configured to provide temperature information to compensate for temperature sensitivities of the second circuit, and the second circuit is further configured to provide force information to the first circuit.
Claims20
An electronic device, comprising:
- an electronic button, the electronic button comprising:
- a rigid body defining a beam and at least one opening adjacent the beam;
- and
- a strain gauge coupled to the rigid body;
- wherein at least one portion of the strain gauge is mounted to the beam and sensitive to strain applied to a longitudinal axis of the beam.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing including a glass plate:
- a capacitive fingerprint sensor disposed under the glass plate;
- a rigid body disposed under the capacitive fingerprint sensor and defining a beam;
- and
- a strain gauge coupled to the rigid body;
- wherein at least one portion of the strain gauge is mounted to the beam and sensitive to strain applied to a longitudinal axis of the beam.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing including a glass plate:
- a capacitive fingerprint sensor disposed under the glass plate;
- a rigid body disposed under the capacitive fingerprint sensor and defining an opening;
- a strain gauge coupled to the rigid body on an opposite side of the rigid body from the capacitive fingerprint sensor;
- and
- a flex circuit coupling the capacitive fingerprint sensor to the strain gauge through the opening in the rigid body
- wherein at least one portion of the strain gauge is configured to sense a force applied to the glass plate above the capacitive fingerprint sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.