# US 2020/0401228 A1 · Electronic Device Having a Piezoelectric Body for Friction Haptics

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- Number: US 2020/0401228 A1
- Document ID: US20200401228A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/011,806
- Filed: 2020-09-03
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-27
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Xiaonan Wen; James E. Pedder
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200401228A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/04166: {Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184)}
- G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user}
- G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers}
- G06F 3/044: by capacitive means
- G06F 3/0443: {using a single layer of sensing electrodes}
- G06F 3/0445: {using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer}
- G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes}
- G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display}
- G06F 3/147: using display panels
- G06F 2203/04103: Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
- G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
- G06V 40/1306: {non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed which includes a conductive layer for providing haptic feedback at an input surface of the electronic device. The conductive layer includes conductive particles within an organic compound, such as an epoxy. When the conductive layer is activated it may provide frictional or other tactile feedback at the input surface.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-5. (canceled)

### Claim 6

An electronic device, comprising:
a housing at least partially enclosing an interior volume; and
a cover assembly coupled to the housing, the cover assembly comprising:
an outer layer;
an electrically conductive layer below the outer layer;
a dielectric layer coupled to the electrically conductive layer;
a touch sensor below the dielectric layer and comprising:
a first touch electrode;
an insulating layer; and
a second touch electrode; and
a substrate coupled to the touch sensor and supporting the cover assembly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the outer layer and the substrate are optically transparent.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the cover assembly is positioned over a light emitting display disposed within the housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the touch sensor is a capacitive touch sensor and comprises:
a first array of touch electrodes, including the first touch electrode; and
a second array of touch electrodes, including the second touch electrode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first array of touch electrodes is capacitively coupled to the second array of touch electrodes.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive layer is capacitively coupled to the first electrode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electrically conductive layer is configured to capacitively couple to a user providing a touch input to the outer surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the electrically conductive layer is configured to capacitively couple the user to the first touch electrode.

### Claim 14

An electronic device, comprising:
a housing at least partially enclosing an interior volume;
a display disposed in the interior volume;
a touch sensing system disposed below the display within the interior volume;
a cover assembly positioned over the display and coupled to the housing, the cover assembly comprising:
a passivation layer defining an input surface to receive a touch input from a user;
a transparent electrically conductive layer within the interior volume and coupled to the passivation layer;
a first insulating layer within the interior volume and coupled to the transparent electrically conductive layer;
a first touch sensing layer conductively coupled to the touch sensing system and separated from the transparent electrically conductive layer by the first insulating layer;
a second insulating layer within the interior volume and coupled to the first touch sensing layer;
a second touch sensing layer conductively coupled to the touch sensing system and separated from the first touch sensing layer by the second insulating layer; and
a cover sheet layer disposed over the display and coupled to the second touch sensing layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The electronic device of claim 14, wherein one of the first insulating layer or the second insulating layer are formed from a piezoelectric material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the second touch sensing layer is adhered to the cover sheet layer by an adhesive.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the adhesive is an optically clear adhesive.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the adhesive is an epoxy.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the transparent electrically conductive layer is configured to capacitively couple to the user.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first touch sensing layer is capacitively coupled to the second touch sensing layer and is configured to detect a location of the touch input.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the transparent electrically conductive layer is configured to capacitively couple to the user to provide an electrostatic haptic feedback to the user when the user provides the touch input.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the electrostatic haptic feedback is provided in response to the touch input.

### Claim 23

A cover assembly to be positioned over an electronic device display and configured to provide both haptic output and touch input sensing, the cover assembly comprising:
an optically transparent outer layer;
an electrostatic drive layer below the optically transparent outer layer;
a touch sensor below and conductively decoupled from the electrostatic drive layer and comprising:
a drive electrode capacitively coupled to the electrostatic drive layer;
an insulating layer comprising a piezoelectric material; and
a sense electrode capacitively coupled to the drive electrode and defining therewith a capacitive touch sensor; and
a rigid and optically transparent substrate adhered to, and positioned below, the touch sensor.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The cover assembly of claim 23, wherein the rigid and optically transparent substrate is configured to couple to an outer surface of a display.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The cover assembly of claim 23, wherein:
the electrostatic drive layer is configured to provide electrostatic haptic feedback;
the piezoelectric material is configured to provide mechanical haptic feedback; and
the touch sensor is configured to detect a touch input provided by a user to the optically transparent outer layer.