55 patents
Utility
Palm Detection Using Multiple Types of Capacitance Measurements
18 May 23
A touch sensor may include a substrate; a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes that are in communication with a capacitance controller; memory in communication with the capacitance controller where the memory includes programmed instructions that, when executed, cause the capacitance controller to take a first capacitance measurement using a first capacitance measurement technique capable of detecting an object within a first range; take a second capacitance measurement using a second capacitance measurement technique capable of detecting the object within a second range, wherein the second range is larger than the first range; and determine, based at least in part on both the first capacitance measurement and the second capacitance measurement, that an object is resting proximate the touch sensor.
Tyler Smith
Filed: 17 Nov 21
Utility
Switch Activated Battery Swell Detection
18 May 23
A portable electronic device may include a battery assembly, a battery swell detection unit in proximity to the battery assembly, the battery swell detection unit includes a circuit, a switch positioned to be moved by swelling of a battery cell, a processor, and memory having programmed instructions that cause the processor, when executed, to detect battery swelling based on a position of the switch.
Jon Bertrand, Brian Monson
Filed: 17 Nov 21
Utility
Changing a proximity value associated with a capacitance sensor
9 May 23
A device may include a capacitance sensor; an overlay positioned near the capacitance sensor, the overlay including a touch surface opposite to an underside of the overlay, where the underside is positioned near the capacitance sensor; a controller; memory in communication with the controller and including programmed instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to detect a proximity value of an object with a capacitance sensor, where a touch surface is located between the capacitance sensor and the object; determine a planar radial distance of the object away from a predetermined location on the touch surface; and change the proximity value based, at least in part, on the planar radial distance.
David Taylor
Filed: 4 Jan 21
Utility
Pressure sensing on a touch sensor using capacitance
9 May 23
A touch sensor may include a substrate, a drive electrode on the substrate, a sense electrode on the substrate, and a deformable snap member disposed over the drive electrode and the sense electrode.
Paul Glad, David Taylor
Filed: 5 Aug 20
Utility
Thermal expansion groove of a capacitive touch system
4 Apr 23
An apparatus may include a touch sensor where the touch sensor has a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes that are electrically isolated from the first set of electrodes, a shield layer positioned adjacent to the touch sensor, and the shield layer having a plurality of thermal expansion grooves.
Jon Bertrand, Paul Glad, Douglas Steck
Filed: 22 Mar 22
Utility
Simultaneous use of a capacitance-based track pad
14 Mar 23
An apparatus may include a capacitance-based trackpad, a tracking driver in communication with the capacitance-based trackpad, a key driver in communication with the capacitance-based trackpad, a processor, and a memory having programmed instructions that, when executed, may cause the processor to modify the raw track inputs to associate a non-confidence indicator with at least one raw track input from the track inputs to form processed track inputs, send the processed track inputs to the tracking driver, and send the processed track inputs to the key driver.
Tyler Smith
Filed: 20 Aug 21
Utility
Simultaneous Use of a Capacitance-Based Track Pad
23 Feb 23
An apparatus may include a capacitance-based trackpad, a tracking driver in communication with the capacitance-based trackpad, a key driver in communication with the capacitance-based trackpad, a processor, and a memory having programmed instructions that, when executed, may cause the processor to modify the raw track inputs to associate a non-confidence indicator with at least one raw track input from the track inputs to form processed track inputs, send the processed track inputs to the tracking driver, and send the processed track inputs to the key driver.
Tyler Smith
Filed: 20 Aug 21
Utility
Battery swell detection with an electrically conductive dome
7 Feb 23
A portable electronic device may include a battery assembly and a battery swell detection unit in proximity to the battery assembly.
Jon Bertrand, Brian Monson
Filed: 23 Jun 21
Utility
Adjusting cursor speed
24 Jan 23
Adjusting a cursor speed may include a sensor with at least one capacitance sense electrode, a controller in communication with the sensor, memory in communication with the controller, and programmed instructions stored in the memory and configured, when executed, to cause the capacitance controller to detect movement of an object moving proximate the sensor at an object speed, apply a cursor speed to a cursor depicted in a display based at least in part on a cursor-to-object speed relationship, detect a trigger event in the detected object movement, and change the cursor-to-object speed relationship in response to detecting the trigger event.
Brian Monson
Filed: 23 Nov 21
Utility
Battery Swell Detection with an Electrically Conductive Dome
29 Dec 22
A portable electronic device may include a battery assembly and a battery swell detection unit in proximity to the battery assembly.
Jon Bertrand, Brian Monson
Filed: 23 Jun 21
Utility
Touchpad Stack with an Antenna Layer
3 Nov 22
An apparatus includes a stack of layers where the stack has a touch sensor in at least one sensor layer of the stack of layers, the touch sensor having a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes, where the first set and the second set are electrically isolated from one another; an antenna in art antenna layer of the stack of layers; and a shield located between the at least one sensor layer and the antenna layer.
Jon Bertrand, Brian Monson
Filed: 21 Jun 22
Utility
Pressure gesture
18 Oct 22
A device may include a pressure sensor; a user interface including an input surface opposite to an underside of the user interface, where the underside is positioned near the pressure sensor; a controller; memory in communication with the controller and comprising programmed instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to detect a lower pressure input, simultaneously detect a higher pressure input, calculate a pressure differential between the lower pressure input and the higher pressure input, and move an object depicted in a display in communication with the controller based on the pressure differential.
Jon Bertrand, David Taylor, Ethan Sturm, Michael Litster, Tyler Smith
Filed: 31 Jan 22
Utility
Movement capability for buttonless touchpads and forcepads
12 Jul 22
A system that provides mechanical movement of a surface of a touch sensor when force is applied, may include a substrate; a touch sensor formed on a substrate; a flex arm coupled to the substrate forming a flexible joint between the substrate and the flex arm; a housing for the touch sensor, the housing supporting the touch sensor at a distal end of the flex arm; and a force sensor integrated into the flex arm.
Paul Glad, Jared Bytheway, Jon Bertrand
Filed: 26 Jan 21
Utility
Resistance sensor for battery swell detection
14 Jun 22
A portable electronic device may include an electrical resistance sensor and a battery assembly being adjacent to the electrical resistance sensor.
Jared Bytheway, Brian Monson
Filed: 4 May 20
Utility
Measuring Capacitance
5 May 22
An apparatus may include an input surface, a plurality of key positions on the input surface, a force sensor positioned underneath the input surface at at least one of the key positions, and a proximity controller in communication with a capacitance measuring circuit incorporated into the apparatus.
Brian Monson
Filed: 13 Jan 22
Utility
Radio frequency transparent capacitive touch systems and methods
22 Mar 22
Touch sensor systems and methods are disclosed including a radio frequency antenna that can be placed on or very near the touch pad.
Jon Bertrand
Filed: 13 Dec 19
Utility
Measuring capacitance
1 Mar 22
An apparatus may include an input surface, a plurality of key positions on the input surface, a force sensor positioned underneath the input surface at at least one of the key positions, and a proximity controller in communication with a capacitance measuring circuit incorporated into the apparatus.
Brian Monson
Filed: 10 Mar 20
Utility
Hand gestures recognition over a switch based keyboard
4 Jan 22
A computing device may include a keyboard, a switch in mechanical communication with an underside of a key arranged in the keyboard, a processor, a transmit line electrically connected to the processor, a sense line electrically connected to the processor, and the transmit line and the sense line are selectively connectable through the switch when the key is depressed, memory in communication with the processor, and programmed instructions stored in the memory that, when executed, cause the processor to identify changes in capacitance from the sense line when the key is not depressed, identify a hand gesture performed proximate the keyboard based on the changes in capacitance, and execute an action based on at least one the identification of the hand gesture.
Brian Monson, Jared Bytheway, Jon Bertrand
Filed: 12 Apr 21
Utility
Capacitance Sensing Strip
16 Dec 21
Operating a portable electronic device may include detecting a gesture performed above a capacitance sensing strip that is located between and arrangement of mechanical keys on keyboard assembly and the far side of the keyboard assembly, determining a number of fingers used in the gesture, selecting a mode based on the number of fingers, and executing an action in the selected mode.
Brian Monson, Ethan Sturm
Filed: 10 Jun 20
Utility
Flexible three-dimensional sensing input device
9 Nov 21
A device may include a flexible material defining an exterior of a cavity, an interior electrode located within the cavity, a first peripheral electrode peripherally located with respect to the interior electrode on a first side of the interior electrode, a second peripheral electrode peripherally located with respect to the interior electrode on a second side of the interior electrode where the interior electrode is between the first peripheral electrode and the second peripheral electrode, a controller electrically connected to the interior electrode, the first peripheral electrode, and the second peripheral electrode, and programmed instructions written into memory of the controller where the programmed instructions cause the controller, when executed to measure a first capacitance between the first peripheral electrode and the interior electrode and measure a second capacitance between the second peripheral electrode and the interior electrode.
Jared Bytheway, Paul Vincent
Filed: 2 Mar 21