US 12,260,052 B2
Fabric-covered electronic device with touch sensor
Zhengyu Li, Shanghai (CN); Elvis M. Kibiti, San Jose, CA (US); Ming Gao, Shanghai (CN); Qiliang Xu, Alamo, CA (US); and Chen Zhang, Shanghai (CN)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 31, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/362,699.
Application 18/362,699 is a continuation of application No. 17/484,930, filed on Sep. 24, 2021, granted, now 11,762,512.
Application 17/484,930 is a continuation of application No. 16/402,115, filed on May 2, 2019, granted, now 11,137,861, issued on Oct. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/727,131, filed on Sep. 5, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0409151 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/041 (2006.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01); G06F 3/16 (2006.01); H04R 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/0443 (2019.05) [G06F 3/165 (2013.01); H04R 1/025 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic device, comprising:
a layer of fabric;
a touch sensor covered by the layer of fabric and configured to gather touch input on the layer of fabric, wherein the touch sensor comprises portions that are selectively activated and deactivated to create touch-sensitive regions and non-touch-sensitive regions on the layer of fabric; and
light-emitting components covered by the layer of fabric and configured to illuminate the touch-sensitive regions on the layer of fabric.