US 12,008,178 B2
Capacitive touch panel for sensing mechanical inputs to a device
Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Mountain View, CA (US); Christopher Werner, San Jose, CA (US); Colin M. Ely, Cupertino, CA (US); and Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Los Altos, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/351,438.
Application 18/351,438 is a continuation of application No. 18/154,774, filed on Jan. 13, 2023, granted, now 11,740,715.
Application 18/154,774 is a continuation of application No. 17/647,583, filed on Jan. 10, 2022, granted, now 11,556,190, issued on Jan. 17, 2023.
Application 17/647,583 is a continuation of application No. 14/915,224, granted, now 11,221,697, issued on Jan. 11, 2022, previously published as PCT/US2014/031255, filed on Mar. 19, 2014.
Application 14/915,224 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2013/057161, filed on Aug. 28, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2023/0367405 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/0362 (2013.01); G06F 3/041 (2006.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/0362 (2013.01) [G06F 3/041 (2013.01); G06F 3/0412 (2013.01); G06F 3/0443 (2019.05); G06F 3/0446 (2019.05)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device comprising:
a mechanical input element, wherein at least a portion of the mechanical input element is disposed within the device, and the mechanical input element is manipulable by a user to cause the mechanical input element to move within the device;
a touch-sensitive surface, wherein the touch-sensitive surface comprises:
a first portion configured to detect one or more touch inputs from one or more objects external to the device, and
a second portion configured to detect the movement of the mechanical input element; and
circuitry configured to differentiate between the one or more touch inputs and the movement of the mechanical input element detected at the touch-sensitive surface based on a difference in one of magnitude, size, or shape of a capacitance measurement associated with the one or more touch inputs and a capacitance measurement associated with the movement from the mechanical input element.