US 12,436,629 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, Sunnyvale, 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 Jun. 10, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/739,088.
Application 18/739,088 is a continuation of application No. 18/351,438, filed on Jul. 12, 2023, granted, now 12,008,178.
Application 18/351,438 is a continuation of application No. 18/154,774, filed on Jan. 13, 2023, granted, now 11,740,715, issued on Aug. 29, 2023.
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 2024/0370104 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
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)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device comprising:
a frame configured to secure a cover glass layer to the device;
a gap between the frame and the cover glass layer;
a first electrode positioned on a bottom surface of the cover glass layer and a second electrode positioned opposite the first electrode on an adjacent top surface of the frame; and
a controller coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to detect a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein detecting the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode includes:
determining a dielectric constant of a substance between the first electrode and the second electrode based on the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode;
identifying the substance between the first electrode and the second electrode based on the determined dielectric constant; and
determining that the identified substance has entered the gap based on the determined dielectric constant.