Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals touch input will be function on metal housings of future devices of Macs, iPhone, iPad, TV, TV remote, HMDs, Trackpads and more using ultrasonic touch sensing technology.

According to Apple, some electronic devices that include a touch panel to receive tactile input from a user. The touch panel may include a touch sensitive surface that, in response to detecting a touch event, generates a signal that can be processed and utilized by other components of the electronic device. A user can move a finger or other object with respect to the input device, which can translate the user activity into an input command.

Some electronic devices utilize capacitive touch sensors to detect user inputs, for example by detecting an electrostatic field when the user touches or comes near such an input device. However, capacitive based touch sentencing cannot be implemented on conductive surfaces, such as metallic enclosures. Such conductive surfaces can interfere with the electrostatic field and impede detection of user inputs. As such, the application of capacitive touch sensors is limited to certain materials.

Today's patent includes input devices that can be implemented in electronic devices to receive user input during operation of the electronic device. The input devices can employ ultrasonic touch sensing capabilities that allow user inputs to be detected through conductive materials, such as metal enclosures.

The ultrasonic touch sensing can include generation of ultrasound signals with a piezoelectric layer. The ultrasound signals can be reflected when a user or other object is in contact with a housing, and the reflected signal can be detected by the same piezoelectric layer that produced the ultrasound signal. Such a piezoelectric layer can include a piezoelectric polymer, such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

An array of electrodes distributed on opposing sides of the use of electric layer can be operated to generate ultrasound signals and detect reflected signals. Such an input device can be operated in conjunction with a conductive (e.g., metallic) housing, conform to a variety of shapes, and be compact and lightweight.

Apple's patent FIGS. 1-3 below illustrate an electronic device that can include an input device for receiving touch input from a user during operation of the electronic device. As shown in FIG. 1, an electronic device #10 can include a housing #20 that defines at least a portion of an outer periphery of the electronic device. The electronic device can be any device that is operable by a user, and it will be appreciated that the subject technology can encompass and be applied to a variety of different electronic devices.

For example, the electronic device can be, can be part of, include, and/or be operably connected to a phone, a tablet computing device, a mobile computing device, a watch, a laptop computing device, a desktop computing device, a mouse, a trackpad, a keyboard, a game controller, a remote control, a digital media player, a wearable device, a stylus, a media player, a control panel, a display, a head-mountable device, a handheld device, a television, and the like.

Apple's patent FIG. 4 above illustrates a perspective view of an input device; FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the input device of FIG. 4; and FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded perspective view of another input device.

For more details, review Apple's patent application number 20230195265.

Some of the Team Members on this Apple Project

• Yue MING: Engineering Manager
• Xiaonan W.: Senior Panel Process Engineer 
• Ehsan Khajeh: Sensor & Hardware Lead 
• Jason Griesbach: Sr Hardware Engineer