Apple Inc.

David L Christensen

Paul Xiaopeng Wang

Alex Joseph Lehmann

Qiliang Xu

Zheng Gao

Craig C Leong

Joel N Ruscher

Reza Nasiri Mahalati

Daniel A Greenberg

Thomas R Matzinger

Embodiments are directed to deformable haptic structures used within an electronic device. The haptic structures may provide input and output for the electronic device. In one aspect, an embodiment includes a keyboard having a housing and a keycap positioned within an opening of the housing. The keyboard may include a haptic structure coupled with the housing and the keycap. The haptic structure may include a compliant layer and a pair of electrodes separated by the compliant layer. The pair of electrodes may be configured to compress the compliant layer in response to an input signal. The compression of the compliant layer caused by the pair of electrodes may move the keycap relative to the housing.

Electroactive polymers for an electronic device

An interface system may include an electronic device defining an input surface, a stylus comprising a magnetic component and configured to provide input to the electronic device via the input surface, and a magnetic field generator coupled to the electronic device and configured to produce a magnetic field to impart a force on the magnetic component of the stylus.

Stylus with external magnetic influence

The embodiments described herein generally relate to a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device can include a processor and a sensor coupled with the processor, the sensor capable of detecting a stimulus, and responding to the stimulus by providing a detection signal to the processor. The portable electronic device can further include an interface unit capable of interacting with a user. The portable electronic device can further include a feedback unit in communication with the interface unit and the processor, the feedback unit providing a feedback response that is perceptible to the user during the interaction, where when the sensor detects the stimulus, the detection signal provided to the processor by the sensor causes the processor to respond by instructing the feedback unit to alter the feedback response.

Altering feedback at an electronic device based on environmental and device conditions

An electronic device may include a beam layer, a piezoelectric material layer coupled to the beam layer, and a temperature sensor adjacent the piezoelectric material layer. The electronic device may also include drive circuitry coupled to the piezoelectric material layer and configured to drive the piezoelectric material layer with a low frequency drive signal for actuating the piezoelectric material layer, and a high frequency drive signal for sensing a pressure applied to the piezoelectric material layer. The high frequency drive signal may have a higher frequency than the low frequency drive signal. The electronic device may also include readout circuitry coupled to the piezoelectric material layer and configured to generate a sensed pressure value based upon the high frequency drive signal. Temperature compensation circuitry may cooperate with the readout circuitry to compensate the sensed pressure value based upon the temperature sensor.

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Los Altos Hills, CA, United States of America

David L Christensen