The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 02, 2016

Filed:

Mar. 15, 2013
Applicant:

Google Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);

Inventors:

Matthew D. Tenuta, San Jose, CA (US);

Aaron Leiba, San Francisco, CA (US);

Assignee:

Google Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 3/045 (2006.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01); G06F 3/041 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 3/044 (2013.01); G06F 3/0414 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04105 (2013.01);
Abstract

Trackpad apparatus and computing devices including trackpad apparatus are disclosed. In an example implementation, a trackpad apparatus includes a capacitive touch-sensing pattern disposed on a top surface of the trackpad apparatus and a capacitive pressure-sensing pattern disposed below the capacitive touch-sensing pattern. The trackpad apparatus also includes at least one controller. The at least one controller and the capacitive touch-sensing pattern are collectively configured to detect location-specific reductions in charge coupling in the capacitive touch-sensing pattern resulting from charge being shunted out of the capacitive touch-sensing pattern by one or more electrically conductive objects being placed in electrical contact with the top surface of the trackpad apparatus. In the example trackpad apparatus, the at least one controller and the capacitive pressure-sensing pattern are collectively configured to detect location-specific changes in charge coupling in the capacitive pressure-sensing pattern resulting from pressure being applied to the top surface of the trackpad apparatus.


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