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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 2016
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2010
Brian Michael King, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Omar Leung, Cupertino, CA (US);
Paul G. Puskarich, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, San Francisco, CA (US);
Andrea Mucignat, Burlingame, CA (US);
Avi E. Cieplinski, San Francisco, CA (US);
Muhammad U. Choudry, Mississauga, CA;
Praveen R. Subramani, San Diego, CA (US);
Marc J. Piche, Waterloo, CA;
David T. Amm, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Duncan Robert Kerr, San Francisco, CA (US);
Brian Michael King, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Omar Leung, Cupertino, CA (US);
Paul G. Puskarich, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, San Francisco, CA (US);
Andrea Mucignat, Burlingame, CA (US);
Avi E. Cieplinski, San Francisco, CA (US);
Muhammad U. Choudry, Mississauga, CA;
Praveen R. Subramani, San Diego, CA (US);
Marc J. Piche, Waterloo, CA;
David T. Amm, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Duncan Robert Kerr, San Francisco, CA (US);
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
Touch and hover switching is disclosed. A touch and hover sensing device can switch between a touch mode and a hover mode. During a touch mode, the device can be switched to sense one or more objects touching the device. During a hover mode, the device can be switched to sense one or more objects hovering over the device. The device can include a panel having multiple sensors for sensing a touching object and/or a hovering object and a touch and hover control system for switching the device between the touch and hover modes. The device's touch and hover control system can include a touch sensing circuit for coupling to the sensors to measure a capacitance indicative of a touching object during the touch mode, a hover sensing circuit for coupling to the sensors to measure a capacitance indicative of a hovering object during the hover mode, and a switching mechanism for switching the sensors to couple to either the touch sensing circuit or the hover sensing circuit. The device can switch modes based on a condition of the device, such as an expiration of a timer or a relative distance of an object from the panel.