FIELD

The described embodiments relate generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to an electronic device having a transparent, dielectric input surface integrated with the enclosure of the device.

BACKGROUND

Many electronic devices include one or more input devices such as keyboards, trackpads, mice, or touchscreens to enable a user to interact with the device. In some traditional electronic devices, the inclusion of one or more of the input devices may require the formation of a hole, opening, or seam through which liquid or other foreign matter may enter the device enclosure. Additionally, the enclosure of some traditional electronic devices may be formed from materials that are easily scratched or that provide an inferior tactile feel or visual appearance.

The embodiments described herein are generally directed to electronic devices having an enclosure formed at least partially from a transparent, dielectric material such as plastic, glass, or a ceramic material. The transparent dielectric material may form a continuous or seamless input surface that may improve the look and feel of the device without having the drawbacks of some traditional device constructions.

SUMMARY

A portable computer may include a display portion including a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case that is formed from a dielectric material and coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may further include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion, and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input. The top case may be formed from a transparent material.

The top case may be formed from a single glass member. The sidewall may be a first sidewall, the side surface may be a first side surface, and the top case may further include a second sidewall integrally formed with the first sidewall and the top member and defining a second side surface of the base portion, and a third sidewall integrally formed with the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the top member and defining a third side surface of the base portion.

The first sensing system may be positioned below the top member and may extend over an entire area of the top member, and the second sensing system may be positioned below the top member and may extend over the entire area of the top member. The top member may define an opening, and the portable computer may further include a keyboard positioned in the opening.

The display may be a first display, and the portable computer may further include a second display within the base portion and viewable through the top case. The second display may be configured to display an image of a keyboard in a keyboard region of the top case. The image of the keyboard may include an image of a key, and the second sensing system may be configured to register a key input in response to detecting an input applied to the key and having a force exceeding a force threshold.

A device may include a display portion that includes a display housing, and a display within the display housing. The device may further include a base portion coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case and a glass top case coupled to the bottom case and defining a top exterior surface of the base portion. The device may further include a sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to any location on the top exterior surface of the base portion and to determine a force of the touch input applied to any location on the top exterior surface of the base portion. The sensing system may include a touch sensing system configured to determine the location of the touch input and a force sensing system configured to determine the force of the touch input and to determine the location of the touch input. The top case may be configured to locally deform in response to the touch input, and the device may be configured to register an input at the location of the touch input if the determined force exceeds a threshold force.

The device may further include a haptic device configured to produce a haptic output at the top case in response to registering the input at the location of the touch input. The haptic output may produce a localized haptic output such that a magnitude of the haptic output at the location is greater than the magnitude of the haptic output at a different location adjacent to the location. The haptic device may include a piezoelectric material coupled to the top case.

The top case may define an opening, and the device may further include a keyboard positioned at least partially in the opening. The bottom case may define a bottom member, a first sidewall integrally formed with the bottom member, a second sidewall integrally formed with the bottom member, and a third sidewall integrally formed with the bottom member. The top case may be attached to the bottom case via the first, second, and third sidewalls.

A notebook computer may include a display portion that includes a display, and a base portion flexibly coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case and a glass top case coupled to the bottom case and defining substantially an entire top surface of the base portion. The notebook computer may further include a touch sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch event applied to the top case, and a force sensing system configured to cause the notebook computer to register an input in response to a force associated with the touch event exceeding a threshold.

The glass top case may define a keyboard region and a trackpad region, and the notebook computer may be configured to register the input as a key input if the location of the touch event is within the keyboard region. The force sensing system may be configured to determine if a palm of a user is resting on the trackpad region. In response to the force sensing system determining that the palm of the user is not resting on the trackpad region, the notebook computer may set the threshold to a first threshold, and in response to the force sensing system determining that the palm of the user is resting on the trackpad region, the notebook computer may set the threshold to a second threshold different from the first threshold. The notebook computer may be configured to register the input as a trackpad input if the location of the touch event is within the trackpad region. The notebook computer may be configured to take a first action in response to registering the input as the key input and to take a second action different from the first action in response to registering the input as a trackpad input.

The notebook computer may further include a haptic device configured to produce a haptic output at the glass top case in response to registering the input as the trackpad input or the key input.

A device may include a display portion that includes a display housing, a display within the display housing, a base portion flexibly coupled to the display portion and including a glass member defining a keyboard region configured to receive user input, a first haptic actuator configured to produce a first haptic output at a first area of the keyboard region, and a second haptic actuator configured to produce a second haptic output at a second area of the keyboard region that is different from the first area. The device may further include a keyboard region having keys. The first area may correspond to a first key of the keyboard region, and the second area may correspond to a second key of the keyboard region.

The device may further include a touch sensing system configured to determine whether a touch input is applied to the first key, and the first haptic actuator may produce the first haptic output in response to determining that the touch input is applied to the first key.

The device may further include a force sensing system configured to determine a force associated with a touch input applied to the first key, and the first haptic actuator may produce the first haptic output in response to determining that the force exceeds a force threshold. The force threshold may correspond to a force associated with a typing input on the first key.

The glass member may further define a trackpad region, and the device may further include a third haptic actuator configured to produce a third haptic output at any location in the trackpad region. The keyboard region may correspond to a planar surface of the glass member, the first and second haptic actuators may be configured to impart an out-of-plane force to the glass member, and the third haptic actuator may be configured to impart an in-plane force to the glass member.

A notebook computer may include a display portion that includes a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case and a glass top case coupled to the bottom case. The glass top case may define a keyboard region and a trackpad region adjacent the keyboard region. The notebook computer may further include a force sensing system configured to detect inputs applied to the glass top case within the keyboard region and the trackpad region, a first haptic actuator configured to produce a first haptic output in response to the force sensing system detecting a first input within the keyboard region, and a second haptic actuator configured to produce a second haptic output different from the first haptic output in response to the force sensing system detecting a second input within the trackpad region.

The first haptic output may include a localized deflection of the glass top case within the keyboard region, and the second haptic output may include a force applied to the glass top case in a direction that is in-plane with a surface of the trackpad region.

The first haptic actuator may include a piezoelectric actuator, and the second haptic actuator may include a mass and an electromagnetic actuator configured to move the mass to produce the second haptic output.

The glass top case may define a planar surface, and the keyboard region and the trackpad region may be defined on the planar surface. The glass top case may define all of a top surface of the base portion.

The keyboard region may include a plurality of keys defined by a mask layer below the glass top case.

The display may be a first display, the notebook computer may further include a second display in the base portion and visible through the glass top case, and the second display may display images of keys within the keyboard region. The second display may display a border around at least a portion of the trackpad region.

A portable computer may include a display housing, a display positioned at least partially in the display housing, and a base portion coupled to and configured to rotate relative to the display housing. The base portion may include a metal member defining a bottom surface of the base portion and a glass member defining a top surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a first haptic actuator configured to produce a first type of haptic output in response to a first type of input detected on the glass member, and a second haptic actuator configured to produce a second type of haptic output, different from the first type of haptic output, in response to a second type of input detected on the glass member. The glass member may define a first touch sensitive region and a second touch sensitive region adjacent the first touch sensitive region. The first type of input may correspond to an input detected within the first touch sensitive region, and the second type of input may correspond to an input detected within the second touch sensitive region. The top surface may be an entire top surface of the base portion.

The first haptic actuator may be configured to locally deform the glass member, and the second haptic actuator may be configured to move at least a portion of the glass member along a direction that is parallel to a plane defined by the top surface of the base portion. The first haptic actuator may be a piezoelectric actuator that is configured to locally deform a region of the glass member corresponding to a single key.

A portable computer may include a display portion that includes a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a glass top case defining an exterior surface and a keyboard opening through the glass top case from the exterior surface to an interior surface. The portable computer may further include a keyboard positioned at least partially within the keyboard opening and including a substrate, a key configured to move relative to the substrate, and a fabric cover disposed over the key and defining a user interface surface of the key. The portable computer may further include a touch sensing system below the glass top case and configured to detect touch inputs applied to the user interface surface of the key. The portable computer may further include a force sensing system configured to determine a force associated with the touch input.

The keyboard may further include a key web defining a key opening and a plurality of additional key openings, and the key may be positioned at least partially in the key opening. The keyboard may further include a plurality of additional keys, each positioned at least partially in a corresponding key opening. The fabric cover may be disposed over the key web and the plurality of additional keys, and the fabric cover may define a keyboard region covering the key and the plurality of additional keys, and an outer region framing the keyboard region.

The outer region may be captured between the glass top case and an underlying component. At least a portion of the fabric cover is adhered to the key.

The glass top case may further define a trackpad region. The keyboard opening may be a rectangular opening, and the trackpad region may include a first portion of the glass top case along a first side of the keyboard opening, a second portion of the glass top case along a second side of the keyboard opening, and a third portion of the glass top case along a third side of the keyboard opening. The portable computer may further include a touch sensing system configured to detect a touch input applied to any of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the glass top case. The glass top case may define a top of the base portion, and at least three sidewalls of the base portion.

A notebook computer may include a display portion that includes a display housing and a display within the display housing. The notebook computer may further include a base portion coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case and a glass top case coupled to the bottom case and defining an opening extending through the glass top case. The notebook computer may further include a touch sensing system below the glass top case and configured to detect a touch input applied to any location on the glass top case, and a keyboard positioned at least partially in the opening. The keyboard may include a plurality of key mechanisms and a fabric cover extending across a gap between two of the key mechanisms. The glass top case may define a surface that extends continuously around the opening.

The plurality of key mechanisms may each include a keycap support and a keycap, and at least a portion of the fabric cover may be disposed between the keycap support and the keycap. The portion of the fabric cover disposed between the keycap support and the keycap may be adhered to the keycap support, and the keycap may be adhered to the fabric cover above the keycap support.

The notebook computer may further include an additional display positioned under at least a portion of the glass top case. The additional display may be configured to display affordances that are selectable by a user touching the glass top case.

The notebook computer may further include a force sensing system configured to determine an amount of force associated with the touch input detected on the glass top case.

A device may include a display portion that includes a display, and a base portion flexibly coupled to the display portion and including a keyboard including keys and having a flexible sheet covering a gap between adjacent keys. The device may further include a continuous glass frame extending around a periphery of the keyboard and defining a first touch-sensitive input region adjacent a first side of the keyboard, and a second touch-sensitive input region adjacent a second side of the keyboard. The device may further include a touch sensing system configured to determine a location of touch inputs applied to the first and second touch-sensitive input regions.

The keyboard may define a first portion of a top of the base portion, and the continuous glass frame defines all remaining portions of the top of the base portion. At least a portion of the flexible sheet may be captive between keycap supports and respective keycaps that are coupled to respective keycap supports. A key of the keys may include an input surface defined exclusively by the flexible sheet.

The display may be a first display, and the device may further include a second display configured to display an affordance on the first touch-sensitive input region. The affordance may be displayed based on content that is displayed on the first display.

