An Apple patent emerged titled “Configurable force-sensitive input structure for electronic devices” which indicates a completely new approach for keyboard design. The patent shows a 100% touch keyboard interface on Apple MacBook computers. Read the patent highlights below.

“Force-sensitive input structure” on MacBook keyboards

The patent has emerged a few days ago, suggests a radical design regarding Apple’s MacBooks.  As stated in the application: “A configurable, force-sensitive input structure for an electronic device is disclosed. The input structure has a metal contact layer, a sensing layer positioned below the metal contact layer, and a drive layer capacitively coupled to the sensing layer”. Here’re the selected highlights and images.

Input forces of 20 grams

As the application says: “In a particular embodiment, the configurable, force-sensitive input structure may be configured as a variety of input devices for the electronic device including, but not limited to, a keyboard, a number pad, or a trackpad. The electronic device may utilize a single input structure for forming a number of distinct input devices, or, conversely, may include a number of input structures for forming distinct input devices. Typical input forces may be approximately 20-350 grams, in certain embodiments, although this range is meant merely as an example rather than a limitation”.

Activation

That’s how the touch is activated, as explained in the application: “When an input force is applied and the detected capacitance exceeds a threshold, an input corresponding to any or all of the location of the capacitance change, amount of capacitive change, and/or deformation of the contact portion may be provided to the electronic device. The location of a capacitive change may correspond to a location on a surface of the electronic device at which the input force was provided, and thus to a touch location. Accordingly, embodiments herein may detect not only a continuum of forces (as opposed to binary detection of force) but also a location of touch/interaction”. The application elaborates: “In a non-limiting example, and by comparison to a conventional a laptop which may only include a standard “QWERTY” keyboard and a trackpad, electronic device 100 having force-sensitive input structure 200 can include a QWERTY keyboard, a trackpad, a standalone numeric keypad, a special characters or glyph keypad, and/or enlarged directional keys portion”.

Explore the whole application below:

[pdf-embedder url=”https://ymcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/0.pdf” title=”Apple patent: Configurable force-sensitive input structure for electronic devices”]

Final thoughts

This patent application reminds us of the born of the All-Metal-Touchpad that is very well implemented. However, making an all-touch keyboard is a revolutionary move by Apple, not just from perspectives related to design and coolness, but from many other aspects as well. Apple is recognized as an innovator of the touch, so let’s see how it goes with that.