Case with input for electronic device

Abstract

Input mechanisms may employ a case for an electronic device that provides input capabilities that enhance the user experience when using the case in cooperation with the electronic device. For example, the case may provide an electromechanical touch sensor to provide the user with an input mechanism that does not require the operation of a button of the electronic device. The electronic device may disable one or more buttons when it detects the presence of the case, and may perform actions corresponding to the buttons when signals are received from the case.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] This description generally relates to input mechanisms for electronic devices, and more specifically, to input mechanisms on a case that act as inputs to electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] Many types of electronic devices receive user input from users by utilizing input devices. For example, smartphones, laptop computers, and wearable electronic devices (e.g., smartwatches) may include buttons, switches, touchpads, dials, etc. Mechanical input devices may include mechanical components and electrical components. For example, a conventional push button may include a movable button portion, bias springs, and mechanical interlocks to hold the button portion to the electronic device, as well as circuit elements (e.g., electrical contacts) that provide electrical contact closure when the button is pressed. Input devices provide mechanisms that enable a user to interact with the electronic device and control their actions. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0003] Specific features of the present technology are set forth in the appended claims. However, for the purposes of explanation, various embodiments of the present technology are set forth in the following drawings. FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of an electronic device and a case for an electronic device according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric view of the electronic device and case of FIG. 1 combined together according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of an electronic device and a case according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a portion of an electronic device having a button according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 5 shows a front view of a portion of the electronic device of FIG. 4 in a state where a button is operated, according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of a portion of a case having an electronic device having a button and a touch sensor according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of a part of the electronic device and case of FIG. 6 in a state where a touch sensor receives a touch input, according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of a portion of a case having an electronic device having buttons and a touch sensor according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of a part of the electronic device and case of FIG. 8 in which the touch sensor receives a sliding input according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 10 illustrates a front view of a portion of a case having an electronic device and a touch sensor according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 11 illustrates a front view of a part of the electronic device and case of FIG. 10 in a state where a touch sensor receives a touch input, according to one or more embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 12 illustrates a flowchart of exemplary operations that can be performed by a case according to embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart of exemplary operations that can be performed by an electronic device according to embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 14 illustrates a flowchart of exemplary operations that can be performed by an electronic device according to embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 15 illustrates a block diagram of a system including an electronic device and a case according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0004] The detailed description provided below is intended to describe various configurations of the present technology and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the present technology can be practiced. The attached drawings are incorporated herein and constitute part of the detailed description. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a complete understanding of the present technology. However, it will be clear and obvious to those skilled in the art that the present technology is not limited to the specific details described herein and can be practiced without such specific details. In some examples, to avoid obscuring the concepts of the present technology, well-known structures and components are depicted in block diagram form.

[0005] The present disclosure relates to an input mechanism. For example, an electronic device (e.g., a smartphone or tablet) and a case for the electronic device may include separate input mechanisms that cause the electronic device to perform actions based on whether the case is coupled to the electronic device.

[0006] When a case is installed on an electronic device (e.g., a smartphone or tablet), the case may include areas corresponding to the buttons of the electronic device. The purpose of such areas of the case may be to indicate to the user where pressure can be applied to operate the buttons of the electronic device through the case. However, if such areas of the case are fitted loosely, an air gap may be formed between the case and the buttons of the electronic device. This may require a certain amount of movement before pressure from the user begins to engage with the buttons of the electronic device, thereby causing the user to experience the buttons as having a poor tactile feel.

[0007] In some cases, the areas corresponding to the buttons of an electronic device can be pre-loaded with forces on the buttons to eliminate or reduce such air gaps. This can prevent the user from feeling the air gap between the case and the button, which can improve the button tactile feel. However, some buttons are very sensitive, and certain sizes of pre-loading may unintentionally trigger the buttons of the electronic device.

[0008] The input mechanisms disclosed herein may employ a case for an electronic device that provides input capabilities that enhance the user experience when using the case in cooperation with the electronic device. For example, the case may provide a capacitive touch sensor to provide the user with an input mechanism that does not require the operation of a button of the electronic device. The electronic device may disable one or more buttons when it detects the presence of the case, and may perform actions corresponding to the buttons when signals are received from the case.

[0009] These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 1 through 15. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the specific details regarding the practice of the invention provided herein with respect to these figures are for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as restrictive.

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary electronic device (100) and an exemplary case (200) for the electronic device (100). As described herein, either or both of the electronic device (100) and the case (200) may include input regions to provide the ability to receive inputs from a user, regardless of whether the case is coupled to the electronic device.

[0011] The electronic device (100) may have a front surface (102) and a rear surface (104) opposite the front surface (102). The electronic device (100) may include a display (130) on the front surface (102) for viewing image-based content. Additionally, the electronic device (100) may include one or more input features on the front surface (102) to receive touch-based inputs from a user. The electronic device (100) may include a connection interface (120) that provides data and / or power communications between the electronic device (100) and another device. The communication interface may be wired or wireless. The electronic device (100) may include internal components such as processors, memory, circuit boards, batteries, sensors, etc. Exemplary components of the electronic device (100) and their functions are described in relation to FIG. 15.

[0012] The electronic device (100) may include one or more buttons designed to operate as control inputs to provide commands to the electronic device (100). For example, the electronic device (100) may include one or more buttons (150) located along the side wall (116). The aforementioned buttons (150) may be used, as non-limiting examples, to adjust the volume of visual information presented on the display (130) or acoustic energy output by an audio speaker. The buttons (150) may include one of a switch or a protrusion designed to generate commands to a processor circuit. The buttons (150) may extend at least partially through openings within the side wall (116). Additionally or alternatively, the buttons (150) and / or one or more other buttons may be located on any area of ​​the electronic device (100), such as the front surface (102) and / or the rear surface (104). As further described in the specification, when the electronic device (100) is coupled to the case (200), one or more of the buttons (150) may be covered by the case (200).

[0013] The electronic device (100) may include a device communication interface (140) for communicating with the case (200) and / or other devices using any suitable communication protocol. In some embodiments, the device communication interface (140) of the electronic device (100) may support wireless data transmission between devices, for example, to allow different cases (200) to identify themselves. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the device communication interface (140) may include a near-field communication (NFC) coil on or near the rear surface (104) of the electronic device (100). An NFC reader circuit and / or other components (not shown) may be connected to the terminal ends of the NFC coil. In some embodiments, the device communication interface (140) may include a physical interface for communicating with the case (200) through physical contacts (e.g., electrically conductive contacts, electrodes, signal lines, pogo pins, wires, etc.).

[0014] The case (200) may be any device that is coupled to the electronic device (100) and facilitates use with it. The case (200) may define or include an internal cavity (206) for receiving and holding at least the rear surface (104) of the electronic device (100). The case (200) may be an accessory (or auxiliary device) used with the electronic device (100) to protect, enhance, and / or complement the aesthetics and / or functions of the electronic device (100). For example, the case (200) may be a protective case, an external battery, a camera attachment, etc.

[0015] The case (200) may define a front surface (202) and a rear surface (204) opposite the front surface (202). The body (218) of the case (200) may accommodate at least the rear surface (104) of the electronic device (100) through at least the front surface (202) of the case (200). For example, the body (218) of the case (200) may provide an internal cavity (206) in which a part or the whole of the electronic device (100) may be placed. The internal cavity (206) may be defined, at least partially, by side walls (216) of the body (218) surrounding a part of the electronic device (100) (e.g., outer surfaces). In one example, the side walls (116) may be located between the front surface (202) and the rear surface (204) of the case (200) and may extend around the entire periphery of the electronic device (100) located between the front surface (102) and the rear surface (104) of the electronic device (100), for example, around the side walls (116) of the electronic device (100). The internal cavity (206) may be further defined, at least partially, by a portion of the body (218) providing a surface along the rear surface (204) of the case (200). The internal cavity (206) may also include one or more retaining features for holding and securing the electronic device (100) within the internal cavity (206). The retaining features may include rails, channels, snaps, stoppers, latches, catches, magnets, friction couplings, doors, locks, flexures, etc. It will be understood that the connection between the case (200) and the electronic device (100) is secure so that the case (200) and the electronic device (100) are not unintentionally separated during use. It will be further understood that the case (200) and the electronic device (100) are detachably connected so that the electronic device (100) can be removed from the case (200) by the user as desired.In this way, the connection between the case (200) and the electronic device (100) is reversible, so that each can be restored to a state prior to any connection between them.

[0016] The case (200) may include a connector and / or an opening (220) that aligns with and / or allows access to the connection interface (120) of the electronic device (100) when the electronic device (100) is placed within the internal cavity (206). For example, the opening may extend through the sidewall (216) and / or other parts of the case (200) to allow access to the connection interface (120) by another device. Additionally or alternatively, a connector may be provided by the case (200) to align with the connection interface (120) for operational communication between the case (200) and the electronic device (100).

[0017] The case (200) may include one or more touch sensors (250 and / or 260) to operate as control inputs designed to provide commands to the electronic device (100) through the case (200). For example, the case (200) may include one or more touch sensors (250 and / or 260) located along the side wall (216). Additionally or alternatively, one or more touch sensors may be located on any area of ​​the case (200), such as the front surface (202) and / or the rear surface (204). The touch sensors (250) may be positioned to overlap with one or more buttons (150) of the electronic device (100) when the case (200) is coupled to the electronic device (100). As such, the touch sensors (250) may operate as substitutes for the buttons (150), as further described herein. Additionally or alternatively, one or more touch sensors (260) may be provided at locations such that one or more touch sensors (260) do not overlap with any of the buttons (150) of the electronic device (100). Such touch sensors (260) may operate as supplements to the buttons (150) as further described herein. The touch sensor (260) of the case (200) may include one or more of any features described herein in relation to the touch sensors (250).

[0018] The case (200) may include a number of components to provide different features in different regions thereof. For example, the case (200) may include a body (218) that defines the shape of the case (200). The body (218) of the case (200) may be a single monolithic structure formed from an elastomeric material such as silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane, or any other suitable material. Alternatively, the body (218) may be formed from a number of individual parts (of the same or different materials). For example, the rear face (204) of the case (200) may be formed from an elastomeric material, while other parts of the case (200) (e.g., side walls (216)) may be formed from a rigid material.

[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 1, additional layers may optionally be provided to the body (218). The body (218) may include or be combined with an outer layer (280) for contact by a user and an inner layer (282) for contact with the rear housing of the electronic device (100). The inner layer (282) may be of a material for soft contact with the electronic device (100). For example, the inner layer (282) may include microfibers, other fabrics, foams, rubber, etc. The inner layer (282) may be selected to dissipate heat and / or avoid damage to the electronic device (100). The outer layer (280) may be of a material for contact by a user. For example, the outer layer (280) may include plastic, rubber, silicone, leather, and / or other materials. In some embodiments, the body (218), the inner layer (282), and / or the outer layer (280) may be opaque, and the case communication interface (240) and / or other components embedded within the body (218) or otherwise located between the inner layer (282) and the outer layer (280) do not need to be visible to the user.

[0020] The case (200) may include a case communication interface (240) for communicating with the electronic device (100) and / or other devices using any suitable communication protocol. In some embodiments, the case communication interface (240) of the case (200) may support wireless data transmission between devices, for example, to allow the case (200) to identify itself with different electronic devices (100). Accordingly, in some embodiments, the case communication interface (240) may include a near-field communication (NFC) coil on or near the rear surface (204) of the case (200). An NFC reader circuit and / or other components (not shown) may be connected to a passive NFC tag that can be read by a suitably configured NFC reader (e.g., the device communication interface (140) of the electronic device (100)). In some embodiments, the case communication interface (240) may include a physical interface for communicating with the electronic device (100) through physical contacts (e.g., electrically conductive contacts, electrodes, signal lines, pogo pins, wires, etc.). For example, the case communication interface (240) may be connected to the connection interface (120) and / or other physical connector of the electronic device (100).

[0021] In some embodiments, the case (200) may include one or more wireless charging coils (not shown). For example, the case (200) may be a portable external battery pack that can be attached to and carried with the electronic device (100). In some embodiments, the case (200) may operate the wireless charging coil as a receiver coil to charge its onboard battery or as a transmitter coil to provide power to the electronic device (100). In some embodiments, the case (200) may include separate transmitter and receiver coils. The case (200) may operate the coil(s) to transmit power or to receive and store power depending on current conditions. In other embodiments, the case (200) may be an "unpowered" or "passive" accessory, such as a case that does not include active circuitry, and the wireless charging coil may be omitted. In such cases, the case (200) may be designed not to inhibit wireless power transmission between the wireless charging device and the electronic device (100). For example, the relevant parts of the case (200) can be made of materials such as plastic, leather, or other materials that are transparent to time-varying magnetic flux.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates an electronic device (100) placed within a case (200). An opening (220) is positioned to provide access to a connection interface (120). A device communication interface (140) and a case communication interface (240) may be aligned to provide operational communication (e.g., NFC, other wireless communication, and / or physical contact) between the case (200) and the electronic device (100).

[0023] The case (200) and the electronic device (100) may be separate devices that are temporarily and rigidly joined together to form an integrated unit. The electronic device (100) may be a device capable of operating independently of and / or in cooperation with the case (200). For example, the electronic device (100) may be a handheld or otherwise electronic device, such as a smartphone, a portable media player, an internet-enabled device, a personal digital assistant ("PDA"), any other electronic device, or any combination thereof. The electronic device (100) may be configured to provide specific features and / or applications for use by a user. The electronic device (100) may be a lightweight and small form factor device so that it can be easily supported on the user's head. It will be understood that the electronic device (100) may be implemented in various forms including various features, all or some of which may be utilized by the case (200) (e.g., input / output, control unit, processing, battery, etc.).

[0024] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a smartphone and a smartphone case, but these are merely examples of devices or components that may include input mechanisms. Other possible devices include, without limitation, smartwatches, laptop computers, tablet computers, input accessories (e.g., mice, keyboards, touchpads), consumer electronics, remote controls, etc., as well as cases and / or accessories for such devices.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of an electronic device and a case according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic device (100) may include a button (150), and the case (200) may include a touch sensor (250).

[0026] A button (150) of an electronic device (100) may be operated by a user to detect inputs. For example, the button (150) may move within the side wall (116) of the electronic device (100). Movement or other operation of the button (150) may be detected by a button sensor (170) of the electronic device (100). The button sensor (170) may include one or more mechanisms such as strain gauges, dome switches, etc. In some embodiments, the button sensor (170) may generate a signal upon detection of operation and / or other movement of the button (150). It will be understood that the signal generated by the button sensor (170) may include a binary signal and / or other signal, such as a signal indicating the magnitude of pressure or force applied to the button (150). Such a signal may be a basis for determining whether the button (150) is being pressed and / or how the button (150) is being pressed. Such results may be compared with thresholds or other criteria for determining whether an action should be performed by the electronic device (100). In some embodiments, the electronic device (100) may perform an action corresponding to the button (150) so that inputs at the button (150) can be interpreted as a command by the user to perform the action.

[0027] The case (200) may include a touch sensor (250). The touch sensor (250) may overlap with the button (150) when the case (200) is coupled to the electronic device (100). In some embodiments, the touch sensor (250) may be supported on a portion (288) of the inner layer (282) and / or outer layer (280) that overlaps with the opening (286) of the case. The opening (286) may extend through the body (218) and / or one or more layers of the case (200). The opening (286) may overlap with the button (150) of the electronic device (100) to allow the touch sensor (250) to be seated against the button (150). A portion (288) of the outer layer (280) and / or inner layer (282) may be biased to extend into the opening (286). For example, the outer layer (280) and / or the inner layer (282) may provide elasticity to bias inward toward the button (150). The touch sensor (250) may extend outward from the portion (288). In some embodiments, the touch sensor (250) may extend past the surface of the outer layer (280).

[0028] The touch sensor (250) may include a substrate (278). The substrate (278) may form a relatively rigid structure to support other components of the touch sensor (250). Although the substrate (278) is illustrated on the outer surface of the outer layer (280), it will be understood that parts of the substrate (278) and / or other supporting structures may be provided on the inner surface of the outer layer (280) and / or other parts of the case (200). The touch sensor (250) may additionally include a button cap (270) on its outer surface. The touch sensor (250) may additionally include a capacitive touch sensor (272) between the button cap (270) and the substrate (278). The capacitive touch sensor (272) may optionally include a self-capacitance sensor. Optionally, the capacitive touch sensor (272) may include a number of sensing elements, such as conductive electrodes, to detect contact and changes in contact at a number of locations. The capacitive touch sensor (272) may include one or more conductive parts, and the one or more conductive parts define sensing elements and / or ground regions for detecting capacitance and changes in capacitance between them.

[0029] In some embodiments, the touch sensor (250) may include one or more electromechanical sensors, capacitive sensors, strain gauges, resistive touch sensors, piezoelectric sensors, optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, thermal sensors, cameras, pressure sensors, photodiodes, and / or other sensors operable to detect user input including contact with the touch sensor (250). In some embodiments, the touch sensor (250) may detect the mere presence of a user without requiring the force of pressure to be applied. In some embodiments, the touch sensor (250) may detect the magnitude of the force or pressure applied thereto by the user. In some embodiments, the touch sensor (260) may detect the location and / or movement (e.g., direction and speed) of the touch applied thereto by the user.

[0030] The touch sensor (250) may additionally include a via (274) extending through the substrate (278) from the capacitive touch sensor (272) to the trace (276). The trace (276) may extend from the touch sensor (250) to the case communication interface (240) (not shown in FIG. 3) of the case (200). The trace (276) may extend between one or more parts of the case (200). For example, at least a portion of the trace (276) may extend between the outer layer (280) and the inner layer (282). Additionally, for example, at least a portion of the trace (276) may extend between the inner layer (282) and the body (218). In this way, the trace (276) may be concealed and protected within one or more layers of the case (200). Although the touch sensor (250) may be located on the side wall of the case (200), the trace (276) may provide an operational connection to the case communication interface (240), which may be optimally positioned to communicate with the device communication interface (140) of the electronic device (100).

[0031] Now, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the electronic device (100) can be operated by providing inputs to its buttons in the absence of a case. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the absence of a case, the button (150) is readily available for direct input from the user (10). As illustrated in FIG. 4, the button (150) can start from a first position where the button (150) is not operated. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the button (150) can receive input from the user (10). Upon the application of force or pressure from the user (10), the button (150) can be operated. Although a certain degree of operation between FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is illustrated, it will be understood that the amount of movement experienced by the button (150) can be any amount of movement. In some embodiments, the amount of movement achieved by the button (150) is nominal so that force and / or pressure can be detected by the button (150) without significant movement.

[0032] Now, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the case (200) can be operated by providing inputs to its touch sensors (250) so that corresponding actions are performed on the electronic device (100). As illustrated in FIG. 6, the case (200) may include a touch sensor (250). The touch sensor (250) may overlap with the button (150) when the case (200) is coupled to the electronic device (100). In some embodiments, the case (200) may arrange the touch sensor (250) to be preloaded to the button (150) for convenience to reduce the air gaps between them. Thus, the preloading of the touch sensor (250) (i.e., without user input or other external forces) may apply pressure or force to the button (150) that can be detected by the button sensor (170). Since such power is not caused by user input, it may be advantageous to disable the operation of the button (150) when the presence of a case (200) is detected so that false inputs are rejected.

[0033] Rather than indirectly requiring the operation of the button (150) through the case (200), the case (200) may provide an alternative mechanism for receiving input from the user (10). As illustrated in FIG. 7, the touch sensor (250) may receive inputs independently of the operation of the button (150). The touch sensor (250) may be operated based on one or more of various criteria for detecting inputs from the user (10). In some embodiments, the touch sensor (250) may detect the mere presence of the user (10) without requiring a threshold force or pressure to be exceeded. For example, the touch sensor (250) may detect user input as a change in capacitance or other characteristics induced within the touch sensor (250). As an additional example, the touch sensor (250) may detect a force or pressure associated with input from the user (10). Additionally, for example, the touch sensor (250) can detect the location, area, surface area, or other characteristics of contact between the user (10) and the touch sensor (250).

[0034] In some embodiments, the presence of a user (10) may be detected for a certain duration. When a user (10) is detected to be present and / or otherwise interacting with a touch sensor (250) for a certain duration, such duration may be compared to a threshold to determine whether the presence should be interpreted as user input. If the presence exceeds the threshold, the case (200) and / or electronic device (100) may determine that the presence should be interpreted as user input.

[0035] In some embodiments, user input received by the touch sensor (250) may be communicated to the electronic device (100). The electronic device (100) may perform a corresponding action associated with a button (150) covered by the touch sensor (250) of the case (200). Although the button (150) may not need to provide detection and / or may be disabled while the case (200) is present, nevertheless, the action of the touch sensor (250) overlapping with a specific button (150) may be interpreted as user input associated with the button (150). Thus, the electronic device (100) may perform an action associated with the button (150). For example, in response to a detection by the touch sensor (250), the electronic device (100) may perform the same action that would have been performed if the detection by the button (150) covered by the touch sensor (250) had been made.

[0036] In some embodiments, the touch sensor (250) may be used to detect a tap, double tap, triple tap, or other tap gesture by a user. For example, as the user (10) applies contact to the touch sensor (250), the touch sensor (250) may detect the resulting capacitance or other characteristics induced within the touch sensor (250). The user (10) may subsequently release the contact, and the touch sensor (250) may detect the resulting capacitance or a change in capacitance or other characteristics induced within the touch sensor (250). The user (10) may subsequently return to the touch sensor (250), and the touch sensor (250) may detect the resulting capacitance or a change in capacitance induced within the touch sensor (250). A sequence of inputs within a time range may be interpreted by the touch sensor (250) as a tap gesture from the user (10).

[0037] It will be understood that various input types and / or combinations thereof may be detected to determine whether user input should be interpreted as a user command. It will be understood that the type of user input detected by the touch sensor (250) does not have to be the same type of user input to be detected by the button (150) to achieve the same action from the electronic device (100).

[0038] Now, referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the case can be actuated by providing inputs to its touch sensors to allow corresponding actions to be performed on the electronic device. The corresponding action to be performed may be associated with one of a plurality of buttons (150a, 150b) of the electronic device (100) covered by the actuating touch sensor (250) of the case (200).

[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the case (200) may include a touch sensor (250). The touch sensor (250) may overlap with a plurality of buttons (150a, 150b) when the case (200) is coupled to the electronic device (100). Rather than indirectly requiring the operation of the buttons (150a, 150b) through the case (200), the case (200) may provide an alternative mechanism for receiving input from the user (10). As illustrated in FIG. 9, the touch sensor (250) may receive directional (e.g., sliding) inputs independently of the operation of the buttons (150a, 150b). For example, the touch sensor (250) may be used to detect a sliding gesture by the user (10). A plurality of sensing elements of the touch sensor (250) along its surface may cooperate to detect specific user inputs. For example, as the user (10) makes contact with a first part of the touch sensor (250) (e.g., overlapping with the first button (150a)), the touch sensor (250) can detect the resulting capacitance induced within the corresponding first sensing element of the touch sensor (250). The user (10) can subsequently move to a second part of the touch sensor (250) (e.g., overlapping with the second button (150b)), and the touch sensor (250) can detect the resulting capacitance induced within the corresponding second sensing element of the touch sensor (250). For longitudinal sliding gestures, the corresponding sensing elements may be distributed over different buttons (150a, 150b). A sequence of inputs within a time range may be interpreted by the touch sensor (250) as a motion gesture of the user in a specific direction (e.g., in the direction of one of the buttons (150a or 150b)).For example, a sequence of (1) a detected capacitance at a first sensing element on a first button (150a) and subsequently (2) a detected capacitance at a second sensing element on a second button (150b) can be interpreted as a user motion gesture in a first direction toward the first button (150a). Additionally, for example, a sequence of (1) a detected capacitance at a second sensing element on a second button (150b) and subsequently (2) a detected capacitance at a first sensing element on a first button (150a) can be interpreted as a user motion gesture in a second direction toward the second button (150b).

[0040] Detected sliding gestures may be associated with pre-programmed functions to be performed by the electronic device (100) and / or an external device upon detection of the sliding gestures. In some embodiments, user input received by the touch sensor (250) may be communicated to the electronic device (100). The electronic device (100) may perform a corresponding action associated with the button (150a or 150b) toward which the sliding gesture is directed. Although the buttons (150a, 150b) may be disabled while there is no need to provide detection or / or while the case (200) exists, nevertheless, the operation of the touch sensor (250) overlapping with the buttons (150a, 150b) may be interpreted as user input associated with the buttons (150a, 150b). Thus, the electronic device (100) may perform an action associated with one of the buttons (150a, 150b). For example, in response to the detection of a sliding gesture by the touch sensor (250), the electronic device (100) can perform the same action that would have been performed if the detection had been made by the button (150a or 150b) covered by the touch sensor (250) and in the direction of the sliding gesture.

[0041] Now, referring to FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 11, the case can be operated by providing inputs to its touch sensors so that corresponding actions are performed on the electronic device. The corresponding action to be performed may not need to be associated with a button of the electronic device (100).

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 10, the case (200) may include a touch sensor (260). The touch sensor (260) may overlap with a portion of the electronic device (100) that does not have a button when the case (200) is coupled to the electronic device (100). Rather than replacing the function of the button of the electronic device (100), the case (200) may provide a complementary mechanism for receiving input from the user (10). The touch sensor (260) of the case (200) may include one or more of any features described herein in relation to touch sensors (250), including composition, function, and methods for detecting inputs from the user (10).

[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the touch sensor (260) can receive inputs independently of the operation of any button. The touch sensor (260) may operate based on one or more of various criteria for detecting inputs from the user (10). In some embodiments, the touch sensor (260) may detect the mere presence of the user (10) without requiring a threshold force or pressure to be exceeded. For example, the touch sensor (260) may detect user input as a change in capacitance or other characteristics induced within the touch sensor (260). As an additional example, the touch sensor (260) may detect a force or pressure associated with input from the user (10). As an additional example, the touch sensor (260) may detect the location, area, surface area, or other characteristics of contact between the user (10) and the touch sensor (260). In some embodiments, user input received by the touch sensor (260) may be communicated to the electronic device (100). The electronic device (100) can perform a corresponding action that is not associated with any button of the electronic device (100).

[0044] In some embodiments, the touch sensor (260) may be a fingerprint sensor. For example, the touch sensor (260) may be a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a thermal sensor, etc., for detecting features of the user (10)'s finger. The detection of the fingerprint may serve as authentication of the user (10). For example, fingerprint detection performed by the touch sensor (260) may be transmitted to the electronic device (100). If the fingerprint detection is associated with an authenticated user of the electronic device (100), the electronic device (100) may unlock one or more of its features in response to the detection. To perform authentication, the case (200) may transmit the detected features to the electronic device (100), and the electronic device (100) may determine whether the user (10) is an authenticated user based on such detections. Additionally or alternatively, to perform authentication, the case (200) may determine whether the detected features are associated with an authenticated user and transmit a signal including a command to unlock one or more features of the electronic device (100).

[0045] FIG. 12 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary process (1200) having operations that can be performed by a case according to embodiments of the present technology. For the purposes of explanation, the process (1200) is primarily described herein with reference to a case (200) as illustrated in FIG. 1 through 3 and FIG. 6 through 11. However, the process (1200) is not limited to the case (200) of FIG. 1 through 3 and FIG. 6 through 11, and one or more blocks (or operations) of the process (1200) may be performed by one or more other components of other suitable devices or systems. Additionally, for the purposes of explanation, some of the blocks of the process (1200) are described herein as occurring serially or linearly. However, multiple blocks of the process (1200) may occur in parallel. Additionally, the blocks of the process (1200) do not need to be performed in the order shown, and / or one or more blocks of the process (1200) do not need to be performed or may be replaced by other operations.

[0046] In block (1202), the case can communicate with an electronic device. For example, the case can transmit an identification signal associated with the case to the electronic device. Additionally, for example, such an identification signal can be transmitted from the case communication interface to the device communication interface. The identification signal can be associated with an NFC tag of the case, or otherwise can be used by the electronic device to identify one or more characteristics of the case, such as the manufacturer, model, serial number, etc. The electronic device can determine one or more features of the case based on the transmitted identification signal.

[0047] In block (1204), the case can detect user input. For example, the touch sensor of the case can detect the presence of the user or interaction therefrom. Such detection may include the duration of the input, force or pressure, motion (e.g., sliding gesture), position, fingerprint detection, etc.

[0048] In block (1206), the case may transmit a signal to an electronic device in response to a detection. For example, one or more characteristics of the detection may be transmitted to the electronic device. Additionally, for example, processing, conditioning, and / or analysis of the detected input may be performed by the case, and the signal may be the result of such additional operations. Based on the transmitted signal, the electronic device may perform one or more operations as further described herein.

[0049] FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary process (1300) having operations that can be performed by an electronic device according to embodiments of the present technology. For the purposes of explanation, the process (1300) is described herein primarily with reference to the case (200) as illustrated in FIG. 1 through 11. However, the process (1300) is not limited to the case (200) of FIG. 1 through 11, and one or more blocks (or operations) of the process (1300) may be performed by one or more other components of other suitable devices or systems. Additionally, for the purposes of explanation, some of the blocks of the process (1300) are described herein as occurring serially or linearly. However, multiple blocks of the process (1300) may occur in parallel. Additionally, the blocks of the process (1300) do not need to be performed in the order shown, and / or one or more blocks of the process (1300) do not need to be performed or may be replaced by other operations.

[0050] In block (1302), the electronic device can determine whether a case exists. For example, the electronic device can transmit a signal requesting a response from any nearby case (e.g., via an NFC coil). If the electronic device determines that no case exists, the electronic device can perform one or more additional actions based on such determination.

[0051] In block (1304), the electronic device may operate one or more of its buttons. For example, when a case is not present, one or more of the electronic device's buttons may be kept active to receive input from a user. Such inputs may be detected on the buttons of the electronic device.

[0052] In block (1306), the electronic device may perform one or more actions associated with the button where user input was detected. For example, the action may include adjusting the volume of visual information presented on a display or acoustic energy output by an audio speaker.

[0053] FIG. 14 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary process (1400) having operations that can be performed by an electronic device according to embodiments of the present technology. For the purposes of explanation, the process (1400) is primarily described herein with reference to the case (200) as illustrated in FIG. 1 through 11. However, the process (1400) is not limited to the case (200) of FIG. 1 through 11, and one or more blocks (or operations) of the process (1400) may be performed by one or more other components of other suitable devices or systems. Additionally, for the purposes of explanation, some of the blocks of the process (1400) are described herein as occurring serially or linearly. However, multiple blocks of the process (1400) may occur in parallel. Additionally, the blocks of the process (1400) do not need to be performed in the order shown, and / or one or more blocks of the process (1400) do not need to be performed or may be replaced by other operations.

[0054] In block (1402), the electronic device can determine whether a case exists. For example, the electronic device can transmit a signal requesting a response from any nearby case (e.g., via an NFC coil). If a case exists, the case can transmit an identification signal associated with the case to the electronic device. The identification signal may be associated with the NFC tag of the case, or otherwise may be used by the electronic device to identify one or more characteristics of the case, such as the manufacturer, model, serial number, etc. The electronic device can determine one or more features of the case based on the received identification signal. If the electronic device determines that a case exists (e.g., by receiving a response via an NFC coil), the electronic device may perform one or more additional actions based on such determination.

[0055] In block (1404), the electronic device may disable one or more of its buttons. For example, if a case is present, one or more of the electronic device's buttons may be disabled when it is determined that they are covered by the corresponding touch sensor(s) of the case. Such determination may be based on determined features of the case based on a received identification signal. For example, the electronic device may compare a known layout of its buttons with a determined layout of the touch sensors of the case to determine whether any of the touch sensors will overlap with the buttons when the case is coupled to the electronic device. Such buttons may be disabled so that they do not detect inputs and / or any detected inputs are rejected or ignored. Instead of operating the buttons, the electronic device may respond to signals from the case corresponding to inputs received from the case.

[0056] In block (1406), the electronic device may receive a signal from the case. The signal may correspond to an input received from a touch sensor of the case. The signal may represent one or more characteristics of the input, including the touch sensor that performed the detection, the duration of the input, force or pressure, motion (e.g., a sliding gesture), position, fingerprint detection, etc.

[0057] In block (1408), the electronic device may perform one or more actions associated with a button of the electronic device. In some embodiments, if a touch sensor detecting input overlaps with a button of the electronic device (e.g., a disabled button), it may be determined that the input corresponds to an action associated with the button even if the button is disabled. In some embodiments, the action may include adjusting the volume of visual information presented on a display or acoustic energy output by an audio speaker. In some embodiments, if a touch sensor detecting input does not overlap with a button of the electronic device, it may be determined that the input corresponds to an action not associated with any button. In some embodiments, the action may include unlocking one or more features of the electronic device based on authentication based on detection performed by a case (e.g., fingerprint detection).

[0058] FIG. 15 illustrates a block diagram of a system (2) comprising an electronic device (100) and a case (200) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be understood that the components described herein may be provided in any one or more of the electronic device (100) and the case (200). In some embodiments, the components are provided by one or some of the electronic device (100) and the case (200) instead of each and all of the electronic device (100) and the case (200) to reduce redundancy and increase customization.

[0059] The electronic device (100) and / or case (200) may include a processor (e.g., processors (190 and / or 290)) having one or more processing units configured to include or access memory in which instructions are stored. Instructions or computer programs may be configured to perform one or more of the operations or functions described with respect to the corresponding device. The processor may be implemented as any electronic device capable of processing, receiving, or transmitting data or instructions. For example, the processor may include one or more of a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a combination of such devices. As described herein, the term “processor” is intended to encompass a single processor or processing unit, a plurality of processors, a plurality of processing units, or other suitably configured computing elements or elements.

[0060] The electronic device (100) and / or case (200) may include memory (e.g., memory (192 and / or 292)). The memory may store electronic data that can be used by the electronic device (100) and / or case (200). For example, the memory may store electrical data or content such as audio and video files, documents and applications, device settings and user preferences, various modules, data structures, or timing and control signals or data for databases. The memory may be configured as any type of memory. Only as an example, the memory may be implemented as random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory, removable memory, or other types of storage elements or combinations of such devices.

[0061] The electronic device (100) and / or case (200) may include a battery (e.g., battery (194 and / or 294)). Such batteries may store power for use by the corresponding device and / or for transmission to another connected device.

[0062] The electronic device (100) and / or case (200) may include communication interfaces (e.g., device communication interface (140) and / or case communication interface (240)). When the electronic device (100) and / or case (200) are connected to a communication interface, such devices may communicate with each other and / or with one or more other devices using any suitable communication protocol. For example, the device communication interface (140) and / or the case communication interface (240) may include a communication interface that supports NFC, radio frequency identification (RFID), ultra-wideband (UWB), Wi-Fi (e.g., 802.11 protocol), Ethernet, Bluetooth, high-frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), infrared, TCP / IP (e.g., any of the protocols used in each of the TCP / IP layers), HTTP, BitTorrent, FTP, RTP, RTSP, SSH, any other communication protocol, or any combination thereof. The communication interface may also include an antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals. The communication interface may include physical contacts (e.g., electrically conductive contacts, electrodes, signal lines, pogo pins, wires, etc.). Such interfaces can transmit power, signals, commands, etc. (e.g., through connectors).

[0063] The electronic device (100) may include a display (130). The display (130) may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a light-emitting diode (LED) display, etc. If the display (130) is an LCD, the display may also include a backlight component that can be controlled to provide variable levels of display brightness. If the display (130) is an OLED or LED type display, the brightness of the display may be controlled by controlling an electrical signal provided to the display elements.

[0064] The electronic device (100) and / or case (200) may include an input / output component (e.g., an I / O component (196)) that may include any suitable component for providing a user interface for operation by a user. The input / output component may include buttons, keys, touchscreens, microphones, speakers, displays, and / or other features that can be operated by a user. The input and / or output may be tactile, auditory, visual, etc. The I / O component (196) may be configured to receive user input to the electronic device (100). The I / O component (196) may include, for example, a touchscreen, touch buttons, a keyboard, a keypad, or other touch input devices. The I / O component (196) may include other input devices, for example, power buttons, volume buttons, home buttons, scroll wheels, and camera buttons. For example, the electronic device (100) may include one or more buttons (150) as described in the specification. The buttons (150) may include one or more button sensors, such as strain gauges and / or dome switches, for detecting operation of the buttons (150) by a user.

[0065] The case (200) may include one or more touch sensors (250 and / or 260). The touch sensors (250 and / or 260) may include capacitive sensors, strain gauges, resistive touch sensors, piezoelectric sensors, optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, thermal sensors, cameras, pressure sensors, photodiodes, and / or other sensors operable to detect user input including contact with the touch sensors (250 and / or 260).

[0066] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide a case for an electronic device that provides input capabilities that enhance the user experience when the case is used in cooperation with the electronic device. For example, the case may provide an electromechanical touch sensor to provide the user with an input mechanism that does not require the operation of a button of the electronic device. The electronic device may disable one or more buttons when it detects the presence of the case, and may perform actions corresponding to the buttons when signals are received from the case.

[0067] Various examples of aspects of the present disclosure are described below as items for convenience. These are provided as examples and do not limit the description.

[0068] Item A: A case for holding an electronic device, wherein the case comprises: a rear face; a side wall extending from the periphery of the rear face—the side wall defines an internal cavity for accommodating the electronic device, and the electronic device includes a button—; an electromechanical touch sensor positioned on a portion of the side wall so as to overlap with the button of the electronic device when the electronic device is within the internal cavity; and a case communication interface configured to transmit a signal to the electronic device in response to detection by the electromechanical touch sensor.

[0069] Item B: A case for holding an electronic device, wherein the case comprises: a body defining an internal cavity for accommodating the electronic device—the electronic device including a first button and a second button—; an electromechanical touch sensor positioned on a part of the body so as to overlap with each of the first button and the second button when the electronic device is within the internal cavity; and a case communication interface, wherein the case communication interface is configured to transmit a first signal to the electronic device in response to detection by the electromechanical touch sensor of a first sliding input in a first direction toward the first button; and to transmit a second signal to the electronic device in response to detection by the electromechanical touch sensor of a second sliding input in a second direction toward the second button.

[0070] Item C: A case for holding an electronic device, wherein the case comprises: a body defining an internal cavity for receiving an electronic device and an opening positioned to overlap with a button of the electronic device when the electronic device is in the internal cavity; an outer layer covering an outer surface of the body and extending across the opening; an inner layer covering an inner surface of the body; a touch sensor positioned on a portion of the outer layer extending across the opening; a case communication interface within the body; and a trace operably connecting the touch sensor to the case communication interface—at least a portion of the trace being positioned between the inner layer and the outer layer.

[0071] Item D: An electronic device for coupling to a case, wherein the electronic device comprises: a button configured to detect a first input from the button; a case configured to detect the case when the electronic device is coupled to the case, wherein the case comprises an electromechanical touch sensor positioned to overlap with the button when the electronic device is coupled to the case; and a device communication interface configured to receive a signal from the case corresponding to a second input received from the case; and a processor configured to perform an action associated with the button when the electronic device is not coupled to the case and when the button detects the first input from the button, and to disable the button of the electronic device and perform an action associated with the button only when a signal is received from the case,

[0072] Item E: An electronic device for coupling to a case, wherein the electronic device comprises: a button configured to detect an input; a device communication interface configured to receive from the case a signal corresponding to another input detected by the case; and a processor configured to perform an action associated with the button in response to detection by the button when the electronic device is not coupled to the case; and to perform an action associated with the button only when a signal is received from the case when the electronic device is coupled to the case.

[0073] Item F: An electronic device for coupling to a case, wherein the electronic device comprises: a plurality of buttons configured to detect inputs; a device communication interface configured to receive signals from the case corresponding to other inputs detected by the case; and a processor configured such that when the electronic device is coupled to the case: when a first signal is received from the case, a first action associated with one of the plurality of buttons is performed, wherein the first signal is generated in response to a first input at a first sensor of the case that overlaps with one of the plurality of buttons; and when a second signal is received from the case, a second action not associated with any of the plurality of buttons is performed, wherein the second signal is generated in response to an input at a second sensor of the case that does not overlap with any of the plurality of buttons.

[0074] One or more of the above items may include one or more of the features described below. Note that any of the items below may be combined with one another in any combination and may be placed in each independent item, e.g., items A, B, C, D, E, or F.

[0075] Item 1: The case communication interface is configured to transmit a signal only when the electromechanical touch sensor detects an input that it withstands for a duration exceeding a threshold.

[0076] Item 2: The signal includes a command for the electronic device to execute an action associated with a button of the electronic device.

[0077] Item 3: The electromechanical touch sensor is additionally positioned to overlap with an additional button of the electronic device when the electronic device is inside the internal cavity.

[0078] Item 4: The case communication interface includes a near-field communication (NFC) coil.

[0079] Item 5: A body defining an opening positioned to overlap with a button of an electronic device when the electronic device is in an internal cavity; an outer layer covering the outer surface of the body and extending across the opening; an inner layer covering the inner surface of the body; and a trace operably connecting an electromechanical touch sensor to a case communication interface - at least a portion of the trace is located between the inner layer and the outer layer.

[0080] Item 6: Additional touch sensor, wherein the case communication interface is further configured to transmit an additional signal to an electronic device in response to an additional detection by the additional touch sensor, wherein the additional signal includes an additional command for the electronic device to perform an additional action not associated with a button of the electronic device.

[0081] Item 7: The additional touch sensor is a fingerprint sensor, the additional signal corresponds to user authentication, and the additional action is to unlock the features of the electronic device.

[0082] Item 8: The case communication interface is additionally configured to transmit an identification signal to an electronic device, and the identification signal includes a command to disable a button of the electronic device while the case is coupled to the electronic device.

[0083] Item 9: When the electronic device is in the internal cavity, the electromechanical touch sensor is biased toward the button.

[0084] Item 10: The first signal includes a first command for the electronic device to execute a first action associated with a first button of the electronic device; and the second signal includes a second command for the electronic device to execute a second action associated with a second button of the electronic device.

[0085] Item 11: The body defines an opening positioned to overlap with a first button and a second button of the electronic device when the electronic device is in an internal cavity, and the case further comprises: an outer layer covering the outer surface of the body and extending across the opening; an inner layer covering the inner surface of the body; and a trace operably connecting an electromechanical touch sensor to a case communication interface—at least a portion of the trace is located between the inner layer and the outer layer.

[0086] Item 12: The touch sensor comprises a button cap; a substrate; a capacitive touch sensor between the button cap and the substrate; and a via extending through the substrate as a trace from the electromechanical touch sensor.

[0087] Item 13: The mounting portion of the outer layer extending across the opening is partially recessed within the opening; the touch sensor extends from the mounting portion of the outer layer and extends out of the opening.

[0088] Item 14: The button includes a strain gauge configured to generate a signal when the button is pressed.

[0089] Item 15: The action associated with the button is to change the speaker volume settings of the electronic device.

[0090] Item 16: The device communication interface includes a near-field communication (NFC) coil.

[0091] Item 17: The device communication interface is additionally configured to receive an identification signal from the case, and the identification signal includes a command to disable a button of the electronic device while the case is coupled to the electronic device.

[0092] Item 18: The device communication interface is further configured to receive an authentication signal from the case, the authentication signal corresponds to user authentication, and the processor is further configured to unlock the feature of the electronic device in response to the authentication signal.

[0093] Item 19: The processor is additionally configured to perform an action associated with the button only when a signal is received from the case while the button detects input.

[0094] Item 20: Each of the multiple buttons includes a strain gauge configured to generate a different signal when one of the multiple buttons is pressed.

[0095] Item 21: The first action associated with the first button among the multiple buttons is to increase the speaker volume setting of the electronic device; and the second action associated with the second button among the multiple buttons is to decrease the speaker volume setting of the electronic device.

[0096] Item 22: The second signal corresponds to user authentication, and the second action is to unlock the features of the electronic device.

[0097] Item 23: The processor is additionally configured to disable a number of buttons of the electronic device when the electronic device is coupled to the case.

[0098] As described above, one aspect of the present technology may include the collection and use of data available from various sources. The present invention considers that, in some cases, such collected data may include personal data that can be used to uniquely identify a specific individual, or to contact him / her or to determine his / her location. Such personal data may include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, Twitter IDs, home addresses, data or records regarding a user's health or fitness level (e.g., vital sign measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information.

[0099] The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal data in the present technology may be used to benefit users. For example, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user's general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using the technology to pursue wellness goals.

[0100] The present invention considers that entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transmission, storage, or other use of such personal data will comply with well-established privacy policies and / or privacy practices. In particular, such entities must implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are recognized as meeting or exceeding industrial or administrative requirements for keeping personal data private and secure. Such policies must be readily accessible to users and updated as the collection and / or use of data changes. Personal data from users must be collected for the entity's lawful and proper use and must not be shared or sold outside of these lawful uses. Furthermore, such collection / sharing must occur after receiving the users' notified consent. Additionally, such entities must consider taking any necessary measures to protect and secure access to such personal data and to ensure that others with access to the personal data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Additionally, such entities may be evaluated by third parties to demonstrate their adherence to widely recognized privacy policies and practices. Furthermore, policies and practices must be adapted to the specific types of personal data being collected and / or accessed, and to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations.For example, in the United States, the collection or access to certain health data may be controlled by federal and / or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to and must be handled according to different regulations and policies. Therefore, different privacy practices must be maintained for different types of personal data in each country.

[0101] Notwithstanding the foregoing, the present disclosure also considers embodiments in which users selectively block the use of or access to personal information data. That is, the present disclosure considers that hardware and / or software elements may be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case of advertising delivery services, the technology may be configured to allow users to select "Agree" or "Disagree" to their participation in the collection of personal information data during or at any time thereafter of registration for the service. In another example, users may choose not to provide mood-associated data for targeted content delivery services. In yet another example, users may choose to limit the length of time that mood-associated data is maintained or to completely prohibit the development of baseline mood profiles. In addition to providing "Agree" and "Disagree" options, the present disclosure considers providing notices regarding the access or use of personal information. For example, users may be notified when they download an app that will access their personal data, and then reminded again just before the personal data is accessed by the app.

[0102] Furthermore, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal data should be managed and processed in a manner that minimizes the risks of unintended or unauthorized access or use. Risks can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data when it is no longer needed. Additionally, data de-identification may be used to protect user privacy when applicable, including that applicable to certain health-related applications. Where appropriate, de-identification may be facilitated by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), by controlling the amount or specificity of stored data (e.g., by collecting location data at the city level rather than the address level), by controlling the way data is stored (e.g., by aggregating data across users), and / or by other methods.

[0103] Accordingly, while the present disclosure extensively covers the use of personal information data to implement one or more of the various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also takes into account that the various embodiments may also be implemented without the need to access such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable by the absence of all or part of such personal information data. For example, content may be selected and delivered to users by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data, such as content requested by a device associated with a user, other non-personal information available to content delivery services, or publicly available information, or a minimal amount of personal information.

[0104] References to singular elements are intended to mean one or more, rather than just one, unless specifically stated otherwise. For example, a "one" module may refer to one or more modules. Elements following articles ("a," "an," "the") or "the aforementioned" do not exclude the existence of additional identical elements without additional constraints.

[0105] Headings and subheadings, if present, are used for convenience only and do not limit the disclosure. The word "exemplary" is used to mean serving as an example or illustration. To the extent that terms such as "include," "have," etc. are used, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "include," as interpreted when "include" is used as a transitional phrase in a claim. Related terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between such entities or actions.

[0106] Phrases such as one sun, sun, other sun, some suns, one or more suns, one embodiment, embodiment, other embodiment, some embodiments, one or more embodiments, one example, example, other example, some examples, one or more examples, one configuration, configuration, other configuration, some configurations, one or more configurations, the present art, disclosure, the present disclosure, other variations thereof, etc. are for convenience only and do not imply that the disclosures related to such phrase(s) are essential to the present art or that such disclosures apply to all configurations of the present art. The disclosures related to such phrase(s) may apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. The disclosures related to such phrase(s) may provide one or more examples. Phrases such as one aspect or some aspects may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa, and this applies similarly to other aforementioned phrases.

[0107] The phrase “at least one of” preceding a series of items, together with the terms “and” or “or” separating any one of the items, modifies the list as a whole rather than each member of the list. The phrase “at least one of” does not require the selection of at least one item; rather, it allows for the meaning of including at least one of any one of the items, and / or at least one of any combination of items, and / or at least one of each of the items. As an example, each of the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” refers to A only, B only, or C only; any combination of A, B, and C; and / or at least one of A, B, and C.

[0108] It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of the disclosed steps, actions, or processes is an example of exemplary approaches. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, actions, or processes may be performed in a different order. Some of the steps, actions, or processes may be performed simultaneously. Where present, the appended method claims present elements of various steps, actions, or processes in an exemplary order and are not implied to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented. They may be performed in series, linearly, in parallel, or in a different order. It should be understood that the described instructions, actions, and systems may generally be integrated together into a single software / hardware product or packaged into multiple software / hardware products.

[0109] In one sun, terms such as combined may refer to directly combined. In other suns, terms such as combined may refer to indirectly combined.

[0110] Terms such as top, bottom, front, rear, side, horizontal, and vertical refer to arbitrary reference frames other than the general gravity reference frame. Therefore, such terms can extend upward, downward, diagonally, or horizontally from the gravity reference frame.

[0111] The present disclosure is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments described herein. In some examples, to avoid obscuring the concepts of the art, well-known structures and components are depicted in block diagram form. The present disclosure provides various examples of the art, and the art is not limited to these examples. Various variations of these embodiments will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, and the principles described herein may be applied to other embodiments.

[0112] All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure, which are known to or will subsequently become known to those skilled in the art, are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be made available to the public, regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly mentioned in the claims. No claim element shall be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 6 of 35 USC §112 unless the element is explicitly mentioned using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is mentioned using the phrase “step for”.

[0113] The title of the invention, background art, brief description of the drawings, summary, and drawings are hereby incorporated into this disclosure and are provided as exemplary examples of this disclosure, not as limiting descriptions. This is provided with the understanding that they are not intended to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Additionally, in the detailed description, it will be seen that the description provides exemplary examples and various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the sake of simplifying this disclosure. The method of this disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than explicitly stated in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the claims, the subject matter of the invention consists of fewer features than all features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, and each claim is described independently as a separate claimed subject matter.

[0114] The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but are intended to encompass all legal equivalents within the full scope consistent with the language of the claims. Nevertheless, none of the claims are intended to include subject matter that fails to meet the requirements of applicable patent law, nor should they be interpreted in such a way.

Claims

Claim 1 A case for holding an electronic device, comprising: a rear surface; a side wall extending from the periphery of the rear surface—the side wall defines an internal cavity for accommodating the electronic device, and the electronic device includes a button—; an electromechanical touch sensor positioned on a portion of the side wall so as to overlap with the button of the electronic device when the electronic device is in the internal cavity; and a case communication interface configured to transmit a signal to the electronic device in response to detection by the electromechanical touch sensor, wherein the case communication interface is further configured to transmit an identification signal to the electronic device, and the identification signal includes a command to disable the button of the electronic device while the case is coupled to the electronic device. Claim 2 A case according to claim 1, wherein the case communication interface is configured to transmit the signal only when the electromechanical touch sensor detects an input that it withstands for a duration exceeding a threshold. Claim 3 In claim 1, the case in which the signal includes a command for the electronic device to execute an action associated with the button of the electronic device. Claim 4 A case according to claim 1, wherein the electromechanical touch sensor is additionally positioned to overlap with an additional button of the electronic device when the electronic device is within the internal cavity. Claim 5 In claim 1, the case communication interface comprises a near-field communication (NFC) coil, the case. Claim 6 A case according to claim 1, further comprising: a body defining an opening positioned to overlap with a button of the electronic device when the electronic device is in the internal cavity; an outer layer covering an outer surface of the body and extending across the opening; an inner layer covering an inner surface of the body; and a trace operably connecting the electromechanical touch sensor to the case communication interface, wherein at least a portion of the trace is located between the inner layer and the outer layer. Claim 7 A case according to claim 1, wherein the case communication interface is further configured to transmit an additional signal to the electronic device in response to an additional detection by the additional touch sensor, and the additional signal includes an additional command for the electronic device to execute an additional action not associated with the button of the electronic device. Claim 8 A case according to claim 7, wherein the additional touch sensor is a fingerprint sensor, the additional signal corresponds to user authentication, and the additional action is to unlock a feature of the electronic device. Claim 9 delete Claim 10 In claim 1, when the electronic device is in the internal cavity, the electromechanical touch sensor is biased toward the button, case. Claim 11 A case for holding an electronic device, comprising: a body defining an internal cavity for accommodating the electronic device—the electronic device comprising a first button and a second button—; an electromechanical touch sensor positioned on a part of the body so as to overlap with each of the first button and the second button when the electronic device is within the internal cavity; and a case communication interface, wherein the case communication interface is configured to transmit a first signal to the electronic device in response to detection by the electromechanical touch sensor of a first sliding input in a first direction toward the first button; and to transmit a second signal to the electronic device in response to detection by the electromechanical touch sensor of a second sliding input in a second direction toward the second button, wherein the case communication interface is further configured to transmit an identification signal to the electronic device, the identification signal comprising a command to disable the first button and the second button of the electronic device while the case is coupled to the electronic device. Claim 12 A case in which, in paragraph 11, the first signal includes a first command for the electronic device to execute a first action associated with the first button of the electronic device; and the second signal includes a second command for the electronic device to execute a second action associated with the second button of the electronic device. Claim 13 In paragraph 11, the case communication interface comprises a near-field communication (NFC) coil. Claim 14 In claim 11, the body defines an opening positioned to overlap with the first button and the second button of the electronic device when the electronic device is in the internal cavity, and the case further comprises: an outer layer covering the outer surface of the body and extending across the opening; an inner layer covering the inner surface of the body; and a trace operably connecting the electromechanical touch sensor to the case communication interface—at least a portion of the trace being located between the inner layer and the outer layer. Claim 15 delete Claim 16 A case for holding an electronic device, comprising: a body defining an internal cavity for receiving the electronic device and an opening positioned to overlap with a button of the electronic device when the electronic device is in the internal cavity; an outer layer covering an outer surface of the body and extending across the opening; an inner layer covering an inner surface of the body; a touch sensor positioned on a portion of the outer layer extending across the opening; a case communication interface within the body; and a trace operably connecting the touch sensor to the case communication interface—at least a portion of the trace being positioned between the inner layer and the outer layer—the case communication interface being further configured to transmit an identification signal to the electronic device, wherein the identification signal includes a command to disable the button of the electronic device while the case is coupled to the electronic device. Claim 17 In claim 16, the touch sensor comprises: a button cap; a substrate; a capacitive touch sensor between the button cap and the substrate; and a via extending from the capacitive touch sensor through the substrate to the trace, a case. Claim 18 In claim 16, the mounting portion of the outer layer extending across the opening is partially recessed within the opening; and the touch sensor extends from the mounting portion of the outer layer and extends out of the opening, case. Claim 19 In paragraph 16, a case in which, when the electronic device is in the internal cavity, the touch sensor is biased toward the button. Claim 20 In paragraph 16, the case communication interface comprises a near-field communication (NFC) coil, the case.

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