Abstract: Electronic devices may use touch pads that have touch sensor arrays, force sensors, and actuators for providing tactile feedback. A touch pad may be mounted in a computer housing. The touch pad may have a rectangular planar touch pad member that has a glass layer covered with ink and contains a capacitive touch sensor array. Force sensors may be mounted under each of the four corners of the rectangular planar touch pad member. The force sensors may be used to measure how much force is applied to the surface of the planar touch pad member by a user. Processed force sensor signals may indicate the presence of button activity such as press and release events. In response to detected button activity or other activity in the device, actuator drive signals may be generated for controlling the actuator. The user may supply settings to adjust signal processing and tactile feedback parameters.

Abstract: The three dimensional surface shape of a specular reflective object can be determined by examining a captured image reflected from the object. Flat specular reflective surfaces, e.g. a mirror, provide an undistorted reflected image, while curved surfaces reflect a distorted image altered by the surface shape. By analyzing one or more captured images of the distorted reflection, one can estimate the shape of the surface that caused the distortion. A captured distorted image can be compared to a reference undistorted image for which one knows some geometric properties. A system to capture and process such images can be assembled from a few components including a computer to generate and process the images, a display to project the image onto the reflective object, a digital camera to capture the reflected image and a positioning device on which to orient the components with respect to each other.

Abstract: A portable computer is provided that has a housing. A battery may be contained within the housing. The housing may have panels such as a fixed housing panel and a removable access panel. A lever actuated latching mechanism may be used to lock the removable access panel and the battery within the portable computer. A lock may be used to block movement of the lever and thereby prevent access to the interior of the computer. Magnetic elements may be used to facilitate operation of the lever and to hold the access panel in place. The latch mechanism may provide mechanical advantage when disengaging the magnets that hold the access panel.

Abstract: A portable computer is provided that has a housing. Upper and lower portions of the housing may be joined using a hinge. A clutch mechanism may be associated with the hinge. The clutch mechanism may exhibit asymmetrical friction during opening and closing of the portable computer housing portions. Additional closing force may help to prevent the computer from having a lid that is too easy to close, without overwhelming the clutch with unnecessary friction. The clutch may have a clutch spring that is attached to a clutch shaft using a slot in the shaft. A lobe may be provided in the spring in the vicinity of the slot. A protective cap may be provided over the tip of the shaft to prevent damage to nearby wires. A friction band in the clutch may be used to directly engage an end of the spring.

Abstract: A portable computer is provided that has a housing. A battery may be contained within the housing. The housing may have panels such as a fixed housing panel and a removable access panel. A lever actuated latching mechanism may be used to lock the removable access panel and the battery within the portable computer. A lock may be used to block movement of the lever and thereby prevent access to the interior of the computer. Magnetic elements may be used to facilitate operation of the lever and to hold the access panel in place. The latch mechanism may provide mechanical advantage when disengaging the magnets that hold the access panel.

Abstract: An input device is disclosed. The input device includes a movable touch-sensitive track pad capable of detecting an object in close proximity thereto so as to generate a tracking control signal. The input device also includes a movement indicator capable of detecting the movements of the movable track pad so as to generate one or more other control signals (e.g., button signals). The control signals can be used to perform actions in an electronic device operatively coupled to the input device.