Abstract: An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.

Abstract: Haptic interfaces are described. One haptic interface includes a piezoelectric body and first and second electrodes coupled to the piezoelectric body. The haptic interface also includes a control circuit. The control circuit includes a haptic actuator, a haptic sensor circuit, and an overcurrent protection circuit. The haptic actuator circuit is coupled to the first electrode and configured to charge the piezoelectric body. The charging causes the piezoelectric body to provide a haptic output. The haptic sensor circuit is coupled to the second electrode and configured to sense an electrical change at the second electrode. The electrical change is related to a haptic input received by the piezoelectric body. The overcurrent protection circuit is coupled to the second electrode and configured to limit a current flow into the haptic sensor circuit while the haptic actuator circuit is charging the piezoelectric body.

Abstract: A force transducer for an electronic device can be operated in a drive mode and a sense mode simultaneously. In particular, the force transducer can provide haptic output while simultaneously receiving force input from a user. The force transducer is primarily defined by a monolithic piezoelectric body, a ground electrode, a drive electrode, and a sense electrode. The ground electrode and the drive electrode each include multiple electrically-electrically conductive sheets that extend into the monolithic body; the electrically conductive sheets of the ground electrode and the drive electrode are interdigitally engaged. The sense electrode of the force transducer is typically disposed on an exterior surface of the monolithic body.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a device housing and a display carried by the device housing. The electronic device may also include an actuator carried between the device housing and the display. The actuator may include an actuator body having an actuator bottom and a sidewall extending upwardly therefrom, a first guide member carried by the actuator bottom and spaced inwardly from adjacent portions of the sidewall to define a channel, and at least one coil carried by the sidewall. The actuator may also include a magnet being moveable within the channel and an actuator top coupled to the magnet and that includes a second guide member cooperating with the first guide member. The electronic device may also include a controller configured to drive the at least one coil to relatively move the actuator bottom and actuator top to thereby deform the display.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a system comprises: a electromagnet having a core and a coil wrapped around the core; and a gap sensing circuit coupled to the coil, the gap sensing circuit operable to determine a gap distance between the electromagnet and a ferromagnetic target based on a change of inductance of the coil.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an electromagnetic reluctance actuator comprises: a core assembly including a plurality of magnetic cores arranged in a two-dimensional plane, each core comprised of ferromagnetic material and wound by a coil of conductive wire, the coils operable for producing magnetic flux density in response to electrical currents flowing in the coils, wherein the current in each coil flows in a direction that is opposite the currents flowing in adjacent coils; and an actuator, at least a portion of which comprises ferritic material magnetically coupled to the coils by a magnetic circuit, for producing mechanical force in response to the effect of magnetic flux on the portion, the portion of the actuator being mounted for movement relative to the core assembly.

Abstract: An electronic device configured to provide localized haptic feedback to a user on one or more regions or sections of a surface of the electronic device. A support structure is positioned below the surface, and one or more haptic actuators are coupled to the support structure. In some examples, the support structure is shaped or configured to amplify a response to a haptic actuator. When a haptic actuator is actuated, the support structure deflects, which causes the surface to bend or deflect at a location that substantially corresponds to the location of the activated haptic actuator. In some examples, prior to providing haptic feedback, at least one haptic actuator is electrically pre-stressed to place the haptic actuator(s) in a pre-stressed state. When haptic feedback is to be provided, at least one haptic actuator transitions from the pre-stressed state to a haptic output state to produce one or more deflections in the surface.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a body of apparatus includes an opening, such as a V-shaped jaw, that deterministically locates a position of a wire in at least one dimension when the wire is placed in the opening. The apparatus also includes a plurality of sensors. At least one differential signal can be generated from signals from magnetic sensors, such as anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) sensors, of the plurality of sensors to cancel out common mode interference. An additional sensor of the plurality of sensors provides an output from which the location of the wire in another dimension is determined. The current flowing through the wire can be derived from at least the at least one differential signal and the location of the wire the other dimension.

Abstract: An electronic device can include gain-based error tracking for improved force sensing performance. The electronic device can comprise a plurality of force sensors (e.g., coupled to a touch sensor panel configured to detect an object touching the touch sensor panel). The plurality of force sensors can be configured to detect an amount of force with which the object touches the touch sensor panel. A processor can be coupled to the plurality of force sensors, and the processor can be configured to: in accordance with a determination that an acceleration characteristic of the electronic device is less than a threshold, determine an error metric for one or more of the plurality of force sensors, and in accordance with a determination that the acceleration characteristic of the electronic device is not less than the threshold, forgo determining the error metric for one or more of the plurality of force sensors.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a body of apparatus includes an opening, such as a V-shaped jaw, that deterministically locates a position of a wire in at least one dimension when the wire is placed in the opening. The apparatus also includes a plurality of sensors. At least one differential signal can be generated from signals from magnetic sensors, such as anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) sensors, of the plurality of sensors to cancel out common mode interference. An additional sensor of the plurality of sensors provides an output from which the location of the wire in another dimension is determined. The current flowing through the wire can be derived from at least the at least one differential signal and the location of the wire the other dimension.