{
  "patent_number": "US 10942571",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Laptops Create Localized Vibrations on Their Surfaces",
  "original_title": "Laptop computing device with discrete haptic regions",
  "summary": "Apple's patent describes a laptop design that delivers tiny, distinct vibrations to specific parts of its surface, like a trackpad or palm rest, without those vibrations being felt in the areas right next to them.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a laptop computing device that provides precise haptic (touch-based) feedback in very specific areas. The laptop's lower portion, which includes the keyboard and trackpad, is designed with multiple \"discrete haptic regions\" (Claim 1) that touch each other. Each of these regions has its own \"haptic actuator\" (Claim 1) that can make it vibrate. The key feature is that when one region vibrates, a user touching an \"abutting\" (next to) region will not feel that vibration (Claim 1). For example, a specific part of a trackpad could provide a click sensation, while the area immediately surrounding it remains still. Claim 2 specifies that the active region deforms by at least 10 microns, while an abutting region deforms by less than 10 microns.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Haptic feedback that is felt broadly across a large surface, like an entire trackpad vibrating uniformly.",
    "Devices where haptic output in one region is easily perceptible in an immediately adjacent region.",
    "Haptic feedback systems that do not involve distinct, separate haptic regions.",
    "Haptic feedback that does not cause a physical deformation of the device's outer surface (Claim 8).",
    "Haptic systems in devices that are not specifically laptop computing devices (Claim 1)."
  ],
  "filed": "2019-01-30",
  "granted": "2021-03-09",
  "expires": "2039-01-30",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Apple",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/apple",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Robert Y. Cao",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/robert-y-cao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bryan W. Posner",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/bryan-w-posner"
    },
    {
      "name": "Keith J. Hendren",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/keith-j-hendren"
    },
    {
      "name": "Alex J. Lehmann",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/alex-j-lehmann"
    },
    {
      "name": "Denis H. Endisch",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/denis-h-endisch"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dinesh C. Mathew",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/dinesh-c-mathew"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 9,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "software",
    "mechanical",
    "telecommunications"
  ],
  "abstract": "Embodiments described herein relate to an electronic device that provides discrete haptic output in separate regions of a device housing. These regions may both accept input and provide haptic output. Typically, a haptic output provided in a first region is imperceptible to a user touching an abutting region.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10942571/laptop-computing-device-with-discrete-haptic-regions",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10942571/laptop-computing-device-with-discrete-haptic-regions/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US10942571",
  "relatedPatents": [
    {
      "patentNumber": "10013058",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How Apple Embeds Haptic Actuators Directly Into Device Layers",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10013058/face-id"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "9652041",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "Precisely Stopping Device Vibrations for Better Touch Feedback",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9652041/haptic-device-with-linear-resonant-actuator"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "8898564",
      "countryCode": "US",
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    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "20160291760",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "Adjusting Touchscreen Sensitivity Based on Device Tilt Angle",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20160291760/contact-discrimination-using-a-tilt-angle-of-a-touch-sensitive-surface"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "6323846",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How a Multi-Touch Screen Detects Multiple Fingers and Palms",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6323846/aqua-user-interface"
    }
  ]
}