Apple may be adding a Camera Control button similar to those on the iPhone to an upcoming iPad, a new patent dubbed “”Input System for Portable Electronic Device” hints.
The Camera Control button is a flush, touch-and-pressure-sensitive physical button located on the bottom-right side of supported iPhone models. It launches the camera app with a click, takes photos with a firmer press, records video when held down, and lets you swipe or light-press to adjust zoom, exposure, and depth.
About the patent
In the patent Apple says modern consumer electronic devices take many shapes and forms, and have numerous uses and functions. For example, a mobile phone or tablet computer may include a touch-sensitive display for providing graphical outputs and for accepting touch inputs, wireless communications systems for connecting with other devices to send and receive data and voice content, cameras for capturing photographs and videos, and so forth.
Input systems may provide user control of certain device functions and settings. As evidenced by the patent graphics, Apple seems to feel a Camera Control button would be useful on an iPad.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “An electronic device may include an input button system including an input member positioned along the side exterior surface of a housing component and configured to receive a force input, a beam structure at least partially within the enclosure, the beam structure configured to be deflected as a result of the force input on the input member, a first strain sensing element at a first location of the beam structure, and a second strain sensing element at a second location of the beam structure.
“The electronic device may further include a processing system configured to determine a region on the input member where the force input was applied using the strain sensing elements, and cause the electronic device to perform a first operation in response to detecting that the force input satisfies a first force threshold.”
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