Patent ID: 11941907
Assignee: APPLE INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G  B | IPC A  G

Claim 9:
10. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display disposed at least partially within the housing;
a transparent cover positioned over the display;
an acoustic imaging sensor coupled to a bottom surface of the transparent cover, the acoustic imaging sensor comprising,
a first distribution of transducers circumscribing the transparent cover and operable in a drive mode in which at least one transducer of the first distribution of transducers mechanically deforms in response to a drive signal;
a second distribution of transducers disposed adjacent to the first distribution of transducers and operable in a sense mode in which at least one transducer of the second distribution of transducers produces an electronic signal when a section of the transparent cover adjacent to the at least one transducer of the second distribution of transducers mechanically deforms;

a master controller configured to:
actuate a first subgroup controller to cause the at least one transducer of the first distribution of transducers to cause a mechanical wave to be generated across at least one of a top surface or a thickness of the transparent cover toward an interior portion of the transparent cover; and
receive, from a second subgroup controller, the electronic signal from the at least one transducer of the second distribution of transducers; and

an image resolver in communication with the master controller and operable to construct an image of an object engaging the top surface of the transparent cover based on the electronic signal received by the master controller.