Abstract:
A touchpad interface device comprises a sensing board, a light guide plate, a control panel, and a plurality of lighting elements. 
     The control panel includes a plurality of transparent areas and a plurality of covering areas to form a plurality of patterns. Users can understand the operating functionality of the control panel according to the plurality of patterns, wherein the plurality of patterns comprise a plurality of scale patterns, and the plurality of scale patterns have a volume adjusting area. 
     The plurality of light members is located under the control panel and corresponding to the volume adjusting area. When the plurality of lighting elements illuminate, the scale patterns at the corresponding position are illuminated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a touchpad interface device, and, more particularly, to a touchpad interface device disposed next to a keyboard of a portable computer. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The manufacturing technology of touchpad devices has been improved rapidly these few years. The performance and quality of the products have been improved too, and the price has been reduced. Therefore, various touchpad devices have become more and more popular. 
         [0005]    Generally, touchpad devices can be divided into three types: capacitive touchpads, resistive touchpads, and electromagnetic touchpads. These different touchpad devices have their own benefits and drawbacks, and capacitive touchpads are more suitable for portable computers. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,584 “Methods and Apparatus For Controlling A Portable Electronic Device Using A Touchpad” discloses a similar technology. 
         [0007]    Some products have some figures or text print on the touchpad so that users can be aware of specific functionalities. 
         [0008]    Furthermore, some mobile phone keyboards have lighting effects for decorative purposes. 
         [0009]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method and a touchpad interface device using light for displaying level to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A main objective of the present invention is to provide a method and a touchpad interface device using light for displaying level, which can help the users operate the application software in the computer. 
         [0011]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method and a touchpad interface device using light for displaying level, which can help the user know the current volume level. 
         [0012]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the touchpad interface device of the present invention comprises a sensing board, a light guide plate, a control panel, and a plurality of lighting elements. 
         [0013]    The control panel has a plurality of transparent areas and a plurality of covering areas forming a plurality of patterns such that the user can understand the operating functionality of the control panel according to the plurality of patterns; wherein the plurality of pattern comprises a plurality of scale patterns, and the plurality of scale patterns comprises a volume adjusting area; 
         [0014]    The sensing board is disposed under the control panel for sensing physical contact; wherein the sensing board has a volume adjustment sensing area corresponding to the position of the volume adjusting area; and 
         [0015]    The plurality of lighting elements are disposed under the control panel and at a position corresponding to the volume adjusting area; wherein when the lighting elements illuminate, the scale patterns at the corresponding position are illuminated; 
         [0016]    Furthermore, when the user touches the volume adjusting area, the volume adjustment sensing area is activated to control the brightness of the lighting element such that the plurality of scale patterns are illuminated; wherein more scale patterns being illuminated indicates the volume is at a higher level, and the user is made aware of the level of the volume by the brightness of the scale pattern. 
         [0017]    Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a touchpad interface device installed in a portable computer according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 1A  is a hardware structure drawing of the portable computer. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional drawing of the touchpad interface device according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a three-dimensional exploding drawing of the touchpad interface device according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3A  shows a partial area of an inner surface of a control panel according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3B  shows a partial area of an outer surface of the control panel according to the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the touchpad interface device according to the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5A  is a cross-sectional drawing along line  5 A- 5 A shown in  FIG. 4  according to the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5B  is an enlargement of the region circled in  FIG. 5A . 
           [0027]      FIG. 6A  is a cross-sectional drawing along line  6 A- 6 A shown in  FIG. 4  according to the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 6B  is an enlargement of the region circled in  FIG. 6A . 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a top view drawing of the touchpad interface device according to the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is another three-dimensional drawing of the touchpad interface device according to the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is another top view drawing of the touchpad interface device according to the present invention. 
           [0032]    FIGS.  10 □ 13  are schematic drawings of the user touching the volume adjusting area with his or her finger. 
           [0033]      FIG. 14  is a schematic drawing of an adjusting area according to the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 15  is a flow chart of the volume adjustment process of the portable computer according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0035]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 . A touchpad interface device  10  is installed next to a keyboard  91  of a portable computer  90 . Please refer to  FIG. 1A . The portable computer  90  comprises the keyboard  91 , a processor  92 , a memory  93  (such as DRAM, a hard disk, or an optical disk), a screen  94 , and a speaker  95 . The memory  93  has system programs and a multimedia application program  931  (such as mp3, mp4 player programs) and a multimedia operation interface control program  932 . The touchpad interface device  10  of the present invention is used for operating the multimedia operation interface control program  932  to control the multimedia application program  931 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 4 , the touchpad interface device  10  comprises a sensing board  20 , a light guide plate  30 , a control panel  40 , and a plurality of lighting elements  53 . 
         [0037]    The sensing board  20  has a volume adjustment sensing area  21  for the user to adjust media volume level and a player control sensing area  22  for the user to control the media play execution. In this embodiment, the volume adjustment sensing area  21  has several volume sensing areas  211 , which individually process an input value from zero to a specific amount. As shown in the drawing, the volume adjustment sensing area  21  has five volume sensing areas  211 , which process input values from zero to four and their respective volume control percentages 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. Furthermore, the player control sensing area  22  has a media play execution sensing area  221  disposed at the center of the arc-shaped volume adjustment sensing area  21 , and eight option sensing areas  222  (used for such functions as selecting image files or multimedia programs) arranged in a ring shape and disposed between the media play execution sensing area  221  and the volume sensing area  211 . Moreover, the player control sensing area  22  has a play/pause sensing area  223 , a previous one sensing area  224 , a next one sensing area  225 , and a repeat sensing area  226  all disposed at the same radius distance from the volume sensing area  211 , and the player control sensing area  22  has a stop sensing area  227 , a fast rewind sensing area  228 , and a fast forward sensing area  229  in its very outer circle. The arrangement of the volume adjustment sensing area  21  and the player control sensing area  22  can be various. 
         [0038]    More important, all sensing areas (the volume sensing area  211 , the option sensing area  222 , etc.) divided on the sensing board  20  can also be identified by the coordinate position of the physical contact on the sensing board  20 , and the corresponding coordinate position indicates the related functionality. 
         [0039]    The light guide plate  30  is disposed on the sensing board  20  and used for the purpose of emitting light evenly. The light guide plate  30  comprises a first light guide plate  31  and a second light guide plate  32 . The first light guide plate  31  is disposed above the volume adjustment sensing area  21  of the sensing board  20 , and the second light guide plate  32  is disposed above the player control sensing area  22  of the sensing board  20 . Furthermore, a gap  301  exists between the first light guide plate  31  and the second light guide plate  32  to prevent light interference. 
         [0040]    The first light guide plate  31  has a plurality of interference slits  311  at the position corresponding to the volume adjustment sensing area  21  of the sensing board  20  to form several individual light emitting faces  312 . The first light guide plate  31  has a light introducing face  313  corresponding to each lighting element  53 . As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , these light introducing faces  313  are used for receiving the light transmitted from the lighting elements  53  and reflecting it, and the light is then emitted evenly through each individual light emitting face  312 . In this embodiment, the first light guide plate  31  has eight light emitting faces  312  at the position corresponding to the volume adjustment sensing area  21  of the sensing board  20 . Therefore, each lighting element  53  corresponding to the individual light introducing face  313  can be controlled by different volume sensing areas  211  and illuminate simultaneously. 
         [0041]    The top of the second light guide plate  32  forms a light emitting face  321 , and the second light guide plate  32  has a tooth-shaped light introducing face  322  corresponding to each lighting element  53 . The light introducing face  322  of the second light guide plate  32  receives the light transmitted from the lighting elements  53  and reflects it, and the light is then emitted through the light emitting face  321  of the second light guide plate  32 . These lighting elements  53  can be light-emitting diodes (LED), and the color of the light from the lighting elements  53  of the first light guide plate  31  can be different from the color of the light from the lighting elements  53  of the second light guide plate  32 , so the first and the second light guide plates  31 ,  32  can emit lights of different colors. 
         [0042]    Moreover, if the lighting elements  53  need to be placed deeper in the light guide plate  30 , some lighting elements  53  can be placed in the gap  301 , or a plurality of containing slots  314  can be disposed on the light guide plate  30  for placing the lighting elements  53 . 
         [0043]    Please refer to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B . The control panel  40  is a flat panel and disposed on the light guide plate  30 . The control panel  40  has an inner surface  401  and an outer surface  402 . The inner surface  401  has a first cover layer (covering area)  41 , and the first cover layer  41  is non-translucent. The first cover layer  41  can be paint material which is attached to the inner surface  401  of the control panel  40  by being painted or plated. 
         [0044]    The first cover layer  41  has more than one transparent area  45 , and the transparent areas  45  are arranged to form a pattern  47  (such as letters, symbols, or figures) required by the customer. 
         [0045]    A projected image of the transparent areas  45  and the first cover layer  41  is formed on the outer surface  402  of the control panel  40 . Substantially, the transparent area  45  has a smooth surface as the inner surface of the control panel  40 , so the light transmitted from the light guide plate  30  can enter into the control panel  40  via the inner surface  401 . 
         [0046]    The outer surface  402  of the control panel  40  individually has a plurality of second cover layers (covering area)  42  corresponding to the projected image area of the transparent areas  45 , and the second cover layer  42  is used for isolating the light from entering the control panel  40  via the transparent areas  45 . The second cover layer  42  can be paint material which is attached to the outer surface  402  of the control panel  40  by being painted or plated. The size of the second cover layer  42  is smaller than the pattern  47  of the transparent areas  45 . 
         [0047]    Because the size of the second cover layer  42  (e.g. a symbol or pattern) is smaller than the pattern  47  of the transparent areas  45 , a double-layered pattern  47  is formed by the second cover layer  42  and transparent areas  45  such that the light is transmitted from the outer surface  402  of the control panel  40  via the transparent areas  45  to form the protruding pattern  47  with a three dimensional visual effect. 
         [0048]    The control panel  40  utilizes the functional pattern  47  formed by the first cover layer  41  and the second cover layer  42  to provide a volume adjusting area  43  and a player control area  44  for the user. In this embodiment, the volume adjusting area  43  is used for enabling the user to adjust the volume. The volume adjusting area  43  of the control panel  40  is disposed on the volume adjustment sensing area  21  of the sensing board  20 , and the plurality of patterns  47  on the volume adjusting area  43  has a plurality of scale patterns  471  (such as small bar-shaped blocks). The plurality of scale patterns  471  are aligned continuously and in an arc-shaped radiant arrangement, and are disposed at the positions corresponding to the light emitting face  312  of the first light guide plate  31 . Furthermore, the player control area  44  of the control panel  40  has different functional patterns  47  at the positions corresponding to the different sensing areas of the player control sensing area  22  of the sensing board  20 . When the user touches the volume adjusting area  43  or the player control area  44  of the control panel  40 , the corresponding volume adjustment sensing area  21  or the player control sensing area  22  of the sensing board  20  receives a signal to control the execution of the media and generate a visual effect on the control panel  40  at the same time. 
         [0049]    When the user first turns on the touchpad interface device  10 , all lighting elements  53  in the player control sensing area  22  transmit light to the second light guide plate  32 , so the player control area  44  of the control panel  40  generates a three dimensional visual effect and provides functional options for the user to operate the media. As for the lighting elements  53  in the volume adjustment sensing area  21 , only the lighting element  53  corresponding to the volume sensing area which has an input value of 0 illuminates light, which makes the light emitting face  312  corresponding to the first light guide plate  31  emit light such that only part of the volume adjusting area  43  of the control panel  40  has a three dimensional visual effect, as shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . 
         [0050]    Please refer to FIGS.  9 □ 13 , related to how the user would adjust the volume level via the volume adjusting area  43 . 
         [0051]    Please refer to  FIG. 9 . Assuming the beginning volume level is the minimum, only the lower portion of the scale pattern  471  is illuminated, and the user can judge the level of volume by the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471 . For clarity, the illuminated scale patterns are indicated as  471   a , and the non-illuminated scale patterns are indicated as  471   b . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the illuminated scale patterns  471   a  are arranged contiguously, and the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b  are also arranged contiguously. 
         [0052]    Please refer to  FIG. 10 . When the user uses his/her finger  80  to touch the volume adjusting area  43  on the control panel  40  and moves along the arc-shaped arranged scale patterns  471  upward, the light displayed on the volume adjusting area  43  moves simultaneously with use&#39;s finger  80 , and the volume is also changed correspondingly. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a  is increased, and the number of the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b  is decreased. If user&#39;s finger  80  first touches the illuminated scale patterns  471   a  and then moves to the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b , the playing volume is turned up more, and the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a  is increased. 
         [0053]    Please refer to  FIG. 12 . When the user wants to turn down the volume, the user uses the finger  80  to touch the volume adjusting area  43  on the control panel  40  and moves along the arc-shaped arranged scale patterns  471  downward. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a  is decreased, and the number of the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b  is increased. If the user&#39;s finger  80  first touches the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b  and then moves to the illuminated scale patterns  471   a , the playing volume is turned down further, and the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a  is decreased. 
         [0054]      FIG. 10  to  FIG. 13  illustrate that when the user uses the finger  80  to touch the volume adjusting area  43  on the control panel  40  and moves along the arc-shaped arranged scale patterns  471  upward or downward, the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471  simultaneously increases or decreases; therefore, the user can be aware of the level of the volume according to the scale pattern  471 . 
         [0055]    Please refer to  FIG. 14 . In order to provide convenience for the user, when the user uses his/her finger to touch the scale pattern  471  to adjust the volume level, it can be limited such that the use&#39;s finger must first touch the adjusting area  474  for adjustment to take place; in other words, movement either in the direction  474   b , toward the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b , or in the direction  474   a , toward the illuminated scale patterns  471   a , must begin in the adjusting area  474 . The adjusting area  474  is defined as the area between the illuminated scale patterns  471   a  and the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b . When the user uses his/her finger to touch the adjusting area  474  and then moves the finger to the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b , the adjusting signal increases both the volume output and the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a , with a corresponding decrease in the number of the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b . If the user first touches the adjusting area  474  and then moves the finger to the illuminated scale patterns  471   a , the adjusting signal decreases both the level of the volume output and the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a , with a corresponding increase in the number of the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b.    
         [0056]    In order to achieve the effect shown in  FIG. 10  to  FIG. 14 , a multimedia operation interface control program  932  needs to be executed. The following description explains the flowchart of the volume adjustment process, as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
       Step  501 : 
       [0057]    Receiving a moving signal, which is activated by the user. 
         [0058]    The moving signal is generated, as shown in  FIG. 10  or  FIG. 12 , when the user is moving his or her finger  80  in the volume adjusting area  43 . The volume sensing area  211  of the sensing board  20  detects the movement of finger  80 ; consequently, the sensing board  20  transmits the moving signal to the processor  92 . 
       Step  502 : 
       [0059]    Transmitting an adjustment signal according to the moving signal. The adjusting signal is used for controlling the level of the performance output. The performance output can be the volume output as described in this embodiment, screen brightness output, or screen color fullness, etc. 
         [0060]    The processor  92  transmits an adjustment signal according to the moving signal to the speaker  95 . The adjustment signal can be an adjustment value for the output volume (such as 80% of the volume output) or a signal for increasing or decreasing the volume. 
         [0061]    The moving signal can be a series of coordinate signals, and the coordinate signals are used for determining the request from the user. Furthermore, the moving signal can also determine the request from the user by different volume sensing areas  211  as described in this embodiment. Since the analysis technology for the moving signal is well known to those skilled in the art, no further description is provided. 
         [0062]    Please refer to  FIG. 14 . One way to determine whether the adjusting signal is transmitted is to determine whether the adjusting area  474  has been touched. If it has been touched, the adjusting signal is transmitted to control the level of the performance output. If the user first touches the adjusting area  474  and then moves to the non-illuminated scale patterns  471   b , the adjusting signal increases both the level of the performance output and the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a . If the user first touches the adjusting area  474  and then moves to the illuminated scale patterns  471   a , the adjusting signal decreases both the level of the performance output and the number of the illuminated scale patterns  471   a . Step  503 : 
         [0063]    Transmitting a lighting control signal. The lighting control signal is used for controlling whether the plurality of lighting elements  53  illuminate, wherein more lighting elements  53  illuminating indicates a higher level of the performance output. 
         [0064]    The lighting control signal determines which lighting elements  53  should illuminate basically according to the moving signal so the corresponding scale patterns  471  are illuminated. As in the previous description, the light guide plate  30  introduces the light to the control panel  40  evenly or by a special effect; therefore, the light guide plate  30  should be placed between the sensing board  20  and the control panel  40 . 
         [0065]    However, the design of the present invention is an absolute volume design, not the well-known relative volume design. When the user wants to increase the volume, his/her finger moves along the volume adjusting area  43 , and the light follows the user&#39;s finger and appears on the volume adjusting area  43 . When the user&#39;s finger moves to any portion of the volume adjusting area  43 , the light simultaneously appears on the volume adjusting area  43 . Therefore, the absolute volume level required by the user can be indicated by the three dimensional visual effect generated simultaneously such that the user can immediately know the current volume level without fine-tuning. 
         [0066]    Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.