Patent Publication Number: US-2011050582-A1

Title: Input device for electronic apparatus

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electronic device input Specifically, the present invention relates to input having a touch screen input for an electronic device. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Various types of electronic devices are frequently used in daily life. As an interface for users, input devices of an electronic device especially receive more and more attentions from the users. Character/letter input devices, such as, for example, keyboards are wildly used in portable or handheld electronic devices, such as, for example, mobile phones, personal digital assistants and electronic dictionaries. Generally, such character/letter input devices can be classified into two categories: wholly mechanical devices and touch screens. 
     A known wholly mechanical keyboards includes a plurality of keys, a metal dome plate positioned below the keys and a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) under the dome plate. Generally, a reinforcement plate is provided below the flexible printed circuit board. The dome palate may be pressed to elastically deform, so as to selectively switched on or off the circuit on the flexible PCB. In addition, a light guide plate and at least one Light Emitting Diode (“LED”) may be positioned blow the plurality of keys to provide light source for the keyboard. Alternatively, an Electronic Luminescence (“EL”) board may be used as the illumination. Such a mechanical keyboard generally has a complicated structure and a thick dimension, and requires a big amount of components. In addition, such a mechanical keyboard occupies a large amount of General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) ports of a microprocessor in the electronic device for transmitting input signals from the keyboard. 
     Touch screens are also widely used in electronic devices. The electronic devices may display a virtual keyboard, and a touch screen may detect the touch and/or contact of a touch pen or a finger on the touch screen and generates an input signal. Although the touch screen has a relative few components, they generally lack tactile feedbacks. Therefore, the input speed through the touch screens is slow. In addition, with the trend of miniaturization of portable or handheld electronic devices, the input area of each character and/or letter displayed on the touch screen are getting smaller and smaller, which increases the possibility of misoperation and brings inconvenience to the users. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The inventions claimed and/or described herein are further described in terms of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scales. These embodiments are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, in which like reference numerals represent similar structures throughout the drawings, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a mobile device according to an exemplary embodiment of the prevent invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial top view of an input device of the mobile device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial side view of the input device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an exemplary key in the input device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the mobile device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an exemplary system applicable to the mobile device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of an exemplary mobile phone  100  applicable to the present invention. The mobile phone  100  includes a phone body  102 , an input device  104 , a display  106  and a microprocessor  108 . Input device  104  may also be referred as an input unit or an input element. In the illustrated embodiment, the display  106  is positioned on the upper portion of the phone body  102 . In the exemplary embodiment, the microprocessor  108  is positioned inside the phone body  102 . The microprocessor  108  may be operatively coupled to and/or in signal communication with the input device  104 , the display  106  and other phone components (not shown). As such, the microprocessor  108  may receive/send signals from/to the input device  104 , the display  106  and/or other phone components, so as to control the input device  104 , display  106  and/or other phone components to realize various functions of the mobile phone  100 . 
     It is appreciated that the herein described methods and/or apparatus may likewise be practiced in other electrical devices, particularly in portable or handheld electronic devices, such as, for example, PDAs, electronic dictionaries, digital cameras, electronic game machines. Therefore, the mobile phone  100  as described and illustrated herein is for illustrative purposes only, and the methods and apparatus described herein is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the input device  104  includes an integral touch screen  112 . The integral touch screen  112  substantially occupies the whole front area of the phone body  102 . The touch screen  112  further includes a key area  114  and a display area  116 . By way of example, the key area  114  is positioned in the lower portion of the phone body  102 , and the display area  116  is positioned in the upper portion of the phone body  102 . In an exemplary embodiment, the touch screen  112  is a resistive touch screen. Alternatively, the touch screen  112  may be a capacitive touch screen. It is appreciated that the touch screen  112  may also be other types of touch screens, such as for example, surface acoustic wave touch screens or infrared sensing touch screen. 
       FIG. 2  is a partial top view of the input device  104  of the mobile phone  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3  is a side view of the part of the input device  104  shown in  FIG. 2 . Specifically,  FIG. 2  illustrates a plan view of the key area  114  of the touch screen  112 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a key array  120  is positioned in the key area  114 , and includes a plurality of keys  122 . Specifically, the keys  122  may include a four-direction operation key  124 , a left function key  126 , a right function key  128  and a QWERTY keyboard  132 . The QWERTY keyboard  132  includes a plurality of English alphabetical keys  130 . In an exemplary embedment, each key  130  may be set as solely for the input of only one corresponding English alphabet, so as to improve the user&#39;s input speed in editing an e-mail or message. It is appreciated that the arrangement of the key array  120  is for illustrative purpose only, and the key array  120  may be arranged in other forms in alternative embodiments. In one embodiment, each key  130  corresponds to the input of a Chinese stroke. In another embodiment, the key array  120  is arranged in a traditional way, so that each key  130  corresponds to the input of three English letters. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the keys  122  are positioned on an upper surface  134  of the touch screen  112 . In an exemplary embodiment, the keys  122  are adhered to the touch screen  112 . Specifically, the plurality of keys  122  may be originally connected with each other via a keyboard pad (not shown). The keyboard pad is attached to the upper surface  134  of the touch screen  112  via an adhesive. The keyboard pad may then be peeled off from the touch screen  112 , and the plurality of keys  122  are left on the touch screen  112 . As such, each key  122  is independently attached to the touch screen  112  and spaced with respect to one another. It is appreciated that the keys  122  may also be mounted on the touch screen  112  through other methods. For example, the keys  122  may be adhered to the touch screen  112  one by one, and the keys  122  may also be fixed onto the touch screen  112  by other methods such as snap-fitting. 
     In addition, a paint or coloured protection layer  136  may be applied on the key area  114  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the touch screen  112 . It may also be coated on the areas between the plurality of keys  122 . As such, the key area  114  may be nontransparent, and has one or more colors to realize different visual and decorative effects. It is appreciated that the key area  114  of the touch screen  112  may also be transparent. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an exemplary key  122  applicable to the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the key  122  is made of rubber, and is transparent or semi-transparent, so that light may pass through the key  122  (described in detail hereinafter). The key  122  is semi-circular in shape and defines an inner space therein. Specifically, the key  122  includes a press portion  140 , an elastic support  142  and a protrusion  144  extending down from the inner side of the press portion  140 . Each key  122  occupies an input area  146  on the surface  134  of the touch screen  112 . When there is no external force applied on the key  122 , the protrusion  144  is supported by the elastic support  142  and is positioned apart from the input area  146  of the touch screen  112 . When the user presses the key  122  downward, the protrusion  144  is pressed against the touch screen  112 . As such, the touch screen  112  detects the contact and generates an input signal. The elastic deformation of the key  122  provides tactile feedback to the user when operating the keys  122 . In addition, some patterns such as alphabets, strokes and/or punctuations (not shown) may be formed inside the key  122  for indicating the corresponding input content of each key  122  by in-mode decoration. 
     It is appreciated that the keys  122  may be made of other elastic material rather than rubber, and may be partially transparent. In another embodiment, the keys  122  is mainly made of a rigid material, and may move up and down under the force of an elastic component It is also appreciated that the structure of the keys  122  are not limited to the illustrated semi-circular structure, and other key structures may also be used to form the keys of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the mobile phone  100  of  FIG. 1 . In the illustrated embodiment, the mobile phone  100  further includes a light guide plate  150  and a lighting source (not shown) attached to the underside of the touch screen  112 . In an exemplary embodiment, the lighting source is a Light Emitting Diode (LED). The key area  114  of the touch screen  112  partially or completely covers the light guide plate  150 , and light from the LED may pass through the light guide plate  150  to the key area  114 . As discussed above, the keys  122  may be at least partially transparent or semi-transparent, so that light from the light source may pass through the key  122  to facilitate identifying the keys  122  in an environment with poor light. It is appreciated that other lighting components, such as electronic luminescence, may be used to replace the light guide plate  150  and LED for providing light for the key area  114 . 
     In the present embodiment, a flexible circuit board  152  is mounted on the underside of the light guide plate  150 . The flexible circuit board  152  electrically connects the touch screen  112  to the microprocessor  108  and provides a signal communication therebetween. When the touch screen  112  is touched by a touch pen, a finger or the key  122 , an input signal is generated and transmitted to the microprocessor  108  through the flexible circuit board  152 . It is appreciated that the flexible circuit board  152  may also be mounted at other places as long as it is able to realize the signal transmission between the touch screen  112  and the microprocessor  108 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the touch screen  112  is a four-wire resistive touch screen, and the flexible circuit board  152  has four wires. As such, only four signal receiving ports on the microprocessor  108  are occupied for receiving input signals from the touch screen  112 . It is appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the number of the signal output ports of the touch screen  112  and the number of wires in the flexible circuit board  152  may increase or decrease. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the display  106  is a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and is fixed onto the underside of the touch screen  112  via an adhesive. It is appreciated that the display  106  may also be a plasma display or other displays in alternative embodiments. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the display area  116  of the touch screen  112  may partially or completely cover the LCD  106 . In an exemplary embodiment, the display area  116  of the touch screen  112  is transparent, so that the user may observe the content displayed on the display  106  through such display area  116 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the touch screen  112  is an integral panel, and the display area  116  and the key area  114  do not overlap with each other. In another embodiment, the touch screen  112  comprises two separate touch screens. One touch screen forms the display area  116 , the other one forms the key area  114 . The two touch screens may be coupled in signal communication with the microprocessor  108 . In still another embodiment, the touch screen  112  includes only the key area  114 , without the display area  116 . In this embodiment, the touch screen  112  does not cover the display  106 . 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an exemplary system  160  applicable to the mobile phone  100  of  FIG. 1 . In the illustrated embodiment, the microprocessor  108  is in signal communication with the input device  104 , specifically, in signal communication with the touch screen  112 . As such, the microprocessor  108  may receive various operational instructions from the user. The microprocessor  108  is operatively coupled to the display  106  for controlling the content displayed on the display  106 . It is appreciated that, the microprocessor  108  may also be operatively coupled to other phone components, such as for example, lighting sources, antennas, communication modules, data storages and/or speakers (not shown). As such, the microprocessor  108  may controls the phone components to perform various function of the mobile phone  100 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , as discussed above, the input signals generated by a touch pen or a finger touching the display area  116  or by pressing the key  112  in the key area  114  are transmitted to the microprocessor  108 . The input signals may include a touch position, a press strength and/or other information. The microprocessor  108  analyzes the received input signals, and control the display  106  to display a corresponding content based on the received input signals. It is appreciated that the signals representing the touches in the display area  116  and the key area  114  may be independently, alternately or simultaneously generated and transmitted to the microprocessor  108 . 
     When the user conducts input operations in the display area  116 , the display  106  may display virtue buttons or patterns thereon. Based on such virtue buttons or patterns, the user may click, cross, select or otherwise operate corresponding positions of the display area  116  to input data or instructions. The user may also handwrite in the display area  116  to input letters and/or characters. It is appreciated that the methods for inputting based on such virtue buttons/patterns and for realizing the handwriting on the touch screen are within the purview of those skilled in the art, so further discussion thereof is omitted here. 
     As discussed above, the keys  122  are positioned in a certain arrangement in the key area  114  of the touch screen  112 . When the user conducts input operations on the key area  114 , each key  122  may press a specific input area  146  of the touch screen  112  to generate a corresponding input signal. As such, the key area  114  may have plurality of predetermined input areas  146  corresponding to different character/letter input signals. When the microprocessor  108  receives an input signal from the touch screen  112 , the microprocessor  108  based on the pressed position in the key area  114  determines that a corresponding character/letter input is received. In a further embodiment, if the pressed position is within the key area  114  but out of any of the input areas  146 , the microprocessor  108  may be programmed to ignore this input signal. The microprocessor  108  may, based on the received character/letter input signal, control the display  106  to display a corresponding content, generate a corresponding sound signal, and/or conduct other operations. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the touch screen  112  substantially covers the upper surface of the mobile phone  100 , which facilitates realizing a reliable, waterproof, and dustproof for the mobile phone  100 . In this embodiment, a plurality of keys  122  is provided on the touch screen  112 , which provides good tactile feedback to the user, and facilitates increased input speed. In addition, comparing with existing mechanical keyboard, touch screen  112  occupies a less amount of input ports of the microprocessor, and the thickness of input device  104  may be significantly. 
     While the inventions have been described with reference to the certain illustrated embodiments, the words that have been used herein are words of description, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects. For example, the lighting source could be positioned in the different space in the apparatus. Although the inventions have been described herein with reference to particular structures, acts, the invention is not to be limited to the particulars described, but rather can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, some of which may be quite different from those of the disclosed embodiments, and extends to all equivalent structures, and acts, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.