Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a rocker switch for an electronic device and more particularly to a four-way rocker switch having a display mounted thereon for use in a cell phone. 
     2. Discussion of the Background 
     In order to miniaturize the input devices for electronic systems, the rocker switch has been designed, which allows five different contact possibilities for a single switch which can be manipulated over a relatively small area. One such device is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,618.  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the present application show a device such as described in that patent. 
     A case  31  is provided in a generally box shape with an open top. A cover  32  is provided which covers the open top of the case. The inner bottom surface of the case has a central stationary contact  33  and a corresponding outer stationary contact  34  arranged in the center portion thereof. Four peripheral stationary contacts  35  (only one of which is shown) are placed in the four corners of the bottom surface of the case. Terminals  40 ,  42 ,  43  and  44 , as well as other terminals which are hidden from view, are connected to these six contacts to connect with an electronic device. A movable contact  45  is made of a thin resilient metal sheet and disposed so that the center is over the central contact  33  and the periphery rests on stationary contact  34 . A manipulation body  46 , including a shaft  46 A, a flange  46 B and a projection  46 C rests on and is supported by the movable contact  45 . The flange portion of the manipulation body is housed within the case and extends upwardly through a central hole in the cover  32 . The flange  46 B has a metal contact plate  47  arranged on four sides. A manipulation knob  48  is attached to the upper end of the manipulation body  46 . 
     In operation, the manipulation knob  48  is controlled by the user and may be moved to any of five positions for actuation. If the knob is depressed directly downwardly, the contact is made between central contact  33  and outer contact  34 . If the knob is tilted toward any of the four corners, the contact plate  47  will come into contact with the corresponding contact  35  to actuate that contact. Accordingly, it is possible for the user to select any of the four corner contacts or the center contact for actuation merely by manipulating the knob  48 . 
     When similar products are used on a cell phone, the amount of space available for the various buttons and displays is very limited. In order to reuse space, many devices use soft keys for some functions. However, these keys consume display screen real estate and provide a relatively small display area. In addition, the close proximity of buttons on the small devices such as cell phones increases the susceptibility to an accidental button press. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to utilize arrangements which save space both for buttons and displays and which allow easy control of the various buttons. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a rocker switch having a display mounted thereon. 
     The present invention further provides a compact arrangement of a rocker switch and a display device which saves space. 
     The present invention still further provides a four-way rocker switch useable for cell phones and other electronic devices where the display is mounted on the switch to save space. 
     The present invention still further provides a rocker switch having a display mounted on the upper surface thereof in order to provide a changeable display of the key functions. 
     The present invention further provides a rocker switch having a display mounted thereon and held by a retention clip. 
     The present invention also provides a rocker switch with a display mounted thereon and having an enabling device so that a corner switch is not actuated when a vertical movement occurs. 
     The present invention achieves this by providing a four-way rocker switch having a manipulator plate for actuating the rocker switch on which is placed a display device held by a retention clip for maintaining the display in position. When the manipulator plate is moved either vertically or into the corners, the various contacts are actuated for a signal to the enabling device. An enabling device forwards the signals from the switches to a circuit board. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a prior art switch device; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the prior art device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are examples of displayed messages of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
       FIG. 3  shows the present invention in conjunction with an electronic device. The electronic device  100  may be, for example, a cell phone or other similar device. In one section of the surface of the device  100 , a display arrangement  102  is provided. The display is preferably flush with the surface of the electronic device  100 . The display device has five contacts, indicated in dotted lines  104 , formed therebeneath to provide the five position switches.  FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of the present invention wherein the display arrangement  102  is set in a recess in a surface of electronic device  100 . As can be seen, the top surface of this arrangement is flush with the surface of the electronic device. The switch arrangement includes a manipulator plate  106  which corresponds in function to the manipulator knob of the prior art device. On top of this plate is formed a display device  108 . The display device is held in position by a retention clip. The retention clip is a mechanical device holding the display device  108  to the plate  106 . A flexible material also may be included along the perimeter of the display and under the retention clip. This flexible material is used to fill the gap between the plate and display and the edge of the surface of the electronic device. This keeps out dust and other foreign material when the display is being pressed. The retention clip and flexible material can be mounted in such a manner that they are flush with the surface. In place of the retention clip, it is also possible to utilize other mechanical connectors or to use an adhesive material. The display apparatus  102  is mounted above a series of switches  104 . When the display apparatus is pushed in the center, the central switch  104  is actuated. If the plate is pushed in one of the corner positions, one of the corner switches is actuated. The display apparatus is mounted in a fashion similar to that in the prior art so that a rocking motion is achieved. 
     In a preferred example, the display arrangement  102  is roughly 1½ inches by 2 inches and can display up to 7 lines of text. However, the device may be used with a display of any size and with any numbers of lines of text. 
     While  FIG. 4  shows the switches as having actuating rods, in fact, it is also possible for contacts to be mounted directly on the manipulator plate  106  and the opposing surface at the bottom of the recess. Thus, instead of discrete switching devices, it is possible for opposing contacts to be used. 
       FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic showing the connections of the various switches to the printed circuit board. Although it is possible for all five switches to be connected directly to the printed circuit board, it is preferable to utilize an enabling device  112  to which the four corner switches are connected. This device disables an input whenever it is within some fixed angle of vertical, such as 20 degrees of vertical. In this way, when the user actuates the switches, the switches will not be actuated unless the input is below 20 degrees to vertical. 
     While the enabling device has been shown as being an electronic device to determine the angle of input, it could be replaced by mechanical devices which determine the angle if desired. 
     The various inputs to the printed circuit board are connected to the electronics of the cell phone or other device  100 . The display device  108  is also controlled, such as through a driver interface, by the printed circuit board and the components mounted thereon, such as a controller chip. 
     The display is controlled to identify the function of each of the five switch positions. These functions change along with the use of the switches. 
     For example,  FIG. 6A  shows a display indicating the five positions for actuating messages, directories, services, settings and help. If the upper right corner is actuated, a second display is shown indicated with the heading “directory” as shown in  FIG. 6B . The four corner positions are then indicated by up, down, select and exit. Thus, the four possible selections in the menu can be changed by hitting the up and down buttons until the desired selection is reached. At that time, the select button may be pressed. If instead it is desired to return to the previous display such as shown in  FIG. 6A , the exit button is pushed. 
     Thus, by using this arrangement, considerable space is saved on the face of the cell phone. It is not necessary to have a separate display for the rocker switch and instead the functions of the five positions of the switch can be easily displayed in a manner which is compact and which allows the user to easily make selections. By combining the display and switch, it is possible to have a larger array for the buttons which make it easier for the user to find the correct contact point. By using this arrangement rather than the soft keys on a main display, context sensitive displays are available on the rocker switch itself. This saves the cost of separate soft key buttons or touch sensitive display. Larger displays can be used on the rocker switch to show more detail to decrease the possibility of erroneous input. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: h