User interface for audio device

• US 10,425,716 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piearcings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Piearcings, LLC
• Inventors: Prelogar, Barrett, Prelogar, Patsy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thang V
• Application Number:
  US15/927,725
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

A user interface device useable with a wireless audio or audio/video device. The user interface device includes a layered configuration that includes a layer of sensors separated from an input plate by a compressible layer. Touch inputs from a user cause the input plate to be tilted or moved toward the sensors and to compress the compressible layer. The sensors are configured in an array such that variations in the tilt of the input plate and/or a distance between the input plate and the sensor is recognizable and useable to instruct operation of an associated device that is to be controlled via the touch inputs.

Claims

1. A user-interface device comprising:

a printed circuit board having a central pad, a first satellite pad, a second satellite pad, and a third satellite pad, the first, second, and third satellite pads being coupled to the central pad by respective flexible arms and being folded onto the central pad in a layered arrangement;

a control board disposed on the central pad and communicably coupled to a computing device to provide input signals to the computing device,

a base plane forming an electrically conductive ground plane on the first satellite pad;

a sensor array including a plurality of sensors disposed on the second satellite pad; and

an input plate including an electrically conductive material disposed on the third satellite pad.

2. The user-interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a dielectric material disposed between the ground plane on the first satellite pad and the sensors on the second satellite pad.

3. The user-interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cushion disposed between the second satellite pad and the third satellite pad, the cushion being compressible to enable the input plate to be moveable toward the sensors on the second satellite pad upon application of a force on the third satellite pad by a user.

4. The user-interface device of claim 3, wherein the cushion comprises a foam material.

5. The user-interface device of claim 3, wherein the cushion comprises a neoprene material.

6. The user-interface device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors on the second satellite pad are arranged in a ring spaced about a perimeter of the second satellite pad.

7. The user-interface device of claim 6, wherein the sensor array includes a second sensor disposed within a central portion of the ring of sensors.

8. The user-interface device of claim 1, wherein the sensors on the second satellite pad comprise capacitive sensors.

9. The user-interface device of claim 1, wherein input plate is rigid.

10. The user-interface device of claim 1, wherein the input plate is at least partially flexible to allow partial temporary deformation of the input plate upon application of a force by a user.

11. The user-interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover disposed to overlie the input plate, the cover being at least partially flexible to enable movement of the input plate of the third satellite pad toward the second satellite pad upon application of a force by a user on the cover.

12. A user-interface device comprising:

a printed circuit board having a central pad, a first satellite pad, a second satellite pad, and a third satellite pad, the first, second, and third satellite pads being coupled to the central pad by respective flexible arms, the arms being folded to arrange the first, second, and third satellite pads on the central pad in a layered arrangement;

a control board disposed on the central pad and communicably coupled to a computing device to provide input signals to the computing device,

a base plane pad forming an electrically conductive ground plane on the first satellite pad;

a sensor array including a plurality of capacitive sensors disposed on the second satellite pad;

an input plate including an electrically conductive material disposed on the third satellite pad;

a compressible cushion layer disposed between the input plate and the sensor array; and

a cover disposed to overlie the input plate, the cover being at least partially flexible to enable movement of the input plate of the third satellite pad toward the second satellite pad upon application of a force by a user on the cover.

13. The user-interface device of claim 12, wherein the cover comprises a portion of an exterior surface of a body of an electronic device in which the user-interface device is disposed.

14. The user-interface device of claim 12, wherein the sensor array is configured to detect a location of a force applied by a user on the cover.

15. The user-interface device of claim 12, wherein the sensor array is configured to detect a magnitude of a force applied by a user on the cover.

16. The user-interface device of claim 12, wherein the input plate is normally oriented parallel to and spaced apart from the sensor array, and wherein the input plate is tilted relative to the sensor array by a force applied by a user on the cover, and at least a portion of the input plate is moved toward the sensor array.