Keypads

• US 20020180698A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kaelbling, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/157,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180698A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A device seeks to convert the natural motions of a human hand and fingers into characters on a compact portable electronic device. The handset arrangement allows data to be entered conveniently into a small telephone with the hand that is holding the handset and without necessitating the support of a surface or a second hand. Fine-grained position or pressure measurement devices are incorporated into at least one button, the presence of a user'"'"'s finger and the degree of pressure applied by the user are mapped to particular data entry choices. The device thus provides a convenient alternative to a conventional keypad.

Claims

1. A data entry arrangement for enabling entry of data into a portable electronic device by a user using one unsupported hand, the data entry arrangement comprising:

data input means for generating a data entry signal in response to user manipulation thereof, said signal corresponding to a value of a measurement parameter, variable in dependence upon said user manipulation; and

a processing means for interpreting said signal, wherein each of a plurality of ranges of possible parameter values is associated with one of a plurality of groups of possible data entries.

2. A data entry arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measurement parameter is displacement, and wherein the data input means is a fine-grained displacement measurement component.

3. A data entry arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the displacement measurement component is an electromechanical multi-position switch, whereby the displacement measured is the displacement of a movable portion of the measurement component relative to a predetermined position.

4. A data entry arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the displacement measurement component is a piezoelectric detector, whereby the displacement measured is displacement relative to a predetermined position of a point at which pressure is detected by the piezoelectric detector.

5. A data entry arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the displacement measured is a displacement path traced by a point at which pressure is detected by the piezoelectric detector.

6. A data entry arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measurement parameter is pressure and wherein the data input means is a fine-grained pressure measurement component.

7. A data entry arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the pressure measurement component is a piezoelectric detector, whereby the pressure measured is pressure applied to the measurement component by a user, a given range of pressure applied being associated with a respective one of a plurality of groups of possible data entries.

8. A data entry arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one auxiliary data entry component.

9. A data entry arrangement according to claim 8, wherein a given one of said at least one auxiliary data entry components is a confirmation button for confirming the selection of the respective group of possible data entries and for confirming a selection of a certain data entry from amongst said respective group.

10. A data entry arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the given one auxiliary data entry component also functions as a cancellation button for cancelling selections made using the measurement component.

11. A data entry arrangement according to claim 8, wherein one of said at least one auxiliary data entry components is a cancellation button for cancelling selections made using the measurement component.

12. The data entry arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

display means for displaying selected and confirmed data entries.

13. A data entry arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the displacement measurement component is a piezoelectric detector and wherein the displacement measured is a displacement path traced by a point at which pressure is detected by the piezoelectric detector.

14. A data entry arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising at least one auxiliary data entry component.

15. A data entry arrangement according to claim 14, wherein a given one of said at least one auxiliary data entry components is a confirmation button for confirming the selection of the respective group of possible data entries and for confirming a selection of a certain data entry from amongst said respective group.

16. A data entry arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the given one auxiliary data entry component also functions as a cancellation button for cancelling selections made using the measurement component.

17. A data entry arrangement according to claim 3, further comprising at least one auxiliary data entry component.

18. A data entry arrangement according to claim 17, wherein a given one of said at least one auxiliary data entry components is a confirmation button for confirming the selection of the respective group of possible data entries and for confirming a selection of a certain data entry from amongst said respective group.

19. A data entry arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the given one auxiliary data entry component also functions as a cancellation button for cancelling selections made using the measurement component.

20. A data entry arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising at least one auxiliary data entry component.

21. A data entry arrangement according to claim 20, wherein a given one of said at least one auxiliary data entry components is a confirmation button for confirming the selection of the respective group of possible data entries and for confirming a selection of a certain data entry from amongst said respective group.

22. A data entry arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the given one auxiliary data entry component also functions as a cancellation button for cancelling selections made using the measurement component.

23. The data entry arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising:

display means for displaying selected and confirmed data entries.

25. A data entry arrangement according to claim 24, wherein the measurement parameter is displacement and wherein the data input device is a fine-grained displacement measurement component.

26. A data entry arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the displacement measurement component is an electromechanical multi-position switch, whereby the displacement measured is the displacement of a movable portion of the measurement component relative to a predetermined position.

27. A data entry arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the displacement measurement component is a piezoelectric detector, whereby the displacement measured is displacement relative to a predetermined position of a point at which pressure is detected by the piezoelectric detector.

28. A data entry arrangement according to claim 26, wherein the displacement measured is a displacement path traced by a point at which pressure is detected by the piezoelectric detector.

29. A data entry arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the displacement measured is a displacement path traced by a point at which pressure is detected by the piezoelectric detector.

30. A data entry arrangement according to claim 24, wherein the measurement parameter is pressure and wherein the data input device is a fine-grained pressure measurement component.

31. A data entry arrangement according to claim 30, wherein the pressure measurement component is a piezoelectric detector, whereby the pressure measured is pressure applied to the measurement component by a user, a given range of pressure applied being associated with a respective one of a plurality of groups of possible data entries.

32. A portable electronic device having a data entry arrangement as claimed in claim 1.

33. A portable electronic device having a data entry arrangement as claimed in claim 2.

34. A portable electronic device having a data entry arrangement as claimed in claim 12.

35. A portable electronic device having a data entry arrangement as claimed in claim 24.

36. A portable electronic device having a data entry arrangement as claimed in claim 25.

37. A portable electronic device having a data entry arrangement as claimed in claim 30.

24. A data entry arrangement for enabling entry of data into a hand-portable electronic device by a user using one unsupported hand, the data entry arrangement comprising:

data input device, adapted to generate a data entry signal in response to user manipulation thereof, said signal corresponding to a value of a user-influenced measurement parameter, wherein each of a plurality of ranges of possible values of the parameter are associated with a respective one of a plurality of groups of possible data entries;

a first auxiliary data entry component, which in operation outputs a confirmation signal for confirming the selection of the respective group of possible data entries and for confirming a selection of a certain data entry from amongst said respective group;

a second auxiliary data entry component, which in operation outputs a cancellation signal for cancelling selections made using the measurement component;

a processor, adapted to process said data entry signal, said confirmation signal and said cancellation signal, and adapted to generate a control signal; and

a display, adapted to display selected and confirmed data entries in accordance with the control signal.