Instrument-activated sub-surface computer buttons and system and method incorporating same

• US 20030221876A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Homer, Steven S., Doczy, Paul J., Solomon, Mark C., Wolff, Stacy
• Granted Patent: US 8,446,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.01
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

The present technique provides a system and method for providing instrument-activated buttons having a sub-surface mechanism for triggering a desired function upon interaction with an above-surface electronic/digital user device, such as a digitizing pointing device. The instrument-activated buttons may be disposed in a display device, a tablet computing device, or any other suitable electronic device. A user navigates a housing surface of the electronic device until a signal identifies the sub-surface button, which may then be activated by performing an instrument-based activation event. The activation event may be a button click, a tip movement, or any other suitable trigger on the electronic/digital user device. A wireless communication is then transmitted between the sub-surface mechanism and the electronic/digital user device to initiate the function associated with the instrument-activated button.

Claims

1. A remotely-activated sub-surface button for an electronic device, comprising:

a button disposed under a surface of the electronic device, wherein the button comprises a triggering signal system communicative with an electronic pointing device.

2. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 1, wherein the surface is transparent.

3. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises at least one layer of a display screen.

4. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a computer system.

5. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 4, wherein the computer system comprises a laptop computer.

6. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 4, wherein the computer system comprises a tablet computer.

7. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 1, wherein the electronic pointing device comprises a digitizer pen.

8. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 1, wherein the triggering signal system comprises a wireless communication system.

9. The remotely-activated sub-surface button of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication system comprises an LED.

10. A sub-display-screen button, comprising:

a flat-panel display screen;

a button disposed under an outer surface layer of the flat-panel display screen; and

a signaling system comprising an activation signal for the button, wherein the signaling system is communicative with a digital pointing device.

11. The sub-display-screen button of claim 10, wherein the flat-panel display screen is communicatively coupled to a computer system.

12. The sub-display-screen button of claim 10, wherein the flat-panel display screen is disposed in a portable electronic device.

13. The sub-display-screen button of claim 12, wherein the portable electronic device is a laptop computer.

14. The sub-display-screen button of claim 12, wherein the portable electronic device is a tablet computer.

15. The sub-display-screen button of claim 10, wherein the button is untouchable.

16. The sub-display-screen button of claim 10, wherein the signaling system comprises a wireless communication system.

17. The sub-display-screen button of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication system comprises an optical communication system.

18. The sub-display-screen button of claim 17, wherein the optical communication system comprises an LED.

19. The sub-display-screen button of claim 10, wherein the digital pointing device comprises a digitizer pen.

20. The sub-display-screen button of claim 10, comprising a plurality of different ones of the button disposed under the outer surface.

21. The sub-display-screen button of claim 20, wherein each different one of the button comprises a different one of the activation signal.

22. A portable computing system, comprising:

a tablet computing device, comprising;

a flat-panel display; and

a wirelessly-activated sub-surface button, wherein the sub-surface button comprises an activation signal.

23. The portable computing system of claim 22, wherein the tablet computing device comprises a processor, a motherboard, and a plurality of computing components.

24. The portable computing system of claim 22, wherein the flat-panel display screen comprises a wirelessly-interactive coordinate system.

25. The portable computing system of claim 24, wherein the wirelessly-interactive coordinate system comprises a digitizing pointing device.

26. The portable computing system of claim 22, wherein the wirelessly-activated sub-surface button is untouchable.

27. The portable computing system of claim 22, wherein the wirelessly-activated sub-surface button is disposed under a housing surface adjacent the flat-panel display.

28. The portable computing system of claim 22, wherein the wirelessly-activated sub-surface button is disposed under at least one outer layer of the flat-panel display.

29. The portable computing system of claim 22, wherein the wirelessly-activated sub-surface button comprises a wireless signaling system that is communicative with a remote pointing device.

30. The portable computing system of claim 29, wherein the remote pointing device comprises a wireless electronic pen.

31. The portable computing system of claim 22, comprising a plurality of different ones of the wirelessly-activated sub-surface button.

32. The portable computing system of claim 31, wherein each different one of the wirelessly-activated sub-surface button comprises a different one of the activation signal.

33. A method of forming a device comprising remotely-activated sub-surface buttons, comprising the acts of:

placing a button under a surface of an electronic device;

coupling the button to circuitry of the electronic device; and

providing a remote signaling system for triggering the button above the surface of the electronic device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of placing the button under the surface comprises the act of positioning the button under at least one layer of a display screen for the electronic device.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of placing the button under the surface comprises the act of positioning the button under a housing surface of the electronic device.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of placing the button under the surface of the electronic device comprises the act of integrating a plurality of different ones of the button within a portable computing device.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of placing the button under the surface comprises the act of preventing physical activation of the button.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of providing the remote signaling system comprises the act of coupling a wireless communication system to the button.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the act of coupling the wireless communication system to the button comprises the act of adapting the button for remote communication with a digitizing pointing device.

40. A method of interacting with an electronic device, comprising the acts of:

moving an electronic pointing device across a surface of the electronic device;

locating a sub-surface button disposed within the electronic device; and

communicating at least one signal between the electronic pointing device and the sub-surface button.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the act of moving the electronic pointing device across the surface comprises the act of navigating an interactive coordinate system.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the act of moving electronic pointing device across the surface comprises the act of navigating a display-screen-surface of the electronic device.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the act of locating the sub-surface button comprises the act of wirelessly identifying the sub-surface button.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the act of wirelessly identifying the subsurface button comprises the act of triggering a button indicator.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the act of communicating at least one signal comprises the act of transmitting a button activation signal to the sub-surface button.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the acts of moving the electronic pointing device, locating the sub-surface button, and communicating at least one signal are performed on a computer system.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the act of communicating at least one signal comprises the act of remotely triggering the sub-surface button using the electronic pointing device.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the act of remotely triggering the sub-surface button comprises the act of operating a vertical displacement sensor on the electronic pointing device.