Apparatus for sensing button-pressed state and method therefor in mobile device

• US 20060016674A1
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optis Cellular Technology LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jae-Eung
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/11.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• 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: H01H 19/005 Electromechanical pulse generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/03 Avoiding erroneous switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/024 Avoid unwanted operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033

Abstract

An apparatus for sensing a button-pressed state in a mobile device comprising a switch unit formed by combining rotary switches in a switch unit and a controller connected to the rotary switches within the switch unit, for sensing a switching operation according to a connected state between contact points of the rotary switches. The controller senses the connected state between the contact points of the rotary switches through an input/output port, and recognizes a rotating direction, an operation order, and a number of rotations of the rotary switches on the basis of the connected state. The controller determines if the switching operation is intended or not so that a desired operation corresponding to the switching operation is performed only if the operation is intended to thereby save battery power by minimizing performing unintended operation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing a button-pressed state in a mobile device comprising:

a plurality of rotary switches; and

a controller connected to the plurality of rotary switches for sensing a switching operation according to a pattern of operation of the plurality of rotary switches.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each rotary switch includes:

a rotating member;

a contact point rotary having a plurality of wings with a constant interval in a radial direction, wherein the contact point rotary and the plurality of wings rotate corresponding to a rotation of the rotating member; and

a contact point switch electrically connected to the controller, wherein the contact point switch is switched on and off according to a rotation of the wings of the contact point rotary.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotating member is positioned above an upper surface of a substrate and the contact point rotary is positioned below a bottom surface of the substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the contact point switch includes:

a moving unit and a fixed unit connected to each other through a moving contact point; and

a support for supporting the moving unit and the fixing unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the moving contact point is formed at a predetermined position of the moving unit and wherein the moving unit is configured to be electrically separated from the fixed unit according to the rotation of the wings of the contact point rotary through the moving contact point.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a direction of the switching operation based on an order of operation of the plurality of rotary switches.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the switching operation according to a rotating direction, an operation order, and a number of rotations of the plurality of rotary switches.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to recognize the switching operation as being valid when the plurality of rotary switches are continuously operated in sequence for more than a predetermined number of times in a same direction.

9. A method for sensing a button-pressed state in a mobile device comprising a switch unit having a plurality of rotary switches and a controller connected to the switch unit through an input/output port, the method comprising:

sensing a connection state of contact points of the plurality of rotary switches through the input/output port; and

determining a switching operation by recognizing at least one of a rotating direction, an operation order, and a number of rotations of the plurality of rotary switches based on the sensed connection state between the contact points.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing an operation corresponding to the switching operation when the plurality of rotary switches are continuously operated in sequence for more than a predetermined number of times in a same direction.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a direction of the switching operation based on an operation order of the plurality of rotary switches.

12. An apparatus for sensing a button-pressed state in a mobile device comprising:

at least one rotary switch; and

a controller configured for determining a validity of a switching operation of the at least one rotary switch.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to determine the switching operation of the at least one rotary switch as being valid or not based on at least one of a rotating direction, an operation order, and a number of rotations of the at least one rotary switch.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one rotary switch includes two or more rotary switches and the controller is configured to determine the rotating direction based on the operation order of the two or more rotary switches.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one rotary switch includes two or more rotary switches and the controller is configured to determine the switching operation as being valid if the two or more rotary switches are operated within a predetermined period of time of each other.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a direction sensor configured to determine a direction of rotation of the at least one rotary switch.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising the direction sensor is located adjacent to the at least one rotary switch.