System for disposing a proximity sensitive touchpad behind a mobile phone keymat

• US 20070115263A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian Taylor, David Taylor, Michael Layton
• Original Assignee: Brian Taylor, David Taylor, Michael Layton
• Inventors: Taylor, Brian, Taylor, David, Layton, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,808,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• 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 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0289 having a matrix lay-out, i.e. having selectively interconnectable sets of X-conductors and Y-conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits

Abstract

A proximity-based mutually capacitance-sensitive touchpad that is disposed directly beneath a keypad keymat of a mobile telephone, wherein posts associated with each key pass through a mutually capacitance-sensitive sensor electrode grid of the touchpad such that the keypad posts do not interfere with touchpad detection and tracking of a pointing object that moves along the keypad surface, to thereby enable touchpad data entry, cursor control, and scroll bar control on a display of the mobile telephone, wherein the keypad posts actuate mechanical switches underneath the touchpad.

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64. A portable electronic appliance comprising:

an arcuate keypad surface having a plurality of keys, wherein each of the plurality of keys is arranged so as to actuate a respective mechanical switch so as to provide a first type of user input; and

an impedance sensing means disposed integrally with the arcuate keypad surface so as to provide a second type of user input that is characterized as non-mechanical, wherein the impedance sensing means operates as a proximity sensitive touchpad beneath the arcuate keypad surface, wherein the impedance sensing means is of a size that is always adaptable for use in a hand-held device, and wherein the impedance sensing means is disposed under the arcuate keypad surface.

65. The portable electronic appliance as defined in claim 64 wherein the arcuate keypad surface is comprised of a material that does not interfere with operation of the impedance sensing means.