Input device supporting various input modes and apparatus using the same
First Claim
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1. An input device, comprising:
- a contact surface contacting a user;
an actuator providing a displacement or a force to the contact surface, and an electric circuit controlling the operation of the actuator;
wherein the actuator comprises an electro-active polymer layer including an electro-active polymer and a plurality of electrodes contacting the electro-active polymer;
a first variable-mode button is actuated on the contact surface when power is supplied to a electrode combination among the plurality of electrode; and
a second variable-mode button is actuated on the contact surface when power is supplied to another electrode combination among the plurality of electrode.
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Abstract
An input device for adaptively providing various input modes according to an aspect of the present application and providing a clicking feeling to a user by controlling the stiffness of a button pressed by the user is provided. The input device includes a contact surface (physically) contacting a user, an actuator providing a displacement or a force to the contact surface, and an electric circuit controlling the operation of the actuator.
104 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An input device, comprising:
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a contact surface contacting a user; an actuator providing a displacement or a force to the contact surface, and an electric circuit controlling the operation of the actuator; wherein the actuator comprises an electro-active polymer layer including an electro-active polymer and a plurality of electrodes contacting the electro-active polymer; a first variable-mode button is actuated on the contact surface when power is supplied to a electrode combination among the plurality of electrode; and a second variable-mode button is actuated on the contact surface when power is supplied to another electrode combination among the plurality of electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An input device comprising a contact surface physically contacting a user, an actuator providing a displacement or a force to the contact surface, and an electric circuit controlling the operation of the actuator,
wherein the actuator comprises an electro-active polymer layer including an electro-active polymer and a plurality of electrodes contacting the electro-active polymer and a touch pad layer sensing a position of pressure applied by a user, a button mode is activated when power is supplied to a predetermined electrode combination among the plurality of electrodes, and a touch pad mode is activated when power supplied to the plurality of electrodes is stopped.
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23. A portable apparatus comprising:
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a microprocessor to load an application module corresponding to an application into a memory selected by a user to a memory and executing the loaded application module; a display module to display to the user an execution procedure or an execution result of the application module; and an input device to provide alternatively the user with a button mode or a touch pad mode mapped to the application in response to a control signal from the microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An input device, comprising:
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an EAP (Electro-Active-Polymer) layer having a plurality of EAPs; a touch pad layer having a plurality of electrode grids is disposed under the EAP layer and in contact with a the plurality of electrodes; the plurality of the electrodes are disposed to be in contact with a top side and a bottom side of the EAP layer; a button is formed on the plurality of the electrodes disposed to the top side of the EAP layer; and wherein the EAP layer and the touch pad layer are substantially contact with each other. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. An input device, comprising:
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an EAP (Electro-Active-Polymer) layer having a plurality of EAPs; a touch pad layer having a plurality of electrode grids is disposed under the EAP layer and in contact with a the plurality of electrodes; a layer having at least one dome or at least one spring and at least one contact switch is disposed under the EAP layer to provide a clicking feeling to a user; a plurality of the electrodes disposed to be in contact with a top side and a bottom side of the electro-active polymer; and a button is formed on the plurality of the electrodes disposed to the top side of the EAP layer; wherein the EAP layer and the layer are substantially contact with each other.
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Specification