Touch detected voice-prompted 2-stage keypad

• US 20100038227A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wintone Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wintone Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Whei-Li
• Application Number:
  US12/222,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20100038227A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/5.A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/014 handicapped
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/018 Indication of switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/032 Feedback about selected symbol, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/018 Consecutive operations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/054 Acoustic pick-up, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/074 Actuation by finger touch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96054 Double function: touch detection combined with detection of a movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

The present invention discloses a touch detected voice-prompted 2-stage keypad. The keypad has a touching detector switch (first stage) and a contact switch (second stage). The touching signal of a finger is identified by the detector and then input to the microprocessor, a number or a function (voice) represent this keypad is output to a speaker, the user confirms that this keypad is the required one, thus press the contact switch to output a signal to the microprocessor to execute the function of this key. The touch detected voice-prompted 2-stage key may form an array of numbers and/or functions, and control by touching instead of viewing. It is convenient in the night, for a blind or weak sighted people.

Claims

1. A touch detected voice-prompted 2-stage key, two switches are put in a key, a touching switch and a contact switch, by touching the touching switch with a finger, a number or function of this key will prompt with voice by a speaker, then the user will acknowledge whether the number or function is the required one, and then press down the contact switch to execute the function of this key, control by touching instead of viewing, it is convenient in the night, for a blind or weak sighted people, comprising:

a touching switch, having a sensing plate membrane to sense the touching of a finger;

a touching detector, the signal of said sensing plate membrane is detected by said sensing plate membrane and then input to a microprocessor;

a speaker;

a microprocessor, processing the signal from said touching detector to determine the finger has touching said touching switch, and a number or a function represent this keypad is output by the microprocessor to said speaker, then prompt the number or function in voice;

a contact switch, output signal to said microprocessor, if the user determined that the number or function is correct, then press down said contact switch such that the contacts are conducted, said microprocessor will execute the function of this key.

2. A touch detected voice-prompted 2-stage keypad, two switch are put in every key of the keypad, a touching switch and a contact switch, by touching the touching switch with a finger, a number or function of this key will prompt with voice by a speaker, then the user will acknowledge whether the number or function is the required one, and then press down the contact switch to execute the function of this key, control by touching instead of viewing, it is convenient in the night, for a blind or weak sighted people, comprising:

a touching detector, the signal of said sensing plate membrane is detected by said sensing plate membrane and then input to a microprocessor;

a speaker;

a microprocessor, processing the signal from said touching detector to determine the finger has touching said touching switch;

M transmission gates are parallelly connected to the input of said touching detector, N transmission gates are parallelly connected to the output of said touching detector, the outputs of these transmission gates form an M×

N matrix, the control gates of these transmission gates are connected to the corresponding sweep outputs of said microprocessor;

an M×

N matrix of touching switch, every touching switch has its sensing plate membrane, one of the sensing plate is connected to the output of the Mth transmission gate, another sensing plate is connected to the output of the Nth transmission gate to form a touching switch matrix, touching one of the touching switch by a finger such that said touching detector detects the touching of the finger, a number or function of this key will output to a speaker from the microprocessor, and prompt the number or function of this key in voice;

M transmission gates are parallelly connected to the input of said microprocessor, N transmission gates are parallelly connected to another input of said microprocessor, the outputs of these transmission gates form an M×

N matrix, the control gates of these transmission gates are connected to the corresponding sweep outputs of sad microprocessor;

an M×

N matrix of contact switches, every contact switch has a pair of contact terminals, one of the contact terminals is connected to the output of the Mth transmission gate, another contact terminals is connected to the output of the Nth transmission gate to form a contact switch matrix, a user determined that the number or function is correct, then press down said contact switch such that the contacts are conducted, said microprocessor will execute the function of this key.