MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20110141024A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Seo, Seongyoung, Kang, Yunhwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/018 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2205/002 fixed to operating part
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/038 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/082 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/036 Application nanoparticles, e.g. nanotubes, integrated in switch components, e.g. contacts, the switch itself being clearly of a different scale, e.g. greater than nanoscale

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes: a light-transmissive actuator having a dome-like shape; a conductive coating layer formed to be light-transmissive and formed at an inner side of the actuator; a light-transmissive base including a first light-transmissive electrode pattern and a second light-transmissive electrode pattern formed thereon, the first light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to contact with the edge of the actuator, and the second light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to contact with the central portion of the actuator when the actuator is pressed; and a display unit disposed under the light-transmissive base and configured such that visual information is seen thereon through the actuator, the coated layer and the base.

Claims

1. A keypad device comprising:

a light-transmissive actuator having a plurality of dome-shaped first areas and a plurality of second areas surrounding each of the plurality of first areas;

a conductive coating layer formed of a light-transmissive material and disposed under an inner surface of the actuator;

a light-transmissive base having a first light-transmissive electrode pattern and a second light-transmissive electrode pattern formed on the base, the first light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to always be in contact with first areas of the coating layer corresponding to edge portions of the plurality of first areas, and the second light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to be in contact with second areas of the coating layer corresponding to substantial portions of the plurality of first areas only when the actuator is pressed; and

a display unit disposed under the base and configured to display visual information that is viewable through the actuator, the coating layer and the base.

2. The keypad device of claim 1, wherein the visual information comprises multiple visual information that is displayed only via the plurality of first areas of the actuator and the plurality of second areas are configured to be a boundary that separates each of the plurality of first areas.

3. The keypad device of claim 2, wherein the multiple visual information comprises at least a thumbnail image, an icon, or a character that is displayed via a respective one of the plurality of first areas.

4. The keypad device of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of first areas is configured as a key for receiving user input.

5. The keypad device of claim 1, wherein the coating layer and the first and second electrode patterns are made of light-transmissive carbon nano-tube (CNT) or light-transmissive conductive polymer.

6. The keypad device of claim 5, further comprising:

a resistance corrector configured to correct deviation of resistance according to a length corresponding to a portion of the first and second electrode patterns when at least one of the plurality of first areas is pressed such that the portion is in contact with the actuator.

7. The keypad device of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensing layer disposed at a back side of the display unit, wherein the display unit is light-transmissive.

8. The keypad device of claim 1, further comprising a cover layer that is disposed on an outer surface of the actuator, the cover layer comprising a plurality of openings through which the plurality of first areas are exposed.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first body having a first display unit; and

a second body coupled to the first body, the second body comprising a keypad device,

wherein the keypad device comprises;

a light-transmissive actuator having a plurality of dome-shaped areas;

a conductive coating layer formed of a light-transmissive material and disposed under an inner surface of the actuator;

a light-transmissive base having a first light-transmissive electrode pattern and a second light-transmissive electrode pattern formed on the base, the first light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to always be in contact with first areas of the coating layer corresponding to edge portions of the plurality of dome-shaped areas, and the second light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to be in contact with second areas of the coating layer corresponding to substantial portions of the plurality of dome-shaped areas when the actuator is pressed at the plurality of dome-shaped areas; and

a second display unit disposed under the base and configured to display visual information that is viewable through the actuator, the coating layer and the base.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, further comprising a controller configured to change the visual information on the second display based upon an application being executed.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the visual information comprises a set of images, each image of the set of images being displayed via a respective one of the plurality of dome-shaped areas, and at least two images in the set are related to the executed application.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the first display unit is configured to display a screen image corresponding to one of a plurality of images displayed on the second display unit.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the actuator is configured to receive user input and each of the plurality of dome-shaped areas is configured as a key for receiving a specific user input.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of dome-shaped areas is configured as a specific key for receiving an input for displaying a different set of images on the second display unit.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the different set of images comprises at least two identical images that were also included in a previous image set.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the second display unit is configured to display the same visual information as displayed on the first display unit.

17. A method for displaying a keypad of a mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal comprises:

a light-transmissive actuator having a plurality of dome-shaped areas;

a conductive coating layer formed of a light-transmissive material and disposed under an inner surface of the actuator;

a light-transmissive base having a first light-transmissive electrode pattern and a second light-transmissive electrode pattern formed on the base, the first light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to always be in contact with first areas of the coating layer corresponding to edge portions of the plurality of dome-shaped areas, and the second light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to be in contact with second areas of the coating layer corresponding to substantially central portions of the plurality of dome-shaped areas when the actuator is pressed at the plurality of dome-shaped areas;

a first display unit disposed under the base and configured to display visual information that is viewable through the actuator, the coating layer and the base; and

a second display unit,

wherein the method comprises;

displaying a first set of images on the first display unit;

receiving a first user input via one of the plurality of dome-shaped areas through which one of the images in the first set is viewable, the actuator being pressed when the first user input is received to generate an input signal;

displaying a screen image on the second display unit in response to the input signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a second user input; and

displaying a second set of images on the first display unit in response to the second user input.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second sets of images are related to the same application being executed in the mobile terminal.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying a different screen image related to a different application on the second display unit in response to the second user input,

wherein the second user input is an input for executing the different application in the mobile terminal and the second set of images is related to the different application.