TOUCH KEYBOARD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20120032887A1
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Tsang, Chih-Jen, Chiu, Chia-Jung
• Application Number:
  US13/191,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032887A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

A touch keyboard including a keyboard pattern and a touch module is provided. A sensing space is located in front of the keyboard pattern. The touch module is disposed at periphery of the keyboard pattern. The touch module includes a light-emitting element, a light guide unit, and an optical detector. The light-emitting element is disposed beside the keyboard pattern and capable of emitting a light beam. The light guide unit is disposed at a side of the keyboard pattern and has a first surface, a second surface, and a light incident surface. The light beam from the light-emitting element is capable of entering the light guide unit through the light incident surface and capable of being transmitted to the sensing space through the first surface. The optical detector is disposed beside the sensing space for sensing the light beam from the sensing space. An electronic device is also provided.

Claims

1. A touch keyboard, comprising:

a keyboard pattern, wherein a sensing space is located in front of the keyboard pattern; and

a touch module, disposed at periphery of the keyboard pattern, and comprising;

at least one light emitting element, disposed beside the keyboard pattern, capable of emitting a light beam;

at least one light guide unit, disposed at a side of the keyboard pattern and having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a light incident surface connected to the first surface and the second surface, wherein the light beam from the light emitting element is capable of entering the light guide unit through the light incident surface and capable of being transmitted to the sensing space through the first surface; and

at least one optical detector, disposed beside the sensing space for sensing the light beam from the sensing space.

2. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a carrier board, the carrier board comprising:

a keyboard area, wherein the keyboard pattern is disposed on the keyboard area; and

a notch, disposed at an edge of the keyboard area, wherein the light emitting element and the light guide unit are disposed in the notch.

3. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a top cover having an opening, wherein the top cover covers the notch, the light emitting element, and the light guide unit, and the opening exposes the keyboard pattern.

4. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a top cover comprising:

an upper surface;

a lower surface, opposite to the upper surface;

a recessed area, disposed on the upper surface, wherein the keyboard pattern is disposed in the recessed area; and

a notch, disposed on the lower surface, wherein the light emitting device and the light guide unit are disposed in the notch.

5. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keyboard pattern is a patterned printed layer.

6. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keyboard pattern is a thin film printed with a pattern.

7. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a projection module, wherein the keyboard pattern is an image projected by the projection module.

8. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keyboard pattern is disposed at a position outside a dynamic image frame.

9. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide unit further comprises:

a third surface, opposite to the light incident surface and connected to the first surface and the second surface;

a fourth surface, connected to the third surface and the light incident surface and connected to the first surface and the second surface; and

a fifth surface, opposite to the fourth surface, connected to the third surface and the light incident surface and connected to the first surface and the second surface,

wherein the touch module further comprises at least one reflection unit disposed on at least one of the second surface, the third surface, the fourth surface, and the fifth surface.

10. The touch keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch module further comprises:

a control unit, electrically connected to the optical detector for determining a position of an object entering the sensing space according to a signal transmitted from the optical detector; and

a memory unit, electrically connected to the control unit, wherein the keyboard pattern has a plurality of key patterns, and the memory unit is capable of storing a position information corresponding to the key patterns, and the control unit is capable of determining the key pattern touched by the object according to the position information.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a screen, having a display area, wherein the display area is capable of displaying a dynamic image frame;

a base, connected to the screen, and

a touch keyboard, disposed on the base and comprising;

a keyboard pattern, wherein a sensing space is located in front of the keyboard pattern; and

a touch module, disposed at periphery of the keyboard pattern and comprising;

at least one light emitting element, disposed beside the keyboard pattern and capable of emitting a light beam;

at least one light guide unit, disposed at a side of the keyboard pattern and having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a light incident surface connected to the first surface and the second surface, wherein the light beam from the light emitting element is capable of entering the light guide unit through the light incident surface and capable of being transmitted to the sensing space through the first surface; and

at least one optical detector, disposed beside the sensing space for sensing the light beam from the sensing space.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the touch keyboard comprises a carrier board, and the carrier board comprises:

a keyboard area, wherein the keyboard pattern is disposed on the keyboard area; and

a notch, disposed at an edge of the keyboard area, wherein the light emitting element and the light guide unit are disposed in the notch.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the touch keyboard further comprises a top cover having an opening, wherein the top cover covers the notch, the light emitting element, and the light guide unit, the opening exposes the keyboard pattern, and the carrier board and the top cover are disposed on the base.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the touch keyboard comprises a top cover, and the top cover comprises:

an upper surface;

a lower surface, opposite to the upper surface;

a recessed area, disposed on the upper surface, wherein the keyboard pattern is disposed in the recessed area; and

a notch, disposed on the lower surface, wherein the light emitting device and the light guide unit are disposed in the notch, the top cover covers the base, and the lower surface faces to the base.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the keyboard pattern is a patterned printed layer.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the keyboard pattern is a thin film printed with a pattern.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the touch keyboard further comprises a projection module, and the keyboard pattern is an image projected by the projection module.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the keyboard pattern is disposed at a position outside the display area.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the light guide unit further comprises:

a third surface, opposite to the light incident surface and connected to the first surface and the second surface;

a fourth surface, connected to the third surface and the light incident surface and connected to the first surface and the second surface; and

a fifth surface, opposite to the fourth surface, connected to the third surface and the light incident surface, and connected to the first surface and the second surface,

wherein the touch module further comprises at least one reflection unit disposed on at least one of the second surface, the third surface, the fourth surface, and the fifth surface.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the touch module further comprises:

a control unit, electrically connected to the optical detector for determining a position of an object entering the sensing space according to a signal transmitted from the optical detector; and

a memory unit, electrically connected to the control unit, wherein the keyboard pattern has a plurality of key patterns, and the memory unit is capable of storing a position information corresponding to the key patterns, and the control unit is capable of determining the key pattern touched by the object according to the position information.