TOUCH KEYPAD MODULE AND MODE SWITCHING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130162539A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Eturbotouch Technology Inc., Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eturbotouch Technology Inc.
• Inventors: WANG, Kuei-Ching, LIN, Ta-Hu
• Application Number:
  US13/718,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162539A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A touch keypad module includes a touch input panel having a touch input surface and physically representing at least one specific touch zone. When the specific touch zone is touched while a touch gesture is inputted through the touch input surface, or when the specific touch zone is lastingly touched, the touch input panel switches its input mode.

Claims

1. A touch keypad module, comprising:

a touch input panel having a touch input surface and physically showing at least one specific touch zone,

wherein when the specific touch zone is touched while a touch gesture is inputted through the touch input surface, the touch input panel switches its input mode according to the touch gesture.

2. The touch keypad module as recited in claim 1, wherein the touch input panel determines a motion of the touch gesture, and switches the input mode, according to the motion, to a touch input mode assigned to the motion.

3. The touch keypad module as recited in claim 1, wherein the touch input panel determines a motion of the touch gesture, and switches the input mode, according to the motion, to another touch input mode.

4. The touch keypad module as recited in claim 1, wherein the touch input panel determines a motion of the touch gesture, and switches the input mode, according to the motion, to a former touch input mode.

5. The touch keypad module as recited in claim 1, wherein the input mode of the touch input panel is a key input mode or a track input mode, and the touch input panel physically shows a plurality of input zones that are capable of generating effective inputs on the touch input surface in the key input mode.

6. The touch keypad module as recited in claim 5, wherein the zones on the touch input surface capable of generating the effective inputs are not limited to the input zones in the track input mode.

7. The touch keypad module as recited in claim 6, wherein the input signal in the key input mode is corresponding to a key data, and the input signal in the track input mode is corresponding to a track data.

8. The touch keypad module as recited in claim 5, wherein an interval is disposed between two of the input zones, and the touch input panel further includes:

a plurality of row wires and column wires intersected with each other,

wherein each of the input zones covers at least one intersection point of the row wires and the column wires.

9. A touch keypad module, comprising:

a touch input panel having a touch input surface and physically showing at least one specific touch zone,

wherein when the specific touch zone is touched lastingly, the touch input panel switches its input mode.

10. A mode switching method of a touch keypad module that includes a touch input panel having a touch input surface and physically showing at least one specific touch zone, comprising:

an input step to input a mode switching operation including inputting a touch gesture through the touch input surface while the specific touch zone is touched, or including lastingly pressing the specific touch zone;

a switching step to switch an input mode of the touch input panel according to the mode switching operation.