AUTOMATION KEYPAD WITH TRANSPARENT BUTTONS
First Claim
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1. A keypad assembly comprising:
- substantially transparent element having a first side and a second side, the second side presenting a flat region with an ink printed graphic thereon;
a lighting layer for illuminating the transparent element;
a sensing circuit for detecting touch and sliding gestures made on the first side of the transparent element;
a housing; and
a bezel for securing the transparent element, the lighting layer, and the sensing circuit to the housing, the lighting layer being interposed between the transparent element and sensing circuit, and the sensing circuit being configured detect gestures made on the first side of the transparent layer through the lighting layer.
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Abstract
A unitary transparent/translucent button element with UV ink curable graphics directly printed thereon having a sensing circuit that detects touch gestures made on or in front of the transparent element directly through an illuminating Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting layer. Engraved markings help a user to identify the corresponding key function.
21 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A keypad assembly comprising:
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substantially transparent element having a first side and a second side, the second side presenting a flat region with an ink printed graphic thereon; a lighting layer for illuminating the transparent element; a sensing circuit for detecting touch and sliding gestures made on the first side of the transparent element; a housing; and a bezel for securing the transparent element, the lighting layer, and the sensing circuit to the housing, the lighting layer being interposed between the transparent element and sensing circuit, and the sensing circuit being configured detect gestures made on the first side of the transparent layer through the lighting layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of manufacturing an automation keypad with transparent buttons, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a one-piece transparent element having a first and second side, a lighting layer, a sensing circuit, a housing, and a bezel; printing a reversed image of a desired graphic on the second side of the transparent element by causing droplets of ultraviolet curable ink to be ejected in the image pattern using an ultraviolet curable ink; curing the ink with ultraviolet light; assembling the bezel over, the transparent element, the lighting layer, and the sensing circuit to the housing, the lighting layer being interposed between the transparent element and sensing circuit. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method of using an automation keypad with transparent buttons, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a one-piece transparent element having a second side with a reversed image printed thereon, a lighting layer, a sensing circuit, a housing, and a bezel with light emitting diode illuminated light pipes, the bezel assembled over the transparent element, the lighting layer, and the sensing circuit and snap-coupled into the housing, wherein the lighting layer is disposed between the transparent element and sensing circuit; performing a gesture on a first side of the transparent layer; and detecting a gesture made on the first side of the transparent layer through the lighting layer by the sensing circuit. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A keypad assembly comprising:
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a substantially transparent element having a first side molded to present a plurality of vertically adjacent semi-cylindrical buttons and a second side presenting a flat region with an ink printed graphic thereon; a lighting layer comprising a translucent light diffusing medium having one or more light emitting diodes uniformly illuminating the translucent light and the transparent element; a sensing circuit for detecting touch and sliding gestures made on the first side of the transparent layer; a housing; and a bezel for securing the transparent element, the lighting layer, and the sensing circuit to the housing, the lighting layer being interposed between the transparent element and sensing circuit, and the sensing circuit being configured detect gestures made on the first side of the transparent layer through the lighting layer.
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Specification