Device for inputting data into electronic data processing means

• US 5,812,498 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Teres, Yvan
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US08/789,630
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/41, 368/43, 368/69-70, 368/314-321, 345/168, 345/172-174, 400/485, 400/489, D14/115
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• 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

The device comprises a keyboard wherein each key is associated with an underlying sensor sensitive pad which controls the input of data associated with said key in response to an application of a finger on such key, such sensitive pads being closely set together within a closed contour (V₁, V₂ ; V'"'"'₁, V'"'"'₂) having, for a user, an upper part (V₁) and a lower part (V₂) respectively adjacent to first and second series of pads, such device being characterized in that the areas of the pads (10, 11, 12, 13; 7, 8, 9, ÷) of the first series are on the whole greater than the areas of the pads (3 to 9; 0, ., =, +) of the second series.

Claims

1. A device for inputting data into electronic data processing means, comprising a keyboard each of whose keys is associated with an underlying sensitive pad of a sensor which controls the input of data associated with said key in response to an application of a finger on such key, such sensitive pads being closely set together within a closed contour having, for a user, an upper part and a lower part respectively adjacent to first and second series of pads, the areas of the pads of the first series being on the whole greater than the areas of the pads of the second series.

2. A device according to claim 1, comprising a set of visible symbols each borne by one of the keys to identify the data whose input is controlled by said key, wherein at least one of said symbols is closer to the upper edge of the closed contour than the centre of the associated sensitive pad.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the distance separating said symbol and said centre is comprised approximately between 2 and 4 mm.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the area of the inner surface of the closed contour is substantially less than n times the area of the print of a finger on the keyboard, n being the number of keyboard keys.

5. A wristwatch comprising a device for inputting data into electronic data processing means, comprising a keyboard each of whose keys is associated with an underlying sensitive pad of a sensor which controls the input of data associated with said key in response to an application of a finger on such key, such sensitive pads being closely set together within a closed contour having, for a user, an upper part and a lower part respectively adjacent to first and second series of pads, the areas of the pads of the first series being on the whole greater than the areas of the pads of the second series.

6. A wristwatch according to claim 5, comprising a watch crystal having a face, wherein the sensitive pad assembly is borne by a face of the watch crystal.