Operator/circuit interface with integrated display screen

• US 5,977,955 A
• Filed: 08/26/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intertactile Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intertactile Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Jaeger, Denny
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/703,416
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 345/171, 345/172, 345/173, 345/184, 345/905, 341/22, 341/23, 341/28, 341/33, 341/34
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/108 characterised by physical layout of switches; switches co-operating with display; use of switches in a special way
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23023 Control knobs, levers integrated into display, display parameters near knobs
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23141 Flat panel, thin film electro luminescent
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1611 CRT monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/184 Illumination of symbols by using laser light
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD

Abstract

Operator interaction with electrical systems is facilitated by providing electromechanical control devices, which have switch buttons, rotary knobs or the like, with flat panel displays that convey information pertaining to the controls that can be changed instantly by a display controller. The display may identify the function of the control, the current setting, create calibration marks or provide other graphics. The images change automatically if the same control is used for multiple functions. In one form of the invention, the display screen has openings in the image area and the controls extend through and protrude from the screen enabling display of graphics in close proximity to the controls. In another form, the settings of controls which are secured to the face of a display screen are optically or magnetically detected by sensors located behind the screen. In still another form of the invention, the display is embedded in a switch key and has an image area that is substantially coextensive with the key. This enables permanent markings, such as are found on computer keyboard keys for example, to be replaced with changeable images that identify multiple functions of the keys.

Claims

1. Operator and electrical circuit interfacing apparatus having at least one circuit component for enabling operator interaction with the electrical circuit, said circuit component having a manipulatable actuator and having means for producing electrical circuit control signals which means produces said control signals in response to manipulation of said actuator, said apparatus further having an electrically controlled display screen with a front face that is viewed by said operator and control means for generating any of a plurality of different images at an image display area on said front face of said screen, wherein the improvement comprises:

said electrically controlled display screen having a first array of parallel busbars therein which extend in orthogonal relationship with busbars of a second array of parallel busbars within said display screen and which enable activation of different combinations of image pixels at different times,

said actuator being situated at least in part at said front face of said busbar containing display screen within said image display area thereof and at least a portion of said electrical circuit control signal producing means being behind said busbar containing display screen and wherein components of said electrical circuit control signal producing means which are behind said display screen interact with said actuator through said screen at said image display area of said screen including through a region of said screen at which the busbars of each of said arrays thereof are uninterrupted and extend in parallel relationship with each other, and

wherein said control means energizes different combinations of the busbars of said first and second arrays thereof at different times to generate different images on said screen at different times that convey information pertaining to said circuit component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means enables generation of a plurality of different images on said screen at the same location thereon which images appear on said front face of said screen, said location being adjacent to said actuator of said circuit component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said circuit component for enabling operator interaction with said circuit is a potentiometer and said actuator thereof is a turnable control knob extending in front of said display screen at said image display area thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said circuit component for enabling operator interaction with said circuit is a rotary encoder and said actuator thereof is a turnable control knob situated in front of said display screen at said image display area thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrical circuit component is a fader and said actuator thereof is a slidable control knob situated in front of said display screen at said image display area thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portion of said circuit component which is situated at said screen includes a manually movable member which may be moved between selected ones of a plurality of different positions, further including sensor means for sensing movement of said manually movable member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said sensor means is behind said screen.

15. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said circuit component includes a track extending along said image display area of said screen and wherein said manually movable member engages said track and is selectively slidable therealong.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said sensor means includes a radiant energy generating device situated behind said screen and positioned to direct radiant energy through said screen and a radiant energy detector situated behind said screen, further including a flexible belt disposed in said track and extending therealong and being coupled to said movable member to travel successive portions of said belt past said detector as said movable member is slid along said track, said belt having radiant energy reflective zones of differing reflectivities that travel past said detector as said belt travels past said detector.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said track protrudes a distance outward from said image display area of said screen, further including a transparent plate disposed against said image area of said screen and having an opening in which said track is situated, said plate having a thickness corresponding substantially to said distance that said track protrudes outward from said image display area.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 further including first and second rotatable pulleys secured to said track at opposite ends of the path of travel of said movable member therealong, one of said pulleys having a radiant energy reflective surface facing said screen which surface exhibits variations of reflectivity at successive radial zones around the axis of rotation of the pulley, further including a belt engaged on said pulleys and being fastened to said movable member to turn said pulleys in response to sliding of said movable member along said track, wherein said sensor means includes a radiant energy generating device situated behind said screen in position to direct radiant energy to said one of said pulleys through said screen and a radiant energy detector situated behind said screen in position to receive radiant energy that is reflected by said one pulley.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an elongated track extending along said image display area of said screen and wherein said circuit component has an elongated housing disposed behind said screen in parallel relationship with said track and an actuator which is slidable along said housing to vary a characteristic of said circuit component, said portion of said circuit component which is situated at said screen within said image display area thereof being a movable member which is engaged on said track and which is manually slidable therealong, further including a first ferromagnetic element disposed in said track, means for traveling said first ferromagnetic along said track in response to movement of said movable member therealong, and a second ferromagnetic element secured to said actuator, at least one of said first and second ferromagnetic elements being a magnet whereby travel of said movable member along said track travels said actuator along said housing.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said circuit component includes a housing situated behind said screen and having an actuator which extends towards said screen and which is turnable to change the setting of said circuit component and wherein said portion of said circuit component which is situated at said screen within said image display area thereof is a turnable knob secured to said screen, said turnable knob and said turnable actuator having substantially the same axis of rotation, further including a first ferromagnetic element secured to said knob and a second ferromagnetic element secured to said actuator, at least one of said ferromagnetic elements being a magnet.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said shaft is tubular, further including a light emitting component carried by said switch cap and power conductors for energizing said light emitting component which conductors extend through said opening within said shaft.

8. The apparatus of claim wherein said manually movable member has at least one radiant energy reflective surface which faces said screen and wherein said sensor means includes a radiant energy generating device positioned to direct radiant energy to said surface through said screen, further including a radiant energy detector disposed behind said screen in position to receive radiant energy which is reflected back through said screen by said reflective surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said manually movable member has a plurality of radiant energy reflective zones that are separated by non-reflective zones whereby movement of said manually movable member causes reflection of a sequence of discrete pulses of radiant energy towards said detector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said manually movable member is a knob which is turnable about an axis that extends at right angles to said screen and wherein said reflective and non-reflective zones extend radially relative to said axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said reflective zones are spaced at equal angular intervals around said axis, further including filter means for varying the amount of radiant energy that is reflected towards said detector by successive ones of said reflective zones.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said filter means includes a filter disposed between said reflective zones and said detector and which is secured to said knob and turns therewith, successive radial regions of said filter having different degrees of radiant energy transmissivity.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said filter means includes a filter disposed between said reflective zones and said detector and which is secured to said knob and turns therewith, said filter having first and second regions which extend around said axis and which have different radiant energy transmissibilities and wherein said first area becomes progressively larger and said second area becomes progressively smaller at successive radial locations around said axis.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said reflective zones are progressively narrower at successive radial locations around said axis.

21. Operator and electrical circuit interfacing apparatus having at least one circuit component for enabling operator interaction with the electrical circuit, said circuit component having an actuator that is manipulated by the operator and having means for producing electrical circuit control signals which means produces said control signals in response to manipulation of said actuator, said apparatus further having an electrically controlled display screen with a front face that is viewed by said operator and control means for generating any of a plurality of different images at an image display area on said front face of said screen, wherein the improvement comprises:

said electrically controlled display screen having a first array of parallel busbars therein which extend in orthogonal relationship with busbars of a second array of parallel busbars within said display screen and which enable activation of different combinations of image pixels at different times,

said actuator being situated at least in part at said front face of said busbar containing display screen within said image display area thereof and at least a portion of said electrical circuit control signal producing means being behind said busbar containing display screen and wherein components of said electrical circuit control signal producing means which are behind said display screen interact with said actuator through said screen at said image display area of said screen, and

wherein said control means energizes different combinations of the busbars of said first and second arrays thereof at different times to generate different images on said screen at different times that convey information pertaining to said circuit component,

wherein said display screen has an opening therein situated at least partially within said image display area at a location which is spaced apart from said circuit component, further including a light emitting diode which is at least partially disposed in said opening.

22. Operator and electrical circuit interfacing apparatus having at least one circuit component for enabling operator interaction with the electrical circuit, said circuit component having an actuator that is manipulated by the operator and having means for producing electrical circuit control signals which means produces said control signals in response to manipulation of said actuator, said apparatus further having an electrically controlled display screen with a front face that is viewed by said operator and control means for generating any of a plurality of different images at an image display area on said front face of said screen, wherein the improvement comprises:

said electrically controlled display screen having a first array of parallel busbars therein which extend in orthogonal relationship with busbars of a second array of parallel busbars within said display screen and which enable activation of different combinations of image pixels at different times,

said actuator being situated at least in part at said front face of said busbar containing display screen within said image display area thereof and at least a portion of said electrical circuit control signal producing means being behind said busbar containing display screen and wherein components of said electrical circuit control signal producing means which are behind said display screen interact with said actuator through said screen at said image display area of said screen, and

wherein said control means energizes different combinations of the busbars of said first and second arrays thereof at different times to generate different images on said screen at different times that convey information pertaining to said circuit component,

wherein said display screen has an opening therein which is situated at least partially within said image display area and wherein said circuit component for enabling operator interaction with said circuit is an electromechanical switch having a housing containing said means for producing control signals, said switch further having an actuator shaft extending from said housing for operating said switch and wherein said actuator of said component is a switch cap which is broader than said actuator shaft and which is disposed at the end of said shaft that is remote from said housing and wherein said shaft extends through said opening in said screen, said switch cap being adjacent to said screen at said front face thereof at which said visible image is viewed and being in overlapping relationship with portions of said front face that are adjacent to said opening and said housing being spaced apart from the opposite face thereof.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 further including an annular body of resilient material disposed between said switch cap and said screen in encircling relationship with said shaft at the location where said switch cap overlaps said screen.

25. Operator and electrical circuit interfacing apparatus having at least one circuit component for enabling operator interaction with the electrical circuit, said circuit component having an actuator that is manipulated by the operator and having means for producing electrical circuit control signals which means produces said control signals in response to manipulation of said actuator, said apparatus further having an electrically controlled display screen with a front face that is viewed by said operator and control means for generating any of a plurality of different images at an image display area on said front face of said screen, wherein the improvement comprises:

said electrically controlled display screen having a first array of parallel busbars therein which extend in orthogonal relationship with busbars of a second array of parallel busbars within said display screen and which enable activation of different combinations of image pixels at different times,

said actuator being situated at least in part at said front face of said busbar containing display screen within said image display area thereof and at least a portion of said electrical circuit control signal producing means being behind said busbar containing display screen and wherein components of said electrical circuit control signal producing means which are behind said display screen interact with said actuator through said screen at said image display area of said screen, and

wherein said screen has spaced apart front and back plates and image forming material disposed therebetween and has an opening which extends through said front and back panels and said image forming material, further including sealing means for sealing said opening which sealing means includes a continuous band of fluid impervious material extending around the periphery of said opening between said plates, wherein a portion of said electrical circuit component protrudes from said opening and overlaps said front plate of said screen and wherein said continuous band of fluid impervious material is sufficiently thin to be within the area of said screen that is overlapped by said portion of said component.