Directional pad having integrated acoustic system and lighting system

• US 7,091,957 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Danger Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Duarte, Matias, Lewis, Todd, Palmer, Joseph, Zee, Andrew, Northway, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US10/718,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-170, 345173-179, 178 1801- 1807, 178 1901- 1906
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

An apparatus for use in a data processing device is described in which an audio system and a light system is embedded within a cursor control device such as a directional pad. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a cursor control device for performing one or more defined cursor control functions; an audio system embedded within the cursor control device, the audio system configured to generate audio signals responsive to audio signals received and/or generated by the data processing device; and a light source embedded within the cursor control device, the light sources configured to generate light from the cursor control device responsive to control signals generated by the data processing device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a data processing device comprising:

a cursor control device to perform one or more defined cursor control functions, the cursor control device comprising a directional pad configured to direct a cursor in specified directions responsive to a user input;

an audio system embedded within the cursor control device, the audio system to generate audio responsive to audio signals received and/or generated by the data processing device;

a light source embedded within the cursor control device, the light source to generate light responsive to control signals generated by the data processing device;

wherein the directional pad further comprises;

a button shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface;

an actuator platform coupled to the button shell, the actuator platform pivoting around a pivot point; and

one or more switches interfacing with one or more points on the actuator platform, the switches communicatively coupled to generate control signals responsive to physical user input on the button shell.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the audio system further comprises:

an audio receiver fixedly attached to an inside surface of the cursor control device, the audio receiver having a speaker for generating the audio responsive to the audio signals; and

a first air chamber adjacent to the audio receiver, the first air chamber positioned behind the speaker within the audio receiver.

3. The apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising:

a second air chamber adjacent to the audio chamber, the second air chamber positioned in front of the speaker within the audio receiver.

4. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the cursor control device includes one or more audio transmission holes directly adjacent to the second air chamber through which audio signals generated by the speaker within the audio receiver are transmitted.

5. The apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising:

one or more port holes coupling the first air chamber to the audio receiver.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising:

a printed circuit board (“

PCB”

) having a plurality of holes aligned with the port holes, wherein the port holes are sealed to the corresponding holes in the PCB by corresponding elastomer cones.

7. The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the cursor control device is affixed to the PCB by the elastomer cones, wherein the elastomer cones deform and apply a counter force responsive to a force applied to the cursor control device.

8. The apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising one or more exit holes coupling the first air chamber to an inner volume within the data processing device.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (“

LED”

).

10. The apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the cursor control device comprises an external surface exposed to and end user and an internal surface, the LED configured to shine light between the external surface and the internal surface to illuminate the cursor control device.

11. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the directional pad further comprises:

a boot fixedly coupled to the interior surface of the button shell; and

an audio receiver of the audio system fixedly inserted into the boot, the audio receiver to generate audio responsive to audio signals generated and/or received by the data processing device.

12. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the pivot point comprises a gimble socket.

14. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the directional pad further comprises:

a boot fixedly coupled to the interior surface of the button shell; and

an audio receiver of the audio system means fixedly inserted into the boot.

13. An apparatus to be used in a data processing device comprising:

cursor control means for performing one or more defined cursor control functions, the cursor control device comprising a directional pad configured to direct a cursor in specified directions responsive to a user input;

audio system means embedded within the cursor control means, the audio system means to generate audio responsive to audio signals received and/or generated by the data processing device;

lighting means embedded within the cursor control means, the light source to generate light responsive to control signals generated by the data processing devices;

wherein the directional pad comprises;

a button shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface;

an actuator platform coupled to the button shell, the actuator platform pivoting around a pivot point; and

one or more switches interfacing with one or more points on the actuator platform, the switches communicatively coupled to generate control signals responsive to physical user input on the button shell.

15. The apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the audio system further comprises:

an audio receiver fixedly attached to an inside surface of the cursor control device, the audio receiver having a speaker for generating the audio responsive to the audio signals; and

a first air chamber adjacent to the audio receiver, the first air chamber positioned behind the speaker within the audio receiver.

16. The apparatus as in claim 15 further comprising:

a second air chamber adjacent to the audio chamber, the second air chamber positioned in front of the speaker within the audio receiver.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16 wherein the cursor control device includes one or more audio transmission holes directly adjacent to the second air chamber through which audio signals generated by the speaker within the audio receiver are transmitted.

18. The apparatus as in claim 15 further comprising:

one or more port holes coupling the first air chamber to the audio receiver.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising:

a printed circuit board (“

PCB”

) having a plurality of holes aligned with the port holes, wherein the port holes are sealed to the corresponding holes in the PCB by corresponding elastomer cones.

20. The apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the cursor control device is affixed to the PCB by the elastomer cones, wherein the elastomer cones deform and apply a counter force responsive to a force applied to the cursor control device.

21. The apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising one or more exit holes coupling the first air chamber to an inner volume within the data processing device.

22. The apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (“

LED”

).

23. The apparatus as in claim 22 wherein the cursor control device comprises an external surface exposed to and end user and an internal surface, the LED configured to shine light between the external surface and the internal surface to illuminate the cursor control device.

24. An apparatus for use in a data processing device comprising:

a cursor control device to perform one or more defined cursor control functions;

an audio system embedded within the cursor control device, the audio system to generate audio responsive to audio signals received and/or generated by the data processing device;

a light source embedded within the cursor control device, the light source to generate light responsive to control signals generated by the data processing device;

wherein the audio system further comprises;

an audio receiver fixedly attached to an inside surface of the cursor control device, the audio receiver having a speaker for generating the audio responsive to the audio signals; and

a first air chamber adjacent to the audio receiver, the first air chamber positioned behind the speaker within the audio receiver.

25. The apparatus as in claim 24 further comprising:

a second air chamber adjacent to the audio chamber, the second air chamber positioned in front of the speaker within the audio receiver.

26. The apparatus as in claim 25 wherein the cursor control device includes one or more audio transmission holes directly adjacent to the second air chamber through which audio signals generated by the speaker within the audio receiver are transmitted.

27. The apparatus as in claim 24 further comprising:

one or more port holes coupling the first air chamber to the audio receiver.

28. The apparatus as in claim 27 further comprising:

a printed circuit board (“

PCB”

) having a plurality of holes aligned with the port holes, wherein the port holes are sealed to the corresponding holes in the PCB by corresponding elastomer cones.

29. The apparatus as in claim 28 wherein the cursor control device is affixed to the PCB by the elastomer cones, wherein the elastomer cones deform and apply a counter force responsive to a force applied to the cursor control device.