Methods and systems for changing the appearance of a position sensor with a light effect

• US 7,382,360 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Woo, Alfred, Day, Shawn P., Mackey, Bob Lee, Jennings, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck; Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US10/417,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/178, 349/59, 349/62, 349/63, 349/201
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for producing a light effect on a touchpad or other position sensor. In one aspect, a position sensor for detecting a position of an object suitably includes a sensor, a light source, and a light conductor at least partially located between the sensor and the object. The light conductor is configured to transmit light from the light source to produce a light effect that alters the appearance of the position sensor. Because the light conductor is located between the sensor and the object, the sensor need not be made from transparent or translucent material, thereby significantly reducing the cost of the sensor. In a further aspect, the position sensor includes at least one marking or pattern in proximity to the light conductor such that the marking can be made visible by at least a component of the light to produce an image of a soft control, logo, ornamental design, status indicator or the like.

Claims

1. A position sensor for detecting a position of an object near a touch surface comprising:

an opaque capacitive proximity sensor configured to sense the position of the object in a sensing region based on a conductive property of the object;

a controller configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode coupled to the opaque sensor, wherein the controller is configured to produce a first output in response to sensing the object in the sensing region when operating in the first mode, and to produce a second output different from the first output in response to sensing the object in the sensing region when operating in the second mode;

a light source coupled to the controller; and

a light conductor coupled to the light source and at least partially disposed over the opaque sensor, wherein the light conductor is configured to transmit at least a portion of a light from the light source to produce a first light effect in the sensing region when the controller is operating in the first mode and to produce a second light effect different from the first light effect in the sensing region when the controller is operating in the second mode.

2. The position sensor of claim 1 wherein the light conductor is further configured to scatter at least a portion of the light when the controller is operating in the second mode.

3. The position sensor of claim 2 wherein the light conductor has a first surface and the portion of the light is scattered at the first surface of the light conductor.

4. The position sensor of claim 3 wherein the light conductor has a second surface and the portion of the light is also scattered at the second surface of the light conductor.

5. The position sensor of claim 2 wherein the portion of the light is scattered from within the volume of the light conductor.

6. The position sensor of claim 2 wherein the light conductor comprises a grating configured to diffract the portion of light.

7. The position sensor of claim 6 wherein the grating is configured to diffract a pre-determined wavelength of the light.

8. The position sensor of claim 1 wherein the second light effect is a viewable pattern configured to become visible in response to the light.

9. The position sensor of claim 8 wherein the pattern is an ornamental design.

10. The position sensor of claim 8 wherein the pattern demarks a control.

11. The position sensor of claim 8 wherein the pattern is a status indicator.

12. The position sensor of claim 1 wherein the first output simulates activation of a button.

13. The position sensor of claim 12 wherein the second output is positional output.

14. The position sensor of claim 1 further comprising an overlay proximate the light conductor.

15. The position sensor of claim 14 wherein the overlay comprises a light-emitting portion corresponding to the sensing region that allows light to be passed through the overlay.

16. The position sensor of claim 15 wherein the light-emitting portion comprises an aperture.

17. The position sensor of claim 15 wherein the light-emitting portion comprises a transparent portion of the overlay.

18. The position sensor of claim 15 wherein the light-emitting portion comprises a translucent portion of the overlay.

19. The position sensor of claim 14 wherein the overlay comprises a first portion corresponding to the sensing region that blocks the passage of light proximate to a portion of the sensing region that allows the passage of light.

20. A touch sensor for detecting a position of an object near a touch surface, the touch sensor configured to function in a first operational mode and a second operational mode, the touch sensor comprising:

an opaque capacitive position sensor, the opaque sensor configured to sense the position of the object when the object is proximate to a sensing region based on a conductive property of the object;

a light source configured to be selectively switched ON and OFF;

a light conductor coupled to the light source and at least partially disposed over the opaque sensor, wherein the light conductor is configured to transmit at least a portion of a light from the light source to the opaque sensor to produce a light effect in the sensing region when the light source is ON; and

a controller coupled to the opaque sensor and the light source, wherein the controller is configured to produce a first output in response to sensing the object in the sensing region when the touch sensor is operating in the first operational mode and to produce a second output different from the first output in response to sensing the object in the sensing region when the touch sensor is operating in the second operational mode, and wherein the controller is configured to switch ON the light source when the touch sensor is operating in the first operational mode and to switch OFF the light source when the touch sensor is operating in the second operational mode.

21. A system having a processor, a digital memory and an input/output sub-system configured to communicate with a touchpad configured to receive user input near a touch surface, wherein the touchpad comprises:

an opaque capacitive position sensor configured to sense user input based on a conductive property of an object associated with the user input;

a light source configured to produce a light;

a light conductor located over the opaque sensor, wherein the light conductor is configured to transmit the light from the light source to produce a light effect near the touch surface; and

a controller configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode coupled to the opaque sensor, wherein said light effect is produced when the controller is operating in the first mode and said light effect is altered when the controller is operating in the second mode, and wherein the controller is further configured to produce a first output in response to user input when the controller is operating in the first mode and to produce a second output different from the first output in response to user input when the controller is operating in the second mode.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said light effect is altered by turning off the light source when the position sensor is operating in the second mode.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said light effect is altered by changing one of a color of the light and a pattern produced by the light when the position sensor is operating in the second mode.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the altered light effect is different from said light effect.

25. A method of operating a device having an opaque capacitive position sensor and a touch surface, the opaque capacitive position sensor configured to detect a position of an object in a first mode and a second mode based on a conductive property of the object, the method comprising the steps of:

setting the opaque capacitive position sensor to operate in one of the first mode and the second mode;

receiving user input;

responsive to operating in the first mode;

activating a light source to thereby produce a light,

transmitting at least a portion of the light from the light source with a light conductor, wherein the light conductor is located at least in part over the sensor;

scattering at least a portion of the light from the light conductor to thereby produce a first light effect that changes an appearance of the device, and wherein the first light effect is produced in the first mode and the first light effect is not produced in the second mode, and

producing a first output in response to receiving the input; and

responsive to operating in the second mode;

not activating the light source, and

producing a second output different from the first output in response to receiving the input.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the scattering step comprises uniformly producing the light effect across a sensing region of the capacitive position sensor.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the scattering step comprises non-uniformly producing the light effect across a sensing region of the capacitive position sensor.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein responsive to operating in the first mode further comprises the step of adjusting the first light effect.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the adjusting step comprises varying the intensity of the light.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the adjusting step comprises varying the color of the light.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the adjusting step comprises dynamically adjusting the light effect as a function of the input received by the sensor.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the adjusting step comprises adjusting the light effect as a function of the position of an object sensed by the sensor.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of adjusting the light effect is in response to a status of the device.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of adjusting the first light effect produces a second light effect in the first mode different from the first light effect.

35. The method of claim 28 wherein the adjusting step is performed responsive to receiving the input if the input is received when the sensor is operating in the first mode.

36. A device comprising:

opaque means for capacitively sensing an object position in proximity to a surface based on a conductive property of an object;

means for producing light;

means for conducting the light from the light producing means, wherein the conducting means is located at least in part between the sensing means and the surface; and

means for scattering at least a portion of the light from the conducting means to thereby produce a light effect that changes an appearance of the device, wherein the device is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode different from the first mode, and wherein said light effect is produced in the first mode and said light effect is not produced in the second mode.

37. A position sensing device having a touch surface, the sensing device comprising:

an opaque capacitive position sensor configured to detect user input received near the touch surface based on a conductive property of an object associated with the user input;

a light source configured to produce a light;

a light conductor located at least in part over the sensor wherein the light conductor is configured to transmit the light from the light source;

at least one marking in proximity to the light conductor, wherein the at least one marking is configured to be made visible by at least a component of the light to produce an image of a first soft control indicating an associated portion of the sensing region; and

a controller coupled to the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to operate in a first soft control mode to produce the image of the first soft control and to provide a first soft control result when user input corresponds to the associated portion of the sensing region, and to provide a result different from the first soft control result when user input corresponds to the associated portion of the sensing region and the device is not operating in the first soft control mode.

38. The sensing device of claim 37 wherein the at least one marking comprises at least one diffraction grating sensitive to a wavelength component of the light.

39. The sensing device of claim 37 wherein the at least one marking comprises material sensitive to a wavelength component of the light.

40. The sensing device of claim 37 wherein the at least one marking is proximate to a surface of the light conductor.

41. The sensing device of claim 37 wherein the at least one marking is located within the volume of the light conductor.

42. The sensing device of claim 37 wherein the light source is further configured to be switchably activated to produce the component of the light.

43. The sensing device of claim 37 wherein the controller is configured to operate in a second soft control mode, the position sensing device further comprising a second marking in proximity to the light conductor, wherein the second marking is configured to be made visible in response to a second component of the light to produce a second image of a second soft control.

44. The sensing device of claim 43 wherein the component of the light comprises light of a first wavelength, and the second component of the light comprises light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.

45. The sensing device of claim 43 wherein the component of the light comprises light of a first polarization, and the second component of the light comprises light of a second polarization different from the first polarization.

46. The sensing device of claim 43 wherein the component of the light comprises light of a first intensity, and the second component of the light comprises light of a second intensity different from the first intensity.

47. The sensing device of claim 43 wherein the component of the light is produced by a first light producer, and the second component of the light is produced by a second light producer different from the first light producer.

48. The sensing device of claim 47 wherein the first and second light producers are light emitting diodes.

49. The position sensing device of claim 37 wherein the at least one marking is not visible in the absence of the component of the light.

50. The position sensing device of claim 37 wherein the at least one marking is at least partially visible in the absence of the component of the light.

51. The position sensing device of claim 37 wherein the component of the light alters the appearance of the at least one marking.

52. A method of controlling a position sensing device having a light source configured to produce a light, an opaque position sensor having a sensing region for detecting user input correlating to a position of an object based on a conductive property of the object, and a light conductor located at least in part between the sensor and the object and configured to transmit light from the light source to the sensing region, wherein the device is capable of operating in a first input mode and in a second input mode, the method comprising the steps of:

demarking a soft control portion of the capacitive sensing region when the device is in the first input mode and not demarking the soft control portion of the capacitive sensing region when the device is in the second input mode; and

producing a first result if the user input corresponds to the soft control portion and the device is in the first input mode, and producing a second result different from the first result if the user input corresponds to the soft control portion and the device is in the second input mode.

53. A digital storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions are configured to execute the method of claim 52.

54. A digital storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for controlling a sensing device having a light source configured to produce a light, an opaque position sensor having a capacitive sensing region for detecting user input correlating to a position of an object based on a conductive property of the object, and a light conductor located at least in part between the sensor and the object and configured to transmit light from the light source to the sensing region, wherein the device is capable of operating in a first input mode and in a second input mode, the instructions comprising:

a first code module configured to demark a soft control portion of the capacitive sensing region when the device is in the first input mode and to not demark the soft control portion of the capacitive sensing region when the device is in the second input mode;

a second code module configured to detect user input to determine the position of the object; and

a third code module configured to produce a first result if the position of the object corresponds to the soft control portion and the device is in the first input mode, and to produce a second result different from the first result if the position of the object corresponds to the soft control portion and the device is in the second input mode.

55. A digital storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for operating an opaque capacitive position sensor having a light source and configured to detect a position of an object based on a conductive property of the object, and a light conductor at least partially located between the capacitive position sensor and the object, wherein the instructions comprise a code module configured to control the light source to thereby modify a light effect that alters an appearance of the capacitive position sensor in a first operating mode and not in a second operating mode, and wherein the instructions further comprise code configured to process inputs from the sensor to generate a first output in the first operating mode and a second output different from the first output in the second operating mode.