Method for the optical marking of a touch contact switch and touch contact switch

• US 7,525,063 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Original Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Inventors: Schilling, Wilfried, Dorwarth, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KYUNG S
• Application Number:
  US11/683,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20070144874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 200/600, 200/5.R, 200/5.A, 200/17.R, 200/18, 345/168, 345173-174, 341/20, 341/26, 341/30, 341/195, 324/716, 324/658, 324/662
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/032 Feedback about selected symbol, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/014 Slide selector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960705 Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

An elongate contact switch is disclosed having several partial contact areas and associated illumination means for indicating the actuation mode and also the actuation point to an operator, in order to increase operational effectiveness. The illumination means can be directly associated with individual partial contact areas or can indicate the progress of movements for operating the contact switch by applying a finger and pulling the same along a contact area. Moreover, malfunctions can be indicated to the operator.

Claims

1. A method for optically marking a touch contact switch under a cover by using a plurality of illumination sources, wherein said touch contact switch has defined actuation states comprising “

not actuated”

, “

incorrectly actuated” and

“

correctly actuated”

,

wherein at least a subset of said plurality of illumination sources are activated if the touch contact switch is in said “

correctly actuated”

state,

wherein said subset of said plurality of illumination sources are deactivated if the touch contact switch transition is in said “

not actuated”

state and wherein further said subset of said plurality of illumination sources are deactivated with the removal of a user'"'"'s function contacting a partial contact surface of said cover, and

wherein at least said subset of said plurality of illumination sources change their illumination state when the touch contact switch is in said “

incorrectly actuated”

state.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein transition of the touch contact switch from said on-state to said off-state and transition of the contact switch from said off-state to said on-state is accomplished with the same user input.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said touch contact switch is subdivided into a plurality of partial contact surfaces.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein different functions are initiated when a user touches different touch contact positions on said cover of said touch contact switch, wherein activating or deactivating said subset of said plurality of illumination sources or determining an actuation state is dependent on a touch contact position on said partial contact surface by said user'"'"'s finger.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein each one of said plurality of partial contact surfaces is associated with a respective subset of said plurality of illumination sources and contacting one of said plurality of partial contact surfaces results in a respective one of said subset of said plurality of illumination sources to be activate or deactivated.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of illumination sources are constructed for being activated with different activation states.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of illumination sources are constructed for being activated with different light intensities.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of illumination sources are constructed to flash on and off.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said touch contact switch has a plurality of partial contact surfaces on said cover, wherein a point on said cover touched by a user'"'"'s finger results in a respective subset of said plurality of illumination sources to be activated.

10. A touch contact switch comprising:

a plurality of contact surfaces on a surface cover configured to detect a touch of a user'"'"'s finger at a point on one of said plurality of contact surfaces, wherein said touch contact switch has defined actuation states comprising “

not actuated”

, “

incorrectly actuated,” and

“

correctly actuated”

; and

a plurality of illumination sources comprising a plurality of subsets of illumination sources, wherein at least one or more subsets of said illumination sources are configured to change activation state as a function of a transition of said touch contact switch from a first actuation state to a second actuation state.

11. The touch contact switch according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of partial contact surfaces are juxtaposed, wherein each one of said plurality of partial contact surfaces is individually capable of detecting said touch of said user'"'"'s finger so as to transition the touch contact switch from said first state to said second state, wherein further each one of said plurality of partial contact surfaces is respectively associated with one of said plurality of subsets of illumination sources, and wherein said one of said subsets of illumination sources is separately activatable and deactivatable as a function of said one of said subsets of said plurality of illumination sources'"'"' actuation state or on actuation emit a differentiatable signal.

12. The touch contact switch according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of illumination sources are provided underneath said surface cover and said plurality of partial contact surfaces comprise electrically conductive sensor surfaces having an opening for said plurality of illumination sources for radiating light through said surface.

13. The touch contact switch according to claim 12, comprising a plurality of adjacent recesses.

14. The touch contact switch according to claim 13, wherein said recesses are constructed as a longitudinal slot.

15. The touch contact switch according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of partial contact surfaces are juxtaposed and configured for emitting a differentiatable signal on actuation, wherein each one of said plurality of partial contact surfaces is associated with one of said plurality of subsets of said illumination sources, capable of separate activation and deactivation as a function of the actuation state of said one of said plurality of subsets of said illumination sources.

16. The touch contact switch according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of illumination sources forms a frame around said contact surface.

17. The touch contact switch according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprise LEDs.

18. A touch contact switch comprising:

a cover comprising indicia for indicating a boundary thereby defining an area within said boundary, wherein said cover can be touched by a user'"'"'s finger;

a plurality of contact surfaces aligned in an adjacent manner below said cover configured to detect a touch of said user'"'"'s finger at a touch location point on said cover, wherein said touch contact switch is configured to evaluate said touch location point as “

not actuated”

, “

incorrectly actuated”

, and “

correctly actuated”

;

wherein if said touch location point is within said area within said boundary, said touch contact switch evaluates said touch location point as “

not actuated”

or “

correctly actuated”

, and

wherein if said touch location point is outside said area, said touch contact switch evaluates said location point as “

incorrectly actuated”

; and

a plurality of illumination sources comprising a plurality of subsets of illumination sources,

wherein each one of the plurality of subsets of illumination sources are each respectively associated with a one of the plurality of contact surfaces,

wherein at least one or more subsets of illumination sources are configured to change activation state as a function of the evaluation of said location points as “

not actuated”

, “

incorrectly actuated”

, and “

correctly actuated”

.