System for disposing a proximity sensitive touchpad behind a mobile phone keymat

• US 7,808,487 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Inventors: Layton, Michael D., Taylor, Brian, Taylor, David
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/641,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345172-175, 200/5.A, 200/6.R, 341 20- 26
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• 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 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0289 having a matrix lay-out, i.e. having selectively interconnectable sets of X-conductors and Y-conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits

Abstract

A proximity-based mutually capacitance-sensitive touchpad that is disposed directly beneath a keypad keymat of a mobile telephone, wherein posts associated with each key pass through a mutually capacitance-sensitive sensor electrode grid of the touchpad such that the keypad posts do not interfere with touchpad detection and tracking of a pointing object that moves along the keypad surface, to thereby enable touchpad data entry, cursor control, and scroll bar control on a display of the mobile telephone, wherein the keypad posts actuate mechanical switches underneath the touchpad.

Claims

1. A portable electronic appliance comprising:

an arcuate keypad surface having a plurality of keys, wherein each of the plurality of keys is arranged so as to actuate a respective mechanical switch so as to provide a first type of user input; and

an impedance sensing means disposed integrally with the arcuate keypad surface so as to provide a second type of user input that is characterized as non-mechanical, wherein the impedance sensing means operates as a proximity sensitive touchpad beneath the arcuate keypad surface, wherein the impedance sensing means is of a size that is always adaptable for use in a hand-held device, and wherein the impedance sensing means is disposed under the arcuate keypad surface.

2. The portable electronic appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein the arcuate keypad surface is comprised of a material that does not interfere with operation of the impedance sensing means.