Input device and an electronic device comprising an input device

• US 7,829,812 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tolbert, William Haywood, Steijner, Johan Magnus Rikard
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOMZA, LISA NHUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/858,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.A, 200512-520, 200310-315, 200341-345, 345/173
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/004 Collapsible dome or bubble
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• 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 2217/96054 Double function: touch detection combined with detection of a movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

An input device including a support structure, such as a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), and a switch device, e.g. a switch dome, mounted on the support structure. The switch device may be configured to provide tactile feedback to a user upon depression of the switch device by a finger of the user. The input device also comprises a capacitive touch sensing device, e.g. a capacitive touch screen, which is positioned in relation to the switch device such that the capacitive touch sensing device is configured to sense the capacitance of the finger upon depression of the switch device by the finger. The invention also concerns an electronic device, e.g. a mobile phone, comprising one or several input devices.

Claims

1. An input device for inputting information to an electronic device, the input device comprising:

a support structure;

a switch device, which is mounted on the support structure, for providing tactile feedback to a user upon depression of the switch device by a finger of the user;

a capacitive touch sensing device arranged in relation to the switch device such that it is configured to sense the capacitance of said finger upon depression of the switch device by said finger;

a button positioned relative to the capacitive touch sensing device such that touch by a finger on a user side of the button can be sensed by the capacitive touch sensing device;

wherein the user side of the button is coated with a conductive layer forming the capacitive touch sensing device on the button;

wherein the input device is operatively connected to a controller, and wherein;

the switch device is configured to output a control signal to the controller upon depression of the switch device, the control signal indicating that inputting of said information is requested;

the capacitive touch sensing device is configured to output a control signal to the controller when the capacitance of a finger of the user is sensed by the capacitive touch sensing device; and

the controller is configured to initiate the requested inputting of said information only when the controller receives said control signal from both the switch device and the capacitive touch sensing device.

2. An input device as recited in claim 1, wherein the capacitive touch sensing device is configured to actuate towards said switch device upon depression of said capacitive touch sensing device.

3. An input device as recited in claim 1, wherein the capacitive touch sensing device further comprises an actuator for actuating towards said switch device upon depression of said capacitive touch sensing device.

4. An input device as recited in claim 1, wherein the capacitive touch sensing device is attached onto a keymat substrate and the flexible substrate comprises an actuator for actuating towards said switch device upon depression of said capacitive touch sensing device.

5. An input device as recited in claim 1, wherein the button is attached onto a substrate with the button interposed between the conductive layer and the substrate, and wherein the substrate comprises an actuator for actuating towards said switch device upon depression of said button.

6. An input device as recited in claim 1, wherein the switch device is a switch dome.

7. An electronic device comprising at least one input device for inputting information to the electronic device, wherein the at least one input device includes:

a support structure;

a switch device, which is mounted on the support structure, for providing tactile feedback to a user upon depression of the switch device by a finger of the user;

a capacitive touch sensing device arranged in relation to the switch device such that it is configured to sense the capacitance of said finger upon depression of the switch device by said finger;

a button, wherein a user side of the button is coated with a conductive layer forming the capacitive touch sensing device on the button;

a controller, wherein the input device is operatively connected to said controller and wherein;

the switch device is configured to output a control signal to the controller upon depression of the switch device, the control signal indicating that inputting of said information is requested,

the capacitive touch sensing device is configured to output a control signal to the controller when the capacitance of a finger of the user on the user side of the button is sensed by the capacitive touch sensing device; and

the controller is configured to initiate the requested inputting of said information only when the controller receives said control signal from both the switch device and the capacitive touch sensing device.

8. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the capacitive touch sensing device is configured to actuate towards said switch device upon depression of said capacitive touch sensing device.

9. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the capacitive touch sensing device further comprises an actuator for actuating towards said switch device upon depression of said capacitive touch sensing device.

10. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the capacitive touch sensing device is attached onto a keymat substrate and the keymat substrate comprises an actuator for actuating towards said switch device upon depression of said capacitive touch sensing device.

11. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the button is attached onto a substrate with the button interposed between the conductive layer and the substrate comprises an actuator for actuating towards said switch device upon depression of said button.

12. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the switch device is a switch dome.

13. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the electronic device comprises a keypad and said input device is an input device of said keypad.

14. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the electronic device comprises a camera and the input device is an image recording trigger for capturing an image by the camera.

15. An electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the electronic device is a device from the group comprising:

a portable radio communication equipment, a mobile radio terminal, a mobile telephone, a cellular telephone, a pager, a communicator, an electronic organizer, a smart phone, a camera device, a media player.