Data input device and portable electronic device

• US 7,956,770 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Klinghult, Gunnar, Kleverman, Mats, Jendbro, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/770,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/22, 345/701, 345/157, 345/156, 345/184, 345/179, 310/319, 200/512, 324/156
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Embodiments include a data input device and a portable electronic device including such a data input device. The data input device may include a key sensing mechanism and a solid material layer provided above the key sensing mechanism. The solid material layer may include a least one cavity that may go through the whole of the solid material layer. The cavity may include an electroactive polymer and two electrodes for providing a key that may be changed in shape based on an applied voltage. One embodiment may also allows the registering of inputs in the key sensing mechanism based on a user pressing down the electroactive polymer on the key sensing mechanism.

Claims

1. A data input device comprising:

a key sensing mechanism; and

a solid material layer provided directly above said key sensing mechanism,

where said solid material layer includes at least one cavity going through the whole of said solid material layer, and

where said cavity comprises an electroactive polymer and two electrodes for providing a key that can be changed in shape based on an applied voltage and register inputs in the key sensing mechanism based on a user pressing down the electroactive polymer on the key sensing mechanism.

2. The data input device according to claim 1, where the electroactive polymer and the key sensing mechanism are transparent.

3. The data input device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a display below said key sensing mechanism.

4. The data input device according to claim 1, where said solid material layer comprises a number of cavities, each having electroactive polymer and electrodes.

5. The data input device according to claim 4, where the cavities are provided in a structure, and the key sensing mechanism is to detect a key press through providing data indicating a position in the structure based on pressure applied by the electroactive polymer of a cavity on an area in the key sensing mechanism.

6. The data input device according to claim 1, where the electroactive polymer is an ionic electroactive polymer.

7. The data input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an elastic shielding layer above said solid material layer and covering said cavity.

8. The data input device according to claim 1, where the electroactive polymer is surrounded by a gel-formed electrolyte.

9. The data input device according to claim 1, where the electrodes are provided opposite each other on the walls of the cavity.

10. A portable electronic device comprising:

a data input device including;

a key sensing mechanism, and

a solid material layer provided directly above said key sensing mechanism, where said solid material layer includes at least one cavity going through the whole of said solid material layer, and

where said cavity comprises an electroactive polymer and two electrodes for providing a key that can be changed in shape based on an applied voltage and register inputs in the key sensing mechanism based on a user pressing down the electroactive polymer on the key sensing mechanism.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, where the electroactive polymer and the key sensing mechanism are transparent.

12. The portable electronic device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a display below said key sensing mechanism.

13. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, where said solid material layer comprises a number of cavities, each having electroactive polymer and electrodes.

14. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, where the cavities are provided in a structure and the key sensing mechanism is to detect a key press through providing data indicating a position in the structure based on pressure applied by the electroactive polymer of a cavity on an area in the key sensing mechanism.

15. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, where the electroactive polymer is an ionic electroactive polymer.

16. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising:

an elastic shielding layer above said solid material layer and covering said cavity.

17. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, where the electroactive polymer is surrounded by a gel-formed electrolyte.

18. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, where the electrodes are provided opposite each other on the walls of the cavity.

19. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a control unit to;

receive location detection data from the key sensing mechanism corresponding to a pressing down of the electroactive polymer in a cavity on the key sensing mechanism, and

provide a voltage to be applied on the electrodes of the electroactive polymer in a cavity based on this pressing down in order to change the shape of the electroactive polymer in question.

20. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, where the portable electronic device includes a portable communication device.

21. The portable electronic device according to claim 20, where the portable electronic device includes a cellular phone.