Input device with palm detecting unit

• US 8,077,057 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ohshita, Kazuhito, Hagiwara, Yasuji, Sato, Tadamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURPHY, JEROLD B
• Application Number:
  US11/934,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20080266143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 178 1801- 2004, 715856-862, 345156-178, 341 22- 34, 400472-496, 379367-370, 708131-146
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A capacitive input pad is provided at a position near input keys constituting a keyboard input unit. A left palm detecting unit and a right palm detecting unit are provided both sides of this input pad. When the left palm detecting unit and the right palm detecting unit detect both palms, an input operation, corresponding to a space key input area, an L-key input portion, or an R-key input portion, is performed through an operation of the input pad. When the left palm detecting unit and the right palm detecting unit do not detect both palms, a coordinate input operation is performed using the input pad.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a keyboard input unit having a plurality of input keys;

an input pad that detects touch of a hand through a change in capacitance, the input pad including

a detecting switch that is provided on a proximal side with respect to the keyboard input unit and detects pressing operation when the input pad is pressed,

a palm detecting unit that is provided outside of the input pad and detects the hand that is in a position of operating the keyboard input device; and

a data processing unit that generates different input signals on the basis of a detection output of the input pad according to whether the palm detecting unit detects the hand or not,

wherein when both hands are detected at the palm detecting unit and it is judged that a preset area on the input pad is touched with the hand, and, in addition, when the pressing of the input pad is detected by the detection switch, the data processing unit generates an input signal that has been assigned to the area in advance; and

when both hands are not detected at the palm detecting unit and the touching of the area on the input pad with the hand is detected, the data processing unit generates a pad input signal that includes coordinate information that indicates a position on the input pad that is touched with the hand irrespective of the output of the detection switch.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the preset area is a space key input section and the input signal that has been assigned in advance is a space input signal.

3. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the space key input section is located within an array of the input keys constituting the keyboard input unit.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein when both hands are not detected at the palm detecting unit, the whole detection area of the input pad is used as a coordinate detection area to generate the pad input signal including the coordinate information indicating the position on the input pad that is touched with the hand.

5. An input device comprising:

a keyboard input unit that has a plurality of input keys; and

an input pad that detects touch of a hand through a change in capacitance, the input pad including

a detection switch that is provided on a proximal side with respect to the keyboard input unit and detects pressing operation when the input pad is pressed,

a palm detecting unit that is provided outside of the input pad and detects the hand that is in a position of operating the keyboard input unit, and

a data processing unit that generates different input signals on the basis of a detection output of the input pad according to whether the palm detecting unit detects the hand or not,

wherein when both hands are detected at the palm detecting unit or when both hands are not detected at the palm detecting unit, it is judged that a preset area on the input pad is touched with the hand, and, in addition, when the pressing of the input pad is detected by the detection switch, the data processing unit generates an input signal that has been assigned to the area in advance; and

when both hands are not detected at the palm detecting unit, when the touching of the area on the input pad with the hand is detected, and, in addition, when the pressing of the input pad is not detected by the detection switch, the data processing unit generates a pad input signal that includes coordinate information that indicates a position on the input pad that is touched with the hand.

6. The input device according to claim 5, wherein the preset area is a plurality of direction input sections, and the input signal that has been assigned in advance is a direction instruction signal corresponding to each of the plurality of direction input sections.

7. The input device according to claim 5, wherein the preset area is a plurality of numeric key input sections, and the input signal that has been assigned in advance is a numeral instruction signal corresponding to each of the plurality of numeric key input sections.

8. The input device according to claim 5, wherein when both hands are not detected at the palm detecting unit, the whole detection area of the input pad is used as a coordinate detection area to generate the pad input signal including the coordinate information indicating the position on the input pad that is touched with the hand.