Electronic device including touch-sensitive display

• US 8,279,183 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Ladouceur, Norman, Griffin, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xavier, Antonio
• Application Number:
  US12/261,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20100110016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• 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

Abstract

An electronic device includes a base and a touch-sensitive display connected to the base and movable relative thereto. The touch-sensitive display includes a display device and a touch-sensitive input device for detecting touches on the display device. The electronic device also includes a switch actuator disposed between the touch-sensitive display and the base, switches disposed between the touch-sensitive display and the base and moveable relative to the switch actuator from a first position in which only one of the switches is located for actuation by the switch actuator, and a second position in which two of the switches are located for actuation by the switch actuator, and operational components including a processor connected to the display device and the touch-sensitive input device for controlling operation of the display device and the touch-sensitive input device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a base;

a touch-sensitive display connected to the base and movable relative thereto;

a switch actuator disposed between the touch-sensitive display and the base;

switches disposed between the touch-sensitive display and the base and moveable relative to the base from a first position in which only one of the switches is located for actuation by the switch actuator to a second position in which two of the switches are located for actuation by the switch actuator;

wherein the switch actuator comprises a tray disposed between the touch-sensitive display and at least one of the switches; and

wherein the switch actuator comprises at least one projection from the tray for contacting the switches.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the switch actuator comprises three projections for actuating the switches.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a sliding mechanism that comprises a mounting plate on which the switches are disposed, and the mounting plate is slideable between the first position and the second position.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, comprising a stop for inhibiting movement of the touch-sensitive display relative to the base.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the stop is aligned with a boss for abutting to inhibit movement of the touch-sensitive display relative to the base when the switches are in a third position.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the third position is intermediate the first position and the second position.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the switches provides tactile feedback in response to a touch event on the touch-sensitive display.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a movable touch-sensitive display;

a switch actuator disposed between the touch-sensitive display and a housing of the electronic device;

switches moveable relative to a base of the electronic device from a first position in which one of the switches is located for actuation by the switch actuator to a second position in which two of the switches are located for actuation by the switch actuator;

wherein movement of the touch-sensitive display depresses any switches located for actuation by the switch actuator;

comprising a sliding mechanism for moving the switches between the first position and the second position; and

wherein the sliding mechanism is controlled by a processor to move between the first and the second position.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the switches provides tactile feedback in response to a touch event on the touch-sensitive display.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein relative movement of the switches is automated.

11. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein relative movement of the switches is automated based on at least one of a device state and an application running on the device.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a display movable relative to the housing;

a switch actuator disposed between the display and the housing;

a plurality of switches moveable relative to a base of the electronic device from a first position to a second position to change a number of the plurality of switches that are located for actuation by the switch actuator;

wherein any of the plurality of switches located for actuation by the switch actuator are actuatable by movement of the display;

comprising a sliding mechanism for moving the switches between the first position and the second position; and

wherein the sliding mechanism is controlled by a processor to move between the first and the second position.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the switches provides tactile feedback in response to a touch event on the touch-sensitive display.