Electronic apparatus and input interface thereof

• US 8,310,455 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Hsing-Chiang, Wu, Kuo-Chen, Ou, Tsung-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US12/339,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/204, 324/686, 341/20, 715/784
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes an input interface, a controller and a processor. The input interface includes a first touch sensing region, a second touch sensing region and a third sensing region. The first touch sensing region has a plurality of touch pads arranged in a radial array. The second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region are respectively adjacent to two sides of the first touch sensing region, and each includes a plurality of touch pads arranged in a matrix array. The controller is coupled to each of the touch pads for detecting a user input on the user interface and generating a plurality of sensing signals according to the user input. The processor is electrically coupled to the controller, and executes a corresponding function according to the plurality of sensing signals.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a display for displaying information;

an input interface disposed adjacent to the display, the input interface comprising;

a first touch sensing region having a plurality of touch pads arranged in a radial array therein;

a second touch sensing region adjacent to a side of the first touch sensing region, the second touch sensing region having a plurality of touch pads arranged in a matrix array therein; and

a third sensing region adjacent to another side of the first touch sensing region, the third sensing region having a plurality of touch pads arranged in a matrix array therein;

wherein the first touch sensing region is positioned between the second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region;

a controller, electrically coupled to each touch pad in the input interface, for detecting a user input on the input interface and generating a plurality of sensing signals according to the user input; and

a processor, electrically coupled to the controller, for executing a corresponding function according to the plurality of sensing signals;

wherein each of the touch pads in the first touch sensing region has a saw-tooth edge and is connected to one another with the saw-tooth edge.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matrix array is a grid matrix.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first touch sensing region surrounds a central region.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the central region has a central touch pad disposed therein, and the central touch pad is electrically coupled to the controller.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the input interface further comprises a switch, which is disposed under the central touch pad and electrically coupled to the processor, for detecting a press on the central touch pad and generating an electronic signal in response to the pressure.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, which is a hand-held electronic apparatus, wherein the first touch sensing region, the second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region as a whole have a width substantially equal to that of the display.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first touch sensing region, the second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region as a whole form a substantially rectangular shape.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of touch pads in the first touch sensing region, the second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region is a capacitive touch pad.

9. An input interface for an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a first touch sensing region having a plurality of touch pads arranged in a radial array therein;

a second touch sensing region adjacent to a side of the first touch sensing region, the second touch sensing region having a plurality of touch pads arranged in a matrix array therein; and

a third sensing region adjacent to another side of the first touch sensing region, the third sensing region having a plurality of touch pads arranged in a matrix array therein;

wherein the first touch sensing region is positioned between the second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region, and each of the touch pads in the first touch sensing region has a saw-tooth edge and connected to one another with the saw-tooth pattern edge.

10. The input interface of claim 9, wherein the matrix array is a grid matrix.

11. The input interface of claim 9, wherein the first touch sensing region, the second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region as a whole form a substantially rectangular shape.

12. The input interface of claim 9, wherein each of touch pads in the first touch sensing region, the second touch sensing region and the third touch sensing region is a capacitive touch pad.