Information input device for portable electronic apparatus and control method

• US 8,330,728 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Li, Zhongqing
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, Yuk
• Application Number:
  US11/794,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,709 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/175, 345/177
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

The present invention discloses an information input device for a portable electronic apparatus comprising a touch unit for perceiving the touch from a user and generating a change in current, a current detection unit for detecting said change in current and sending associated detection signal, an input information generating unit for generating input information based on said detection signal and an output interface for transferring said input information to said electronic apparatus, which further comprises: an input state acquisition unit for acquiring the input state when the user uses said portable electronic apparatus; and an input switch unit for parsing said input state and control the on and off of trackpad-type input of said portable electronic apparatus based on said input state. An information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An information input device for a portable electronic apparatus comprising a touch unit for perceiving a touch from a user and generating a change in current, a current detection unit for detecting said change in current and sending corresponding detection signal, an input information generating unit for generating input information based on said detection signal and an output interface for transferring said input information to said electronic apparatus, wherein said information input device further comprises:

an input state acquisition unit for acquiring and judging whether the input state is a trackpad input state or not when the user uses said portable electronic apparatus; and

an input switch unit for turning on the trackpad-type input of said portable electronic apparatus when the said input state is a trackpad input state, otherwise turning off the said trackpad-type input;

wherein said touch unit includes a plurality of sensors each configured to sense the touch from a user and generate a change in current, and said current detection unit detects change in current of each sensors,

said input state acquisition unit comprises an area-calculating module configured to calculate, as a sum number of the sensors having a change in current, a size of a contact area between the user and the touch unit based on said detection signal from the current detection unit.

2. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input state acquisition unit is further configured to compare said contact area and a preset value;

if said contact area is less than the preset value, it means that the user uses said trackpad-type information input device correctly, otherwise it means the user misoperates said trackpad-type information input device.

3. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said input information generating unit, said input state acquisition unit and said input switch unit are elements separated from or integrated with each other or software modules executed by the processor of said information input device.

4. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input switch unit is an output interface control unit, and the output interface is opened when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise the output interface is closed.

5. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input switch unit is an input information generation control unit, and said input information generating unit is turned on when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise said input information generating unit is turned off.

6. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input switch unit is a processor interface control unit, and the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is enabled when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is prohibited.

7. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input state acquisition unit further comprises an image acquirer which films the position of the user'"'"'s hand.

8. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said input switch unit is an input reception control unit which is located in the processor of said portable electronic apparatus and parses the signal acquired by said an image acquirer, and the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is enabled when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is prohibited.

9. An information input device for a portable electronic apparatus comprising a touch unit for perceiving a touch from a user and generating a change in current, a current detection unit for detecting said change in current and sending corresponding detection signal, an input information generating unit for generating input information based on said detection signal and an output interface for transferring said input information to said electronic apparatus, wherein said information input device further comprises:

an input state acquisition unit for acquiring and judging whether the input state is a trackpad input state or not when the user uses said portable electronic apparatus; and

an input switch unit for turning on the trackpad-type input of said portable electronic apparatus when said input state is a trackpad input state, otherwise turning off the said trackpad-type input,

wherein the portable electronic apparatus comprises a keyboard and a mainboard, and at least two detectors are provided at left and right side of a joint area between the keyboard and the mainboard, such that the user'"'"'s hands cover the at least two sensors when the user is operating the keyboard, and

said input state acquisition unit comprises an input state detector configured to detect the position of the user'"'"'s hand by using the at least two detectors to detect whether the user'"'"'s hands cover the at least two detectors.

10. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said input state detector comprises a mechanical detector, an infrared detector, a visible light detector or an inductive detector.

11. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said input information generating unit, said input state acquisition unit and said input switch unit are elements separated from or integrated with each other or software modules executed by the processor of said information input device.

12. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said input switch unit is an output interface control unit, and the output interface is opened when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise the output interface is closed.

13. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said input switch unit is an input information generation control unit, and said input information generating unit is turned on when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise said input information generating unit is turned off.

14. The information input device for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said input switch unit is a processor interface control unit, and the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is enabled when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is prohibited.

15. An information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus, which is applicable to an electronic apparatus with a trackpad-type information input device and comprises:

1) acquiring and judging whether the input state is a trackpad input state or not when a user uses said portable electronic apparatus; and

2) turning on the trackpad-type input of said portable electronic apparatus when the said input state is a trackpad input state, otherwise turning off the said trackpad-type input;

wherein the portable electronic apparatus includes a plurality of sensors each configured to sense a touch from a user on a touch unit of the portable electronic apparatus, and generate a change in current, and

said acquiring and judging further comprises calculating, as a sum number of the sensors having a change in current, a size of a contact area between the user and the touch unit.

16. The information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein acquiring and judging further comprises:

comparing said contact area and a preset value;

if said contact area is less than the preset value, it means that the user uses said trackpad-type information input device correctly, otherwise it means the user misoperates said trackpad-type information input device.

17. The information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein controlling further comprises:

the output interface of said trackpad-type information input device is opened when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said trackpad-type information input device, otherwise the output interface of said trackpad-type information input device is closed;

or the input information generating unit of said trackpad-type information input device is turned on when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said trackpad-type information input device, otherwise the input information generating unit of said trackpad-type information input device is turned off;

or

the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is enabled when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said trackpad-type information input device, otherwise the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is prohibited.

18. The information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein acquiring further comprises:

1A) filming the image of the position of the user'"'"'s hand using an image acquirer;

1B) sending said filmed image to said electronic apparatus; and

wherein the parsing and controlling comprises that said electronic apparatus parses the signal acquired by said image acquirer, and the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is enabled when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said input information device, otherwise the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is prohibited.

19. An information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus, which is applicable to an electronic apparatus with a trackpad-type information input device and comprises:

1) acquiring and judging whether the input state is a trackpad input state or not when a user uses said portable electronic apparatus; and

2) turning on the trackpad-type input of said portable electronic apparatus when said input state is a trackpad input state, otherwise, turning off the said trackpad-type input;

wherein the portable electronic apparatus comprises a keyboard and a mainboard, and at least two detectors are provided at left and right side of a joint area between the keyboard and the mainboard, such that the user'"'"'s hands cover the at least two sensors when the user is operating the keyboard, and

acquiring and judging further comprises;

1a) detecting the position of the user'"'"'s hand by using, the at least two detectors to detect whether the user'"'"'s hands cover the at least two detectors;

1b) determining whether the user intends to use said trackpad-type information input device based on said position of the user'"'"'s hand.

20. The information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the at least two detectors comprises mechanical detectors, infrared detectors, visible light detectors or inductive detectors.

21. The information input control method for a portable electronic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein controlling further comprises:

the output interface of said trackpad-type information input device is opened when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said trackpad-type information input device, otherwise the output interface of said trackpad-type information input device is closed;

or the input information generating unit of said trackpad-type information input device is turned on when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said trackpad-type information input device, otherwise the input information generating unit of said trackpad-type information input device is turned off;

or

the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is enabled when it is determined that the input state is the user uses said trackpad-type information input device, otherwise the reception of input information by said electronic apparatus is prohibited.