Data input device by detecting finger's moving and the input process thereof

• US 8,436,817 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eui Jin Oh
• Original Assignee: Eui Jin Oh
• Inventors: Oh, Eui Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US12/452,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20100134428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11, 178 1901- 1907, 715/773
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/02 Piezo element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a data input device and an input conversion method using the data input device. The data input device includes a detection unit provided in a predetermined input region, the detection unit processing first directional input that generates a first directional input signal through detection of lateral pressing in a predetermined radial direction by a finger placed at a reference location in the input region, second directional input that generates a second directional input signal through detection of vertical pressing in a predetermined direction in a state in which the finger is placed at the reference location, third directional input that generates a third directional input signal through detection of tilt pressing in a state in which the finger is placed at the reference location, and fourth directional input that generates a fourth directional input signal through detection of a tilt input in a state in which the finger is placed at the reference location; and a control unit configured to determine input locations of a lateral pressing direction, vertical pressing direction, tilt pressing direction and tilting direction of the finger, extract relevant data from memory, and input the extracted data; wherein the data is input through combination of two or more of the first to fourth directional inputs.

Claims

1. A data input device using finger action detection, comprising:

a detection unit provided in a predetermined input region formed on one side of a casing of a terminal for an electronic device, the detection unit processing

first directional input that generates a first directional input signal through detection of lateral pressing in a predetermined radial direction by a finger placed at a reference location in the input region,

second directional input that generates a second directional input signal through detection of vertical pressing in a predetermined direction in a state in which the finger is placed at the reference location,

third directional input that generates a third directional input signal through detection of tilt pressing, which is performed by diagonally pressing the finger in a predetermined direction, in a state in which the finger is placed at the reference location, and

fourth directional input that generates a fourth directional input signal through detection of a tilt input, which is performed by tilting the entire finger in a predetermined direction, in a state in which the finger is placed at the reference location; and

a control unit configured to

determine input locations of lateral pressing direction, vertical pressing direction, tilt pressing direction and tilting direction of the finger based on the first to fourth directional input signals,

extract data assigned to the corresponding input locations from a memory and

input the extracted data.

2. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises a first piezoelectric detection panel having a concave detection region corresponding to a shape of a contact surface of the finger, the first piezoelectric detection panel being provided with the plurality of vertical pressing locations and the lateral pressing directions that are sequentially and radially disposed at different intervals based on the reference location located at a center of the contact surface, wherein the vertical pressing locations, the lateral pressing directions, and the vertical pressing locations and the lateral pressing directions are partitioned by deformation prevention grooves.

3. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises:

a second piezoelectric detection panel configured to come into contact with the finger, to detect the vertical pressing, and to generate the second directional input signal; and

a third piezoelectric detection panel provided under and in contact with the second piezoelectric detection panel, and configured to detect pushing of the second piezoelectric detection panel in contact with the third piezoelectric detection panel during the lateral pressing, and to generate the first directional input signal.

4. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises:

a fourth piezoelectric detection panel configured to come into contact with the finger, to detect the vertical pressing, and to generate the second directional input signal;

a plurality of vertical projections projecting downward from the fourth piezoelectric detection panel; and

a first moving detection portion provided in each of the lateral pressing directions around each of the vertical projections, and configured to come into contact with the vertical projections or to be pressed during the lateral pressing, and to generate the first directional input signal.

5. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises:

a fifth piezoelectric detection panel provided with a through hole at the reference location, and configured to detect the vertical pressing and to generate the second directional input signal; and

a second moving detection portion inserted into the through hole, provided to be able to be tilted in each radial direction by the finger, and configured to generate the first directional input signal corresponding to the lateral pressing during the lateral pressing.

6. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises:

a plurality of sixth piezoelectric detection portions disposed at different intervals around the reference location in band form, and configured to detect the vertical pressing and to generate the second directional input signal; and

a plurality of seventh piezoelectric detection portions disposed between the sixth piezoelectric detection portions, and configured to have a height lower than that of the sixth piezoelectric detection portions such that the seventh piezoelectric detection portions are not pressed by the finger during the vertical pressing, to be pressed in the lateral pressing direction by the sixth piezoelectric detection portions during the lateral pressing, and to generate the first directional input signal.

7. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises:

an eighth piezoelectric detection panel configured to come into contact with the finger, to detect the vertical pressing, and to generate the second directional input signal; and

third moving detection portions provided outside the eighth piezoelectric detection panel, and configured to detect contact by pushing of the eighth piezoelectric detection panel during the lateral pressing and to generate the first directional input signal.

8. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises:

a ninth piezoelectric detection panel configured to come into contact with the finger, to detect the vertical pressing, and to generate the second directional input signal;

fourth moving detection portions provided in the ninth piezoelectric panel to correspond to the respective radial directions around the reference location, and configured to detect contact by pushing of the ninth piezoelectric detection panel during the lateral pressing and to generate the first directional input signal; and

a rotation detection portion having a ring shape that is spaced apart from the reference location at a predetermined interval.

9. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the detection unit is provided as a piezoelectric detection panel configured to be elastically deformed by pressing of the finger; and

the control unit

determines that the finger has been placed on the piezoelectric detection panel if pressing force detected by the piezoelectric detection panel is equal to or greater than a set value and equal to or lower than 3 times the set value,

determines that the pressing is the lateral pressing if the pressing force is equal to or greater than 3 times the set value and lower than 7 times the set value, and

determines that the pressing is the vertical pressing if the pressing force is equal to or greater than 7 times the set value.

10. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection unit further generates a central input signal that is generated through detection of pressing of the reference location by the finger.

11. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first directional input signal, the second directional input signal and the central input signal is divided into two or more multi-stage signals based on intensity of pressing force, and then the multi-stage signals are generated.

12. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the reference location is provided to move along with a contact location of the finger placed on the detection unit, and

the vertical pressing location is moved along with the reference location.

13. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the detection unit further generates a central detection signal that is generated when placing of a finger at the reference location is detected, and

the control unit inputs first data, assigned to the vertical pressing location, when the central detection signal and the second directional input signal are simultaneously generated, and inputs second data, additionally assigned to the vertical pressing location, when only the second directional input signal is generated.

14. The data input device as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a keyboard display unit for displaying data assigned to the respective lateral pressing directions and the respective vertical pressing locations, the keyboard display unit selectively displaying the first data and the second data depending on whether the central detection signal has been generated or not.

15. The data input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein,

the detection unit is configured to be contracted and relaxed in response to pressing, and to generate the directional input signals respectively on the plurality of indication locations using a current value that varies in response to the contraction and the relaxation;

and

the control unit determines a change of the current value based on the directional input signals, extracts data assigned to the change of the current value from a memory unit, and inputs the extracted data.

16. The input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in a state that any one of the directional inputs has been performed, another directional input can be performed, thereby enabling respective pieces of data, assigned to the respective directional inputs, to be input together.

17. A data input device using finger action detection, the data input device being provided with a predetermined detection region in a terminal for an electronic device, comprising:

a detection unit for detecting at least one of lateral pressing and vertical pressing at a reference location, which is indicated by contact or pressing of the finger with or on the detection region, and at a plurality of first indication locations, which are arranged in a radial direction around the reference location and are indicated, in the detection region, and generating a first directional input signal corresponding to the lateral pressing and a second directional input signal corresponding to the vertical pressing; and

a control unit for determining a lateral pressing point and vertical pressing direction of the finger based on the first directional input signal and the second directional input signal, extracting data, assigned to the first directional input signal and the second directional input signal, from a memory unit, and inputting the extracted data, wherein the reference location can be displaced, and the first indication locations are moved along with the displacement of the reference location,

wherein the reference location and the first indication locations are disposed within a range that can be covered with one finger; and

the detection unit can distinguish and detect an entire input mode in which at least one of lateral pressing input and vertical pressing input is performed on one of the first indication locations while the finger contacts the reference location, and a partial input mode in which at least one of the lateral pressing input and the vertical pressing input is performed on one of the first indication locations while the finger does not contact the reference location.

18. The data input device as set forth in claim 17, wherein, when both the lateral pressing and the vertical pressing are detected within a set time, the detection unit determines the pressing to be tilt pressing, and the control unit inputs data, different from data of the lateral pressing and the vertical pressing, for the tilt pressing.

19. An input device, comprising:

a first detection portion for detecting a vector quantity of first force acting in a first direction parallel to a first actuation surface;

a second detection portion for detecting (a) a scalar quantity of second force acting in a second direction perpendicular to the first actuation surface and (b) a location where the second force is applied to the first actuation surface;

first and second control modules for generating input signals corresponding to detection amounts of the first and second detection portions, respectively;

at least one third detection portion for detecting third force acting in third directions that are not parallel to both the first actuation surface and the second direction; and

a third control module for generating an input signal corresponding to a detection amount of the third detection portion.

20. The input device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the first to third detection portions comprise a polyhedral piezoelectric element that can be elastically deformed and restored, and the piezoelectric element is a polyhedron in which at least one of acting directions of the first to third forces is used as a reference coordinate within the detection portion.

21. A data input device using finger action detection, the data input device comprising:

a detection unit provided in an input region formed on a casing of an electronic device, wherein the detection unit is configured to (a) detect a lateral pressing applied in a first radial direction by a finger placed at a reference location in the input region, and generate a first directional input signal in response to detection of the lateral pressing, (b) detect a vertical pressing applied in a second direction by the finger, and generate a second directional input signal in response to detection of the vertical pressing, (c) detect a tilt pressing applied in a third diagonal direction by the finger, and generate a third directional input signal in response to detection of the tilt pressing, and (d) detect a tilt input applied by tilting the finger in a fourth direction, and generate a fourth directional input signal in response to detection of the tilt input; and

a control unit configured to (a) determine at least one of a first input location of the lateral pressing based on the first directional input signal, a second input location of the vertical pressing based on the second directional input signal, a third input location of the tilt pressing based on the third directional input signal, and a fourth input location of the tilt input based on the fourth directional input signal, (b) extract data assigned to at least one of the first, second, third and fourth input locations from a memory, and (c) input the extracted data.

22. A data input device using finger action detection, the data input device comprising:

a detection region that is provided on an electronic device and that is configured to receive a finger thereon, wherein (a) the detection region includes a reference location and a plurality of indication locations which are arranged radially around the reference location, (b) the reference location and the indication locations are disposed within a range that can be covered by the finger, and (c) the plurality of indication locations are configured to move in response to movement of the reference location;

a detection unit configured to (a) detect at least one of a lateral pressing and a vertical pressing in the detection region, (b) detect an entire input mode in which at least one of the lateral pressing and the vertical pressing is performed on at least one of the indication locations while the finger is in contact with the reference location, (c) detect a partial input mode in which at least one of the lateral pressing and the vertical pressing is performed on at least one of the indication locations while the finger is not in contact with the reference location, (d) generate a first directional input signal in response to detection of the lateral pressing, and (e) generate a second directional input signal in response to detection of the vertical pressing; and

a control unit configured to (a) determine at least one of a lateral pressing point based on the first directional input signal, and a vertical pressing direction based on the second directional input signal, (b) extract data assigned to at least one of the first and second directional input signals from a memory unit, and (c) input the extracted data.

23. An input device comprising:

a first detection portion configured to detect a vector quantity of a first force acting in a first direction that is parallel to an actuation surface;

a first control module configured to generate a first input signal corresponding to the vector quantity of the first force;

a second detection portion configured to detect (a) a scalar quantity of a second force acting in a second direction that is perpendicular to the actuation surface, and (b) a location where the second force is applied to the actuation surface;

a second control module configured to generate a second input signal corresponding to the scalar quantity of the second force;

a third detection portion configured to detect a quantity associated with a third force acting in a third direction that is parallel to neither the first actuation surface nor the second direction; and

a third control module configured to generate a third input signal corresponding to the quantity associated with the third force.