Keypad

• US 8,487,751 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Laitinen, Pauli, Kauhanen, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/595,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20100052880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 340/815.4, 340/815.42, 340/815.45, 340/815.53, 340/815.54
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A thin keypad including a top surface layer, a light guide layer, a capacitive sensing layer and a piezo layer provides for touch input, pressure input and haptic feedback.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising a keypad and a processor, said keypad comprising a top surface layer, a light guide below the top surface layer, one or more light sources controlled by the processor and located at a peripheral edge of the light guide, a capacitive sensor coupled to said processor, and a piezo element coupled to said processor, said capacitive sensor being configured to sense touch contact and location on said top surface layer, and said piezo element being configured to sense pressure applied to said top surface.

2. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to detect a keystroke via a signal from the piezo element.

3. A mobile device according to claim 2, wherein said processor is configured to activate said piezo element upon detection of a keystroke.

4. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said top surface layer is monolithic or wherein said top surface layer comprises a plurality of discrete keys.

5. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein a part of said capacitive sensor is formed by a semi-conductive layer and a non-conductive top surface layer.

6. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said light guide is configured to emit light received from said light source through said top surface layer in at least two patterns with different graphical layouts, and said light guide and said one or more light sources being configured to selectively emit said light in one of said at least two patterns.

7. A mobile device according to claim 6, wherein said patterns represent groups of different keypad icons.

8. A mobile device according to claim 6, wherein said light guide is provided with embossed gratings or with micro-prisms for coupling out light through said top surface layer.

9. A mobile device according to claim 8, wherein the top layer includes a layer that reduces reflections of ambient light.

10. A mobile device according to claim 8, further comprising a diffusive layer in the path of the light leaving the light guide.

11. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein said keypad icons are arranged in a grid with columns and rows and wherein said light source is coupled to each of said columns and to each of said rows.

12. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to use the signal from the capacitive sensor layer for detecting objects proximate to the keypad or touchpad and wherein said processor is configured to light up otherwise invisible user-interface elements when an object is detected in the proximity of the keypad or touch pad.

13. A mobile device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more light sources controlled by the processor are at multiple locations on peripheral edges of the light guide.

14. A capacitive keypad construction comprising:

an electrically non-conductive top surface layer that is at least locally transparent to light,

a capacitive sensor layer under the top surface layer,

a piezo layer, and

an electrically non-conducting light guide layer disposed between the capacitive sensor layer and the piezo layer.

15. A capacitive keypad according to claim 14, wherein said light guide layer is provided with embossed gratings or with micro-prisms for coupling out light through said top surface layer.

16. A capacitive keypad according to claim 14, further comprising an upper light guide insulator above the light guide layer and a lower light guide insulator layer under the light guide.

17. A method for user input and feedback with a keypad or touchpad that includes a capacitive touch sensor and a piezo element, said method comprising:

determining a position on the keypad or touch pad at which an object touches by means of a signal from the capacitive touch sensor,

determining a pressure at which the keypad or touchpad is touched by means of the piezo element,

accepting user input in accordance with the detected position and pressure, and

providing feedback to the user by activating the piezo element in accordance with the detected user input.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein a moving low to medium pressure contact with the keypad or touchpad is interpreted as a navigational input and/or wherein a substantially nonmoving medium to high pressure contact with the keypad or touchpad is interpreted as a keystroke.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein said piezo element is activated upon detection of a keystroke for providing the user with haptic feedback concerning the acceptance of the keystroke and/or wherein said piezo element is activated during detection of navigational input.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the type of activation of the piezo element is dependent on the type of input and/or on the type of application in which the input is used and or on the other operating conditions of the device in which the keypad is used.