Hand-held combination key apparatus and method for inputting information by hand-held combination key apparatus

• US 9,383,829 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2011
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benlin Liu, Bushan Liu, Liming Zhao, Qiong Wang, Xiqing liu, Zheng Wang
• Original Assignee: Liming Zhao
• Inventors: Liu, Benlin, Liu, Xiqing, Wang, Qiong, Wang, Zheng, Zhao, Liming, Liu, Bushan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zubajlo, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US14/114,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,893 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

A hand-held combination key apparatus configured to input information to an intelligent electronic apparatus is provided. Three to five key groups, which correspond to each corresponding finger of a single hand respectively, are set on one of left side and right side of a shell, each key group having two combination keys, and each combination key being the key with compound functions of touch conduction and press conduction. Various combination states of touch conduction of each combination key are used to search and pre-display characters or operational function symbols; and press conduction of each combination key is used to determine character input or operational function input. The hand-held combination key apparatus can be used in any state without limitation absolutely, such as when the user is sitting, standing, lying down and moving, other than the normal standard keyboard which needs a practicable plane to support in use, saving space.

Claims

1. A hand-held combination key apparatus for inputting and controlling information, comprising:

a shell designed to a shape that is held conveniently by a hand as the hand-held mobile apparatus based on human engineering and operating requirements;

three key groups set on one side of the shell, wherein each key group has two combination keys, and each combination key is configured to simultaneously support two input mechanisms including a touch input and a press input, and each key group corresponds to one finger;

wherein;

each combination key is electrically connected to a touch detection circuit and a press detection circuit respectively;

when the combination key is touched, the touch detection circuit sets a state of the touched combination key to “

1”

state;

when the combination key is not touched, a state of the untouched combination key is set to “

0”

state, such that each key group has four possible states, including a “

00”

state, a “

01”

state, a “

11”

state, and a “

10”

state; and

press detection of a combination key is similar to a key of a computer keyboard.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each key group is associated with a small display area on a corresponding position of a display screen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a touch key corresponding to an index finger is configured on a same side of the shell as the three key groups; and

when a user is holding the apparatus and touching the touch key with the index finger, the apparatus enters into an information input state.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information input includes:

retrieving and pre-displaying information in the small display areas corresponding to the three key groups; and

pressing one combination key from one of the three key groups to confirm the information input.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

based on different touch states of all combination keys, a corresponding set of three characters is identified and displayed on the three small display areas respectively;

pressing the combination key from one key group confirms inputting one of the three characters displayed on the small display area corresponding to the key group; and

the different touch states of all combination keys include at most 64 combinations and correspond to at most 192 characters.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the touch states of the combination keys are used to search and pre-display characters and operational symbols; and

pressing one combination key is used to confirm to input one of the pre-displayed characters and the pre-displayed operational symbols.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the circuit device includes:

a printed-circuit board;

a microcontroller configured to create a bidirectional connection to a main chip of an intelligent electronic apparatus;

ten retrieval sampling circuits;

five control circuits; and

a DC power supply.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

all retrieval sampling circuits have same circuit structure, including one of a capacitive detection circuit and a resistance-type detection circuit;

when the retrieval sampling circuit is a resistance-type detection circuit, the retrieval sampling circuit uses one of an inverter and an op-amp as a main circuit;

one of positive and negative poles of the power supply of the printed-circuit board is used as a ground and is electrically connected to a held portion; and

output ports of all retrieval sampling circuits are connected to one I/O port of the microcontroller.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

each control circuit has the same circuit structure;

each key group corresponds to one control circuit; and

each control circuit is one OR gate constituted by parallel push switches of two combination keys of the same key group.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

two inputs of the OR gate are electrically connected to a ground of the power supply of the printed-circuit board; and

an output of the OR gate connects to one corresponding I/O port of the microcontroller.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the front cover and the rear cover are insulation injection molding;

the front cover is an injection molding with a conductive frustum-shaped insert;

the front cover is formed by a front frame plate and 4 side plates, including an upper side plate, a left side plate, a lower side plate and a right-side plate, wherein the 4 side plates are connected to the front frame plate, and the 4 side plates are also connected to each other in order;

the conductive frustum-shaped insert as the held portion of the shell locates on an upper part of the right-side plate of the front cover and protrudes to the right side;

a through-hole of the touch keycap is set on the upper part of the left side plate of the front cover, opposing to the location of the held portion;

from the top to the bottom, 3 groups of keyholes are set in the middle part of the left side plate of the front cover;

each group has two keyholes set up in the order of front and rear, and the shape of each keyhole is rectangular;

in each group of keyholes, the keyhole at the rear side is slightly higher than the keyhole at the front side;

the shape of each keycap is small-left and right-large bevel shape; and

each combination key exposes to the left of the shell from a corresponding keyhole of the front cover of the shell by the each keycap.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the keycap of each combination key, the elastic insulator, and the movable stationary contact component are arranged from left to right;

the movable stationary contact component is a conductive plate;

the stationary contact as a copper insert is the first electrode and the second electrode fixed on the insulation mounting base;

the conductive plate as the movable contact along with a first electrode and a second electrode as the stationary contact form a corresponding touch key;

the insulation mounting base is fixed on the front cover of the shell; and

a compression spring as an elastic strutting piece is set between the conductive plate and the left side of the inner cavity of the insulation mounting base.

13. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the touch key includes:

a conductive touch keycap designed to a frustum-shaped projection, wherein the conductive touch keycap is electrically connected to a control port of the corresponding retrieval sampling circuit;

an insulation mounting base set to the upper part of the left side plate of the front cover of the shell, wherein the insulation mounting base is fixed to the inner wall of the front cover of the shell; and

a lead, wherein one end of the lead is fixed by welding on the touch keycap, and the other end of the lead is electrically connected to a control port of the corresponding retrieval sampling circuit.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

the conductive touch keycap is fixed on the insulation mounting base; and

the conductive touch keycap passes through the shell from the circular touch keycap through-hole located on the upper part of the left side plate of the front cover and protrudes to the left side.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three key groups include:

a first key group corresponding to a middle finger and having a first combination key and a second combination key arranged in order;

a second key group corresponding to a ring finger and having a third combination key and a fourth combination key arranged in order; and

a third key group corresponding to a little finger and having a fifth combination key and a sixth combination key arranged in order.

16. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

when the touch key for the index finger is untouched, the apparatus exits the information input state;

the first combination key and the second combination key are changed into the held key of the apparatus;

when moving on a touchpad, a cursor of the display screen is moved; and

when the apparatus is held in a palm of one hand, the second key group and the third key group are changed into a left keystroke and a right keystroke, which are similar to the left button and the right button of a mouse, respectively.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

the touchpad is set on the rear cover of the shell;

the rear cover of the shell is a cover that has a touchpad hole at the upper left part; and

the touch side of the touchpad is exposed outwardly from the left upper part of the rear cover of the shell.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the shell is formed by fixedly connecting a front cover with a rear cover; and

a holding portion which protrudes to the right side and conducts electricity is set on the upper right side of the shell.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

when the keycap is pressed, the movable contact and the stationary contact of the combination key contact with each other, turning on the corresponding push switch and the OR gate of the corresponding control circuit, thus outputting a low level to the microcontroller as a confirmation signal; and

when information is inputted to the intelligent electronic apparatus, the microcontroller creates a bidirectional connection to the main chip through any one of a wireless way, a wired way and a direct connection way.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each combination key includes;

a conductive keycap configured to be electrically connected to a control port of the touch detection circuit via a lead, wherein the touch detection circuit is a retrieval sampling circuit,

an elastic insulator, and

a movable stationary contact component including a movable contact and a stationary contact, wherein the movable contact and the stationary contact form the press detection circuit,

wherein;

the elastic insulator is configured as an insulating spacer between the conductive keycap and the movable contact of the movable stationary contact component.

21. A method for inputting and controlling information using a hand-held combination key apparatus, comprising:

holding a touch key to conduct a corresponding retrieval sampling circuit;

creating, by a microcontroller, a bidirectional connection to a main chip of an intelligent electronic apparatus;

pre-displaying three characters on a small display area on a corresponding position of a display screen;

confirming a pre-displayed corresponding character; and

inputting the character into a corresponding intelligent electronic apparatus,

wherein the hand-held combination key apparatus comprises;

a shell designed to a shape that is held conveniently by a hand as the hand-held mobile apparatus based on human engineering and operating requirements;

three key groups set on one side of the shell, wherein each key group has two combination keys, and each combination key is configured to simultaneously support two input mechanisms including a touch input and a press input, and each key group corresponds to one finger;

wherein;

each combination key is electrically connected to a touch detection circuit and a press detection circuit respectively;

when the combination key is touched, the touch detection circuit sets a state of the touched combination key to “

1”

state;

when the combination key is not touched, a state of the untouched combination key is set to “

0”

state, such that each key group has four possible states, including a “

00”

state, a “

01”

state, a “

11”

state, and a “

10”

state; and

press detection of a combination key is similar to a key of a computer keyboard.