Configurable buttons for electronic devices
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
an input mechanism associated with the housing that includes a switch activated by movement of at least a portion of the input mechanism and configured to produce an output based on an activation of the switch;
a sensor operative to detect a location of an object proximate to at least the portion of the input mechanism or the housing; and
a control mechanism operative to;
determine that the object is proximate to a region associated with the input mechanism based on the location;
in the event that the control mechanism determines that the object is proximate to the region, acknowledge the activation of the switch; and
in the event the control mechanism determines that the object is proximate to the input mechanism outside the region, ignore the activation of the switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Configurable buttons for electronic devices such as portable electronic devices are provided. A configurable button may have a button member that moves relative to a device housing when it is desired to activate a switch. The button may have an associated touch sensor. The touch sensor may detect when a user'"'"'s finger touches a particular portion of the button member. Contact with only this portion of the button member is generally inadvertent, so an actuator may be used to prevent or otherwise restrict motion of the button relative to a device housing. This prevents inadvertent activation of the button when a user is manipulating portions of an electronic device such as clip or lid, but does not intend to depress the button.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a housing; an input mechanism associated with the housing that includes a switch activated by movement of at least a portion of the input mechanism and configured to produce an output based on an activation of the switch; a sensor operative to detect a location of an object proximate to at least the portion of the input mechanism or the housing; and a control mechanism operative to; determine that the object is proximate to a region associated with the input mechanism based on the location; in the event that the control mechanism determines that the object is proximate to the region, acknowledge the activation of the switch; and in the event the control mechanism determines that the object is proximate to the input mechanism outside the region, ignore the activation of the switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for operating an input mechanism, the method comprising:
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determining a location of an object is proximate to a housing or an input mechanism associated with the housing utilizing a sensor, the input mechanism including a switch activated by movement of the input mechanism wherein input from the input mechanism is triggered in response to activation of the switch rather than a signal from the sensor; in the event that it is determined that the location of the object is proximate to a region associated with the input mechanism, acknowledging the activation of the switch; and in the event it is determined that the object is proximate to the input mechanism outside the region, ignoring the activation of the switch. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An electronic device, comprising:
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an input mechanism that includes a switch wherein the input mechanism is configured to produce output when the switch is triggered by movement of a portion of the input mechanism; a sensor operative to detect a location of an object; and a control mechanism operative to; when the control mechanism determines that the object is near a region of the input mechanism based on the location, acknowledge the triggering of the switch; and when the control mechanism determines that the object is near the input mechanism outside the region, ignore the triggering of the switch. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification