Pivoting capacitive touch sense assembly

• US 9,496,868 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Payne, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MA, CALVIN
• Application Number:
  US14/034,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20150084910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/174, 345/161, 200/600
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/98 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with providing use input are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a capacitive touch sense module having a center region and a plurality of arms extending away from the center region in a plurality of directions. The arms may include a first arm extending away from the center region in a first direction, and a second arm extending away from the center region in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The apparatus may further include one or more pairs of springs, including a first pair of springs disposed at respective edges of an undersurface of the first and second arms to allow the capacitive touch sense module to pivot between the first and second directions. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor module configured to detect a user input, the sensor module including a center region and a plurality of arms extending away from the center region in a plurality of directions, the plurality of arms including a first arm extending laterally from the center region in a first direction, and a second arm extending laterally from the center region in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, wherein each of the plurality of arms includes an interior edge that connects to the center region and an exterior distal edge; and

a spring module mounted on an undersurface of the sensor module and configured to allow the sensor module to pivot in the first direction when the user input is applied to the first arm and in the second direction when the user input is applied to the second arm, wherein the spring module includes;

a center spring portion that is positioned proximate to but does not contact the center region, and

one or more pairs of flat springs, the one or more pairs of flat springs including a first pair of flat springs, wherein the first pair of flat springs includes;

a first flat spring that extends between the center spring portion and the exterior edge of the first arm, and

a second flat spring that extends between the center spring portion and the exterior edge of the second arm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a stem extending from the center region in a direction orthogonal to the undersurface of the sensor module.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stem is configured to move, when the user input is applied to the center region, through an opening in the center spring portion to activate a switch on a printed circuit board coupled to the sensor module.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a remote control, and wherein the first and second arms are configured to pivot between the first and second directions to modify a volume of a media consumption device controlled by the remote control.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a remote control, and wherein the first and second arms are configured to pivot between the first and second directions to change a channel presented by a media consumption device controlled by the remote control.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arms further includes a third arm extending away from the center region in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions and a fourth arm extending away from the center region in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, wherein the spring module is further configured to allow the sensor module to pivot in the third direction when the user input is applied to the third arm or in the fourth direction when the user input is applied to the fourth arm, and wherein the one or more pairs of flat springs further include a second pair of flat springs, the second pair of flat springs including:

a third flat spring that extends between the center spring portion and the exterior edge of the third arm, and

a fourth flat spring that extends between the center spring portion and the exterior edge of the fourth arm.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a remote control, wherein the first and second arms are configured to pivot between the first and second directions to modify a volume of a media consumption device controlled by the remote control, and wherein the third and fourth arms are configured to pivot between the third and fourth directions to change a channel presented by the media consumption device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of snaps, the plurality of snaps including a first snap, a second snap, a third snap, and a fourth snap, wherein the first, second, third and fourth snaps are respectively disposed at a first corner where the first arm meets the third arm, a second corner where the first arm meets the fourth arm, a third corner where the second arm meets the third arm, and a fourth corner where the second arm meets the fourth arm.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of snaps are configured to mechanically attach the apparatus to a printed circuit board.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bonding pads disposed around the center spring portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of bonding pads are configured to electrically connect the apparatus to a printed circuit board.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit, to a receiving device, information identifying when the sensor module is pivoted in one of the first direction or the second direction.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor configured to detect a user input, wherein the touch sensor includes a plurality of arm regions extending away from a center region in a plurality of directions, the plurality of arm regions including a first arm region extending laterally from the center region in a first direction, and a second arm region extending laterally from the center region in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction;

a spring module mounted on an undersurface of the touch sensor and configured to enable the touch sensor to move in the first direction when the user input is applied to the first arm region and in the second direction when the user input is applied to the second arm region, wherein the spring module includes a first spring that extends between a center spring portion to an exterior edge of the first arm region, and a second spring that extends between the center spring portion and an exterior edge of the second arm region; and

a processor configured to;

detect when the touch sensor is moved in one of the first direction or the second direction; and

output a first control signal associated with the one of the first direction or the second direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a stem extending from the undersurface of the touch sensor, wherein the stem is configured to move through an opening in the center spring portion to contact a sensor when the user input is applied to the center region,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

detect when the stem contacts the sensor, and

output a second control signal associated with the user input being applied to the center region.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first control signal relates to modifying a volume of a media consumption device.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, the first control signal relates to changing a channel presented by a media consumption device.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of arm regions further includes a third arm region extending away from the center region in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions and a fourth arm region extending away from the center region in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, wherein the spring module is further configured to allow the touch sensor to move in the third direction when the user input is applied to the third arm region and in the fourth direction when the user input is applied to the fourth arm region, wherein the spring module further includes a third spring that extends between the center spring portion and an exterior edge of the third arm region and a fourth spring that extends between the center spring portion and an exterior edge of the fourth arm, and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect when the touch sensor is moved in one of the third direction or the fourth direction; and

output a second control signal associated with the one of the third direction or the fourth direction.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first control signal relates to modifying a volume of a media consumption device, and the second control signal relates to modifying a channel presented by the media consumption device.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a printed circuit board on which the processor is mounted; and

a plurality of snaps configured to mechanically couple the touch sensor to a printed circuit board.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of bonding pads connected to the spring module, the plurality of bonding pads being configured to provide an electrical path between the touch sensor and the processor.