Input/output device

• US 9,836,141 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Hyunseok, Jeon, Hoil
• Primary Examiner(s): Simpson, Lixi C
• Application Number:
  US15/015,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20160231832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators

Abstract

An input/output device is provided. The input/output device may include an output device having a display surface, on which characters or symbols are displayed, a body rotatably provided above the display surface, a body through-hole formed in the body to allow the display surface to be visible from an outside of the body, a signal generation device configured to generate a control signal according to whether the body is rotated, and a controller configured to control the output device based on the control signal input from the signal generation device.

Claims

1. An input/output device, comprising:

an output device having a display surface on which characters or symbols are displayed;

a body rotatably provided above the display surface;

a body through-hole formed in the body to allow a prescribed surface area of the display surface to be visible from an outside of the body;

a signal generation device configured to generate a control signal according to whether the body is rotated; and

a controller configured to control the output device based on the control signal input from the signal generation device so that the characters or symbols are displayed in a region outside the prescribed surface area of the display surface, wherein one of the characters or symbols displayed in the region outside the prescribed surface area is highlighted in brightness or size to indicate the one of the characters or symbols to be selectable when the body is rotated by a prescribed reference angle, and the one of the characters or symbols indicated to be selectable is further displayed within the prescribed surface area to be visible through the body through-hole.

2. The input/output device according to claim 1, further including a window provided in the body through-hole to enlarge the characters or symbols displayed on the prescribed surface area.

3. The input/output device according to claim 1, wherein the signal generation device includes:

a first generator configured to generate a control signal when the body is rotated; and

a second generator configured to generate a control signal when the body is pushed toward the output device.

4. The input/output device according to claim 1, further including:

a first housing to which the output device is fixed;

a second housing spaced apart from the display surface by a predetermined distance;

a through-hole formed in the second housing so that the body is inserted thereinto; and

a support device provided at the first housing or the second housing to support the body.

5. The input/output device according to claim 4, wherein the support device includes:

a support body located between the body and the output device;

a support body through-hole formed in the support body so as to communicate with the body through-hole; and

a guide provided at the support body to rotatably support the body.

6. The input/output device according to claim 5, wherein the guide includes an accommodation recess configured to accommodate an outer circumferential surface of the body.

7. The input/output device according to claim 5, wherein the guide includes:

a first flange provided at the support body to couple the support body to the second housing and configured to accommodate an outer circumferential surface of the body; and

a second flange provided at the support body so as to be inserted into the body through-hole and spaced apart from the first flange by a predetermined distance.

8. The input/output device according to claim 5, further including a driving gear provided along an outer circumferential surface of the body,

wherein the signal generation device includes a driven gear configured to be engaged with the driving gear and a signal generator configured to generate a control signal according to whether the driven gear is rotated.

9. The input/output device according to claim 1, wherein the output device includes:

a first display device located inside the body through-hole; and

a second display device located outside the body through-hole.

10. The input/output device according to claim 1, wherein the body is provided in a direction in which light emitted from the display surface travels.

11. The input/output device according to claim 1, wherein each of the characters or symbols is sequentially highlighted based on continuous rotation of the body in a prescribed direction in increments of the prescribed reference angle.

12. An input/output device, comprising:

a display module having a display surface configured to display at least one of a character or symbol;

a rotatable body provided over the display surface;

a body through-hole formed in the rotatable body and aligned with a prescribed surface area of the display surface to allow the at least one of character or symbol generated by the display module to be visible through the body through-hole;

a signal generator configured to generate a control signal based on rotation of the rotatable body; and

a controller configured to control a display of at least one of character or symbol by the display module based on the control signal input from the signal generator so that when the at least one of the character or symbol displayed in a region outside the prescribed surface area is highlighted in brightness or size to indicate the at least one of the character or symbol to be selectable based on rotation of the rotatable body by a prescribed reference angle, the at least one of the character or symbol that is selectable is displayed within the prescribed surface area to be visible through the body through-hole.

13. The input/output device according to claim 12, further including a window provided on the body through-hole to enlarge the at least one of character or symbol displayed on the prescribed surface area of the display module.

14. The input/output device according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the character or symbol is sequentially highlighted based on continuous rotation of the body in a prescribed direction in increments of the prescribed reference angle.