Input device and input method

• US 9,958,991 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Touchplus information Corp.
• Original Assignee: Touchplus information Corp.
• Inventors: Hu, Shih-Hsien, Wei, Yi-Feng, Chuang, Yao-Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US14/656,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20150261354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 345163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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
• 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

An input device and an input method for a data processing device are provided. The input device includes a touch-sensitive module, an operation prompt interface and a controller. According to the input method, the input device issues a first input signal to the data processing device when a first electrical property change resulting from the keystroke or the tap is sensed in a first operation state. The input device is switched from the first operation state to a second operation state in response to a switching operation. The input device issues a second input signal to the data processing device when a second electrical property change resulting from a touch action is sensed in the second operation state.

Claims

1. An input device for a data processing device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive module comprising a capacitive touching and pressing module which comprises a capacitive sensor layer and a common electrode, configured to sense a first capacitance change resulting from a distance change between the capacitive sensor layer and the common electrode due to a keystroke on the capacitive touching and pressing module and an electrical property change resulting from a touch action of a touch object on the touch-sensitive module;

an operation prompt interface disposed on a surface of the touch-sensitive module, configured to indicate regions for receiving the touch action and the keystroke; and

a controller in communication with the touch-sensitive module, the controller issuing a first input signal to the data processing device in response to the sensed first capacitance change resulting from the keystroke, the controller issuing a second input signal to the data processing device in response to the sensed electrical property change resulting from the touch action.

2. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the touch-sensitive module further comprises

an intermediate insulting layer disposed between the capacitive sensor layer and the common electrode and having at least one hole, the keystroke above the hole shortening a distance between the capacitive sensor layer and the common electrode to result in the first capacitance change between the capacitive sensor layer and the common electrode.

3. The input device according to claim 2 wherein the capacitive sensor layer comprises a plurality of sensor pads isolated from each other.

4. The input device according to claim 3 wherein the operation prompt interface comprises a keyboard pattern corresponding to the sensor pads.

5. The input device according to claim 4 wherein at least one key of the keyboard pattern has an area covering more than one of the sensor pads.

6. The input device according to claim 5 wherein the controller enters one of a first operation state and a second operation state in response to a switching operation by the user, the controller issuing the first input signal to the data processing device in response to the sensed first capacitance change resulting from the keystroke in the first operation state, the controller issuing the second input signal to the data processing device in response to the sensed electrical property change resulting from the touch action in the second operation state.

7. The input device according to claim 6 wherein the switching operation comprises flicking the key having the area covering more than one sensor pad.

8. The input device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is in the second operation state, a display of the data processing device being operated in a horizontal scroll mode to scroll left or right an image shown on the display when a double tap on a first end of the key is sensed, the display of the data processing device being operated in a vertical scroll mode to scroll up or down the image shown on the display when a double tap on a second end of the key is sensed, the display of the data processing device being operated in a high resolution mode to precisely move a cursor on the display when a double flick on the key is sensed.

9. The input device according to claim 3 wherein the controller groups a plurality of adjacent sensor pads into a key group.

10. The input device according to claim 1 wherein a default operation state of the controller is a first operation state and the first capacitance change resulting from the keystroke is sensed;

the controller is switched from the first operation state to a second operation state in response to a switching operation and the electrical property change resulting from the touch action is sensed; and

the controller is switched from the second operation state to the first operation state and the first capacitance change resulting from the keystroke is sensed if an idle status lasts a predetermined period of time.

11. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the controller is in a second operation state and the electrical property change resulting from the touch action is sensed, the controller issuing the second input signal representing a left mouse click in response to a tap or a double tap with more than one fingers on a left region of the touch-sensitive module, the controller issuing the second input signal representing a right mouse click in response to a tap or a double tap with more than one finger on a right region of the touch-sensitive module.

12. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the touch-sensitive module comprises a light source electrically connected to the controller, the controller controlling color and brightness of the light source in response to the touch action or the keystroke.

13. An input method used with an input device for a data processing device, the input device comprising a capacitive touching and pressing module which comprises a capacitive sensor layer and a common electrode, the input device sensing a capacitance change resulting from a distance change between the capacitive sensor layer and the common electrode due to a keystroke on the capacitive touching and pressing module and an electrical property change resulting from a touch action of a touch object on the input device, the input method comprising steps of:

issuing a first input signal to the data processing device in response to the sensed capacitance change resulting from the keystroke in a first operation state;

switching the input device from the first operation state to a second operation state in response to a switching operation;

issuing a second input signal to the data processing device in response to the sensed electrical property change resulting from the touch action in the second operation state; and

switching the input device from the second operation state to the first operation state to enable the input device to sense the keystroke if an idle status of the input device lasts a predetermined period of time.

14. The input method according to claim 13 wherein a default operation state of the input device is the first operation state and the input device is enabled to sense the keystroke, the input method comprising a step of:

switching the input device from the first operation state to the second operation state in response to the switching operation to enable the input device to sense the touch action.

15. The input method according to claim 13 wherein the input device at least comprises a first key and a second key having a larger area than the first key, the switching operation comprising flicking the second key.

16. The input method according to claim 15 wherein the input device is in the second operation state and the input method comprises steps of:

operating a display of the data processing device in a horizontal scroll mode to scroll left or right an image shown on the display when a double tap on a first end of the second key is sensed;

operating the display of the data processing device in a vertical scroll mode to scroll up or down the image shown on the display when a double tap on a second end of the second key is sensed; and

operating the display of the data processing device in a high resolution mode to precisely move a cursor on the display when a double flick on the second key is sensed.

17. The input method according to claim 13 wherein the input device is in the second operation state and the input method comprises steps of:

issuing the second input signal representing a left mouse click in response to a tap or a double tap with more than one finger on a left region of the input device; and

issuing the second input signal representing a right mouse click in response to a tap or a double tap with more than one finger on a right region of the input device.

18. An input device for a data processing device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive module comprising a capacitive touching and pressing module which comprises a capacitive sensor layer and a common electrode, configured to sense a capacitance change resulting from a distance change between the capacitive sensor layer and the common electrode due to a keystroke on the capacitive touching and pressing module;

an operation prompt interface disposed on a surface of the touch-sensitive module, configured to indicate regions for receiving the keystroke; and

a controller in communication with the touch-sensitive module, the controller generating a command in response to the sensed capacitance change resulting from the keystroke, providing at least one symbol code and a plurality of candidate words corresponding to the command according to a built-in input method editor, and issuing a word code representing a word selected among the candidate words by the user to the data processing device.