Input Interface and Input Method

• US 20080218491A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Shui-Ming
• Application Number:
  US12/044,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20080218491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An input interface for an electronic apparatus includes a touchpad, a touch sensor, a touch command generator, a push sensor and a push command generator. The touchpad has a plurality of keys arranged thereon. The touch sensor senses whether an object touches one of the keys. The touch command generator generates a touch command to the electronic apparatus when the object slides across adjacent two of the keys. The push sensor senses whether one of the keys is pushed. The push command generator generates a push command to the electronic apparatus when one of the keys is pushed. Furthermore, an input method for the electronic apparatus is also disclosed hereinafter.

Claims

1. An input interface for an electronic apparatus, the input interface comprising:

a touchpad comprising a plurality of keys arranged thereon;

a touch sensor for sensing whether an object touches at least one of the keys;

a touch command generator for generating a touch command to the electronic apparatus when the object slides across adjacent two of the keys;

a push sensor for sensing whether at least one of the keys is pushed; and

a push command generator for generating a push command to the electronic apparatus when at least one of the keys is pushed.

2. The input interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode selector for selecting a navigation mode or an input mode as the operating mode of the input interface.

3. The input interface of claim 2, wherein the push command generator comprises a direction command generator;

and when the operating mode of the input interface is the navigation mode and one of the keys is pushed, the direction command generator is used to generate a direction command to the electronic apparatus according to a direction from the center of the touchpad to the pushed key.

4. The input interface of claim 2, wherein the push command generator comprises an input command generator;

and when the operating mode of the input interface is the input mode and one of the keys is pushed, the input command generator is used to generate an input command to the electronic apparatus according to a definition of the pushed key.

5. The input interface of claim 1, wherein the touch command generator comprises a direction command generator for generating a direction command to the electronic apparatus according to the sliding direction of the object when the object slides across adjacent two of the keys.

6. The input interface of claim 1, wherein the touch command generator comprises a wheeling command generator for generating a wheeling command to the electronic apparatus according to the swirling direction of the object when the object swirls on the touchpad.

7. The input interface of claim 1, wherein the push sensor comprises:

a printed circuit board; and

a dome switch layer located on the printed circuit board and comprising a plurality of dome switches arranged thereon.

8. The input interface of claim 7, further comprising:

a key frame located between the touchpad and the dome switch layer.

9. The input interface of claim 8, wherein the key frame comprises:

a plurality of touch points located on the key frame and opposite the dome switch layer for pressing at least one of the dome switches when at least one of the keys is pushed.

10. The input interface of claim 8, wherein the key frame comprises:

a plurality of grooves located on the key frame and opposite the touchpad for fixing the keys.

11. The input interface of claim 1, wherein the touchpad comprises:

a positioning film comprising a plurality of positioning grooves located thereon; and

a surface layer located on the positioning film and comprising a plurality of frame grooves above the positioning grooves for forming the keys.

12. The input interface of claim 11, wherein the positioning film is made of polyurethane thermoplastic elastomer.

13. The input interface of claim 11, wherein the surface layer is made of polyethylene terephthalate.

14. An input method for an electronic apparatus having a plurality of keys, the input method comprising the steps of:

sensing whether an object touches at least one of the keys;

generating a touch command to the electronic apparatus when the object slides across adjacent two of the keys;

sensing whether at least one of the keys is pushed; and

generating a push command to the electronic apparatus when at least one of the keys is pushed.

15. The input method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

selecting a navigation mode or an input mode as the operating mode of the electronic apparatus.

16. The input method of claim 15, wherein the step of generating the push command to the electronic apparatus comprises:

generating a direction command to the electronic apparatus according to a direction definition of the pushed key when the operating mode of the electronic apparatus is the navigation mode.

17. The input method of claim 15, wherein the step of generating the push command to the electronic apparatus comprises:

generating an input command to the electronic apparatus according to an input definition of the pushed key when the operating mode of the electronic apparatus is the input mode.

18. The input method of claim 14, wherein the step of generating the touch command to the electronic apparatus comprises:

generating a direction command to the electronic apparatus according to the sliding direction of the object when the object slides across adjacent two of the keys.

19. The input method of claim 14, wherein the step of generating the touch command to the electronic apparatus comprises:

generating a wheeling command to the electronic apparatus according to the swirling direction of the object when the object swirls on the keys.