DATA INPUT DEVICE

• US 20110063241A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eui-Jin Oh
• Original Assignee: Eui-Jin Oh
• Inventors: Oh, Eui-Jin
• Application Number:
  US12/934,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• 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: 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present invention relates to a data input device with a predetermined sensing region in a terminal for an electronic device, including an input unit for sensing one or more contact and pressing actions for a reference position displaceable in the sensing region and a plurality of first indicating positions arranged in a radial direction from the reference position, and generating an input signal corresponding to the contact or pressing action, and a control unit for judging a finger contact or pressing point or a contact or pressing direction from the input signal, extracting data allocated to the input signal from a memory, and inputting the extracted data.

Claims

1. A data input device comprising a predetermined sensing region in a terminal for an electronic apparatus, comprising:

an input unit for discriminating and sensing touch and pressure applied to a reference position that can be displaced in the sensing region and a plurality of first directing positions arranged around the reference position in a radial direction to generate an input signal corresponding to the touch or the pressure; and

a controller for determining a touch or pressure point of a finger or a touch or pressure direction from the input signal to extract data assigned to the input signal from a memory unit and to input the extracted data.

3. The data input device of claim 1, wherein the input unit distinguishes a first outward movement input, in which movement is made toward one of the first directing positions in a state of touching the reference position, a second outward movement input, in which one of the first directing positions is moved outward in a state where the reference position is not touched, a first inward movement input, in which movement is made from one of the first directing positions until the reference position is touched, and a second inward movement input, in which movement is inward made from one of the first directing positions to the inside until the reference position is touched, from each other to generate the input signal.

4. The data input device of claim 3, wherein the input unit distinguishes a first penetrating movement input, in which movement is made from one of the first directing positions through the reference position, from a second penetrating movement input, in which movement is made to one of the first directing positions through the reference position, to generate the input signal.

5. The data input device of claim 3, wherein the input unit distinguishes the movement inputs performed in a touch state from the movement inputs performed in a pressure state to generate the input signal.

7. The data input device of claim 1, wherein the input unit senses a touch input or a pressure input performed in second directing positions arranged around the first directing positions in a radial direction or a movement input toward the second directing positions to further generate the corresponding input signal.

8. The data input device of claim 1, wherein the reference position and the first directing positions are arranged within a range to be covered by one finger, and

wherein one or more pressure input among a vertical pressure input applying vertical pressure to one of the first directing positions in a state where the finger is put on the input unit, a horizontal pressure input applying pressure to one of the first directing positions in a radial direction in a state where the finger is put on the input unit and a slope pressure input pressing increasing pressure to one of the first directing positions in a radial direction in a state where the finger is put on the input unit are performed.

10. The data input device of claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises:

a moving unit of moving by applying pressure horizontally to one of the first directing positions by the finger put on the input unit; and

sensing units arranged in the first directing positions to sense movement of the moving unit.

12. The data input device of claim 4, wherein the input signal is divided into at least two signals in accordance with a movement distance of the input unit or a pressure strength to the input unit.

13. The data input device of claim 4, wherein when two or more inputs are continuously performed, an input signal corresponding to data different from the data according to each of the inputs is generated.

17. The data input device of claim 1, wherein the input unit senses a touch area of a finger to transmit sensed information to the controller, and

wherein the controller grasps a center position of the touch area to determine the reference position and the first directing positions based on the center position.

46. The data input device of claim 7, wherein the input signal is divided into at least two signals in accordance with a movement distance of the input unit or a pressure strength to the input unit.

47. The data input device of claim 8, wherein the input signal is divided into at least two signals in accordance with a movement distance of the input unit or a pressure strength to the input unit.

48. The data input device of claim 7, wherein when two or more inputs are continuously performed, an input signal corresponding to data different from the data according to each of the inputs is generated.

49. The data input device of claim 8, wherein when two or more inputs are continuously performed, an input signal corresponding to data different from the data according to each of the inputs is generated.

50. The data input device of claim 5, wherein the input unit senses a touch area of a finger to transmit sensed information to the controller, and

wherein the controller grasps a center position of the touch area to determine the reference position and the first directing positions based on the center position.

2. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

14-16. -16. (canceled)

18-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A data input device, comprising:

an input unit provided in a base of a terminal for an electronic apparatus to independently perform at least one of a first direction input, in which one of a plurality of directing positions spaced from a reference position and arranged around the reference position in a radial direction in a predetermined input radius is vertically pressed, a second direction input, in which one of the directing positions is outward pressed to opposite direction of the reference position, and a third direction input, in which one of the directing positions is inward pressed toward the reference position;

a first sensing unit for sensing the first direction input;

a second sensing unit for sensing the second direction input;

a third sensing unit for sensing the third direction input; and

a controller for extracting first data assigned to the first direction input performed in the directing positions from a memory unit when the first direction input is sensed by the first sensing unit, for extracting second data assigned to the second direction input performed in the directing positions from the memory unit when the second direction input is sensed by the second sensing unit, and for extracting third data assigned to the third direction input performed in the directing positions from the memory when the third direction input is sensed by the third sensing unit and for executing the first to the third data.

25. The data input device of claim 24, wherein the entire input unit may independently perform a fourth direction input, in which the entire input unit moves outward from the reference position to one of the directing positions, and

wherein the controller extracts fourth data assigned to the fourth direction input performed in the directing positions from the memory unit when the fourth direction input is performed and executes the fourth data.

26. The data input device of claim 25, wherein a center input unit for performing a fifth direction input, in which pressure or movement is made outward from the reference position toward one of the directing positions, is further provided in the reference position, and

wherein the controller extracts fifth data assigned to the fourth direction input performed in the directing positions from the memory unit when the fifth direction input of the center input unit is performed and executes the fifth data.

32. The data input device of claim 24, wherein the input unit is made of an elastic material that can be twisted in each of the directing positions, and

wherein the second sensing unit or the third sensing unit senses the second direction input or the third direction input through a direction of twisting in the directing positions.

27-31. -31. (canceled)

33-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A data input device, comprising:

an input unit provided in a base of a terminal for an electronic apparatus to independently perform at least one of a first direction input, in which one of a plurality of directing positions spaced from a reference position and arranged around the reference position in a radial direction in a predetermined input radius is vertically pressed, a second direction input, in which the outside of one of the directing positions is pressed, and a third direction input, in which the inside of one of the directing positions is pressed;

a first sensing unit for sensing the first direction input;

a second sensing unit for sensing the second direction input;

a third sensing unit for sensing the third direction input; and

a controller for extracting first data assigned to the first direction input performed in the directing positions from a memory unit when the first direction input is sensed by the first sensing unit, for extracting second data assigned to the second direction input performed in the directing positions from the memory unit when the second direction input is sensed by the second sensing unit, and for extracting third data assigned to the third direction input performed in the directing positions from the memory when the third direction input is sensed by the third sensing unit and for executing the first to the third data.

36. The data input device of claim 35,

wherein the input unit may independently perform a fourth direction input, in which the entire input unit moves outward from the reference position to one of the directing positions, and

wherein the controller extracts fourth data assigned to the fourth direction input performed in the directing positions from the memory unit when the fourth direction input is performed and for executing the fourth data.

37. A data input device, comprising:

an input unit provided in a base of a terminal for an electronic apparatus to independently perform a first direction input, in which one of a plurality of first directing positions spaced from a reference position and arranged around the reference position in a predetermined input radius is pressed, and a second direction input, in which movement is made to one of a plurality of second direction directing positions spaced from the first direction directing positions and arranged around the first direction directing positions in a radial direction;

a first sensing unit for sensing the first direction input;

a second sensing unit for sensing the second direction input; and

a controller for extracting first data assigned to the first direction directing positions from a memory unit when the first direction input is sensed by the first sensing unit and for extracting second data assigned to the second direction directing positions from the memory unit when the second direction input is sensed by the second sensing unit and for executing the first and the second data.

41. The data input device of claim 37, wherein the second direction directing positions are arranged in two or more directions among the inward direction from the first direction directing positions to the reference position, the outward direction that is the opposite direction of the inward direction, and two circumferential directions at a right angle with respect to the inward direction and the outward direction.

42. The data input device of claim 37, wherein the input unit may independently perform a fourth direction input, in which the entire input unit moves outward from the reference position to the first direction directing positions, and

wherein the controller extracts fourth data assigned to the fourth direction input performed in the first direction directing positions from the memory when the fourth direction input is performed and for executing the fourth data.

43. The data input device of claim 42, wherein a center input unit for performing a fifth direction input, in which pressure or movement is applied outward from the reference position to the first direction directing positions, is further provided in the reference position, and

wherein the controller extracts fifth data assigned to the fifth direction input performed in the first direction positions from the memory when the fifth direction input is performed and executes the fifth data.

38-40. -40. (canceled)

44-45. -45. (canceled)