Dynamic input graphic display

• US 8,125,461 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Weber, Douglas, Zadesky, Stephen P., Hodge, Andrew B., Ng, Stanley C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): XAVIER, ANTONIO J
• Application Number:
  US12/205,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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

Abstract

An input device for providing dynamic displays is disclosed. The input device can modify the appearance and/or location of graphics associated with an input area of a device. For example, the input device can have a button layout that shifts based on the orientation of the electronic device relative to the user, such that the button layout is consistently presented to the user in an upright orientation. The input device can rotate and/or rename a button input area region depending on the context of an application running on the electronic device. The input device can display dynamic graphic content in an input area which is distinct from a display screen of the electronic device.

Claims

1. An input device associated with a handheld device, comprising:

a single flexible printed circuit comprising multiple button regions, each button region being associated with a dome switch,

a button layout comprising a graphic feature formed with electronic ink, the graphic feature associated with each of the multiple button regions and configured to be dynamically moved and mapped to different mechanical button areas provided in fixed locations within the device,

multiple capacitive sensor pads formed from a first conductive layer laminated to a first surface of the flexible printed circuit,

multiple display pads formed from a second conductive layer laminated to a second surface of the flexible printed circuit,

the first surface and the second surface being on opposite sides of the flexible printed circuit, wherein

the handheld device is moveable between at least a first device orientation and a second device orientation,

the button layout having an upright orientation relative to a user of the handheld device when the handheld device is oriented in the first device orientation, and

the button layout relative to the handheld device changing to consistently maintain the upright orientation relative to the user as the handheld device is oriented in the second device orientation.

2. The input device of claim 1 wherein the graphic feature is smaller than the button region corresponding to the graphic feature.

3. The input device of claim 1 wherein the input area comprises a movable platform, the movements of which define the button regions.

4. The input device of claim 1 wherein each button region comprises a discrete graphic feature positioned over a discrete dome switch.

5. The input device of claim 1 comprising an accelerometer configured to provide at least one signal associated with the first device orientation and at least one signal associated with the second device orientation.

6. The input device of claim 1 wherein the multiple display pads are made from a conductive material, and the electronic ink is deposited on the multiple display pads in a pixelated pattern.

7. The input device of claim 1 further comprising a protective cover, wherein the multiple display pads are made from a conductive material, and the electronic ink is integrated with the protective cover and placed over the multiple display pads on the single flexible printed circuit.

8. The input device of claim 1 wherein the multiple capacitive sensor pads occupy the same area as the multiple display pads.

9. The input device of claim 1 wherein the electronic ink is applied to the display pads.

10. The input device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the flexible printed circuit, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer comprises a transparent material.

11. The input device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple capacitive sensor pads and the multiple display pads are configured to form a wheel.

12. An input device for a handheld device comprising:

a single flexible printed circuit comprising an input area and multiple discrete input regions,

multiple capacitive sensor pads formed from a first conductive layer laminated to a first surface of the flexible printed circuit,

multiple display pads formed from a second conductive layer laminated to a second surface of the flexible printed circuit,

the first surface and the second surface being on opposite sides of the flexible printed circuit, wherein

each of the discrete input regions is associated with a dome switch configured to detect a button event,

each of the discrete input regions is assigned a button function,

each of the discrete input regions comprises a display node formed with electronic ink, configured to display graphical information associated with the assigned button function and configured to be dynamically moved and mapped to different mechanical button areas provided in fixed locations within the device, and

the button function and associated graphical information shift within the input area in accordance with a change in the orientation of the handheld device and the button layout is consistently presented to the user in an upright orientation.

13. The input device of claim 12 wherein the display node is smaller than the input region corresponding to the display node.

14. The input device of claim 12 wherein the input area comprises a movable platform in, the movements of which define the input regions.

15. The input device of claim 12 wherein each input region comprises a discrete display node positioned over a discrete dome switch.

16. An input device associated with a handheld device, comprising:

a single flexible printed circuit comprising multiple button regions, at least one of the multiple button regions being associated with a dome switch,

a button layout comprising a graphic feature formed with electronic ink, the graphic feature associated with at least one of the multiple button regions and configured to be dynamically moved and mapped to different mechanical button areas provided in fixed locations within the device,

multiple capacitive sensor pads formed from a first conductive layer laminated to a first surface of the flexible printed circuit,

multiple display pads formed from a second conductive layer laminated to a second surface of the flexible printed circuit,

the first surface and the second surface being on opposite sides of the flexible printed circuit, wherein

the button layout and a user of the handheld device define a first relative orientation,

the button layout and the handheld device define a second relative orientation, and

the first relative orientation consistently remains substantially constant as the second relative orientation changes.

17. The input of claim 16 comprising an accelerometer configured to provide at least one signal associated with the second relative orientation.

18. An input device associated with a handheld device, comprising:

a single flexible printed circuit comprising multiple button regions, each button region being associated with a dome switch,

a button layout comprising icons formed with electronic ink, the icons associated with the multiple button regions and configured to be dynamically moved and mapped to different mechanical button areas provided in fixed locations within the device,

multiple capacitive sensor pads formed from a first conductive layer laminated to a first surface of the flexible printed circuit,

multiple display pads formed from a second conductive layer laminated to a second surface of the flexible printed circuit,

the first surface and the second surface being on opposite sides of the flexible printed circuit, wherein

the handheld device is moveable between at least a first device orientation and a second device orientation,

the button layout having an upright orientation relative to a user of the handheld device when the handheld device is oriented in the first device orientation, and

the button layout relative to the handheld device changing to consistently maintain the upright orientation of the icons relative to the user as the handheld device is oriented between the first device orientation and the second device orientation.

19. An input associated with a handheld device, the input comprising:

a flexible printed circuit comprising multiple button regions, each button region being associated with a switch,

a button layout comprising a graphic feature formed with electronic ink, the graphic feature associated with each of the multiple button regions and configured to be dynamically moved and mapped to different mechanical button areas associated with the handheld device,

multiple capacitive sensor pads formed from a first conductive layer laminated to a first surface of the flexible printed circuit,

multiple display pads formed from a second conductive layer laminated to a second surface of the flexible printed circuit,

the first and second surfaces being on opposing sides of the flexible printed circuit,

the handheld device being moveable between at least a first device orientation and a second device orientation,

the button layout having an upright orientation relative to a user of the handheld device when the handheld device is oriented in the first device orientation, and

the button layout relative to the handheld device maintaining the upright orientation relative to the user as the handheld device moves toward the second device orientation.

20. An input for a handheld device, comprising:

a flexible printed circuit comprising an input area and multiple discrete input regions,

multiple capacitive sensor pads formed from a first conductive layer laminated to a first surface of the flexible printed circuit,

multiple display pads formed from a second conductive layer laminated to a second surface of the flexible printed circuit,

the first and second surfaces being on opposing sides of the flexible printed circuit, wherein

each of the discrete input regions is associated with a switch configured to detect a button event,

each of the discrete input regions is assigned a button function,

each of the discrete input regions comprises a display node foamed with electronic ink, configured to display graphical information associated with the assigned button function and configured to be dynamically moved and mapped to different mechanical button areas provided in fixed locations within the device, wherein

as the orientation of the handheld device changes the button function and associated graphical information shift within the input area so that the button layout is presented to the user in an upright orientation.