Input device for complex control signal

• US 8,248,375 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yeh, Wang-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDULSELAM, ABBAS I
• Application Number:
  US12/045,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/169, 178/18.01, 178 1802- 1809
• 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 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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: H01H 13/7006 comprising a separate movable contact element for each switch site, all other elements being integrated in layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/01 Different switch sites under one actuator in same plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/03 Different type of switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/054 Application timeslot: duration of actuation or delay between or combination of subsequent actuations determines selected function
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96054 Double function: touch detection combined with detection of a movable element

Abstract

An input device for a multiplex control signal is applied to provide one or more input position(s) for a user, where each input position generates a plurality of control signals corresponding to a plurality of input states, and an output control unit determines the output of the control signals from each the same input position according a time parameter.

Claims

1. An input device for a multiplex control signal, comprising:

a touch control unit, for generating one or more first control signal(s) corresponding to a touch state of one or more input position(s);

a mechanical control unit, overlapped with the touch control unit at the input position(s), having one or more button(s), the button(s) corresponding to the input position(s) respectively, each of the button for generating a second control signal corresponding to a press state of the corresponding input position; and

an output control unit, electrically connected to the touch control unit and the mechanical control unit, for determining output of the first control signal and the second control signal from the same input position according to a time parameter;

wherein when the output control unit receives the first control signal and the second control from the same input position within the time parameter, the output control unit outputs the received second control signal;

when the output control unit merely receives the first control signal from the same input position within the time parameter, the output control unit outputs the received first control signal.

2. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch control unit comprises one or more touch area(s), the touch area(s) corresponding to the input position(s) respectively, each the touch area for generating the first control signal corresponding to the touch state of the corresponding input position.

3. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch control unit is disposed on the mechanical control unit.

4. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch control unit is disposed under the mechanical control unit.

5. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more external indication unit(s), corresponding to the input position(s) respectively, each for indicating control actions of the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the same input position.

6. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 5, wherein each the external indication unit has a first indication mark and a second indication mark marked thereon, the first indication mark indicates the control action corresponding to the first control signal of the corresponding input position, and the second indication mark indicates the control action corresponding to the second control signal of the corresponding input position.

7. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output control unit comprises one or more sub-control unit(s), each sub-control unit controls the output of the first control signal and the second control signal in response to the same one of the input position(s) according to the time parameter.

8. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 7, wherein each sub-control unit further comprises:

an output valve, for receiving the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the same input position; and

a counter, for counting the time parameter when the output valve receives the first control signal;

wherein during the counter counts the time parameter, the output valve outputs the received second control signal, and when the second control signal is output, the counter stops counting; and

after the counter completes counting the time parameter, the output valve outputs the received first control signal.

9. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output control unit is a signal processing circuit, and the signal processing circuit comprises:

an output valve, for selectively output the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the same input position; and

a detection circuit, for receiving and transferring the first control signal and the second control signal, and confirming the reception of the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the same input position according to the time parameter, so as to control the output valve to output one of the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the same input position.

10. An input device for a multiplex control signal, comprising:

a touch control unit, for generating one or more first control signal(s) corresponding to a touch state of one or more input position(s);

a mechanical control unit, overlapped with the touch control unit at the input position(s), having one or more button(s), the button(s) corresponding to the input position(s) respectively, each of the button for generating a second control signal corresponding to a press state of the corresponding input position;

an output control unit, electrically connected to the touch control unit and the mechanical control unit, for determining output of the first control signal and the second control signal from the same input position according to a time parameter; and

one or more external indication unit(s), corresponding to the input position(s) respectively, each of the external indication unit(s) for indicating control actions of the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the same input position.

11. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 10, wherein each the external indication unit has a first indication mark and a second indication mark marked thereon, the first indication mark indicates the control action corresponding to the first control signal of the corresponding input position, and the second indication mark indicates the control action corresponding to the second control signal of the corresponding input position.

12. An input device for a multiplex control signal, comprising:

a touch control unit, for generating one or more first control signal(s) corresponding to a touch state of one or more input position(s);

a mechanical control unit, overlapped with the touch control unit at the input position(s), having one or more button(s), the button(s) corresponding to the input position(s) respectively, each of the button for generating a second control signal corresponding to a press state of the corresponding input position;

an output control unit, electrically connected to the touch control unit and the mechanical control unit, for determining output of the first control signal and the second control signal from the same input position according to a time parameter;

the output control unit comprising one or more sub-control unit(s), each sub-control unit controlling the output of the first control signal and the second control signal in response to the same one of the input position(s) according to the time parameter.

13. The input device for a multiplex control signal as claimed in claim 12, wherein each sub-control unit further comprises:

an output valve, for receiving the first control signal and the second control signal corresponding to the same input position; and

a counter, for counting the time parameter when the output valve receives the first control signal;

wherein during the counter counts the time parameter, the output valve outputs the received second control signal, and when the second control signal is output, the counter stops counting; and

after the counter completes counting the time parameter, the output valve outputs the received first control signal.