Key input method and apparatus for portable apparatus

• US 8,400,403 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Young-Shik, Choi, Kwang-Cheol, Lee, Chang-Seok
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US12/657,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20100177046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A key input apparatus for a portable apparatus includes a display unit that displays a key selected by a user input. The apparatus includes a light sensor comprising a plurality of light emitting elements and a plurality of light receiving elements. The respective light emitting elements generate first light signals upward at a predetermined angle from a direction in which the light emitting elements face the light receiving elements. The apparatus also includes input detection unit that detects the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals, and detects a user'"'"'s space input position using the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals if the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals are detected.

Claims

1. A key input apparatus for a portable apparatus, comprising:

a display unit configured to display a key selected by a user input;

a light sensor comprising;

a plurality of light emitting elements disposed at predetermined intervals on a border of a first side of the display unit, and

a plurality of light receiving elements disposed on a border of a second side of the display unit to face the light emitting elements, wherein the light emitting elements are configured to generate first light signals at a predetermined angle from a direction in which the light emitting elements face the light receiving elements and wherein the light sensor is configured to output light signal information of at least one of the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements; and

an input detection unit configured to;

receive the light signal information from the light sensor,

detect at least one of the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals using the light signal information, and

detect a user'"'"'s space input position using the at least one of the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals if the at least one of the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals are detected.

2. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first plurality of the light emitting elements are mounted at predetermined intervals on an upper side of the display unit, and a first plurality of the light receiving elements are mounted on a lower side of the display unit in a position corresponding to the light emitting elements;

and

a second plurality of the light emitting elements are mounted at predetermined intervals on a left side of the display unit, and a second plurality of the light receiving elements are mounted on a right side of the display unit in a position corresponding to the light emitting elements.

3. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light signal information includes information about whether respective ones of the light receiving elements have received the light signals, and further includes at least one of:

information about quantities of light transmitted from the respective light emitting elements and quantities of light received in the respective light receiving elements; and

information about a change from the transmitted quantities of light to the received quantities of light.

4. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light emitting elements are further configured to generate second light signals toward the light receiving elements along surfaces of the display unit.

5. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the input detection unit is configured to judge whether ones of the light receiving elements that receive both the first light signals and the second light signals exist, and detect the user'"'"'s space input using the light receiving elements that receive both the first light signals and the second light signals.

6. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the display unit is configured to enlarge and display a detected key value when the input detection unit detects the user'"'"'s space input.

7. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the display unit is configured to display keys neighboring the detected key value when enlarging and displaying the detected key value.

8. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the input detection unit is configured to judge whether ones of the light receiving elements that do not receive both the first light signals and the second light signals exist, and detect a user'"'"'s touch input by detecting the ones of the light receiving elements that do not receive both the first light signals and the second light signals.

9. The key input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a three-dimensional stereoscopic display, and is configured to enlarge and display the key selected by a user as a three-dimensional image.

10. A key input method for a portable apparatus, comprising:

generating first light signals upward at a predetermined angle from a direction in which a plurality of light emitting elements face a plurality of light receiving elements;

detecting at least one of the light receiving elements that receives the first light signals; and

if the at least one of the light receiving elements that receives the first light signals are detected, detecting a user'"'"'s space input position using the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising displaying a key value corresponding to the detected space input position.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein displaying the key value comprises enlarging and stereoscopically displaying the key value as a three-dimensional image by the display unit.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

generating second light signals to a corresponding set of light receiving elements along surface of the display unit by the light emitting elements;

detecting respective ones of the light receiving elements that do not receive the second light signals; and

if the respective ones of the light receiving elements that do not receive the second light signals are detected, detecting a user'"'"'s touch input position using the respective ones of the light receiving elements that do not receive the second light signals.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising detecting the user'"'"'s touch input position using a touch screen.

15. A portable device comprising:

a display unit configured to display a key selected by a user input;

a light sensor comprising a plurality of light emitting elements and a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at intervals along a border of the display unit, wherein the light emitting elements are configured to generate first light signals at a predetermined angle from a direction in which the light emitting elements face the light receiving elements and wherein the light sensor is configured to output light signal information regarding the first light signals;

an input detection unit configured to detect the user input based on the light signal information.

16. The portable device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed at intervals along a border of a first side of the display unit and the plurality of light receiving elements are disposed on a border of a second side of the display unit to face the light emitting elements, and wherein the input detection unit configured to detect at least one of the light receiving elements that receives the first light signals using the light signal information, and detect a user'"'"'s space input position using the at least one of the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals if the at least one of the light receiving elements that receive the first light signals are detected.

17. The portable device as claimed in claim 16, wherein a first plurality of the light emitting elements are disposed at predetermined intervals on an upper side of the display unit, and a first plurality of the light receiving elements are disposed on a lower side of the display unit in a position corresponding to the light emitting elements;

and

a second plurality of the light emitting elements are disposed at predetermined intervals on a left side of the display unit, and a second plurality of the light receiving elements are disposed on a right side of the display unit in a position corresponding to the light emitting elements.

18. The portable device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the light signal information includes information about whether respective ones of the light receiving elements have received the light signals, and further includes at least one of:

information about quantities of light transmitted from the respective light emitting elements and quantities of light received in the respective light receiving elements; and

information about a change from the transmitted quantities of light to the received quantities of light.

19. The portable device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the light emitting elements are further configured to generate second light signals toward the light receiving elements along surfaces of the display unit.

20. The portable device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display unit comprises a three-dimensional stereoscopic display, and is configured to enlarge and display the key selected by a user as a three-dimensional image.