Window for mobile terminal and mobile terminal having the same

• US 8,467,834 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Su-Hyun, Lee, Seong-Cheol, Oh, Han-Gyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Prez-Gutirrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Suhail
• Application Number:
  US12/566,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20100075720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal including, a terminal body having a window mounting portion, a window mounted on the window mounting portion, and having a first region to implement a touch screen and a second region to input manipulation information, and a Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) configured to electrically connect the terminal body to the window, wherein the FPCB is connected at a position between the first region and the second region.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal body having a window mounting portion;

a display coupled to the terminal body and being configured to display information;

a window being configured to couple with the window mounting portion and at a location that is over the display, the window comprising a first region and a second region and a top side and a bottom side, wherein the first region comprises material that is shaped to generally correspond to a displayable area of the display such that the first region permits viewing of the displayed information of the display, and wherein the second region comprises an input area configured to receive user input via contact received at the top side of the window at an area that generally corresponds with the input area of the second region;

a touch sheet operatively coupled to the bottom side of the window and being positioned between the window and the display, wherein the touch sheet permits detection of a touch input in response to touch contact with the top side of the first region of the window;

a controller; and

a Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) comprising a connection portion and a sensor, wherein the connection portion is configured to electrically connect the controller with the touch sheet, and wherein the sensor is located to generally correspond to at least a portion of the second region of the window such that the sensor is configured to detect the user input via contact received at the top side of the window at the area that generally corresponds with the input area of the second region.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the second region of the window extends from the first region of the window.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the FPCB overlaps the second region of the window.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the touch sheet comprises connection lines and the FPCB comprises connection wires; and

the connection lines of the touch sheet are connected to the connection wires of the FPCB in the portion of the second region between the input area and the first region.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the connection portion comprises:

a first pad disposed on the touch sheet and connected to a conductive pattern formed on the window;

a second pad located on the FPCB and connected to an electric wire of the FPCB; and

an adhesive film between the first and second pads and adhering the first pad to the second pad.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the adhesive film comprises an An-isotropic Conductive Film (ACF) applying an electric current in only one direction.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein

the input area of the second region comprises a plurality of discrete inputs;

and wherein

the sensor comprises a plurality of sensor inputs which respectively correspond with the plurality of discrete inputs.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of discrete inputs comprises a push key.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of discrete inputs comprises a mechanical push button.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the window is shaped to define a first aperture, wherein the first aperture is located to cooperate with an underlying speaker to facilitate audio transmission via the first aperture.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the window further comprises a third region which is located between the first region of the window and the second region of the window, and wherein the connection portion of the FPCB is generally located under the window and at a location that is within a boundary defined by the third region.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the connection portion and the sensor are located on a same side of the FPCB.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a touch key located in the input area and adapted to receive a touch input from a user and wherein the FPCB comprises a touch sensor adapted to sense the touch input received via the touch key.

14. A mobile terminal interface comprising:

a window being configured to couple with a window mounting portion and at a location that is over a touchscreen display, the window comprising a first region and a second region and a top side and a bottom side, wherein the first region comprises material that is shaped to generally correspond to a displayable area of the display such that the first region permits viewing of the displayed information of the display, and wherein the second region comprises an input area configured to receive user input via contact received at the top side of the window at an area that generally corresponds with the input area of the second region;

a touch sheet operatively coupled to the bottom side of the window and being positioned between the window and the display, wherein the touch sheet permits detection of a touch input in response to touch contact with the top side of the first region of the window;

a Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) comprising a connection portion and a sensor, wherein the connection portion is configured to electrically connect a controller with the touch sheet, and wherein the sensor is located to generally correspond to at least a portion of the second region of the window such that the sensor is configured to detect user input via contact received at the top side of the window at the area that generally corresponds with the input area of the second region.

15. The interface of claim 14, wherein the second region extends from the first region.

16. The interface of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the FPCB overlaps the second region.

17. The interface of claim 14, further comprising a touch key located in the input area and adapted to receive a touch input from a user and wherein the FPCB comprises a touch sensor adapted to sense the touch input received via the touch key.

18. The interface of claim 14, wherein:

the touch sheet comprises connection lines and the FPCB comprises connection wires; and

the connection lines of the touch sheet are connected to the connection wires of the FPCB in the portion of the second region between the input area and the first region.

19. The interface of claim 14, wherein

the input area of the second region comprises a plurality of discrete inputs;

and wherein

the sensor comprises a plurality of sensor inputs which respectively correspond with the plurality of discrete inputs.

20. The interface of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of discrete inputs comprises a push key.

21. The interface of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of discrete inputs comprises a mechanical push button.

22. The interface of claim 14, wherein the window is shaped to define a first aperture, wherein the first aperture is located to cooperate with an underlying speaker to facilitate audio transmission via the first aperture.

23. The interface of claim 14, wherein the window further comprises a third region which is located between the first region of the window and the second region of the window, and wherein the connection portion of the FPCB is generally located under the window and at a location that is within a boundary defined by the third region.

24. The interface of claim 14, wherein the connection portion and the sensor are located on a same side of the FPCB.