LV15650B - Touchpad - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Technical sector

[001] This invention relates to devices for user input of symbols or commands to electronic apparatus such as computing devices and communication devices.

The known state of the art

[002] A touchpad is a pointing device that includes one or more touch sensors, a surface that can transform the movement and position of an information input device, such as a user's finger, into a relative operating system position that is output to the screen. Touchpads are also available as separate devices. Some touchpads can respond to an action initiated by a stylus or similar device touching its surface. Some touchpads include a “click” function, which improves the functionality of the touchpad.

[003] A touchpad with capacitive touch sensitivity is known (US10534451B2) which includes a pad that provides a touchpad surface; a circuit board with a first surface connected to the substrate for detecting the position of an object adjacent to the touch pad surface, and a circuit board including the first plate adjacent to a second surface of the circuit board, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface; further, the second plate includes a spring element, further, the spacer connects the circuit board to the spring element, further, the spring element facilitates the first movement of the base and the circuit board relative to the second plate; and a capacitive touch or inductive sensor that detects the capacitance of the first and second plates.

[004] An information input device for portable electronic devices is known (US2008/0165138A1), which includes a touch-sensitive device for receiving a user's touch and generating a current change, a current detection device for detecting said current change and sending a corresponding detection signal, an input information generation block for generating input information, based on said detection signal, and an output interface for transmitting said input information to said electronic apparatus, and said information input device further includes: an input state acquisition unit for obtaining an input state when the user uses said portable electronic apparatus; and an input switch unit for analyzing said input state and controlling said touch pad type input of said portable electronic apparatus on and off based on said input state.

[005] A touchpad with symbols is known based on the scheme (US2014/0192001A1) which includes a touch surface; at least one pushable mechanical button that can be actuated by pressure on the touch surface; and a processor capable of detecting a plurality of regions of the touch surface as click regions to detect a mechanical click of the touch pad due to the application of pressure anywhere on the touch surface, and the mechanical click itself does not determine the location of the touch on the touch surface, by detecting a specific touch click area approximately simultaneously with the detection of the mechanical click, determining the action to be performed according to the specific click region.

[006] Hand controllers with removable covers are known (WO2020/112856A1) comprising a housing; a touch pad coupled to the housing and comprising an upper surface, the touch pad being further configured to detect a position of a finger on the upper surface of the touch pad; further, a coating configured to be removably coupled to at least one of the housing or the touchpad, further, the coating being configured to cover at least a first portion of the upper surface of the touchpad and to expose at least a second portion of the upper surface when the touchpad is coupled to the at least one of the housing or the touchpad, further the touchpad is configured to detect a finger position on the second portion of the top surface, but not on the first portion of the top surface, when the coating engages at least one of the body or the touchpad.

[007] Most of the relevant prior art solutions are either technically complex, have insufficient functionality or are not ergonomic.

Purpose and essence of the invention

[008] The aim of the invention is to provide a touchpad with improved functionality and ease of use.

[009] The stated object is achieved with a touch pad that includes a touch surface, capacitive touch, or inductive sensors associated with the touch surface and configured to operate information input means by touching an area of the touch screen associated with the respective capacitive touch screen or inductive sensor; a processor associated with capacitive touch or inductive sensors and configured to be able to detect the activation of one or more capacitive touch screens or inductive sensors and thereby determine the trajectory of touches and information movement for inputting information on the touch surface of the touchpad. The touch pad includes a tactile guide having a central depression as well as symmetrical peripheral depressions and symmetrical peripheral bulges, wherein the peripheral bulges are located substantially at the periphery of the touch pad, the peripheral depressions are located between the peripheral bulges, and the central depression is substantially in the center of the touch pad. The central and peripheral depressions, as well as the peripheral curvatures, have a smooth shape and are configured to allow the means for inputting information to move freely but tactilely across the touch surface. The central recess is spatially lower than the peripheral recess. Peripheral curvatures perceptibly expand from the central region of the touch surface to its peripheral part. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the peripheral bends are equidistant and the number of peripheral bends is between 4 and 32. According to another embodiment of the invention, the width of the central recess is substantially equal to the length of the peripheral recesses.

[010] According to another embodiment of the invention, the touch pad further includes a peripheral flat surface located at the periphery of the touch surface and designed so that the peripheral portions of the peripheral curvatures and peripheral depressions are in the same plane.

[011] According to another embodiment of the invention, the touchpad includes a tactile marking, such as a recess or a curve, located on or around each peripheral curved portion, allowing tactile information to be provided at the boundary between the central recess and the peripheral portion of the touch surface, which contains a significant portion of the peripheral recesses and peripheral curvature, for the user.

[012] According to another embodiment of the invention, the touch pad further includes a set of pushable mechanical buttons associated with the peripheral curvatures of the touch surface and at least one pushable mechanical button associated with the central recess. The mechanical push buttons are further associated with the processors and configured to be actuated by pressure on a touch surface area associated with the respective push mechanical button. According to one embodiment of the invention, the pushable mechanical buttons are located below the capacitive touch or inductive sensors.

[013] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the touch pad further includes a sensory feedback component, providing a sensory experience to the user.[014] These and other embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings.

A brief description of the drawings

[015] Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a preferred (pressure sensitive) touchpad;

Figure 2 - perspective view of the touchpad's touch surface;

Figure 3 is a top view of the touch surface of the touch pad, showing one of the peripheral curves extending from the central region of the touch surface towards its peripheral part;

Figure 4 is a top view of the touch surface of the touchpad, showing that, according to one embodiment, the width or diameter of the central recess is substantially equal to the length of the peripheral recesses;

Figure 5 is a top view of another embodiment of a touch pad touch surface, showing the peripheral flat surfaces and one of the touch marks in the form of curves of the embodiment;

Figure 6 is a top view of a touch surface of a touch pad showing another embodiment of a tactile feature, namely a recess around a portion of each peripheral curvature;

Figure 7 - cross-section of one embodiment of the touch surface;

Figure 8 shows an example of the proposed touch pad installation in a computer mouse;

Figure 9 shows an example of the proposed touchpad installation in the remote control.

Outline of the invention

[016] The proposed touch pad (Fig. 1) comprises a touch surface (1) with a capacitive touch screen or an inductive sensor (2) connected to the touch surface (1) configured to be operated by information input means by touching an area of the touch surface (1) connected with the corresponding capacitive touch screen or inductive sensor (2). Capacitive touch or inductive sensors (2) are preferably in the form of a sensor layer that provides signals when touched or pressed, i.e. when a predicted change in capacitance or inductance is recorded. The sensor layer is divided into one or more input areas adapted for independent actuation and sending signals to the processor (4) associated with capacitive touch or inductive sensors (2).

[017] The touch surface (1) (Fig. 2) includes a tactile guide comprising a central recess (11) as well as symmetrical peripheral recesses (10) and symmetrical peripheral curvatures (12). The peripheral protrusions (12) are located substantially at the periphery of the touch surface (1), the peripheral recesses (10) are located between the peripheral protrusions (12), and the central recess (11) is located substantially in the center of the touch surface (1). The central depression (11) and the peripheral depressions (10) as well as the peripheral curves (12) have a smooth shape and are configured to allow the means for inputting information to move freely but tactilely over the touch surface (1). The central recess (11) is spatially lower than the peripheral recess (10) (Fig. 7). Peripheral curves (12) are palpably expanding from the central region of the touch surface (1) towards its peripheral part (Fig. 3). The width (or, according to one embodiment, the diameter a) of the central recess (11) is preferably substantially equal to the length a of the peripheral recesses (10) (Fig. 4). It is preferable that the peripheral bends (12) are located at the same distance, and the number of peripheral bends (12) is chosen from 4 to 32.

[018] According to another embodiment, the touch pad additionally includes a peripheral flat surface (13) which is located on the periphery of the touch surface (1) and is designed so that the peripheral parts of the peripheral curves (12) and the peripheral recesses (10) are located in the same plane (peripheral flat the surface (13) is marked (Fig. 5).This allows the user to be tactilely informed about the end of the operation part of the touch surface (1), as well as to provide a more pleasant experience of means of transportation for entering information on the surface of the touch surface (1).

[019] According to yet another embodiment, the touch pad further comprises a tactile indicia, such as a bulge (FIG. 5) or a recess (FIG. 6), located on or around each peripheral curvature (12), allowing for the provision of a tactile information to the user between the central depression (11) of the touch surface (1) and the peripheral part, which contains a significant part of the peripheral depressions (10) and the peripheral curvature (12). The tactile marking (15) also provides a more pleasant mobility experience for inputting information via the touch surface (1). As can be seen (Fig. 6), the tactile marking (15) can be in the part of the peripheral curvature (12) of the indentation forms, in addition, the tactile marking (15) can be on the x, y and z axis, that is, with the touch the detectable label (15) may be a constriction of a portion of the peripheral curvatures (12) in the x, y and z axis directions.

[020] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the (pressure-sensitive) touchpad additionally comprises a set of pushable mechanical buttons (3) associated with the peripheral curves (12) of the touch surface (1) and at least one pushable mechanical button (31) associated with the central recess (11). The pushable mechanical buttons (3) are additionally associated with the processors and configured to be actuated by pressure in an area of the touch surface (1) associated with the respective pushable mechanical button (3). Preferably, a set of pushable mechanical buttons (3) are located below the capacitive touch or a set of inductive sensors (2), which in turn are located below the touch surface (1) of the touchpad (Fig. 1).

[021] According to another embodiment of the invention, the touch pad additionally comprises a haptic feedback component associated with the touch surface (1) and the processor and adapted to provide haptic feedback to the user in response to each capacitive touch or inductive sensor (2) and/ or the activation of each pressed mechanical button (3), (31). Haptic feedback is an active touch experience where the user applies forces, vibrations, or movements to the input means.

[022] The processor is configured to receive signals from capacitive touch or inductive sensors (2) and, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, also with pushable mechanical buttons (3), (31). The signal received from sensor (2) or button (3), (31) means activation of the corresponding sensor (2) or button (3), (31). Each sensor (2) and button (3), (31) is assigned a unique identification. The unique identification data of sensors (2) and buttons (3), (31) are stored in the memory associated with the processor. Also stored in the memory are sets of sequences of unique identifications of the sensors (2) and/or buttons (3), (31) which are associated with a symbol or command to actuate the sensor (2) and/or buttons (3), (31) by the user. input of a certain sequence of unique identifiers can be interpreted by the processor as user input of a symbol or command. Using the unique identification of the sensors (2) and buttons (3), (31) stored in the memory, as well as the data of the signals received from the sensors (2) and buttons (3), (31), the processor identifies the information input means (for example, a finger or a stylus in the leg or hand, or a marker on a finger) on the touch surface (1), interprets the sequence of signals received from the sensors (2) and buttons (3), (31) and thus tracks the path of the means of information input along the touch surface (1) and associates these signals with a specific symbol or command to be entered. Tracing the paths of information input through the touch surface (1), as well as interpreting the sequence of received signals and registering the entered symbol or command, and optionally providing a signal to the sensing component to provide haptic feedback on the touch surface (1), is performed using appropriate software, which is a set of instructions stored in memory and which causes the processor to perform said actions.

[023] Thus, the processor associated with the capacitive touch or inductive sensors (2) and the pushable mechanical buttons (3), (31) can register the information entered by the user either as a touch on the touch surface (1) which is in one place, or simultaneously in several places, or as the movement of a means of transferring information along the touch surface (1) (i.e. sliding inputs), or as a force applied to a specific area of the touch surface (1) to press a pushable mechanical button (3), (31).

[024] According to the invention, the proposed touchpad can be functionally included or functionally connected to other electronic hardware, for example, a computer mouse, a remote control, for example, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the touchpad can also be functionally incorporated into or functionally connected to other electronic devices and apparatus. [025] The user feels the contact of the means of inputting information (for example, a finger, hand, fist, foot, a stylus in the hand or a marker on a finger) with the touch surface (1), moves the means of inputting information along the touch surface (1) to enter a symbol or a command . According to a preferred embodiment of the invention with a pressure-sensitive touchpad, the user can also press specific tactilely marked areas of the touchpad to activate the pushable mechanical buttons (3), (31) and thus use the extended capabilities of the touchpad to enter more symbols or commands or even more categories of symbols and commands, switching between different software-related registers used for signals from the respective sensors (2) or pushable mechanical buttons (3), (31).

[026] The provided touchpad can be used for simple, intuitive, error-free and accurate input of information and commands, such as interface control, menu navigation, text input and other symbol input, multi-function control, and can also be used as a potentiometer equivalent using sliding, drag and/or scroll functions. The device may be used in connection with apparatus requiring an input or control function and may be implemented in separate solutions as an electrical, optical or separate unit interfacing by other means, or may be integrated into such apparatus. The proposed touchpad can be especially used for communication, computing, control and other devices and equipment. It can conveniently be operated directly by a human upper or lower limb or part thereof, including a finger, hand, elbow, foot, or indirectly by a stylus, prosthesis, or equivalent. The proposed device can also be conveniently used in harsh environmental conditions, such as in the far north, underwater or in space, when the user wears protective gloves.

Claims (9)

1. A touch pad comprising a touch surface (1) with an associated capacitive touch screen or a set of inductive sensors (2) configured to actuate information input means by touching an area of the touch surface (1) associated with the respective capacitive touch screen or inductive sensor (2); processor (4) associated with capacitive touch or inductive sensors (2) and configured to be able to detect the activation of one or more capacitive touch screens or inductive sensors (2) and thus determine the trajectory of movement of the means of touch and information input on the touch surface of the touch pad ( 1), characterized in that the touch surface (1) includes a tactile guide having a central recess (11) as well as symmetrical peripheral recesses (10) and symmetrical peripheral curves (12), and the peripheral curves (12) are located mainly on the touch surface (1) at the periphery, the peripheral depressions (10) are located between the peripheral curvatures (12) and the central depression (11) is located substantially in the center of the contact surface (1), in addition to: (i) the central (11) and the peripheral depressions (10) and the peripheral curves (12) have a smooth shape and are configured to allow the information input means to freely but tactilely move the s along the contact surface (1); (ii) the central recess (11) is spatially lower than the peripheral recess (10); (iii) the peripheral curvatures (12) palpably extend from the central region of the contact surface (1) towards the peripheral portion thereof 2. The touchpad according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral curves (12) are equidistant and the number of peripheral curves (12) is between 4 and 32. A touchpad according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the central recess (11) is substantially equal to the length of the peripheral recesses (10). A touch pad according to any of the above claims, further comprising a peripheral flat surface (13) located at the periphery of the touch surface (1) and designed so that the peripheral portions of the peripheral curvatures (12) and the peripheral depressions (10) lie in the same plane . A touch pad according to any of the above claims, further comprising a set of pushable mechanical buttons (3) associated with the peripheral curvature (12) of the touch surface (1) and at least one pushable mechanical button (31) associated with the central recess (11) ), furthermore, the pushable mechanical buttons (3) are additionally associated with the processors and configured to be actuated by pressure in the area of the touch surface (1) associated with the respective pushable mechanical button (3). 6. The touch pad according to claim 5, wherein the set of pushable mechanical buttons (3) is located below the capacitive touch or inductive sensor set (2), which in turn is located below the touch surface (1) of the touch pad. 7. A touchpad according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a tactile indicia (15), such as an indentation or bulge located on or around each peripheral curvature (12), allowing the user to provide tactile information within the boundaries between the central indentation ( 11) and the peripheral part of the touch surface (1) for the user, which contains a significant part of the peripheral depressions (10) and the peripheral curvature (12). A touch pad according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a haptic feedback component associated with the touch surface (1) and the processor and adapted to provide the user with physical action feedback in response to activation of each capacitive touch or inductive sensor (2) and/or each pushable mechanical button (3; 31). 9. An electronic apparatus comprising a touchpad according to any one of claims 1 to 8. claim.