Three-dimensional contact-sensitive feature for electronic devices
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsShawn R. GETTEMY, Lawrence Lam, William R. Hanson
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Abstract
An electronic device is formed at least partially from a deflectable material that generates an electrical signal in response to contact. The first material is integrated with a display module to provide a shaped feature on the exterior surface of the display module. The shaped feature detects contact with an external object on one or more contact points, where contact with the contact points corresponds to a defined input for a processor of the electronic device.
Claims20
A mobile computing device comprising:
- a housing providing a display assembly and a contact sensitive input mechanism;
- and
- one or more processing resources coupled to the display assembly and the contact sensitive input mechanism, the one or more processing resources configured to:
- receive a first signal in response to the contact sensitive input mechanism detecting a contact from an external object;
- receive a second signal in response to the contact sensitive input mechanism being actuated by a user of the mobile computing device, the contact sensitive input mechanism being actuatable;
- and
- depending on whether the first signal or the second signal has been received, cause a function to be performed by the mobile computing device.
A method for operating a mobile computing device, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:
- receiving a first signal in response to a contact sensitive input mechanism detecting a contact from an external object, the contact sensitive input mechanism being provided on a front panel of a housing of the mobile computing device;
- receiving a second signal in response to the contact sensitive input mechanism being actuated by a user of the mobile computing device, the contact sensitive input mechanism being actuatable;
- and
- depending on whether the first signal or the second signal has been received, causing a function to be performed by the mobile computing device.
A mobile computing device comprising:
- a housing providing a display assembly and a contact sensitive input mechanism;
- and
- one or more processing resources coupled to the display assembly and the contact sensitive input mechanism, the one or more processing resources configured to:
- receive a first signal in response to the contact sensitive input mechanism detecting a contact from an external object;
- in response to receiving the first signal, causing a first function to be performed by the mobile computing device;
- receive a second signal in response to the contact sensitive input mechanism being actuated by a user of the mobile computing device, the contact sensitive input mechanism being actuatable;
- and
- in response to receiving the second signal, causing a second function to be performed by the mobile computing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.