Apparatus and method for expanded touch sensitive actuation of a user interface button

A user interface, comprising:

• a translucent housing;
• a masked artwork disposed against the translucent housing;
• a substrate having a plurality of touch sensitive elements, comprising an activation button for sensing a gloved input for gloved/non-glove mode of operation and a plurality of control buttons;
• inner and outer light guide film layers positioned between the masked artwork and the plurality of control buttons;
• and
• the masked artwork displaying a first predetermined artwork for non-gloved mode operation, and the masked artwork displaying a second predetermined artwork for gloved mode operation;
• a plurality of masked LEDs coupled to the substrate for controlling illumination through the inner and outer light guide film layers to control illumination to the masked artwork to illuminate the first predetermined artwork in non-gloved mode operation, and to illuminate the second predetermined artwork in gloved mode operation;
• and
• in gloved mode operation the plurality of control buttons are combined into larger control buttons having increased sensitivity level and which are illuminated by the second predetermined artwork.

A communication system, comprising:

• a body wearable harness having providing a user interface having a flex and an FPC;
• a portable two-way radio coupled to the body wearable harness via the flex;
• a plurality of user interface control buttons for controlling the portable two-way radio;
• at least one user interface button being an activation button surrounded by a first touch element disposed on the FPC;
• and
• a plurality of user interface touch sensitive control buttons operating with increased sensitivity level activated in response to a gloved mode finger input to the activation button.

A portable communication device, comprising:

• a user interface comprising:
• an user enabled activation button having a capacitive touch sensitivity level for establishing gloved mode operation and non-gloved mode operation;
• and
• a plurality of touch sensitive control buttons which, in response to glove mode operation being established:
• increase touch sensitivity levels associated therewith;
• and
• trigger a vibration identification for each of the plurality of touch sensitive control buttons in response to hovering.