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US 5,917,906 AGranted
Touch pad with tactile feature
AssigneeEricsson Inc.
InventorCurtis W. Thornton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A touch pad assembly for portable communication devices has a dual entry user interface surface and is configured to overlay a touch pad surface. The touch-pad assembly can operate in both a key entry and graphical (written) input mode via the same input surface. In the key entry mode, the touch-pad assembly provides tactile feedback to the user affirming the selected key input.
Claims44
A radiotelephone with a touch pad having tactile features associated therewith, said radiotelephone comprising:
- a radiotelephone body having a face with a touch-pad surface thereon;
- an array of snap domes arranged in predetermined spaced-apart alignment to contact said touch-pad surface;
- a spacer sheet overlaying said snap dome array opposite said radiotelephone body, said spacer sheet including a plurality of apertures for receiving selected ones of said domes therein;
- and
- a user input interface comprising a key and graphic entry pad overlaying said spacer sheet opposite said snap dome array, said entry pad including a plurality of key entry surfaces thereon, each of said plurality of key entry surfaces are aligned with respective ones of said domes received in said spacer sheet, wherein responsive to a user's depression of one of said key entry surfaces said dome provides tactile affirmation of the selection to the user and relays the selection to said touch-pad surface.
2 more elements
A portable communication device, comprising:
- a device body having a face with a touch pad surface thereon;
- an array of snap domes arranged in spaced-apart alignment positioned on said body to contact said touch pad surface;
- a spacer sheet overlaying said snap dome array opposite said body;
- said spacer sheet including a plurality of apertures, each of said apertures configured to receive a corresponding one of said domes therein;
- and
- a user input interface comprising a key and graphic entry pad overlaying said spacer sheet opposite said snap dome sheet, said entry pad including a plurality of key entry surfaces thereon, wherein each of said plurality of key entry surfaces are aligned with a respective one of said domes, wherein responsive to a user's depression of one of said key entry surfaces, said respective dome travels a predetermined distance towards said touch pad surface to provide tactile affirmation of the selection to the user and relay the selection to the said touch pad surface.
3 more elements
A touch-pad assembly, comprising:
- an array of protrusions having opposing top and bottom surfaces, said bottom surface configured to overlay and contact a touch-pad surface;
- a spacer sheet overlaying and contacting said array top surface, said spacer sheet including a plurality of apertures, each of said apertures configured and sized to receive at least one of said array of protrusions therein;
- and
- a user input interface comprising a key and graphic entry pad overlaying said spacer sheet opposite said array of protrusions, said entry pad including a plurality of key entry surfaces thereon, wherein said assembly is configured to engage with a touch-pad surface such that in response to a user's depression of one of said key entry surfaces said assembly provides tactile affirmation of the selection to the user and relays the selection to the touch-pad surface.
1 more element
A user interface for a touch pad surface, comprising:
- a keypad assembly configured to overlay the touch pad surface and receive and relay input from a user, a key entry mode and a graphic entry mode, said keypad assembly comprising an entry surface configured to allow both key entry mode and graphic entry mode on the same input surface and having a plurality of tactile responsive input surfaces thereon, wherein each of said tactile input surfaces is associated with a key entry surface, and wherein said tactile input surfaces comprise areas of increased resistance such that a user receives tactile affirmation simulating a depressed key.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.