# US 7,612,765 B2 · Actuated multi-faced keys

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- Number: US 7,612,765 B2
- Document ID: US7612765B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/335,843
- Filed: 2006-01-20
- Published: 2007-07-26
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2006-01-20
- Assignees: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
- Inventors: Mats Wernersson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612765B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/02: Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
- G06F 3/0238: {Programmable keyboards (key guide holders G06F3/0224)}
- H01H 13/83: characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
- H01H 61/0107: {making use of shape memory materials}
- H01H 2219/002: replaceable; adaptable
- H01H 2219/066: Lens
- H04M 1/23: Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof (by improving visibility H04M1/22)
- H04M 1/72466: with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

An assembly may include information that includes a first plurality of stripes making up a first icon and a second plurality of stripes making up a second icon. The assembly may include an actuator configured to displace the information to a first position in response to a change in length of a first wire to displace the information to a second position in response to a change in length of a second wire. The assembly may include a lenticular lens configured to display the first icon to a user when the actuator is in the first position, and to display the second icon to the user when the actuator is in the second position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a substantially planar keypad including multi-faced keys, a method for providing key information to a user, the method comprising:
providing first key information to a user when an actuator is in a first position;
receiving a request for second key information;
applying a current to a first wire connected to the actuator in response to the request for second key information;
displacing the actuator linearly, in a first direction parallel to the plane of the keypad, to a second position as a result of the applied current; and
providing the second key information to the user when the actuator is in the second position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the applying further comprises:
applying the current for a determined time that is based on a composition of the wire.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the applying further comprises:
applying the current via a waveform.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the displacing further comprises:
displacing an icon sheet in a direction substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the actuator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, where the displacing further comprises:
displacing the icon sheet with respect to a lenticular lens.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the displacing further comprises:
displacing an icon sheet from a first position with respect to the actuator to a second position with respect to the actuator, where the displacing the icon sheet to the second position with respect to the actuator causes the second key information to be provided to the user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, where the displacing the icon sheet causes the icon sheet to be displaced a determined distance away from the actuator when the icon sheet is in the second position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
applying a current to contract a second wire; and
displacing the actuator linearly, parallel to the first direction from the second position to the first position in response to contracting the second wire, where the first position provides the first key information to the user.

### Claim 9

A keypad assembly, comprising:
a substantially planar icon sheet, comprising:
a first image associated with first key information, and
a second image associated with second key information;
an actuator to:
support a proximal end of a first wire having a first length, the first wire to:
displace the actuator linearly, in a first direction parallel to the plane of the icon sheet, to a first position when the first length chan as a result of a current applied to a distal end of the first wire, and
support a proximal end of a second wire having a second length, the second wire to:
displace the actuator linearly, parallel to the first direction, to a
second position when the second length changes; and
a lens to:
provide the first image to a user when the actuator is in the first position, and
provide the second image to the user when the actuator is in the second position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, comprising:
a supply to provide a current to a distal end of the second wire to cause the second length to change.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where the actuator is further to:
displace the icon sheet a first distance with respect to a portion of the lens when the actuator is in the first position,
displace the icon sheet a second distance with respect to the portion of the lens when the actuator is in the second position, and
maintain the second distance over a range of actuator displacements.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, where the first image has a first relationship with respect to the lens when the first distance is present and a second relationship with respect to the lens when the second distance is present.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where the actuator is coupled to ground.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where the first image or the second image is back lit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where the first wire or the second wire comprises a memory shape alloy.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The assembly of claim 15, where the memory shape alloy comprises nickel or titanium.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where a pulse width modulated (PWM) waveform causes a change in the first length or the second length.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where the lens is a lenticular lens.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where the lens is in a first relationship with respect to the first image when the actuator is in the first position and in a second relationship with respect to the first image when the actuator is in the second position.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, where the icon sheet is coupled to the actuator.

### Claim 21

A keypad assembly, comprising:
a surface, comprising:
a first plurality of stripes making up a first icon associated with first key information, and
a second plurality of stripes making up a second icon associated with second key information;
an actuator to:
displace the surface linearly, in a first direction to a first position in response to a change in length of a first wire as a result of a current applied to the first wire, and
displace the surface linearly, parallel to the first direction to a second position in response to a change in length of a second wire as a result of a current applied to the second wire; and
a lenticular lens to:
display the first icon to a user when the actuator is in the first position, and
display the second icon to the user when the actuator is in the second position.

### Claim 22

A substantially planar keypad assembly, comprising:
a window, parallel to the plane of the keypad, to:
display key information to a user when the key information is in the window;
a surface, comprising:
first key information,
second key information, and
third key information; and
an actuator, connected to a wire, to:
move linearly, as a result of a current applied to the wire, in a first direction substantially parallel to the window to place the first key information into the window,
move in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction to place the second key information into the window, and
move in a third direction substantially parallel to the window and substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions to place the third key information into the window.

### Claim 23

A device, comprising:
means to render a first image associated with first key information of a substantially planar keypad or a second image associated with second key information of the substantially planar keypad to a user when an actuator is in a first position;
means to apply a current to a wire to cause the wire to change length;
means to displace the actuator linearly, parallel to the plane of the keypad as a result of the changed wire length; and
means to change a relationship between the first image or the second image and the rendering means in response to displacing the actuator linearly, parallel to the plane of the keypad where the changed relationship causes the first image or the second image to be rendered to the user via the rendering means.