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US 8,913,038 B2Granted
Electronic device and electronic reader device with a proximity sensing button
AssigneesHon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Koobe Inc.
InventorsWei-Young Liang, Chin-Lung Ho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic reader device with a physical control disposed on a surface of the device housing. The physical control is operable to initiate a first function. A display disposed on the surface of the housing is operable to show a virtual control that initiates a second function. A sensor detects a drag operation moving the virtual control to a position on a border of the display adjacent to the physical control. A processor associates the second function with the physical control in response to the drag operation and performs the second function upon activation of the physical control.
Claims35
An electronic device with a proximity sensing button, comprising:
- a mechanical push key comprising a push button switch, a first detection pad, and a upper layer structure located on the first detection pad,
- wherein the push button switch comprises two disconnected electrical terminals, and is operable to electrically connect the two disconnected electrical terminals in response to activation of the push button switch, and
- the first detection pad comprises a metal pad formed on a printed circuit board located on the push button switch;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to the first detection pad through a bus, and operable to detect a first touch operation in a first proximity region of the first detection pad by detecting capacitance changes of the metal area, wherein a upper surface of the upper cover structure is structured to receive the first touch operation;
- wherein the push button switch comprises a space for operation of the push button switch between the first detection pad and the two electrical terminals, and a distance from the upper cover structure to the two electrical terminals exceeds thickness of the upper cover structure;
- wherein an upper surface of the upper cover structure is structured to receive the first touch operation, a lower surface of the upper cover structure is structured to assemble with the first detection pad such that the thickness of the upper cover structure substantially defines a distance from the first detection pad to the upper surface of the upper cover structure.
4 more elements
An electronic reader device with a proximity sensing button, comprising:
- a housing;
- a physical control located on a surface of the housing and operable to initiate a first function in response to activation of the physical control, and comprises an array of mechanical push keys with a plurality of detection pads, wherein each of the mechanical push keys comprises a push button switch, a detection pad among the plurality of detection pads, and a upper layer structure located on the detection pad, wherein the push button switch comprises two disconnected electrical terminals, and is operable to electrically connect the two disconnected electrical terminals in response to activation of the push button switch, and the detection pad comprises a metal area formed on a printed circuit board located on the push button switch;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to the first detection pad through a bus, and operable to detect a first touch operation in a first proximity region of a first detection pad among the plurality of detection pads, wherein an upper surface of the upper cover structure is structured to receive the first touch operation;
- wherein the push button switch comprises a space for operation of the push button switch between the first detection pad and the two electrical terminals, and a distance from the upper cover structure to the two electrical terminals exceeds thickness of the upper cover structure;
- wherein an upper surface of the upper cover structure is structured to receive the first touch operation, a lower surface of the upper cover structure is structured to assemble with the first detection pad such that the thickness of the upper cover structure substantially defines a distance from the first detection pad to the upper surface of the upper cover structure.
3 more elements
An electronic device with a proximity sensing button, comprising:
- a housing;
- a physical control located on a surface of the housing and operable to initiate a first function in response to activation of the physical control, and comprises:
- a first printed circuit board comprising two disconnected electrical terminals;
- a mechanical push key comprising a push button switch and a proximity sensing unit, wherein the push button switch is located on the first printed circuit board, and is operable to electrically connect the two disconnected electrical terminals in response to activation of the push button switch, and
- the proximity sensing unit is located on the push button switch, and is operable to detect a touch operation on the proximity sensing unit, wherein the proximity sensing unit comprises a second printed circuit board and a metal area formed on the second printed circuit board;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to the proximity sensing unit through a bus, and the controller is operable to detect the touch operation in a proximity region of the metal area by detecting capacitance changes of the metal area;
- wherein the metal area comprises:
- a first detection pad which is a metal pad formed on the second printed circuit board, wherein the controller detects a first touch operation in a first proximity region of the first detection pad;
- wherein the proximity sensing unit further comprises an upper cover structure located on the first detection pad, and the upper cover structure comprises dielectric material;
- wherein the controller is electrically connected to the first detection pad through the bus, and operable to detect the first touch operation through the first detection pad;
- wherein the push button switch comprises a first space for operation of the push button switch between the first detection pad and the two electrical terminals, and a distance from the upper cover structure to the two electrical terminals exceeds thickness of the upper cover structure;
- wherein an upper surface of the upper cover structure is structured to receive the first touch operation, a lower surface of the upper cover structure is structured to assemble with the first detection pad such that the thickness of the upper cover structure substantially defines a distance from the first detection pad to the upper surface of the upper cover structure.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.