681results about "Operation facilitation" patented technology

An input method that is based on bidirectional strokes that are segmented by tactile landmarks. By giving the user tactile feedback about the length of a stroke during input, dependence on visual display is greatly reduced. By concatenating separate strokes into multi-strokes, complex commands may be entered, which may encode commands, data content, or both simultaneously. Multi-strokes can be used to traverse a menu hierarchy quickly. Inter-landmark segments may be used for continuous and discrete parameter entry, resulting in a multifunctional interaction paradigm. This approach to input does not depend on material displayed visually to the user, and, due to tactile guidance, may be used as an eyes-free user interface. The method is especially suitable for wearable computer systems that use a head-worn display and wrist-worn watch-style devices.

A touch screen overlay apparatus for use in association with a touch screen having a rigid contact surface. The touch screen overlay apparatus comprises a flexible membrane that covers at least a portion of the rigid contact surface. This flexible membrane is removably maintained in a predetermined position over the rigid contact surface to provide a more tactually desirable surface for manual actuation than the rigid contact surface. Furthermore, the flexible membrane may include one of said one or more raised dome-shaped regions which are disposed on the membrane so as to be in substantial registration with input regions on the rigid contact surface to provide tactile landmarks for the user.

A touch screen 1111 having an active surface area 1112 which extends in three physical dimensions (x-, y- and z-dimensions) is provided. In the figure the active surface area has an U-shaped form. When a user slides his finger over the active surface area the tactile feedback gives him information about the position of the finger. The touch screen is activated when the active surface area senses a certain pressure from the finger. The use of the touch screen is facilitated especially when the user is on the move or when the touch screen is out of sight. Such use is common when operating hand-held terminals.

A battery-powered remote control for radiating wireless signals to control a controlled device has a night light that glows whereby it is visible in a darkened room and the battery lasts at least about three years. It also includes a wireless transmitter, a controller, a battery and a control element. The control element generates a signal when activated to cause the controller to operate the wireless transmitter to transmit a wireless signal to control the controlled device. The night light comprises a light emitting diode and a light pipe having a textured front surface. A power supply circuit for the LED provides an LED current from the battery. The LED has a normal operating current range and the LED current is several orders of magnitude below the normal operating current range.

A touch screen overlay apparatus for use in association with a touch screen having a rigid contact surface. The touch screen overlay apparatus comprises a flexible membrane that covers at least a portion of the rigid contact surface. This flexible membrane is removably maintained in a predetermined position over the rigid contact surface to provide a more tactually desirable surface for manual actuation than the rigid contact surface. Furthermore, the flexible membrane may include one of said one or more raised dome-shaped regions which are disposed on the membrane so as to be in substantial registration with input regions on the rigid contact surface to provide tactile landmarks for the user.

A keypad assembly utilizes touch-detecting apparatus such as force sensors or touchpad assemblies for registering key presses. In exemplary embodiments, the keypad assembly is suitable for use in electronic devices such as a mobile telephones, calculators, hand-held computers, or the like, having single piece molded housings wherein the keypad assembly is at least partially encapsulated within the housing.

A keyboard system having improved protection from electromagnetic interference includes a keypad and a printed circuit board assembly. The keypad includes one or more keys and one or more keypad conductive elements for at least one of the keys. The printed circuit board assembly is coupled to the keypad. The printed circuit board assembly includes a printed circuit board having at least one switch contact area for each of one or more keys on the keypad. The printed circuit board also includes, for at least one of the keys of the keypad, one or more first side vias in a switch contact area and one or more second side vias in the switch contact area. The first side vias are electrically coupled on a first side of a switch for the key. The second side vias are electrically coupled on a second side of the switch for the key.

A multi-functional remote controller (1) has a multi-functional button (20) consisting of an LCD panel (21), a touch panel (22), a transparent button sheet (23), and mechanical switches (22). The transparent button sheet (23) has a shape with concavities and convexities, and the shape enables a user to recognize the position of each button in the pattern using their sense of touch. When the user presses down the touch panel (22), a mechanical switch (24) is pressed down to give a click sensation.

A method and apparatus for orienting the character input area keypad (102) and a display image (110) of an electronic device (100). The orientation of the character input area (102) is sensed relative to a housing (108) of the electronic device (100). The display image (110) on a display (104) of the electronic device (100) has its orientation changed to a predetermined orientation relative to the housing (108) as a function of the orientation of the character input area (102). The housing (108) has a physically rotatable keypad (102) and an electronically rotatable display image (110). A sensor (504) provides a sensor signal representative of the orientation of the keypad (102) relative to the housing (108) of the electronic device (100). Display drivers (508) form the display image (110) on the display (104). A processor (500) receives the sensor signal and in response thereto modifies the display drivers (508) to produce the display image (110) on the display (104) with an orientation relative to the housing (108) that is a function of the orientation of the keypad (102).

A lighted switch device, comprising a substrate, a switch provided on a first surface of the substrate, a light source provided on a second surface of the substrate, a key top to press the switch, and a light guide mechanism to guide light emitted from the light source to the key top or a periphery of the key top, the light guide mechanism including a first light guiding member to hold the key top and a second light guiding member disposed to surround the light source, the light emitted from the light source being guided through the second light guiding member to the first light guiding member holding the key top.

An interchangeable hearing aid control panel with at least one activation zone arranged in connection with a layered structure. The layered structure has an electrically non-conducting substrate, an electrically conducting path arranged in connection with the substrate, and an electrically conducting member, such as a conducting foil, arranged at a predetermined distance from the activation zone. The activation zone can be either in a deactuated or in an actuated state. In the actuated state the conducting member and the conducting path are electrically connected while disconnected in the deactuated state. Electrical connection to an associated hearing aid is by means of a connector, such as a plug, enabling the control panel to be easily changed. Preferably, the connector is formed by a piece of flexprint. The layered structure may comprise a second conducting path. In preferred embodiments activation zones are indicated by “poppel domes” formed by a surface layer covering the layered structure. The activation zones may form an MTO control or a volume control. To fit BTE hearing aids, the layered structure preferably has an elongated structure with a length of 1-4 cm. Other shapes can be formed to fit ITE, ITC and CIC hearing aids. In preferred embodiments, the control panel comprises one or more Silicon-based microphones protected behind a surface layer of the control panel.

Sensor fusion algorithm techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, behaviors of a host device and accessory devices are controlled based upon an orientation of the host device and accessory devices, relative to one another. A combined spatial position and / or orientation for the host device may be obtained based on raw measurements that are obtained from at least two different types of sensors. In addition, a spatial position and / or orientation for an accessory device is ascertained using one or more sensors of the accessory device. An orientation (or position) of the accessory device relative to the host computing device may then be computed based on the combined spatial position / orientation for the host computing device and the ascertained spatial position / orientation for the accessory device. The relative orientation that is computed may then be used in various ways to control behaviors of the host computing device and / or accessory device.

A device (100, 2604) includes a controllable skin texture surface (2602), a sensor (2700), and control logic (200). The sensor senses a plurality of points of interest (2804, 2806) of a user surface (2800). The control logic controls a plurality of portions (2900) of the controllable skin texture surface to protrude at locations with respect to the plurality of points of interest in response to the sensor sensing the plurality of points of interest. In one example, the control logic periodically adjusts the plurality of portions protruding from the controllable skin texture surface in response to movement between the user surface and the controllable skin texture surface.

A touchpad having capability of inducing sensation of tactile key comprises a deformable cover provided over a sensor, the deformable cover having a key region. The deformable cover is presented as a flat shape or curved shape. The key region is provided with a projecting structure, recessed structure, or flat structure. Preferably, the key region is provided thereon with a pattern representative of a key. Alternatively, the touchpad further comprises a support member provided between the deformable cover and the sensor. Preferably, the support member is provided underneath the key region with a recess.

An electronic device with a force sensing key (200) has a switch (280), a first force sensing region (290) for acquiring a first force value, a second force sensing region (290) for acquiring a second force value, and a processor for determining a selected function for the key (200) based upon the first force value and the second force value when the switch (280) is activated. The first force sensing pad (290) and the second force sensing pad (290) use a partially resistive material (250) that exhibits a force-to-voltage response value. By forming the switch (280) as a dome (225) switch, the force sensing key (200) provides crisp tactile feedback to a user. The force sensing key (200) can be configured for a variety of applications and user preferences by varying the architecture of the actuator (270).

A multicolor transparent computer keyboard for operating a computer in a dark environment includes transparent keypads each on a top including spaced transparent color layers occupying four corners and being different in color from each other, an opaque layer on the color layers and having portions overlapped with the color layers being removed, and characters printed on the opaque layer; bridges pivotably interconnecting the key caps and an underlying transparent frame plate; a PCB under the frame plate; and a luminescence panel under the PCB and including cells each below the key cap, each cell including regions of different colors and adapted to electrically activate to upward emit light which is adapted to show multi-color when passing a gap between the color layers and show a backlit color when passing one of the color layers. The backlit color of each color layer is different from that of another color layer.

A keypad system operates in a first mode or a second mode. Each key cap is coupled to each group of adjacent two key switches. Each of first symbols is disposed on each of key caps. Two of each second symbols which is rotated 90 degrees to the first symbols are disposed over each key cap, and each of the two symbols is located over each of the key switches. When a key is actuated in the first mode, a first symbol assigned to the key cap is outputted. When a key is actuated in the second mode, a second symbol located over the actuated key switch is outputted. When there is a display operating with the keypad system, the contents of display can be oriented horizontal to the first symbols in the first mode or horizontal to the second symbol in the second mode.

A keyboard of reduced size is provided in which multiple characters are assigned to each of the primary keys. The selection of the characters to be assigned to each specific primary key is based on the touch typing rules associated with a specific standardized keyboard, preferably allowing at least three rows of keys to be reduced to a single row of keys. A disambiguating system is used to interpret which of the characters and / or symbols assigned to a particular key is intended, typically by applying a set of disambiguating rules to generated input sequences.

An interface is in the form of a switch bank for the center stack of a motor vehicle. The switch bank comprises a motor vehicle interior trim component and at least one non-movable switch located behind the interior trim component. The switch is operable to actuate and de-actuate an electrically operated device of the motor vehicle.

A system and method for facilitation and encouragement of user interaction and functionality with a multimedia program via an entertainment system and remote control device. The entertainment system and remote control device are in two-way communication to accomplish various interactivity functions and features. The remote control includes one or more selectively illuminated buttons under the control of the entertainment system, such that when the entertainment system displays a prompt to the user requiring a response, the entertainment system may send a signal to the remote control selectively illuminating the button(s) to indicate to the user that the button(s) may be operated to make a response to the prompt.

An input apparatus includes: a display plate having a plurality of display sections; an electrostatic touch panel provided at a lower face of the display plate; an operation body on which the display plate and the electrostatic touch panel are placed; a plurality of light-emitting elements for illuminating the plurality of display sections of the display plate from a lower side of the display plate through the electrostatic touch panel; and a control section that is electrically connected to the electrostatic touch panel and the plurality of light-emitting elements, and that controls light emission of the plurality of light-emitting elements in accordance with touch operation to the electrostatic touch panel.

A key activation system for use in a handheld communication device is provided. The system comprises an activation mechanism associated with a key in the system, a first feedback system and a second feedback system. The activation mechanism is associated with the key activation system and provides a first feedback sense when the activation mechanism has triggered the first activation condition. The second feedback system provides a second feedback sense indicating when the key triggers the second activation condition. In the system, the second feedback system operates independently from the activation mechanism and the first activation condition is triggered before the second activation condition when the activation mechanism is initially engaged. An activation mechanism may be centrally located for a set of keys.

An operating device includes a plurality of steering wheel switches provided on a steering wheel, a display part in which function icons representing functions of the steering wheel switches are arranged in the substantially same layout as the steering wheel switches, and a contact detection device for detecting contact or access by the driver's thumb with respect to the steering wheel switches. If the contact detection device detects the contact or access by the driver's thumb with respect to one of the steering wheel switches, the function icon associated with the one steering wheel switch is highlighted.

A user input interface for an electronic device, comprising a keyboard with a plurality of keys arranged in proximity to each other. Each key comprises an input detector sensitive to detect user activation, such as a pressure switch. A sensor in each key is configured to generate a signal responsive to a sensed level of user-induced influence on the key, such as a degree of coverage of or contact with the key. A control unit is then configured to compare the generated signals for a number of keys simultaneously activated by a user, in order to determine which one of the simultaneously activated is intended to be input by the user.

In a preferred form, a keyboard has a single row of eight multi-position keys or groups of key elements with the letters arranged in a standard QWERTY keyboard configuration. The eight keys or key element groups correspond to the eight fingers used when touch typing; each finger operates one key, and that key contains all the letters that the finger normally accesses when touch typing on a standard QWERTY keyboard. With this design, no finger has to move to a different key or key element group while typing. In certain forms, when depressed at different locations on its key face, each key either moves straight down, or down while tilting slightly about one of a plurality of axes. Three-position keys have two tilt axes and six-position keys have five tilt axes. The switches utilize contacts located on the bottom of the switches which may be conductive or nonconductive.