Electronic devices, keyboard assemblies and computers including them, and methods for operating electronic devices.

Abstract

We provide a keyboard assembly that includes a pointing device. [Solution] The present invention relates to an electronic device, a keyboard assembly and computer including the same, and a method for operating the electronic device. The electronic device includes a substrate, a light-transmitting pointing member provided on the substrate and having a groove facing the substrate, a first flexible printed circuit provided on the surface of the groove of the pointing member facing the substrate, a sensor provided on the first flexible printed circuit in the groove facing the substrate, which senses stress on the surface of the groove due to external pressure applied to the pointing member, and a light-emitting element provided on the same surface of the substrate as the surface on which the pointing member is provided, but at a different position from the pointing member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of electronic devices, and more particularly, to electronic devices for computers.

Background Art

[0002] This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.

[0003] A pointing device is a computer peripheral device, a type of input device, and also a human-machine interface device that associates a computer with a person. A pointing stick (also called a TrackPoint (registered trademark), Track stick, Pointing stick, etc.) is a commonly used type of pointing device. As the design of portable computers becomes increasingly lightweight and thinner, and market competition becomes increasingly fierce day by day, a low-profile and cost-effective pointing stick is required. Also, due to the diversification of user needs, a pointing stick with diversified functions is also required.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] This section provides a general overview of the present disclosure and does not disclose all aspects or all features of the present disclosure comprehensively.

[0005] The objective of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device (pointing device), a keyboard assembly and a computer including the same, and a method of operating the electronic device, which have an improved structure and satisfy at least one of the above-mentioned needs.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided that includes a substrate, a light-transmitting pointing member provided on the substrate and having a groove facing the substrate, a first flexible printed circuit provided on the surface of the groove of the pointing member facing the substrate, a sensor provided on the first flexible printed circuit in the groove facing the substrate, the sensor sensing stress on the surface of the groove due to external pressure applied to the pointing member, and a light-emitting element provided on the same surface of the substrate as the surface on which the pointing member is provided, but at a different position from the pointing member.

[0007] In the electronic device according to this disclosure, the pointing member is directly provided on the substrate and has a groove that can accommodate a flexible printed circuit and a sensor, thereby minimizing the height of the electronic device. Furthermore, the electronic device according to this disclosure can realize the function of sensing external pressure with fewer components, thereby reducing the cost required to manufacture each component and the work required to install each component, and thus minimizing the manufacturing cost of the electronic device.

[0008] Furthermore, by incorporating light-emitting elements into electronic devices, the functionality of these devices can be significantly expanded, leading to greater diversification of their capabilities. This, in turn, enhances human-machine interaction and improves the user experience.

[0009] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for operating the electronic device described herein, the method comprising sensing an external pressure applied to a pointing member using a sensor in the electronic device, and controlling the movement of a cursor on the screen of a computer used in conjunction with the electronic device based on the sensed external pressure.

[0010] Therefore, this disclosure simplifies the structure of electronic devices and enables cursor tracking functionality based on electronic devices.

[0011] Preferably, the above operating method may further include sensing external pressure applied to the pointing member from a vertical direction using a sensor in an electronic device, and when the number of times the pointing member is continuously pressed vertically reaches a predetermined number, a window for adjusting one or more functions of the computer may pop up on the screen.

[0012] Therefore, additionally, electronic devices can enhance their functionality and provide a better user experience by offering users a window to adjust one or more computer functions.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for operating the electronic device relating to the present disclosure, the method comprising sensing a predetermined mode and / or state of a computer used in combination with the electronic device, and changing the emission mode of a light-emitting element when the computer is in the predetermined mode and / or state.

[0014] By changing the light emission mode of light-emitting elements based on the computer's mode and / or state, the functionality of electronic devices can be diversified, thereby enhancing human-machine interaction and improving the user experience.

[0015] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a keyboard assembly or portable computer including the electronic device relating to this disclosure is provided.

[0016] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a machine-readable storage medium is provided that carries a program product including stored machine-readable instruction code, wherein, when the instruction code is read and executed by a computer, the machine-readable storage medium causes the computer to execute an operation method according to the present disclosure.

[0017] The effects of the contents of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other effects not mentioned in the following description.

[0018] In addition to the effects described above, this document will explain the specific details for implementing the contents of this disclosure and the specific effects of the contents of this disclosure.

[0019] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptions provided herein. The descriptions and specific examples in this summary are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0020] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and do not represent all possible embodiments, nor are they intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing an electronic device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is an exploded view showing an electronic device relating to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3(a)] This is an assembly drawing showing an electronic device relating to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3(b)] This is an assembly drawing showing an electronic device relating to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4(a)] This figure shows a pointing member in an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4(b)] This figure shows a pointing member in an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This figure shows the bottom of a cover member in an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This figure shows a flexible printed circuit in an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This figure shows the arrangement of sensors in an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing a sensor circuit in an electronic device according to an exemplary implementation form of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram showing a circuit layout of an electronic device according to an exemplary implementation form of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] It is a schematic diagram showing an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13(a)] It is a diagram showing a pointing member in an electronic device according to an exemplary implementation form of the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13(b)] It is a diagram showing a pointing member in an electronic device according to an exemplary implementation form of the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13(c)] It is a schematic diagram showing a circuit layout of an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] It is a schematic diagram showing the circuit principle of a light-emitting element in an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] It is a schematic diagram showing a pulse-width modulation signal input to the second pin. [Figure 16] It is a schematic diagram showing another circuit layout of an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] It is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] It is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] It is a flowchart showing a method of operating an electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] It is an assembly diagram showing an electronic device to which a pointing member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is attached. [Figure 21(a)] It is a diagram showing a pointing member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21(b)] This figure shows a pointing member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21(c)] This figure shows a pointing member according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] This is a block diagram of an exemplary structure of a general-purpose personal computer capable of realizing the electronic device and operating method of the electronic device according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] While this disclosure has undergone various modifications and substitutions, specific embodiments are shown in the drawings as examples and are described in detail herein. However, the descriptions of specific embodiments herein are not intended to limit this disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, but rather to encompass all modifications, equivalents and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0023] Examples of this disclosure will be illustrated more clearly with reference to the attached drawings. The following description is purely illustrative and is not intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or its use.

[0024] The exemplary embodiments are provided to make the disclosure comprehensive and to fully convey its scope to those skilled in the art. Several specific details, such as examples of certain components, apparatus and methods, are shown to provide a detailed understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the use of these specific details is unnecessary and that the exemplary embodiments can be carried out in many different forms, none of which should be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Some of the exemplary embodiments do not describe in detail well-known processes, well-known structures and well-known techniques.

[0025] For the sake of simplicity and clarity, elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same or similar elements and therefore perform similar functions. Shapes, dimensions, proportions, angles, numbers, etc., disclosed in the drawings of embodiments illustrating the contents of this disclosure are illustrative and the contents of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0026] <First embodiment of electronic device> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the electronic device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate 101, a pointing member 102, a flexible printed circuit 103, a sensor 104, and optionally a cover member 105.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the pointing member 102 is provided on the substrate 101 and may have a groove facing the substrate 101. The pointing member 102 may be made of metal, for example, aluminum or plastic. The flexible printed circuit 103 may be provided on the surface of the groove of the pointing member 102 that faces the substrate 101. The sensor 104 may be provided on the flexible printed circuit 103 within the groove, facing the substrate 101, and may sense the stress on the surface of the groove caused by external pressure applied to the pointing member 102.

[0028] A gap may exist between the sensor 104 and the substrate 101. This gap prevents the sensor 104 from contacting the substrate even when the pointing member 102 is subjected to significant external pressure. Such a gap prevents the performance of the sensor 104 from being affected by the upper surface of the substrate, thereby ensuring the measurement accuracy of the sensor. For example, the sensor may be a stress sensor or a strain sensor.

[0029] Furthermore, the electronic device 100 may include a cover member 105 that covers the top of the pointing member 102 and is connected to the top of the pointing member 102, making it easier for the user to press the pointing member 102. For example, the cover member 105 may be made of rubber material. Also, the top of the cover member 105 may have multiple protrusions, which increases the frictional force and makes it easier for the user to operate the cover member 105.

[0030] In the electronic device 100 according to this disclosure, the pointing member 102 is directly provided on the substrate 101 and has a groove that can accommodate a flexible printed circuit 103 and a sensor 104. This minimizes the height of the electronic device 100, contributing to the progress of making portable computers lighter and thinner. Furthermore, the electronic device 100 according to this disclosure can realize the function of sensing external pressure with fewer components, thereby reducing the cost required to manufacture each component and the work required to install each component, and minimizing the manufacturing cost of the electronic device.

[0031] Figures 2 to 8 show the electronic device as an exemplary realization of the electronic device 100 of Figure 1. Figure 2 is an exploded view of the electronic device 100, Figures 3(a) and 3(b) are assembled views of the electronic device 100, Figures 4(a) and 4(b) are illustrative views of the pointing member 102, Figure 5 is an illustrative view of the bottom of the cover member 105, Figure 6 is an illustrative view of the flexible printed circuit 103, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary arrangement of the sensor 104, and Figure 8 is an exemplary circuit diagram of the sensor 104.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, the example electronic device 100 may include a substrate 101, a pointing member 102, a flexible printed circuit 103, a sensor 104, a cover member 105, an adhesive layer 106, a first conductive member 107, and a second conductive member 108.

[0033] When assembled as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the pointing member 102 is fixed to the substrate 101, and the adhesive layer 106, one end of the flexible printed circuit 103, and the sensor 104 are housed in a groove at the bottom of the pointing member 102. The adhesive layer 106 connects the end of the flexible printed circuit 103 to the bottom surface of the groove in the pointing member 102, and the adhesive layer 106 and the end of the flexible printed circuit 103 have a shape that fits into the groove. For example, the sensor 104 may be made of a piezoresistive material printed on the flexible printed circuit 103.

[0034] The first conductive member 107 includes a first portion 1071 and a second portion 1072. The upper surface of the first portion 1071 is coated with a conductive agent and contacts the bottom surface of the substrate 101, and both the upper and lower surfaces of the second portion 1072 are coated with a conductive agent. The upper surface of the second portion 1072 contacts the bottom surface of the portion of the flexible printed circuit 103 located outside the substrate 101, and the lower surface contacts the second conductive member 108. For example, the first conductive member 107 may be made of aluminum foil, and the second conductive member 108 may be made of copper foil. The first conductive member 107 and the second conductive member 108 not only provide grounding for the electronic device 100, but can also make the structure of the electronic device 100 more robust.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the substrate 101 may have three holes 1011 for fitting into the pointing member 102, a trapezoidal opening 1012 for stress distribution, and two holes 1013 for fixing the keyboard. Figure 2 shows the substrate 101 to be triangular in shape, but it may be any other suitable shape. The number and shape of each hole and opening may also vary as appropriate, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0036] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the pointing member 102 may include a main body portion 1021 having a groove 1023 and a first projection 1022 projecting outward from the central portion of the main body portion 1021. Pressure may be applied to the pointing member 102 from the outside via the first projection 1022; that is, the user can apply pressure via the cover member 105 through the top surface of the first projection 1022. As shown in Figures 4(a) and 5, the first projection 1022 may be mounted in an opening 1051 at the bottom of the cover member 105. Figures 4(a) and 4(b) show that the main body portion 1021 has a cylindrical shape and the first projection 1022 has a cubic columnar structure, but the disclosure is not limited thereto and other suitable shapes may be used. The shape of the opening 1051 is also not limited thereto.

[0037] The main body 1021 may have an edge portion 1024 that forms a groove 1023 and a plurality of columns 1025 on the edge portion 1024. The plurality of columns 1025 can be fitted into a plurality of holes 1011 on the substrate 101 to integrally fix the substrate 101 and the pointing member 102. For example, the plurality of columns 1025 can be press-fitted into the plurality of holes 1011. Combined with the adhesive layer 106 and the first conductive member 107 described above, such a mounting method is simple, easy to operate, and can reduce assembly costs.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4(b) and 6, the edge portion 1024 may include a second projection 1027 formed within a notch 1026 of the edge portion 1024, and the flexible printed circuit 103 may include an opening 1033 that fits into the second projection 1027. The second projection 1027 and the opening 1033 allow for quick alignment of the flexible printed circuit 103 and the pointing member 102, making installation easier. Furthermore, the adhesive layer 106 in Figure 2 can be extended further into the notch 1026 to increase the adhesive area.

[0039] As shown in Figure 6, the flexible printed circuit 103 may include a first portion 1031 within the groove 1023 and a second portion 1032 extending from the first portion 1031 to the outside of the substrate 101. For example, the first portion 1031 may be circular, but is not limited thereto. The sensor 104 includes at least a first sensor R1 and a second sensor R2 positioned on the opposite side of the first portion 1031 along the extending direction of the flexible printed circuit 103 (hereinafter also referred to as the first direction, i.e., the y-direction in Figures 6 and 7), and a third sensor R3 and a fourth sensor R4 positioned on the opposite side of the first portion 1031 along a direction perpendicular to the extending direction (hereinafter also referred to as the second direction, i.e., the x-direction in Figures 6 and 7). For example, the first sensor R1 and the second sensor R2 may be positioned on opposite sides of the first direction passing through the center of the first portion 1031, and the third sensor R3 and the fourth sensor R4 may be positioned on opposite sides of the second direction passing through the center of the first portion 1031.

[0040] As shown in Figure 7, the dashed frame indicates the cover area K of the first protrusion 1022. Sensors R1, R2, R3, and R4 may be uniformly arranged in four directions along the perimeter of the cover area K. Sensors R1, R2, R3, and R4 either do not overlap with the cover area K, or only partially overlap with the cover area K. That is, sensors R1, R2, R3, and R4 either do not overlap with the cover area of ​​the rod that transmits the external force of the pointing member, or only partially overlap with the cover area. However, sensors R1, R2, R3, and R4 cannot be completely located within the cover area K.

[0041] Sensors R1, R2, R3, and R4 allow the electronic device 100 to sense the external pressure applied to the pointing member, thereby enabling a computer used in conjunction with the electronic device 100 to control the movement of the cursor on the computer screen based on the sensed external pressure.

[0042] To further extend the functionality of the electronic device 100, the sensor 104 may further include a sensor R5 located in the central part of the first part 1031 (for example, at the center of the first part 1031 in the cover region K), and another sensor located at another position on the first part (for example, outside the cover region K, at a position other than where sensors R1 to R4 are located). The other sensor, together with sensor R5, can sense an external force applied vertically to the top of the pointing member.

[0043] As shown in Figure 7(a), the sensor 104 may further include a sensor R5 located at the center of the first portion 1031, and sensors R6 and R7 located on the opposite side of the first portion 1031 along directions different from the first and second directions. As shown in Figure 7(a), sensors R5, R6, and R7 are arranged on a straight line that penetrates the center of the first portion and makes a 45-degree angle with the x-direction. Of course, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and sensors R5, R6, and R7 may be arranged on a straight line that makes any angle with respect to the x-direction. Also, as shown in Figure 7(b), sensors R5, R6, and R7 do not have to be arranged on the same straight line, and sensors R6 and R7 are each located within two diagonal regions in the area enclosed by the dotted line in the drawing. Here, sensors R6 and R7 located on the opposite side in the direction that penetrates the center of the first portion 1031 can determine whether the direction of the externally applied pressure is vertical or not. In this specification, the vertical direction is not limited to a perfectly vertical direction, but may refer to a different direction within a certain range from the vertical direction, for example, a different direction within a range of plus or minus 15 degrees from the normal to the plane of the first part 1031.

[0044] Furthermore, similar to sensors R1 to R4, sensors R6 and R7 may be arranged along the perimeter of the cover area K. Sensors R6 and R7 do not have to overlap with the cover area K, and may only partially overlap with the cover area K. The sensor arrangement method of this disclosure is not limited thereto, and more sensors may be arranged.

[0045] Furthermore, sensors R6 and R7, along with sensor R5, are used solely to determine the external pressure applied to the pointing member from the vertical direction and do not participate in determining the movement of the cursor. Therefore, this disclosure uses a single path (i.e., sensors R5-R7) to sense the external force applied vertically to the top of the pointing member. For example, as shown in Figure 8, in an exemplary bridge circuit, sensors R1 and R2 acquire the voltage difference Vy in the y direction, sensors R3 and R4 acquire the voltage difference Vx in the x direction, and sensors R5-R7 acquire the voltage difference Vz in the z direction. When no external pressure is applied, the resistance of sensor R1 may be substantially equal to the resistance of sensor R2, the resistance of sensor R3 may be substantially equal to the resistance of sensor R4, and the resistance of sensor R5 may be substantially equal to the sum of the resistances of sensor R6 and sensor R7. For example, the resistances of sensors R6 and R7 may each be half the resistance of sensor R5. By sensing the external force in the z-direction using a single passage, the detection of erroneous operations (i.e., identifying other operations by the user clicking the electronic device 100 in the vertical direction) can be reduced, and a stable additional function based on sensing the force applied vertically to the electronic device 100 can be realized.

[0046] Furthermore, since sensor R5 is hardly affected by stress, its output can be used as a reference. By combining this with the changes in the outputs of sensors R6 and R7 (i.e., the amount of change in output and the direction of change in output), it is possible to quickly and accurately sense the external pressure applied to the pointing member from the vertical direction, thereby expanding the functions that can be realized when the electronic device 100 is pressed vertically.

[0047] For example, when the number of times the pointing member 102 is pressed vertically in succession reaches a predetermined number (for example, 2 times, i.e., the pointing member 102 is double-clicked, and for example, 1 time, i.e., the pointing member 102 is single-clicked), a window for adjusting one or more computer functions pops up on the computer screen. For example, one or more functions may be computer volume control, battery control, music playback control, camera control, voice input function control, etc. Multiple function control windows may be integrated into a single window, and custom settings on the computer may be made to customize the function controls included in the pop-up window.

[0048] As described above, sensors R1 to R4 determine cursor movement. Sensors R5 to R7 can sense external forces applied vertically to the top of the pointing member from an external source and realize other functions. As a result, the electronic device 100 of this application can not only control cursor movement but also assist in adjusting one or more computer functions, thereby realizing a multi-functional pointing stick.

[0049] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit layout of the electronic device 100.

[0050] As shown in Figure 9, the flexible printed circuit 103 is connected to the circuit board 109 and can transmit sensing signals from the sensor 104 to the circuit board 109. For example, the flexible printed circuit 103 can output voltage differences in three sensed directions (the first direction y, the second direction x, and the third direction z perpendicular to the first and second directions) from three pins. An integrated circuit chip (IC chip) 110 for processing sensing signals from the sensor 104 is mounted on the circuit board 109. The output from the flexible printed circuit 103 is an analog signal, and the IC chip 110 can convert the analog signal into a digital signal that can be identified by an external circuit. For example, the IC chip 110 can output a signal to instruct how the cursor should move and a signal to instruct whether or not the user has performed a predetermined operation (e.g., double-click) on the electronic device. The circuit board 109 can also provide power supply voltage signals and ground signals to the sensor 104 via the flexible printed circuit 103. For example, the circuit board 109 may be located below a device on which the electronic device 100 is mounted, such as a keyboard.

[0051] The signals processed by the IC chip 110 can be transmitted to the flexible printed circuit 500. If the keyboard itself has a backlight control function, the flexible printed circuit 500 may be a flexible printed circuit used for controlling the keyboard's backlight. For example, the flexible printed circuit 500 may be provided on the bottom surface of the keyboard. If the keyboard itself does not have a backlight control function, the flexible printed circuit 500 may be a separately designed circuit or another existing circuit. Furthermore, power supply voltage signals, clock signals, etc., can be provided to the circuit board 109 via the flexible printed circuit 500.

[0052] Figures 10 and 11 are flowcharts showing a method for operating the electronic device 100 according to the present invention.

[0053] As shown in Figure 10, the operation method according to the embodiment of this disclosure begins with step S1001. In step S1001, the sensor 104 in the electronic device 100 senses the external pressure applied to the pointing member 102.

[0054] Next, in step S1002, the movement of the cursor on the computer screen used in conjunction with the electronic device 100 is controlled based on the sensed external pressure. After that, the process ends.

[0055] Therefore, this disclosure simplifies the structure of electronic devices and enables cursor tracking functionality based on electronic devices.

[0056] As shown in Figure 11, the operation method according to the embodiment of this disclosure begins with step S1101. In step S1101, the sensor 104 in the electronic device 100 senses the external pressure applied to the pointing member from the vertical direction.

[0057] Next, in step S1102, when the number of times the pointing member 102 is pressed vertically in succession reaches a predetermined number, a window for adjusting one or more computer functions pops up on the screen. As described above, the user can apply pressure to the first protrusion 1022 of the pointing member 102 using the cover member 105. For example, the above window can pop up on the screen when the pointing member 102 is double-clicked.

[0058] Therefore, additionally, electronic devices can enhance their functionality and provide a better user experience by offering users a window to adjust one or more computer functions.

[0059] In the above process, the circuit board 109 transmits the processed sensing signal to a computer host via the flexible printed circuit 500, allowing the computer to use it to perform the above operation.

[0060] Various specific embodiments and details of the above steps of the operating method according to the embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail previously and are therefore omitted here.

[0061] <Second embodiment of electronic device> The principle of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure will be explained below with reference to Figures 12 to 15. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the electronic device 200 according to the second embodiment of this application, Figures 13(a) and 13(b) are schematic diagrams showing the structure of the pointing member in the electronic device 200, Figure 13(c) is a schematic diagram showing the circuit layout of the electronic device 200, Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit principle of the light-emitting element in the electronic device 200, and Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing the pulse width modulated signal input to the second pin.

[0062] As shown in Figure 12, the electronic device 200 according to the embodiment of this disclosure may include a substrate 201, a pointing member 202, a first flexible printed circuit 203, a sensor 204, and a cover member 205. The structures of the substrate 201, the first flexible printed circuit 203, the sensor 204, and the cover member 205 are similar to the structures of the substrate 101, flexible printed circuit 103, sensor 104, and cover member 105 shown in Figures 1 to 8, so their illustration and description are appropriately omitted. The pointing member 202 and the pointing member 102 differ mainly in that the pointing member 202 has a light guide portion 2028, which will be explained below with reference to Figures 13(a) and 13(b). In addition, although not shown, the electronic device 200 may also include an adhesive layer 106, a first conductive member 107, and a second conductive member 108 shown in Figure 2.

[0063] Furthermore, the electronic device 200 in Figure 12 differs from the electronic device 100 shown in Figures 1 to 8 mainly in that the electronic device 200 further includes a light-emitting element 211, a second flexible printed circuit 212, and selectively a light-shielding layer 213.

[0064] As described above, the pointing member 202 is provided on the substrate 201 and may have a groove facing the substrate 201. The pointing member 202 may be made of a light-transmitting material, for example, a light-transmitting plastic. The first flexible printed circuit 203 may be provided on the surface of the groove of the pointing member 201 that faces the substrate 201. The sensor 204 is provided on the first flexible printed circuit 203 within the groove, facing the substrate 201, and may sense the stress on the surface of the groove caused by external pressure applied to the pointing member 202. For example, the sensor 204 may be a stress sensor or a strain sensor.

[0065] Similarly, as shown in Figures 13(a) and 13(b), the pointing member 202 may include a main body portion 2021 having a groove 2023 and a first projection 2022 projecting outward from the central portion of the main body portion 2021. Pressure is applied to the pointing member 202 from the outside via the first projection 2022. Compared to the pointing member 102, the pointing member 202 may further include a light guide portion 2028. For example, as shown in Figures 13(a) and 13(b), the light guide portion 2028 may be realized as a part of the main body portion 2021, i.e., a flat portion of the side surface of the main body portion 2021 facing the light-emitting element 211. As can also be seen from Figure 13(c), the light guide portion 2028 can receive and conduct light emitted from the light-emitting element 211. Furthermore, in order to guide light, the pointing member 202 is manufactured from a light-transmitting material. Furthermore, since other parts of the pointing member 202 are similar to those of the pointing member 102, the above description of the pointing member 102 also applies to the pointing member 202.

[0066] The light-shielding layer 213 is provided on the main body portion 2021 and may be formed on at least a portion of the periphery of the first projection 2022. The light-shielding layer 213 prevents light leakage. For example, Figure 12 shows that the light-shielding layer 213 covers the entire periphery of the first projection 2022, thereby preventing light from leaking from areas other than the first projection. However, the light-shielding layer 213 may cover only the portion of the main body portion 2021 that does not overlap with the cover member 205. For example, the light-shielding layer 213 may be manufactured from Mylar.

[0067] The light-emitting element 211 is provided on the same surface of the substrate 201 as the surface on which the pointing member 202 is provided (the upper surface in Figure 12), and may be in a different position from the pointing member 202. In other words, the light-emitting element 211 may be provided on the upper surface of the substrate 201 in a position where the pointing member 202 is not provided. Alternatively, the light-emitting element 211 may be provided on the substrate 201 via the second flexible printed circuit 212. The light-emitting element 211 may be, for example, a light-emitting diode LED that emits light from the side.

[0068] Light emitted from the light-emitting element 211 can be conducted to the light-transmitting pointing member 202, and is guided through the first projection of the pointing member 202 to the top of the electronic device 200, so that the emitting electronic device 200 is visible from outside the device to which it is mounted, for example, a keyboard. If the light emitted from the light-emitting element 211 is colorless, the electronic device 200 can emit light that is the same color as the cover member 205. Naturally, a light-emitting element that emits light that is the same color as the cover member 205 may be used. This disclosure does not limit the color of the cover member 205.

[0069] The above description of sensor 104 also applies to sensor 204. Sensor 204 may include sensors R5 to R7 that sense an external force applied vertically to the top of the pointing member from the outside. This allows the electronic device 200 to assist in adjusting one or more functions of the computer.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the electronic device 200 may further include additional functions such as being illuminated or having different light-emitting modes. This enhances user engagement by improving the appeal of the pointing stick, promoting human-machine interaction, and attracting customers.

[0071] More details about the electronic device 200 will be described below with reference to Figures 13(c), 14, and 15.

[0072] As shown in Figure 13(c), the first flexible printed circuit 203 provides a power supply voltage signal and a ground signal to the sensor 204 and transmits the sensing signal from the sensor 204 to the circuit board 209 that processes the sensing signal. The circuit board 209 that processes the sensing signal is connected to the flexible printed circuit 600. For example, the flexible printed circuit 600 is a flexible printed circuit for controlling the backlight of a keyboard used in combination with the electronic device 200, and this embodiment will be described mainly based on this situation. An IC chip 210 for processing the sensing signal from the sensor 204 is mounted on the circuit board 209. Since the circuit board 209 and IC chip 210 are similar to the circuit board 109 and IC chip 110 in Figure 9, the above description of the circuit board 109 and IC chip 110 also applies to the circuit board 209 and IC chip 210.

[0073] The second flexible printed circuit 212 may include a first pin Pin A for supplying a power supply voltage signal Vcc and a second pin Pin B for supplying a pulse-width modulated PWM signal, which are provided to the light-emitting element 211 via the flexible printed circuit 600. The first pin Pin A may be connected to a first terminal of the light-emitting element 211, and the second pin Pin B may be connected to a second terminal of the light-emitting element 211. For example, the power supply voltage signal may be provided by a computer motherboard and the pulse-width modulated signal may be provided by an embedded controller EC chip of the computer. Of course, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the power supply voltage signal may be provided in other ways.

[0074] According to this disclosure, the second flexible printed circuit 212 may be formed as part of the flexible printed circuit 600. That is, the second flexible printed circuit 212 may be formed as an extension of the flexible printed circuit 600, i.e., it may be formed integrally with the flexible printed circuit 600. Alternatively, the second flexible printed circuit 212 may be formed independently, and by welding the second flexible printed circuit 212 to the flexible printed circuit 600, a power supply voltage signal and a pulse width modulation signal can be obtained from the flexible printed circuit 600. This makes it possible to prevent circuit complexity due to an increase in the number of light-emitting elements and to prevent cost increases by using an existing flexible printed circuit for keyboard backlight control to provide signals to the light-emitting element 211.

[0075] As shown in Figure 14, an LED is shown as an example of a light-emitting element 211. The first terminal of the LED is connected to the first pin Pin A to input the signal Pin A_Vcc, and a resistor is further provided between the second terminal of the LED and a device (e.g., an EC chip) that supplies the pulse width modulation signal Pin B_PWM to adjust the brightness of the light-emitting element 211. For example, the resistor may be provided on the second flexible printed circuit 212 or on the motherboard of a computer used in combination with the electronic equipment 200.

[0076] As shown in Figure 15, exemplary light emission modes of a light-emitting element that can be realized by a pulse width modulation signal Pin B_PWM are shown. In mode A, there is no light intensity, i.e., the light-emitting element is off. In modes B and C, the light intensity of the light-emitting element is medium and high, respectively. In mode D, the light-emitting element is in a breathing light state. In mode E, the light-emitting element is in a blinking state. Other light emission modes may be realized, and the light emission modes of this disclosure are not limited to these.

[0077] The EC chip identifies different states of the computer, such as battery level, on, or restarted. The EC chip then changes the emission mode of the light-emitting element by sending different PWM signals to the light-emitting element based on the emission mode of the light-emitting element corresponding to the different states of the computer, thereby enabling a multi-functional pointing stick. For example, the multi-functional pointing stick may include, but is not limited to, additional functions such as maintaining the breathing light state when the computer is in sleep mode, flashing the breathing light twice when the computer is turned on / restarted, adjusting the brightness of the light-emitting element by a hotkey combination (e.g., Fn+A), and flashing to warn when the computer's battery level is below 20%. Such an electronic device 200 offers greater user interactivity, and the flashing of the electronic device is more vivid for the user. For example, the breathing light can soothe the user, and the illumination or flashing of the electronic device to draw attention can enable better interaction between the human-machine interface device and the user.

[0078] Furthermore, the illumination of the light-emitting element can be combined with the pop-up window click function described above; that is, the window pops up and the light-emitting element lights up for a predetermined time, for example, several seconds. The multi-functional pointing stick may also have functions that can be combined with other computer functions, for example, flashing to alert the customer when there is a message or incoming call, or flashing when the AI ​​menu reacts. For example, when AI Now responds by voice, the illumination state of the light-emitting element, such as brightness and flashing interval, can be changed based on the rhythm of the voice.

[0079] By providing the light-emitting element 211 in the electronic device 200, the functionality of the electronic device 200 can be greatly expanded, enabling greater diversification of the electronic device's functions. This, in turn, enhances human-machine interaction and improves the user experience.

[0080] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit layout of an electronic device 200 according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0081] The difference between the embodiment in Figure 16 and the embodiment in Figure 13(c) is that the electronic device 200 is provided with one or more light-emitting elements. The additional light-emitting elements may be provided on the substrate 201 at locations other than the pointing member 202 and the light-emitting element 211.

[0082] For example, as shown in Figure 16, the second light-emitting element 214 may be provided on the first flexible printed circuit 203. The second light-emitting element 214 may also be provided on the first flexible printed circuit 203 via a third flexible printed circuit 215. In such an embodiment, there is no circuit connection between the first flexible printed circuit 203 and the third flexible printed circuit 215, and the two can be fixed together using dielectric adhesive. Also, Figure 16 shows that the portion of the main body of the pointing member 202 facing the second light-emitting element 214 is not provided with a flat light guide portion similar to the light guide portion 2028, but in other embodiments, such a light guide portion may be provided.

[0083] The third flexible printed circuit 215 may include a first pin A and a second pin B that are provided to the second light-emitting element 214 via the flexible printed circuit 600 for keyboard backlight control. In other words, similar to the second flexible printed circuit 212, the third flexible printed circuit 215 may be formed as part of the keyboard's flexible printed circuit 600. Alternatively, if the third flexible printed circuit 215 is formed independently, the power supply voltage signal and pulse width modulation signal can be obtained from the flexible printed circuit 600 by welding the third flexible printed circuit 215 to the flexible printed circuit 600. This prevents increased circuit complexity due to an increase in the number of light-emitting elements and prevents increased costs by utilizing the existing keyboard's flexible printed circuit to provide signals to the second light-emitting element 214.

[0084] Figure 16 shows that the third flexible printed circuit 215 and the second flexible printed circuit 212 extend from the flexible printed circuit 600 in the same direction, but the disclosure is not limited thereto, and depending on the actual circuit layout, both may be formed by extending from the flexible printed circuit 600 in different directions.

[0085] Naturally, more light-emitting elements may be provided, and these light-emitting elements may be connected to the flexible printed circuit 600 using similar flexible printed circuits, thereby sharing the same first pin Pin A and second pin Pin B. In addition, flat light guides similar to the light guides 2028 may be provided on the parts of the main body of the pointing member 202 that face the multiple light-emitting elements.

[0086] By providing multiple light-emitting elements, the luminous brightness can be improved, the surplus light-emitting elements can be used as spares to improve the robustness of the electronic device, and more light-emitting modes can be realized by using multiple light-emitting elements. Thus, according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the stability of the electronic device 200 can be improved and more possibilities for changing the modes of the light-emitting elements can be provided.

[0087] Figures 17 to 19 are flowcharts showing a method for operating the electronic device 200 according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0088] As shown in Figure 17, the operation method according to the embodiment of this disclosure begins with step S1701. In step S1701, the sensor 204 in the electronic device 200 senses the external pressure applied to the pointing member 202.

[0089] Next, in step S1702, the movement of the cursor on the computer screen used in conjunction with the electronic device 200 is controlled based on the sensed external pressure. The process then terminates.

[0090] Therefore, this disclosure simplifies the structure of electronic devices and enables cursor tracking functionality based on electronic devices.

[0091] As shown in Figure 18, the operation method according to the embodiment of this disclosure begins with step S1801. In step S1801, the sensor 204 in the electronic device 200 senses the external pressure applied to the pointing member 202 from the vertical direction.

[0092] Next, in step S1802, when the number of times the pointing member 202 is pressed vertically in succession reaches a predetermined number, a window for adjusting one or more computer functions is popped up on the screen. For example, the window can be popped up on the screen when the pointing member 202 is double-clicked. Preferably, the window is popped up and the illuminated state of the light-emitting element 211 is maintained for a predetermined time.

[0093] Therefore, additionally, electronic devices can enhance their functionality and provide a better user experience by offering users a window to adjust one or more computer functions.

[0094] As shown in Figure 19, the operating method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure begins with step S1901. In step S1901, a predetermined mode and / or state of a computer used in combination with the electronic device 200 is sensed.

[0095] Next, in step S1902, the light emission mode of the light-emitting element 211 is changed if the computer is in a predetermined mode and / or state. After that, the process ends.

[0096] For example, changing the light emission mode of the light-emitting element 211 includes at least one of the following: maintaining the breathing light when the computer is in sleep mode; turning on the breathing light a predetermined number of times when the computer is turned on or restarted; adjusting the brightness of the light-emitting element when the computer receives input via a hotkey combination; flashing the light-emitting element when an application running on the computer receives a message or incoming call; flashing the light-emitting element when the AI ​​menu in the computer responds; and flashing the light-emitting element when the computer's battery level is below a predetermined value.

[0097] Furthermore, there may be corresponding changes in the computer's mode and / or state, which allows the light emission mode of the light-emitting element to be changed in accordance with the corresponding changes in the computer's mode and / or state. For example, when the battery level is below 20%, the light-emitting element can be flashed to alert the user, and after the user connects the computer to an AC power source, the light-emitting element can be stopped from flashing, i.e., turned off.

[0098] By providing a light-emitting element 211 in the electronic device 200 and changing the light emission mode of the light-emitting element 211 based on the computer's mode and / or state, the functionality of the electronic device 200 can be diversified, thereby enhancing human-machine interaction and improving the user experience.

[0099] Various specific embodiments and details of the above steps of the operating method according to the embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail previously and are therefore omitted here.

[0100] <Modification of the pointing component> Figure 20 shows an assembly diagram of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The components of the electronic device shown in Figure 20 differ from those of the electronic device shown in Figure 12 in that they have different pointing members; therefore, the other components are indicated by the same reference numerals as in Figure 12.

[0101] Figure 21(a) is a perspective view showing the pointing member 302, Figure 21(b) is a view showing the bottom of the pointing member 302, and Figure 21(c) is a side view of the pointing member 302.

[0102] As shown in Figure 21(a), the pointing member 302 includes a main body portion 3021 having a groove 3023 on its bottom surface, a first projection 3022 formed projecting outward from the central portion of the top surface of the main body portion 3021, and a first light guide portion 3028 extending outward from a part of the side surface of the main body portion 3021 to approach or contact the light-emitting element 211. Figures 21(a) to 21(c) show that the main body portion 3021 has a cylindrical shape and the first projection 3022 has a cubic columnar structure, but the disclosure is not limited thereto and may have other suitable shapes.

[0103] The width of the first light guide 3028 gradually decreases along its extending direction to conform to the corresponding dimensions of the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element 211 at positions close to or in contact with the light-emitting element 211. Similarly, the height of the first light guide 3028 gradually decreases along its extending direction until it conforms to the corresponding dimensions of the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element 211. In other words, the width a and height b of the end of the first light guide 3028 adjacent to the light-emitting element 211 conform to the dimensions of the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element 211. By using a trapezoidal first light guide 3028 to conform to the light-emitting angle of the light-emitting element (e.g., an LED), and employing such a light-receiving design, the light emitted from the light-emitting element enters the material immediately rather than being lost in the air, and such a design does not result in increased costs.

[0104] Since the light-emitting element 211 is provided on the second flexible printed circuit 212, as shown in Figure 20, after installation, the light-emitting element 211 has a certain distance from the top surface of the substrate 201. Therefore, as shown in Figure 21(c), there is a distance d between the bottom surface of the first light guide 3028 and the bottom surface of the main body 3021 (i.e., the top surface of the substrate 201) to accommodate the second flexible printed circuit 212.

[0105] The first light guide unit 3028 effectively guides the light emitted from the light-emitting element 211 to the main body unit 3021, thereby reducing light loss and improving the brightness of the light-emitting element.

[0106] As shown in Figures 21(a) and 21(b), the main body 3021 has an edge portion 3024 that forms a groove 3023 and a plurality of columns 3025 on the edge portion 3024. The plurality of columns 3025 fit into a plurality of holes on the substrate 201, thereby integrally fixing the substrate 201 and the pointing member 302. For example, the plurality of columns 3025 can be press-fitted into the plurality of holes by interference fit.

[0107] The edge portion 3024 may include a second projection 3027 formed within a notch 3026 of the edge portion 3024, the second projection 3027 fitting into the opening of the first flexible printed circuit 203, enabling quick alignment of the pointing member 302 and the first flexible printed circuit 203, and facilitating installation.

[0108] Since light is incident on the pointing member 302 from its side, the brightness of the light on the side of the pointing member 302 opposite to the side where the first light guide portion 3028 is provided may be relatively low; that is, the further away from the light-emitting element 211, the lower the brightness of the light may be. In this way, the light emission of the pointing member 302 becomes uneven. To solve this problem, the pointing member 302 may further include a second light guide portion 3029 provided on the top surface of the main body portion 3021 opposite to the side where the first light guide portion 3028 is provided.

[0109] The second light guide section 3029 may be formed by a set of light guide patterns protruding from the top surface of the main body section 3021. For example, the set of light guide patterns may include a plurality of hemispheres 3029a provided at intervals along the outer circumference of the top surface of the main body section 3021. Figure 21(a) shows that the hemispheres 3029a have the same radius, but the radii of the hemispheres 3029a may be different. For example, the radii of the hemispheres 3029a may differ depending on the distance of the hemispheres to the light-emitting element 211, with the radius of the hemispheres being larger as the distance to the light-emitting element 211 increases. Compared to the example shown in Figure 21(a), the light guide hemispheres can be smaller and more numerous to obtain better performance. Also, to obtain better performance, the distance between the plurality of hemispheres 3029a can be appropriately adjusted, as long as it does not adversely affect the performance of the electronic device.

[0110] Furthermore, Figure 21(a) shows that a set of light guide patterns is composed of multiple hemispheres, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The set of patterns may be any pattern having a light-guiding function, for example, it may be columnar. In addition, although the above shows an example in which the second light guide portion 3029 is formed by a set of light guide patterns, the second light guide portion 3029 may be formed by a single light guide member, for example, it may be provided on the top surface of the main body portion 3021 opposite to the side on which the first light guide portion 3028 is provided, and formed by a continuous projection along the outer circumference.

[0111] The second light guide 3029 scatters more light, allowing the first protrusion 3022 to be focused from the side furthest from the light-emitting element. As a result, the second light guide 3029 can make the light distribution more uniform, allowing the user to see a pointing stick emitting light uniformly from the outside, thus improving the user experience.

[0112] Although not shown in the figure, the pointing member 302 may further include a light-shielding layer provided on the main body portion 3021 and formed on at least a portion of the periphery of the first projection portion 3022. This light-shielding layer is similar to the light-shielding layer 213 described above with reference to Figure 12.

[0113] The pointing member 302 may be made of a transparent plastic material. For example, the plastic material may be a polycarbonate / titanium dioxide composite material PC+TiO2 or a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material.

[0114] A pointing member 302 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to the electronic device 200 described above.

[0115] The above different embodiments can be appropriately combined to obtain more embodiments of the pointing member 302 and electronic devices including the pointing member 302. For example, if the electronic device 200 shown in Figure 16 is provided with a plurality of light-emitting elements, the pointing member 302 may have a light guide similar to the first light guide 3028 for each light-emitting element. Naturally, based on the distance between the light-emitting elements and the pointing member 302, some light-emitting elements may be provided with a light guide similar to the light guide 2028 in Figure 13(a), and some light-emitting elements may be provided with a light guide similar to the first light guide 3028. In this case, based on the light emission distribution of the pointing member 302, a second light guide 3029 may be provided at an appropriate position on the main body, or the second light guide 3029 may be omitted.

[0116] The present application also seeks protection for a keyboard assembly or portable computer including the aforementioned electronic device 100 or 200. The portable computer is, for example, a laptop computer, and the electronic device 100 or 200 is mounted between the keys of a keyboard.

[0117] Clearly, each of the operating processes of the operating methods described herein can be implemented in the form of a computer-executable program stored on various machine-readable storage media.

[0118] Furthermore, the objectives of this disclosure can be achieved in the following manner: a storage medium containing the executable program code is provided directly or indirectly to a system or device, and a computer or central processing unit (CPU) in the system or device reads and executes the program code. In this case, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to a program, as long as the system or device has the function of executing a program, and the program may be in any form, such as a target program, a program executed by an interpreter, or a script program provided to an operating system.

[0119] These machine-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, various memory and storage units, semiconductor devices, magnetic disk devices such as optical disks, magnetic disks and magneto-optical disks, and other media suitable for storing information.

[0120] Furthermore, the technical means of this disclosure can also be implemented by connecting a computer to a corresponding website on the internet, downloading and installing the computer program code relating to this disclosure onto the computer, and then executing the program.

[0121] Figure 22 is a block diagram of an exemplary structure of a general-purpose personal computer capable of realizing the electronic device 100 or 200 and its operating method according to each embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0122] As shown in Figure 22, the CPU 2201 executes various processes according to programs stored in read-only memory (ROM) 2202 or programs loaded from storage device 2208 into random access memory (RAM) 2203. RAM 2203 also stores data necessary for the CPU 2201 to execute various processes as needed. The CPU 2201, ROM 2202, and RAM 2203 are connected to each other via bus 2204. The input / output interface 2205 is also connected to bus 2204.

[0123] The input / output interface 2205 is connected to an input device 2206 (including electronic devices related to this disclosure (pointing devices), keyboards, mice, etc.), an output device 2207 (including displays such as cathode ray tubes (CRTs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and speakers, etc.), a storage device 2208 (including hard disks, etc.), and a communication device 2209 (including network interface cards such as LAN cards, modems, etc.). The communication device 2209 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. If necessary, a drive 2210 may be connected to the input / output interface 2205. Removable media 2211 such as magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, and semiconductor memory are installed in the drive 2210 as necessary, and computer programs read from them are installed in the storage device 2208 as necessary.

[0124] When the above series of processes are implemented using software, the programs that make up the software are installed from a network such as the Internet or a storage medium such as a removable medium 2211.

[0125] As those skilled in the art will understand, such storage media are not limited to removable media 2211, as shown in Figure 22, in which programs are stored and distributed separately from the device to provide programs to users. Examples of removable media 2211 include magnetic disks (including floppy disks®), optical disks (including optical disk read-only memory (including CD-ROMs and digital multipurpose disks (DVDs)), magneto-optical disks (including MiniDisc (MD)®), and semiconductor memory). Alternatively, the storage medium may be a ROM 2202, a hard disk included in a storage device 2208, etc., in which programs are stored and distributed to users together with the device containing the storage medium and programs.

[0126] In the systems and methods of this disclosure, each component or step is clearly disassembled and / or reassembled. These disassembly and / or reassembly should be considered equivalent solutions of this disclosure. Furthermore, the steps for performing the above-described sequence of processes may, naturally, be performed in chronological order according to the order described, but are not necessarily required to be performed in chronological order. Some steps may be performed in parallel or independently of one another.

[0127] The various technologies described herein can be implemented independently of each other, provided that no inconsistencies arise. Naturally, the various technologies may be implemented in combination. For example, some or all of the technologies described in any embodiment can be implemented in combination with some or all of the technologies described in another embodiment. Furthermore, any or all of the technologies described above can be implemented in combination with other technologies not described above.

[0128] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not limiting to the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is limited only to the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. circuit board and A light-transmitting pointing member provided on the substrate and having a groove facing the substrate, A first flexible printed circuit is provided on the surface of the groove of the pointing member facing the substrate, A sensor provided in the groove on the first flexible printed circuit facing the substrate, the sensor sensing the stress on the surface of the groove due to external pressure applied to the pointing member, An electronic device comprising: a light-emitting element provided on the same surface of the substrate as the surface on which the pointing member is provided, and located at a different position from the pointing member.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element is provided on the substrate via a second flexible printed circuit, and the second flexible printed circuit provides the light-emitting element with a first pin for supplying a power supply voltage signal and a second pin for supplying a pulse width modulation signal via a flexible printed circuit of a keyboard used in combination with the electronic device.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the second flexible printed circuit is formed as part of the flexible printed circuit of the keyboard.

4. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the first pin is connected to a first terminal of the light-emitting element, the second pin is connected to a second terminal of the light-emitting element, and a resistor is further provided between the second terminal and the device that supplies the pulse width modulation signal to adjust the brightness of the light-emitting element.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the device supplying the pulse width modulation signal is an embedded controller chip of a computer used in combination with the electronic device.

6. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the resistor is provided in the second flexible printed circuit or on the motherboard of a computer used in combination with the electronic device.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, further comprising a second light-emitting element in the first flexible printed circuit, wherein the second light-emitting element is provided in the first flexible printed circuit via a third flexible printed circuit, and the third flexible printed circuit provides the first pin and the second pin to the second light-emitting element via the flexible printed circuit of the keyboard.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the third flexible printed circuit is formed as part of the flexible printed circuit of the keyboard.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first flexible printed circuit provides a power supply voltage signal to the sensor and transmits a sensing signal from the sensor to a circuit board that processes the sensing signal.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the circuit board that processes the sensing signal is connected to a flexible printed circuit of a keyboard used in combination with the electronic device.

11. The pointing member is, The main body portion having the aforementioned groove, The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a first protrusion that protrudes outward from the central portion of the main body, wherein the pointing member is subjected to external pressure via the first protrusion.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, further comprising a cover member that covers the top of the first protrusion and is connected to the top.

13. The electronic device according to claim 11, further comprising a light-shielding layer provided on the main body and formed on at least a portion of the periphery of the first protrusion.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein there is a gap between the sensor and the substrate, and the gap prevents the sensor from coming into contact with the substrate even when the pointing member is subjected to a large external pressure.

15. The first flexible printed circuit includes a first portion within the groove and a second portion extending from the first portion to the outside of the substrate. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least a first sensor and a second sensor arranged on the opposite side of the first portion along the extending direction of the first flexible printed circuit, and a third sensor and a fourth sensor arranged on the opposite side of the first portion along a direction perpendicular to the extending direction.

16. The aforementioned sensor is A sensor provided in the central part of the first part, The electronic device according to claim 15, further comprising other sensors provided on the opposite side of the first portion in a direction different from the extending direction and a direction perpendicular to the extending direction.

17. A method for operating an electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, The sensor in the aforementioned electronic device detects the external pressure applied to the pointing member, Based on the sensed external pressure, the movement of the cursor on the computer screen used in combination with the electronic device is controlled, and / or A method comprising changing the light emission mode of the light-emitting element when a computer used in combination with the electronic device is in a predetermined mode and / or state.

18. The sensor in the aforementioned electronic device detects the external pressure applied to the pointing member. The electronic device includes sensing external pressure applied to the pointing member from a vertical direction using a sensor, The aforementioned method, The method according to claim 17, further comprising popping up a window on the screen for adjusting one or more functions of the computer when the number of times the pointing member is continuously pressed vertically reaches a predetermined number of times.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising popping up the window and maintaining the illuminated state of the light-emitting element for a predetermined time.

20. Changing the light emission mode of the light-emitting element means Maintaining the breathing light when the computer is in sleep mode, When the aforementioned computer is turned on or restarted, the breathing light is illuminated a predetermined number of times. When the computer receives input via a hotkey combination, it adjusts the brightness of the light-emitting element. The application running on the aforementioned computer flashes the light-emitting element when it receives a message or incoming call, The light-emitting element is to blink when the AI ​​menu in the computer responds, The method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following: flashing the light-emitting element when the remaining battery level of the computer is below a predetermined value.

21. A keyboard assembly comprising the electronic device described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

22. A portable computer comprising the electronic equipment described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

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