Control button for electronic device and electronic device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of smart electronic devices, and provides a control button for an electronic device and an electronic device. The control button 20 for the electronic device 100 comprises a solar cell member 21 and a pressure detection assembly. The solar cell member 21 has a collection surface 210 for collecting light energy to supply power to the electronic device 100, and the collection surface 210 can receive a pressing action. The pressure detection assembly is provided below the solar cell member 21 and is configured to detect the pressing action, so that the electronic device 100 performs an operation corresponding to the pressing action. A user can operate the electronic device 100 by pressing the collection surface 210, without the need to additionally configure a mechanical button or a touch button in the electronic device 100, thereby allowing for an increased installation area for the solar cell member 21 and a display screen in the electronic device, facilitating the structural design of the electronic device 100, and improving the use experience of the user.

Description

Control buttons of electronic devices and electronic devices Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of intelligent electronic devices, specifically relating to a control button for an electronic device and the electronic device itself. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, electronic devices used outdoors are generally equipped with solar panels to convert solar energy into electrical energy to power the devices and improve their battery life.

[0003] For example, electronic cycling computers used for outdoor cycling have a display screen, a solar panel, and control buttons on one side of the operating terminal. Users can control the display screen through the control buttons to view cycling data or navigation information.

[0004] Control buttons are generally mechanical or touchscreen buttons, both of which require a certain amount of space on the operating end of the electronic device. This affects the installation area of ​​the solar cell or the display screen. A smaller installation area of ​​the solar cell will affect the battery life of the electronic device, and a smaller installation area of ​​the display screen will be detrimental to the user's use, resulting in a poor user experience. Technical issues

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a control button for an electronic device and an electronic device in order to solve the problem that the control buttons in existing electronic devices occupy the area of ​​solar cells or display screens. Technical solutions

[0006] The technical solution adopted in the embodiments of this application is:

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a control button, including:

[0008] A solar cell component having a light-collecting surface for powering the electronic device, and the light-collecting surface being capable of being pressed.

[0009] A pressure detection component, disposed below the solar cell component, is used to detect the pressing action so that the electronic device performs an operation corresponding to the pressing action.

[0010] In some embodiments, the solar cell component includes a solar cell, and the pressure sensing component is coupled to the lower surface of the solar cell.

[0011] In some embodiments, the solar cell assembly further includes a cover plate coupled to the upper surface of the solar cell.

[0012] In some embodiments, the solar cell component includes a solar cell and a cover plate, wherein both the pressure detection component and the solar cell are coupled to the lower surface of the cover plate.

[0013] In some embodiments, the pressure detection assembly includes at least one pressure sensor for acquiring pressure values ​​of a portion of the solar cell component in a direction perpendicular to the acquisition surface.

[0014] In some embodiments, the number of pressure sensors is at least two, and they are arranged at intervals along a first direction; the collection surface is provided with a plurality of pressing areas, the number of pressing areas being greater than or equal to the number of pressure sensors, and they are arranged sequentially along the first direction.

[0015] In some embodiments, an elastic gasket is provided between the pressure sensor and the solar cell component.

[0016] In some embodiments, the control buttons further include a circuit board, and the pressure sensor is electrically coupled to the circuit board.

[0017] On the other hand, this application also provides an electronic device, including a housing and control buttons as described in the first aspect and any optional embodiments thereof; the sensing surface is disposed on the upper surface of the housing.

[0018] In some embodiments, the electronic device further includes:

[0019] The controller is used to receive the control signal sent by the pressure detection component and generate a control command corresponding to the pressing action;

[0020] A user interaction component is used to receive the control command and generate interactive information corresponding to the pressing action. Beneficial effects

[0021] The control buttons and beneficial effects of the electronic device provided in this application are as follows: the collecting surface of the solar cell component can collect light energy and convert it into electrical energy to power the electronic device. At the same time, it can be pressed by the user. The pressure detection component set below the solar cell component detects the pressing action on the collecting surface and causes the electronic device to perform the corresponding operation. This allows the user to operate the electronic device by pressing the solar cell component, thereby eliminating the need to set additional mechanical buttons or touch screen buttons on the electronic device. This increases the installation area of ​​user interaction components such as solar cell components and displays in the electronic device, improves the power supply efficiency of the solar cell component, extends the battery life of the electronic device, and improves the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or exemplary technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 2 is a front view of the control buttons of the electronic device provided in the first embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the control buttons provided in the first embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the control buttons provided in the second embodiment of the first embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the control buttons provided in the third embodiment of the first embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the control buttons provided in the second embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 7 is a top view of Figure 6;

[0030] Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the control buttons provided in the third embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 9 is a top view of Figure 8;

[0032] Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the control buttons provided in the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 11 is a top view of Figure 10.

[0034] The following are the labeling elements in the figure:

[0035] 100 - Electronic devices;

[0036] 10 - Shell;

[0037] 20-Control button; 21-Solar cell component; 210-Collection surface; 2101-Pressing area; 211-Solar cell; 212-Cover plate; 22-Pressure sensor; 221-Elastic pad; 23-Circuit board.

[0038] 30 - Display screen. Embodiments of the present invention

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0040] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly or indirectly attached to that other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly or indirectly connected to that other component. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., indicate orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are for ease of description only, not to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms according to the specific circumstances. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features. "A plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0041] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a control button for an electronic device. Referring to FIG1, the electronic device 100 can be a cycling computer, smartwatch, smart bracelet, etc. The control button 20 is installed in the electronic device 100, and the user can operate the electronic device 100 through the control button 20.

[0042] Referring to Figure 2, the control button 20 provided in this embodiment includes a solar cell component 21 and a pressure detection component. The solar cell component 21 has a light-collecting surface 210 for collecting light energy to power the electronic device 100, and the light-collecting surface 210 is capable of accepting a pressing action. The pressure detection component is disposed below the solar cell component 21 and is used to detect the pressing action so that the electronic device 100 performs an operation corresponding to the pressing action.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electronic device 100 includes a housing 10 with an opening on the upward-facing side. The solar cell component 21 and the pressure detection component are both installed inside the housing 10, and the collecting surface 210 of the solar cell component 21 is located at the opening, so that the collecting surface is exposed on the upper surface of the electronic device 100, so that it can absorb external light energy and convert it into electrical energy through the solar cell component 21 to power the electronic device 100.

[0044] The collecting surface 210 can accept the user's pressing action on the solar cell component 21. When the solar cell component 21 is subjected to pressure, the whole or part of the solar cell component 21 can move relative to the electronic device 100. For example, the whole solar cell component 21 can slide in the direction of the force, or the force-bearing part of the solar cell component 21 can be elastically deformed and moved.

[0045] When the solar cell component 21 deforms under stress, it triggers a pressure detection component located below the solar cell component 21 to detect the pressing action applied by the user to the collection surface 210. The electronic device 100 also includes a user interaction component, which generates interactive information. The user interaction component can be a display screen 30. When the pressure detection component detects a pressing action, it can output a control signal to the user interaction component, causing the user interaction component to generate corresponding interactive information, thereby enabling the user to operate the electronic device 100.

[0046] A controller can be installed between the pressure detection component and the user interaction component. The controller receives control signals from the pressure detection component and generates control commands based on the control signals, which are then sent to the user interaction component. The controller can be independently installed in the control button 20, or it can be installed in the electronic device 100. The control button 20 communicates with the user interaction component through the controller in the electronic device 100.

[0047] By incorporating control buttons 20 into the electronic device 100, the solar cell component 21's collecting surface 210 can absorb light energy to power the device. Furthermore, the collecting surface 210 can receive user pressure inputs, allowing a pressure detection component located beneath the solar cell component to detect these inputs and trigger corresponding operations. This enables the user to operate the electronic device 100 by pressing the collecting surface 210. This eliminates the need for additional mechanical or touchscreen buttons on the electronic device 100, reducing the footprint on the operating side and increasing the area occupied by the solar cell component 21 and the display screen 30. This not only improves the efficiency of the solar cell component 21 in absorbing light energy and enhances the battery life of the electronic device 100, but also facilitates user access to interactive information, improving the user experience.

[0048] Referring to FIG3, in some embodiments, the solar cell component 21 includes a solar cell 211, and the pressure detection component is coupled to the lower surface of the solar cell 211.

[0049] The solar cell 211 can be a crystalline silicon cell such as monocrystalline silicon or polycrystalline silicon, or an amorphous silicon cell such as a thin-film structure. The upward-facing surface of the solar cell 211 can serve as the collecting surface 210 to absorb light energy and convert it into electrical energy to power the electronic device 100.

[0050] The user can apply a pressing action to the solar cell 211, so that the pressure detection component located below the solar cell 211 can detect the pressing action and cause the electronic device 100 to perform the corresponding operation.

[0051] Referring to FIG4, in some embodiments, the solar cell component 21 further includes a cover plate 212, which is coupled to the upper surface of the solar cell 211.

[0052] The cover plate 212 can be made of transparent materials such as glass, plastic or acrylic. The cover plate 212 can be connected and fixed to the solar cell 211 by means of adhesive, snap-fit ​​connection or fastener connection.

[0053] The upper surface of the cover plate 212 can serve as the collection surface 210. Light passes through the transparent cover plate 212 and is absorbed by the solar cell 211. Users can also apply pressure to the cover plate 212, which is transmitted to the pressure detection component via the solar cell 211. The cover plate 212 protects the solar cell 211, preventing direct contact between the user and the solar cell 211, reducing wear and aging, and extending its lifespan.

[0054] Referring to FIG5, in another embodiment, the solar cell component 21 includes a solar cell 211 and a cover plate 212, and both the pressure detection component and the solar cell 211 are coupled to the lower surface of the cover plate 212.

[0055] The cover plate 212 and the solar cell 211 are stacked sequentially from top to bottom, with part of the cover plate 212 extending beyond the solar cell 211 and connecting to the pressure detection component. The upper surface of the cover plate 212 serves as the collection surface 210, allowing light to pass through and be absorbed by the solar cell 211. Simultaneously, the cover plate 212 can accept user pressure, and the pressure detection component directly detects the pressure applied to the cover plate 212, causing the electronic device 100 to perform the corresponding operation. This design not only protects the solar cell 211 but also reduces the overall thickness of the control button 20, facilitating the structural design of the electronic device 100 and reducing the installation requirements of the control button 20.

[0056] The solar cell 211 can be fixed to the cover plate 212 by means of adhesive, snap-fit ​​connection or fastener connection, so that the solar cell 211 and the cover plate 212 can be pressed by the user at the same time. The solar cell 211 can also be placed independently under the cover plate 212, so that the cover plate 212 can be pressed by the user alone.

[0057] Referring to Figures 2 to 5, in some embodiments, the pressure detection assembly includes at least one pressure sensor 22, which is used to collect the pressure value of a portion of the solar cell component 21 in a direction perpendicular to the collection surface 210.

[0058] The pressure sensor 22 is located below the solar cell component 21. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the pressure sensor 22 can be connected to the lower surface of the solar cell 211 in the solar cell component 21. Referring to Figure 5, the pressure sensor 22 can also be connected to the lower surface of the cover plate 212 in the solar cell component 21.

[0059] When a user applies pressure to the sensing surface 210, the solar cell component 21 transmits the pressure to the pressure sensor 22, which then collects the pressure value at the corresponding location. The pressure sensor 22 can send the collected pressure value to the controller, which generates a corresponding control command based on the pressure value, thereby causing the electronic device 100 to perform the corresponding operation.

[0060] In some embodiments, the number of pressure sensors 22 is at least two, and they are arranged at intervals along a first direction. The sensing surface 210 is provided with a plurality of pressing areas 2101, the number of pressing areas 2101 being greater than or equal to the number of pressure sensors 22, and they are arranged sequentially along the first direction.

[0061] The first direction is the extension direction of the solar cell component 21. The number of pressing areas 2101 on the collection surface 210 can be arbitrary. Each pressing area 2101 can represent a different operation function. The user applies a pressing action to different pressing areas 2101, and after the pressing area 2101 is detected by multiple pressure sensors 22 below, the electronic device 100 performs the operation corresponding to the pressing area 2101.

[0062] For example, referring to Figures 6 and 7, three pressing areas 2101 are provided on the sensing surface 210, and the three pressing areas 2101 are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the solar cell component 21. The number of pressure sensors 22 is the same as the number of pressing areas 2101, and they are respectively disposed below each pressing area 2101.

[0063] Ideally, when a user presses any of the pressing areas 2101, the pressure sensor 22, which is vertically opposite to that pressing area 2101, collects the pressure value of that pressing area 2101 and causes the electronic device 100 to perform the corresponding operation. However, the solar cell component 21 is a single structure. When one of the pressing areas 2101 is pressed, other parts of the solar cell component 21 will also distribute some pressure, and the pressure sensor 22 located in other positions may also collect pressure values.

[0064] Since the pressure sensor 22 located directly below the pressed area 2101 has the highest pressure value, when multiple pressure sensors 22 detect pressure values ​​simultaneously and send them to the controller, the controller can determine the pressed area 2101 based on the maximum value among the multiple pressure values ​​and generate a control command corresponding to the pressed area 2101.

[0065] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, in another exemplary embodiment, three pressing areas 2101 are provided on the collecting surface 210, and two pressure sensors 22 are provided below the solar cell component 21.

[0066] When one of the pressing areas 2101 is pressed, since the solar cell component 21 is a whole, both pressure sensors 22 will collect the pressure value. The pressure value collected by each pressure sensor 22 will be different depending on the position of the pressing area 2101 pressed by the user.

[0067] For example, when a user presses the pressing area 2101 located at the edge of the solar cell component 21, the pressure sensor 22 that is closer to the pressing area 2101 collects a larger pressure value, while the pressure sensor 22 on the other side collects a smaller pressure value; when a user presses the pressing area 2101 located in the middle of the solar cell, the pressure on the two pressure sensors 22 is relatively uniform, and the pressure values ​​collected by the two pressure sensors 22 are the same or similar.

[0068] Therefore, when the two pressure sensors 22 detect pressure values ​​and send them to the controller, the controller can determine the pressed area 2101 by the difference or ratio of the two pressure values ​​and generate corresponding control commands so that the electronic device 100 can perform the corresponding operation.

[0069] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, in another embodiment, the pressure sensor 22 and the solar cell 211 are both located below the cover plate 212, wherein the two pressure sensors 22 are respectively connected to the lower surfaces of opposite ends of the cover plate 212, and the solar cell 211 is disposed between the two pressure sensors 22.

[0070] The upper surface of the cover plate 212 serves as the collection surface 210, and three pressing areas 2101 are provided on the collection surface 210. When the user presses any one of the pressing areas 2101, the pressure sensors 22 located on both sides of the cover plate 212 can collect the pressure value. Similarly, the pressed pressing area 2101 can be determined by the difference or ratio of the two pressure values.

[0071] In some embodiments, the collection surface 210 is provided with a pressing mark corresponding to each pressing area 2101.

[0072] The pressing marks correspond to the position of each pressing area 2101, and the pressing marks can be set according to the operation function of the corresponding pressing area 2101. The pressing marks can be formed on the cover plate 212 or solar cell 211 by means of screen printing, engraving, etc., or the pressing marks can be formed by stacking the markings between the cover plate 212 and the solar cell 211, as long as the position of each pressing area 2101 can be accurately marked.

[0073] Referring to Figures 6, 8 and 10, in some embodiments, an elastic gasket 221 is provided between the pressure sensor 22 and the solar cell component 21.

[0074] When the pressure sensor 22 is connected to the lower surface of the solar cell 211, the elastic gasket 221 is disposed between the pressure sensor 22 and the solar cell 211. When the pressure sensor 22 is connected to the lower surface of the cover plate 212, the elastic gasket 221 is disposed between the pressure sensor 22 and the lower surface of the cover plate 212.

[0075] The elastic pad 221 can be made of elastic materials such as rubber or polyurethane, or it can be a metal spring structure. The elastic pad 221 can be fixed to the pressure sensor 22 and the solar cell component 21 by means of adhesive bonding, snap-fit ​​connection, or fastener connection. The elastic pad 221 supports the solar cell component 21 above the pressure sensor 22. When the user applies pressure to the sensing surface 210, the solar cell component 21 can be squeezed under the elastic deformation of the elastic pad 221, thereby allowing the pressure sensor 22 to detect the pressure on the solar cell component 21.

[0076] Referring to Figures 2 to 10, in some embodiments, the control button 20 further includes a circuit board 23, and the pressure sensor 22 is electrically coupled to the circuit board 23.

[0077] The circuit board 23 can be a printed circuit board (PBC) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The circuit board 23 can be fixed inside the housing of the electronic device 100 and serves to support the solar cell component 21 and the pressure sensor 22.

[0078] The pressure sensor 22 can be connected to the controller via the circuit board 23 to transmit communication signals. The solar cell 211 can also be connected to the power supply module in the electronic device 100 via the circuit board 23 to transmit the electrical energy converted from light energy to the power supply module via the circuit board 23, thereby achieving the purpose of powering the electronic device 100.

[0079] The control button 20 provided in this application embodiment allows the solar cell component 21's collecting surface 210 to absorb light energy and convert it into electrical energy to power the electronic device 100. The collecting surface 210 can be pressed by the user. The user's pressing action is detected by a pressure detection component located below the solar cell component 21, and the electronic device 100 performs the corresponding operation. This enables the user to operate the electronic device 100 by pressing the collecting surface 210, which can increase the installation area of ​​the solar cell component 21 and user interaction components such as the display screen 30 on the electronic device 100 and improve the user experience.

[0080] On the other hand, this application also proposes an electronic device 100, which can be a cycling computer, smartwatch, or smart bracelet, etc. Referring to FIG1, the electronic device 100 provided in this embodiment includes a housing 10 and control buttons 20 as described in the first aspect embodiment, and a sensing surface 210 is disposed on the upper surface of the housing 10.

[0081] The housing 10 has an opening, and the control button 20 is installed inside the housing 10. The collecting surface 210 of the solar cell component 21 is located at the opening, so that the collecting surface 210 is located on the upper surface of the housing 10 to collect external light energy. The user can press the collecting surface 210, and when the pressure detection component detects the user's pressing action on the collecting surface 210, the electronic device 100 performs the corresponding operation.

[0082] In some embodiments, the electronic device 100 further includes a controller and a user interaction component. The controller is used to receive control signals sent by the pressure detection component and generate control commands corresponding to the pressing action. The user interaction component is used to receive the control commands and generate interactive information corresponding to the pressing action.

[0083] Both the controller and the user interaction component are installed in the housing 10. The controller can be any suitable hardware controller, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Digital Signal Processing (DSP), and Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). When the pressure detection component detects a user's pressing action, each pressure sensor 22 sends the collected pressure value to the controller. The controller determines the pressed area 2101 based on the pressure value and generates a corresponding control command, which is then sent to the user interaction component.

[0084] The user interaction component can be a display screen 30, which can be placed on the same plane as the collection surface 210 of the solar cell component 21, making the overall structure of the electronic device 100 more aesthetically pleasing and easier for the user to use. The user interaction component receives control commands from the controller and generates corresponding interactive information, thereby enabling the user to operate the electronic device 100 through the control buttons 20.

[0085] In addition, the electronic device 100 also includes a power supply module, which can be a storage battery. The solar cell component 21 can be connected to the storage battery via the circuit board 23 so that the electrical energy converted from light energy can be stored in the power supply module and used to power the pressure detection component, the controller, and the user interaction component.

[0086] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A control button of an electronic device, characterized by comprising: The electronic device comprises a controller, and the control button comprises: a solar cell component having a collecting surface for collecting light energy to power the electronic device, and the collecting surface is capable of receiving a pressing action; a pressure detection assembly arranged below the solar cell component for detecting the pressing action and sending a control signal to the controller, so that the controller executes an operation corresponding to the pressing action according to the control signal.

2. The control button of claim 1, wherein The solar cell component comprises a solar cell sheet, and the pressure detection assembly is coupled with a lower surface of the solar cell sheet.

3. The control button of claim 2, wherein, The solar cell component further comprises a cover plate coupled with an upper surface of the solar cell sheet.

4. The control button of claim 1, wherein, The solar cell component comprises a solar cell sheet and a cover plate, and the pressure detection assembly and the solar cell sheet are both coupled with a lower surface of the cover plate.

5. A control button according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that The pressure detection assembly comprises at least one pressure sensor for collecting a pressure value of a corresponding part of the solar cell component in a direction perpendicular to the collecting surface.

6. The control button of claim 5, wherein, The number of the pressure sensors is at least two, and the pressure sensors are arranged in a first direction. The collecting surface is provided with a plurality of pressing regions, and the number of the pressing regions is greater than or equal to the number of the pressure sensors, and the pressing regions are arranged in the first direction in sequence.

7. The control button of claim 5, wherein, An elastic gasket is arranged between the pressure sensor and the solar cell component.

8. The control button of claim 5, wherein, The control button further comprises a circuit board, and the pressure sensor is electrically coupled with the circuit board.

9. An electronic device, comprising: The electronic device comprises a housing and the control button according to any one of claims 1-8, and the collecting surface is arranged on an upper surface of the housing.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein, The electronic device further comprises: a controller for receiving the control signal sent by the pressure detection assembly and generating a control instruction corresponding to the pressing action; a user interaction assembly for receiving the control instruction and generating interaction information corresponding to the pressing action.

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