Adaptive Tactile Keypad Layout for Compact Touchscreens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices with full keyboards consume excessive spatial area and lack tactile feedback, making them impractical for compact environments and reducing input speed and accuracy, especially when using touchscreen keyboards that are nondistinct from the screen.
Innovation Solution
A touchscreen device with a flexible touchpad and user-input elements that can extend to form a physically-extending keypad, providing tactile feedback and adapting to various applications by manipulating moveable pins to replicate the appearance and feel of a standard keyboard or dial pad, based on user requests and configuration settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a full physical keyboard is implemented on a mobile device, then tactile feedback and input accuracy are improved, but the device consumes excessive spatial area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic keypad where physical keys are selectively extended from the touchscreen surface based on the active application. The electromechanical device manipulates user-input elements to extend keys only when needed, transforming the static touchscreen into a dynamic hybrid interface that provides tactile feedback on-demand without permanently occupying physical space
Solution Approach 2:
The physical keyboard elements are nested within the touchscreen display structure. The user-input elements are positioned behind the flexible touchpad and extend outward only when required, allowing the keyboard to be contained within the device's compact form factor while providing physical feedback when needed
2Area of stationary object
If onscreen virtual keys are used on a touchscreen, then the device maintains a compact form factor, but tactile feedback is lost resulting in reduced input speed and accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transitions between virtual and physical key states based on application requirements. When text input or data entry is detected, the electromechanical device extends physical keys from the touchscreen surface, providing tactile feedback to enhance input speed and accuracy while maintaining the compact form factor
3Area of stationary object
If onscreen virtual keys are used on a touchscreen, then the device maintains a compact form factor, but input accuracy is reduced due to lack of tactile feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a hybrid interface that dynamically extends physical keys from the touchscreen surface when applications require precise input. The electromechanical device manipulates user-input elements to provide tactile feedback during text entry, data input, or command selection, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining the compact touchscreen form factor
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible touchpad serves as an intermediary between the virtual touchscreen interface and physical keyboard elements. It allows the system to transition smoothly between virtual and physical key states, providing tactile feedback when needed while maintaining the visual and spatial characteristics of a touchscreen
4Ease of manufacture
If a fixed keyboard layout is implemented, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to various applications is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically reconfigurable keyboard layout where the electromechanical device extends and repositions user-input elements based on the active application. Different applications can trigger different key configurations, allowing the same physical infrastructure to adapt to various input requirements while maintaining a simple base manufacturing structure
Solution Approach 2:
The user-input elements serve multiple functions: they can extend to form different keyboard layouts for various applications, remain retracted for touchscreen-only operation, or be selectively extended based on contextual needs. This multi-functionality allows a single hardware configuration to support diverse application requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user control and input accuracy by providing a tactile and visually distinct keypad that adapts to different applications, improving the computing experience on touchscreen devices with intuitive layout and tactile feedback similar to physical keyboards.
Implementation Method 1
an electromechanical device that manipulates a portion of the user-input elements (e.g., set of moveable pins) to extend
Data Source
AI summary
Computer-readable media, computerized methods, and a touchscreen device manipulating user-input elements are provided. Generally, manipulation includes identifying a predefined configuration associated with a request received from a user and/or application, deriving configuration settings from the predefined configuration, and transmitting the configuration settings to an electromechanical device that adjusts a portion of user-input elements to an extended orientation and activates a portion of user-input elements. In embodiments, the extended user-input elements positioned in the extended orientation are activated, while the remainder are set to an idle condition. Typically, the extended user-input elements produce outwardly-extending protrusions expressed at a flexible touchpad incorporated in the touchscreen device. These outwardly-extending protrusions may replicate keys of a standard keyboard and correspond with the presently-running application implemented on the touchscreen device. User-initiated actuations of activated user-input elements provide a tactile feedback that substantially simulates a click generated by standard keyboard keys.