Expandable Touch Input Device for Precision Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic assemblies with small touch sensitive areas present difficulties for users in controlling movements of icons or other indicia, as high sensitivity settings can make precise control challenging due to limited input space.
Innovation Solution
An input device with a display and processors that transitions from a collapsed state with a small touch sensitive surface to an expanded state with a larger surface, allowing for increased touch sensitivity and user control by detecting touches on both surfaces and processing the inputs accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the touch sensitive area is made small to fit limited real estate on or near the keyboard, then the device size is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates because users cannot precisely control movement of icons
Solution Approach 1:
The input device transitions between a collapsed state with a first touch sensitive surface and an expanded state with a larger second touch sensitive surface. This dynamic transformation allows the device to adapt its size based on operational needs, providing a small profile during transport and a large surface during use for improved precision control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the touch sensitive area from a two-dimensional constraint to a three-dimensional solution by deploying the second touch sensitive surface from the keyboard assembly. This dimensional transition allows the input device to occupy additional spatial volume during operation, effectively increasing the touch surface area without permanently increasing the device's compact form factor.
2Volume of moving object
If the touch sensitive area is made small, then the device maintains a compact form factor, but the precision of touch input deteriorates due to limited input space
Solution Approach 1:
The input device transitions between a collapsed state with a first touch sensitive surface and an expanded state with a larger second touch sensitive surface. This dynamic transformation allows the device to adapt its size based on operational needs, providing a small profile during transport and a large surface during use for improved precision control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the touch sensitive area into two distinct surfaces: the first touch sensitive surface integrated into the keyboard assembly and the second touch sensitive surface that can be deployed separately. This segmentation allows each surface to serve specific functions, with the larger second surface providing enhanced precision for detailed input operations.
3Measurement precision
If a larger touch sensitive surface is provided, then user control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the expandable mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The second touch sensitive surface serves multiple functions: it provides an expanded input area for improved precision control, and it can be deactivated when not needed to prevent misinterpretation of touches. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing both enhanced precision and operational flexibility within a single system.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic assembly includes an expandable input device having a display, different touch sensitive surfaces, and one or more processors. The input device transitions from a collapsed state having a first touch sensitive surface to an expanded state having a larger, second touch sensitive surface. The one or more processors detect touch of the touch sensitive surfaces of the input device and performing an operation based on the touch that is detected and display a result of the operation on the display.