Pressure sensitive direction devices are provided which may facilitate assembly and provide higher tolerance for variation in alignment of components while still providing for pressure sensitive direction detection. The devices of the present invention may be particularly advantageous when integrated into devices, such as cellular radiotelephones, to provide a user interface to facilitate user navigation through increasingly complex menu structures. In various embodiments, the present invention may detect pressure in addition to two and, preferably, at least four directions. In particular embodiments, the devices of the present invention provides a switching device having a plurality of trace grid areas located, for example, on a printed circuit board and actuated responsive to pressure applied by a user through a poly-dome layer where increase pressure results in contact with a greater number of the traces in respective grids. Alternative embodiments include trace patterns which are substantially circumferentially arranged in patterns configured to detect user input. A select switch is included in various embodiments of the present invention.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/553,862 filed Apr. 20, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,731 and entitled "Pressure Sensitive Direction Switches," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for implementing a dual-mode keypad for a mobile device. The mobile device may operate in a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. The dual-mode keypad may include a plurality of dual-mode keys that each include an associated telephony character and at least one associated text-entry character. The dual-mode keys may include one or more toggle keys, with each toggle key having a plurality of associated text-entry characters and one associated telephony character. When the mobile device is in text-entry mode, the dual-mode keys may be used to input the associated text-entry characters, with the toggle keys each being operable to input a first text-entry character when a first portion of the toggle key is pressed and to input a second text-entry character when a second portion of the toggle key is pressed. When the mobile device is in telephony mode, the dual-mode keys may be used to input the associated telephony characters, with the toggle keys each being operable to input one of the associated telephony characters when any portion of the toggle key is pressed.
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for implementing a dual-mode keypad for a mobile device. The keypad may operate in a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. The keypad may include a plurality of dual-mode keys that each include an associated telephony character and at least one associated text-entry character. The dual-mode keys may include one or more toggle keys, with each toggle key having a plurality of associated text-entry characters and one associated telephony character. The dual-mode keys may be partially covered by the keypad surface so that a plurality of key surfaces extend from the key and protrude through the keypad surface. In text-entry mode, the dual-mode keys are operable to input text-entry characters. In telephony mode, the dual-mode keys are operable to input telephony characters.
A multidirectional input device includes ring-shaped resistance element layer 18, first conductive layer 22 and second conductive layer 23 shaping in arcs corresponding to resistance element layer 18, and knob 14 having ring-shaped protruded section 14D. Resistance element layer 18 has at least a pair of electrodes and is formed on flexible insulating substrate 16. Protruded section 14D brings resistance element layer 18 into contact with first conductive layer 22 or second conductive layer 23 when the knob is tilted. When a given voltage is applied to the electrodes and the knob is tilted, resistance element layer 18 comes in contact with first conductive layer 22 or second conductive layer 23, so that an output signal of a high resolution concerning a tilt angle can be obtained. The output signal is supplied to a microprocessor and calculated, then an angle or a direction is detected and recognized.
An input device of the present invention includes a substantially ring-shaped resistor including two pair of electrodes projecting along a Y direction and an X direction orthogonal to the Y direction, a substantially ring-shaped conductor facing the resistor across a clearance, and a controller for successively applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes along the X direction and between the pair of electrodes along the Y direction when the resistor and the conductor contact each other due to pressing. The controller determines an angle which a pressed position makes with high precision, from one of a resultant vector of vectors that are directed in the respective X and Y directions and detected based on voltages output from the conductor when the voltage is applied in the X and Y directions, and a mean value of angles detected based on the conductor's output voltages.
The present invention relates to a multi-directional input unit. A thin plate-type operating member having an elastic force is fixed to any one of first and second keytops, and the first and second keytops are elastically urged to a predetermined height whereby a reliable click is generated. A portion of an outer peripheral portion of an operating member is mounted on a fixing plate, a first operating portion or a second operating portion is fixed to either the first or second keytops, the first and second keytops are elastically urged to a predetermined height from the fixing plate, and when either of the first and second keytop are pressed down, either of the dome-shaped first and second keytops are inverted, whereby a switch portion is operated.
