RU2247423C2 - User devices interface - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: data input devices.

SUBSTANCE: device has base, at least one assembly, consisting of key and means for determination of operation of key, first means for determination of displacement of device elements relatively to one another, while the key is mounted with possible outside access to it, a platform is provided, mounted with possible displacement relatively to base, key is mounted with possible displacement of it together with platform relatively to base, first means for determination of device elements mutual displacement is mounted with possible recording of platform displacement relatively to base, and means for detecting key operation is made or positioned relatively to key in such a way, that it can record well operation in neutral position, and/or in case of platform displacement from neutral position.

EFFECT: higher efficiency.

15 cl, 20 dwg

Description

The invention relates to information input devices such as text, characters, control signals in mobile phones, PDAs, panels and control panels for household appliances, computer and electronic games, etc.

For all its diversity, all of these devices are related by the presence of a key user interface, the main problem of which arises from the desire to miniaturize devices, which goes poorly with the ever-increasing number of functions that are controlled by keys.

For example, the active increase in the computing power of signal processing in the electronic games industry has led to the fact that current games in their complexity can not be compared with what they were ten years ago. Games are becoming more sophisticated, the number of various game teams and operations is growing and growing. In this case, the game controls are represented, in fact, by the same button interfaces characteristic of the appearance of the first computers. For example, the modern 12-key Super Nintendo remote control has eight operation buttons and 4 buttons for up, down, right, left directions.

The well-known dislike of most users for remote controls for household appliances: too many buttons in a limited space, shrunk geography - all this makes it difficult to find the right button, confuses and repels. If the room is dim, it is simply impossible to read the names of the buttons. From its introduction in the late 60s to today, remotely controlled consumer devices have become more exponentially complicated. However, evolution bypassed the button interface, in particular remote controls. They are overgrown with buttons, the number of which reaches several tens - that's all their acquisitions. And the appearance of the so-called universal remotes, designed to combine the control functions of all household appliances, caused a lot of additional problems: some of the functions familiar to users, typical of old remotes, fell out, and an increase in the set of “hidden” buttons led to the need to study and remember voluminous manual instructions on using the remote itself. The limit has already been reached: modern remotes, requiring more and more user diligence for their development, are on the verge of holding comfort. Transferring problems to a foreign field, for example, using, along with the usual buttons, the means of television menus - the Graphic User Interface (GUI) - which actually replaces the functions of the control panel, has become commonplace. Even options for using handheld computers as a remote control are considered (US Patent 6437836).

And the most painful point of the current button interface is entering text into mobile phones and PDAs. To realize in a very limited space a collection of characters comparable to a traditional desktop keyboard is a task as unsolved as it is topical.

Thus, the modern button interface is characterized by the presence of a very serious problem that can inhibit the further development of devices controlled by it: the boundaries of the functions performed by devices far exceed the physical capabilities of their presentation with the button interface. The keys are sorely lacking. Their sizes are on the verge of inconvenience of pressing and, in the case of mobile devices, holding the device in hands during operation. The button interface, as it exists today, is hopelessly outdated and requires a fundamental rethinking.

The desire to resolve the contradiction was reflected in numerous developments.

The futility of one approach can be seen in US 4,791,408, which represents a five-key keyboard for typing with one hand. Input is carried out as a separate key, or by joint pressing of several keys - a chord. To work with such a keyboard, you need to at least learn the key combinations - chords, which, as practice shows, the user actively opposes. It is for this reason that the chord keyboards, known for more than a quarter of a century, have not taken root. It is noteworthy that in the mentioned patent, each key, sliding from a neutral position, closes one of the two contacts, thus ensuring the input of two characters, which marks a different approach to the problem of the button interface - namely, an attempt to create a multi-button that can change its value.

The desire to increase the number of commands assigned to a separate key promises considerable benefits. At the same time, a variety of solutions were proposed for reassigning the functions of the button.

An attempt to automatically reassign was made in US Pat. No. 6,437,709, where the desktop keyboard functions are implemented using 13 keys using hardware linguistic support (for example, the word prefix is entered with the first letter, the suffix with the consonant included in it, etc.). An appropriate database of words is supported, the most frequency of which is presented to the display for confirmation by the user. Despite the fact that such an implementation requires additional resources, its delicate place is the inability to enter words unfamiliar to the system and the inconvenience caused by the requirement of constant confirmation of the assumptions of the system.

Another approach in the same vein is represented by repeated pressing of the number keys of the telephone keypad, which are assigned up to four characters, which are step-by-step sorted to the required value, as described in the application of the Russian Federation No. 98110270 (05.10.2000) and as can be seen in almost any mobile phone.

Another approach can be distinguished as additional means of switching button functions, which are activated additionally by the user. So, for example, in ed. testimonial. USSR N 1606352, BI No. 42, 1990, a device was proposed that provides control of the position of the operator’s hand for a corresponding change in the functions of the keys.

Roughly the same thing was proposed in US Patent 5661505: a “swaying” keyboard to the right and left of the normal for working with five fingers with twelve letter keys, on which three characters are fixed. Choosing the right one is done by tilting the case. For mobile devices, this solution is unsuitable: it does not work on weight, and the work operations will have to be learned.

The idea of a multi-key is also reflected in the control panels for household appliances, in particular, US Patent 6140627 makes an attempt to add a multi-button to a number of ordinary buttons in the control panel of a microwave oven.

In US 5087910, a keyboard having two keys for three fingers has a four-position thumb switch for reassigning key values.

Here we are faced with yet another direction in finding solutions to version the “one-dimensional button” - the idea of a four-position switch, known as a D-panel, which implements a metaphor for directions to the cardinal points: north, south, west, east. A typical representative of this line of development can be considered US Patent 4927987, which presents a device with a hole for a finger, inside which four sensors are installed. Further, the holes, without changing the essence, changed all kinds of plates on a variety of pendants.

Subsequently, this decision was replenished with another additional operation to turn on the button strictly in the center. A typical implementation of such a multi-position switch is a five-position switch US 6329614, elegant in its technical embodiment, assembled from ordinary push-button micro-switches according to the type of a swinging table. Positional inclusion is ensured by the fact that pressing in the center causes the central contact to close, and pushing the button to one of the four sides closes the central contact with one of the peripheral ones. Like all similar developments, the device is too large: the 12-key telephone keypad assembled from such switches will be the size of a half-sheet of A1 format, which does not quite meet the requirements of modern mobile devices. Even under the condition of mass production of such multi-position switches, due to the design features, their sizes are unlikely to decrease to microclavature. The tilt of the button, chosen as the main user action for the device carried in the hands, is also doubtful.

The idea of a multi-button is apparently brought to the limit in US Patent 5408621, where a twelve-position switch is proposed for entering text into a telephone. At the same time, the issue of providing tactile sensations to the user, namely, breeding the direction of movement of the finger to confidently select the desired letter, remains completely unworked.

A completely different approach to the button interface is demonstrated in US Patent 6509848, where the output of the remote control depends on the effort to press the button. However, this approach, although declared as simplifying the use of the remote control, seems problematic: even a sophisticated user is difficult to graduate efforts at several levels, not to mention the mass consumer.

A common defect of all these development lines is that the switch configuration cannot be significantly reduced in size, and the large number of components used increases the production cost.

An interface like a keyboard made of multi-position keys looks very tempting: all the commands are clear, the movements are simple and intuitive. There are as many text input methods based on the use of such a system as there are few attempts at its technical implementation.

The closest analogue to our invention is a text input device in a telephone set described in Ukrainian patent No. 46628. When a key is pressed, the user makes a slight movement to the side, entering a character corresponding to that side of the key. The keyboard itself is no different from the standard 12-key that every cell phone is equipped with, with the exception of the touch panel that provides key shift identification. However, despite some advantages with respect to mechanical solutions, such as smaller movements and higher reliability, touch panels require serious computational resources for processing an analog signal, which will be an active deterrent to the widespread dissemination of this kind of button interfaces at cheaper prices than mobile phones, devices.

The purpose of the invention is to simplify the design, increase reliability, reduce its production cost to create push-button interfaces for a wide range of consumer goods.

This goal is achieved due to the fact that in the user device interface containing the base, at least one assembly consisting of a key and a means of determining the operation of the key, the first means of determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other, and the key is installed with access to it from the outside characterized in that a platform is installed therein, mounted with the possibility of displacement relative to the base, the key is installed with the possibility of its displacement, together with the platform, of the relative On the ground, the first means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other is installed with the possibility of registering the displacement of the platform relative to the base, and the means for determining the response of the key is made or located relative to the key in such a way that it can record the response of the key in the neutral position and / or when shifting platforms from a neutral position, in addition it contains at least two assemblies: the first means of determining the displacement of the elements of the device from each other itelno other holds or is arranged to register said displacement in two orthogonal directions; the second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other, installed to record the displacement of the platform relative to the base in a direction orthogonal to the one in which the first means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other; the first and / or second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other and means for determining the response of the keys are installed on the basis of: the keys are installed on the base in the holes of the platform; keys are installed on the platform; it is equipped with a means for providing mutual displacement of the platform and the base due to two unrelated displacements in two orthogonal directions; the number of keys is four and they are installed in one row; the number of keys is five and they are installed in one row; keys are set in rows; the keys are set in three rows of four pieces; means providing mutual displacement of the platform and the base in only two orthogonal directions, made in the form of two linear corrugated elements located orthogonally to each other and connecting the base and platform; the contacts of the first and / or second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other are located on the inner walls of the corrugated elements opposite each other.

The device is illustrated by drawings, which shows one of the options for its specific performance and:

figure 1 shows the appearance of the device in a four-button version, figure 2 shows a top view of the device, figure 3-7 shows a view of the device with the individual parts removed, figure 8-15 shows the implementation of the invention on the example of a telephone, Fig.16-18 shows a telephone set with a partial section on the side, Fig.19 shows a conceptual version of the interface of the remote control of the music center, Fig.20 is a concept of the interface of a personal digital assistant.

The user device interface in the first embodiment consists of parts of the base 1, platform 2, which can be moved on the base 1. The keys 3 are located in a line, they are accessible from the outside of the device, there is a gap 5 between the sidewalls 4 of the base 1 and platform 2, providing the possibility of shifting the platform 2 together with the keys 3 relative to the base 1. The platform 2, which may consist of several parts, is installed on the base 1 using four balls 6 (in figure 3 one of the ball visible from the left removed for clarity), each of which rolls in holes extended in one direction 7. The holes 7 in the base 1 are extended in one direction, the corresponding holes 8 in the platform 2 are in the direction orthogonal to the direction of the holes of the base 1, thus the possibility of movement platform 2 relative to the base 1 in two orthogonal directions. In this case, the grooves 9 limit the movement size of the platform 2 relative to the base 1, preventing further movement of the structural elements of the operation determination means for each key 10. The operation determination means 10 for each key 3 are located under the keys 3, forming an assembly with them, and they are acted upon when pressed these keys 3, made in a specific example in the form of balls 11.

The balls 11 perceive the corresponding pressing force and transmit it to the sensing element 12 of the response detection means for each key 3, which provides the conversion of the perceived force into closing or opening contacts, a change in electrical resistance, a change in light flux, electric capacitance, inductance or other parameter, which may be using known means, it was used to correlate its signal (changing it or another) with the fact of pressing or releasing the corresponding keys and 3. The means for determining the actuation 10 for each key 3 in a particular case is attached to the details of the platform 2 with four screws 13. The platform 2 is held near the base 1 due to the location of its protrusions 14 in the grooves 9 under the sidewall 15, which prevents the platform 2 from being moved up and down the direction of the line of arrangement of the button elements 3. The rolling out of the balls 11 upward is prevented by the plate 16, which is part of the platform 2 and has four holes for them, the dimensions of which are smaller than the diameter of the ball 11. The figured one located under the plate 16 the plate 17 also has four holes for the balls 11 such that they can move slightly in them. Under the balls 11 on the base 1 there are sensing elements 12, means for determining the response for each key. On the basis of 1, sensors 18 (in this example, a contact type) of the first and second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other — the displacements of the platform 2 relative to the base 1 — are installed near the sensing elements 12. Two of these sensors 18 (to the left of Fig. 6) the first means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other, registering in this case the offset along the keys 3, the other two sensors 18 (in Fig. 6 to the right) relate to the second means for determining the displacement of the elements each device relative to each other, the registration offset in a direction perpendicular to the first. When the platform 2 is displaced, it presses the keys of the trigger detection means 10 of the button on the corresponding lever 19 of the sensor 18, thereby closing the internal contacts of the sensor 18, which accordingly changes the parameter read from it at contacts 20. The change in the value of the read parameter at contacts 20 is related to the direction of movement of the platform 2 in a standard way, providing an unambiguous correspondence between the position of the platform 2 and the signal parameters at the contacts 20 of the sensors 18. In particular, when the platform 2 is displaced along the vish 3 to the right, contact 20 of the second from the left (FIG. 6) sensor 18 is pressed, when the platform 2 is shifted across the line of keys 3 far from the observer, contact 20 of the furthest sensor 18 is pressed.

The assembly consisting of the key 3 and the means for determining the operation of the key 3, is made in such a way that it is possible to determine the operation of the key 3 both in the neutral position and in the offset position of the platform 2 and keys 3 due to the fact that the displaced ball 11 remains within the end sensing element 12.

The given example of the device simultaneously contains four assemblies containing a key 3 and a means of determining the response of a key; a particular embodiment of holes 7 and 8 implements one of the embodiments of a means providing mutual displacement of the platform 2 and base 1 due to two unrelated displacements in two orthogonal directions .

The second example implementation of the device discloses its use in a telephone set (Fig. 8-15). On Fig presents a device with a conditionally transparent front, which allows you to show the location of the sensors 18 with levers 19, while the central sensors in Fig. 8 relate to the first means of determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other, and the lower and upper sensors 18 to the second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other. Figure 9 presents a side view of the apparatus, where the base 1 can be simultaneously a housing or be connected to it. The platform 2 is made in the form of a plate with corrugated elements 21 (Fig. 15 shows a vertical section of the platform 2) and protrusions 22 that provide pressure on the levers 19 of the sensors related to the first means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other. The levers 19 of the sensors 18 related to the second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other are affected when the platform 2 is moved by the lower and upper walls of the corrugated elements 21 (Fig. 14), holes 23 are made in the platform 2 to accommodate the keys 3 (in Fig. 8 11 they are arranged in three rows).

On Fig-18 shows a telephone with a partial cutaway on the side. In this embodiment of the user device interface, the sensors included in the first and second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other are made in flat corrugated elements 21, a jumper 24 is made in the central part of the corrugated element 21, which prevents the walls of the corrugated element 21 from sticking when the platform 2 is displaced relative to the base 1 At the same time, contacts 25 are made on the upper part of the walls of the corrugated element 21, which are closed due to the pressure of the protrusions 26 of the corrugated element 21 and pressure in a certain direction pressure on the platform 2 while holding the base 1 in place, which causes a corresponding displacement of the platform 2 relative to the base 1. Reading the signal from these contacts 25 allows you to identify the offset of the platform 2 relative to the base 1 and its direction.

On Fig presents a conceptual version of the interface of the remote control of the music center, which includes a CD-player, a digital radio and a two-cassette reverse tape recorder. The usual remote control of such a center has about thirty control buttons. Using the invention, their number is reduced to four, as shown in Fig.19. At the same time, the case can have any ergonomic design.

Management of the center becomes intuitive. The need for a visual search for the desired button is removed.

On the lower part of Fig. 19 buttons from left to right: "Ear" - sound control, CD - disc player control. Tuner - radio control, Tape - tape recorder control. “Ear” - a single press during operation of the CD player or tape recorder turns on / off the pause mode (MUTE mode in the case of a radio), pressing outside the center activates it with the latest settings for playback.

The up-down button shift controls the volume step by step (“louder-quieter,” respectively). Holding in this position - increasing, attenuating the volume.

Horizontal Offset - A step-by-step change in balance. Keeping in this position is a step-by-step search of equalizer modes, including the X-bass function.

"CD" - pressing the button turns on / off the player. Horizontal Offset - Forward-backward control. Horizontal Hold - APSS Search Mode. Upward shift - turn on / off the replay mode. Offset - Go to the VIDEO / AUX source and go back.

"Tuner" - pressing turns on / off the radio. Horizontal Offset - Moves to the nearest preset frequency. Up shift - turn on MONO / STEREO. Downward shift - turn on the display of the clock.

"Tare" - pressing turns on / off the sound. Horizontal offset - rewind the tape, while holding - APSS search mode. Offset - select the first or second deck. Offset down - select the direction of tape movement (forward or reverse).

There is no POWER button; turning on or off any source automatically turns the center on / off from the network.

On Fig presents the concept of the interface of a personal digital assistant (PDA), the set of functions of which corresponds to a standard desktop keyboard. The large keys 3 are installed in two rows of five to the right and left of the display 27. The characters are printed on the surface in a legible font, the size of which is almost the same as what we see on large keyboards. Thanks to this, such a problem as the inconvenience of working with a PDA to people with thumbs is removed. Part of the auxiliary keys 28 is placed on the upper part of the housing and is controlled by index fingers. Input is carried out either with two hands, or by placing the PDA in the palm of your hand, with one hand. The main part of the usable area, despite the large size of the keys 3, is occupied by the display 27, while the platform 2 is located under the keys 3 and moves with them.

The specified features of the user device interface execution allow solving the problem of inputting information such as text, characters, control signals into mobile phones, PDAs, panels and control panels for household appliances, computer and electronic games, etc. with simpler and cheaper means.

Claims (15)

1. The user device interface, comprising a base, at least one assembly, consisting of a key and means for determining the operation of the key, the first means of determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other, and the key is installed with access to it from the outside, characterized in that introduced a platform installed with the possibility of displacement relative to the base, the key is installed with the possibility of its displacement along with the platform relative to the base, the first means of determining The coupling of the elements of the device relative to each other is installed with the possibility of registering the displacement of the platform relative to the base, and the means for determining the response of the key is made or located relative to the key in such a way that it can record the response of the key in the neutral position and / or when the platform is shifted from the neutral position. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains at least two assemblies. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other is made or installed with the possibility of registering the specified displacement in two orthogonal directions. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other is inserted, installed with the possibility of registering the displacement of the platform relative to the base in a direction orthogonal to the one in which the first means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other. 5. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other is inserted, installed with the possibility of registering the displacement of the platform relative to the base in a direction orthogonal to the one in which the first means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other. 6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first and / or second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other and means for determining the response of the keys are installed on the basis. 7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the keys are mounted on the base in the holes of the platform. 8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the keys are installed on the platform. 9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is provided with means providing mutual displacement of the platform and the base due to two disjoint displacements in two orthogonal directions. 10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the number of keys is four and they are installed in one row. 11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the number of keys is five and they are installed in one row. 12. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the keys are installed in rows. 13. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the keys are installed in three rows of four pieces. 14. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is equipped with a means for mutual displacement of the platform and the base due to two unrelated displacements in two orthogonal directions, made in the form of two linear corrugated elements orthogonal to each other and connecting the base and the platform. 15. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is equipped with a means for mutual displacement of the platform and the base due to two disjoint displacements in two orthogonal directions, made in the form of two linear corrugated elements located orthogonally to each other and connecting the base and the platform, and the contacts of the first and / or second means for determining the displacement of the elements of the device relative to each other are located on the inner walls of the corrugated elements opposite each other.

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