KR200411463Y1 - Input Device for Portable Electronic Device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an input device suitable for use as an input device of various portable electronic devices such as a mobile phone. The input device 1 according to the present invention, an input module 2 for generating a capacitance change due to pressure as an input signal, and is stacked on the upper surface of the input module 2 and input by the input module 2 A flexible display module 3 on which possible inputs are displayed; When the input key 3A corresponding to the input contents displayed on the display module 3 is pressed, the pressure is received by the flexibility of the display module 3 and is transmitted to the input module 2 so that the input module 2 ) To generate an input signal due to a change in capacitance.

Description

Input device for portable electronic device

1 is a block diagram of a mobile phone to which an input device according to the present invention is applied;

2 is a conceptual diagram of an input device according to the present invention;

3 is a block diagram of an exemplary input device according to the present invention;

4 is an exploded perspective view of a sensor unit of an exemplary input device according to the present invention;

5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 4;

6 is an exploded perspective view of a sensor unit of another exemplary input device according to the present invention;

7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 6;

8 is a schematic diagram of a conventional general dome switch.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: input device of the present invention 2: input module 3: display module

3A: Input Key 4: Portable Electronic Device (Mobile Phone)

4A: CPU 10, 10A, 10B: Sensor

20: controller 120, 220: first pole plate

130, 230: elastic layer 140, 240: second electrode plate

150, 250: protective layer S: sensing point

(Technology)

The present invention relates to an input device, and more particularly to an input device suitable for use as an input device of various portable electronic devices such as a mobile phone.

(Background)

The portable electronic devices represented by the mobile phones are provided with input devices provided with input keys for inputting various operations related to the use of the mobile phone such as on / off of the mobile phone, input of phone numbers and letters, and initiation and termination of calls. It is.

As the use of mobile phones has been extended from the use of traditional telephone calls to the use of various additional services such as Internet access and text transmission, more and more menus have been mounted on mobile phones, and various operations are more and more frequently performed. As a result, the number of operations of the input device also increases.

In general, a dome switch is widely used as an input key for a keypad which is an input device of a mobile phone.

8 is a schematic diagram of a conventional general dome switch.

As shown, the dome switch 800 includes a substrate 810, an arc-shaped electrode 820 disposed at a position corresponding to each input key of a keypad on the substrate 800, and an inside of the arc-shaped electrode 820. A linear electrode 830 disposed in the arc-shaped electrode 820 and not electrically connected to the arc-shaped electrode 820, and the upper portion of the linear electrode 830 in a state in which both ends of the arc-shaped electrode 820 are in electrical contact with each other; The dome-shaped electrode 840 is arranged to be arranged in a straight line. These electrodes 820, 830, and 840 are fixed in position by the spacer 850 and the adhesive film 860.

A plurality of dome switches 800 having such a structure are properly disposed as many as the number corresponding to the input keys of the keypad. When the desired input key is pressed by hand, the dome-shaped electrode 840 is pressed to contact the linear electrode 830. As a result, the arc-shaped electrode 800 and the linear electrode 830 are electrically connected to each other, thereby executing a process of inputting contents corresponding to the input key of the dome switch by a keypad circuit and a program (not shown).

However, according to the slimming aspect of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, capacitive input devices have been introduced instead of the dome switch type around slimmer models. Such capacitive input devices are a desirable environment for miniaturizing mobile phones. While providing a variety of applications.

As is widely known, a capacitive input device applied to a mobile phone or the like has a configuration in which a plurality of pole plates (copper plates) corresponding to input keys are arranged at regular intervals on a substrate to apply voltage to these pole plates. When it comes into contact with this pole plate (i.e., a sensing point for detecting hand contact), it detects the parasitic capacitance according to the dielectric constant between the hand and the pole plate to determine which pole plate (input key) is selected, and determines the input signal. It is operated in such a way that an operation corresponding to the input signal is executed by transmitting to the CPU of the cellular phone. Of course, the handset is equipped with the appropriate program for what operation corresponds to the respective plates.

As portable electronic devices become smaller, the input key spacing of the keypads becomes narrower, and as a result, an increase in the possibility of malfunction, such as manipulation of another adjacent undesired input key when the input key is operated, increases the capacitance as an input device. As the type of input device is provided, the malfunction caused by the miniaturization of the portable electronic device is alleviated.

However, the conventional capacitive input device applied to a mobile phone can only determine which pole plate (input key) the hand touches, and each pole plate is a system for inputting only a single operation. In this case, the capacitive input device is used only as an input key for shifting the position of the selection menu, and a dual structure using a conventional dome switch is applied as an input key for inputting a necessary operation in the moved menu. It was not completely beyond the limits of the input device.

The inventors of the present invention to solve the problems of the conventional input devices as described above 'application of portable electronic devices' of 10-2005-0117644 and 10-2005-0123487 (December 2005 and December 14, 2005) The input device of the proposals does not detect the parasitic capacitance generated by contacting a conductor such as a hand with a pole plate to generate an input signal, but instead to generate an input signal. It is structured to allow creation.

On the other hand, a number of devices incorporating an input device and a display device have been widely proposed, for example, 'Touch panel integrated with a flat panel display' of Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-0493921 (2005. 06. 10. Registered Notice) , An electro-optical display device integrated with a touch panel of Korean Patent No. 10-0487355, and Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-0091312 (a display assembly integrated with a touch panel).

These conventional input / display integrators are all based on a structure in which an input device (touch pad) is stacked on top of a display device (display), and the amount of light from the display device is reduced by the input device stacked thereon. The problem is that the sharpness of the content displayed on the display device is lowered.

An object of the present invention is to improve the problems of the input device applied to the conventional portable electronic device as described above, and to generate an input signal by distinguishing between simple contact and non-contact with the pole plate (copper plate), but not by the contact pressure. By generating the input signal from the change of capacitance, it is possible not only to input various and sophisticated operations without malfunction, but also to display the input module on the upper surface of the input module. An object of the present invention is to provide an input device of a portable electronic device that can be maintained as it is.

According to the present invention, an input device of a portable electronic device is provided.

The input device according to the present invention includes an input module for generating a capacitance change due to pressure as an input signal, and a flexible display module stacked on an upper surface of the input module and displaying input contents which can be input by the input module. Include.

In the input device according to the present invention, when the input key corresponding to the input content displayed on the display module is pressed, the pressure is received by the flexibility of the display module and transferred to the input module to change the capacitance in the input module. To generate an input signal.

Preferably, the input module includes a substrate, a plurality of first pole plates printed on the substrate in rows at regular intervals, an elastic layer coated on the first pole plate, and elastically variable in thickness by pressure, and the first And a sensor unit including a plurality of second electrode plates disposed on the elastic layer in a row at a predetermined interval in a vertical direction with respect to the electrode plate and disposed in a lattice form with respect to the first electrode plate at a distance corresponding to the thickness of the elastic layer. Here, the intersections form a mesh-type sensing point by causing a change in capacitance according to the change of the distance due to pressure at the intersections of the first electrode plates and the second electrode plates, and the capacitances of the sensing points Is measured, and an input signal corresponding to the position of the sensing point and the magnitude of the applied pressure is generated from the measured capacitance and transmitted to the CPU of the portable electronic device.

Preferably, the input module includes a substrate, a plurality of first pole plates printed on a corresponding number and positions of input keys on the substrate, and elastically coated on the first pole plates to elastically vary in thickness by pressure. And a sensor unit including a second electrode plate printed on the elastic layer and disposed in a plate shape covering the entirety of the first electrode plates at a distance corresponding to the thickness of the elastic layer. Here, the overlapping points become sensing points by changing the capacitance in accordance with the change of the distance due to pressure at the upper and lower overlapping positions of the first pole plates and the second pole plate, and the capacitance of the sensing points is increased. By measuring and generating an input signal according to the position of the sensing point and the magnitude of the applied pressure, the input signal is transmitted to the CPU of the portable electronic device.

Preferably, the input module and the display module selectively input and display two or more sets of input contents.

Hereinafter, an input device of a portable electronic device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are merely illustrative of the input device of the portable electronic device according to the present invention, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the input device 1 according to the present invention is applied as an input device of various portable electronic devices 4 including a mobile phone, MP3, PDA, PMP, portable game machine, and the like. A description will be given mainly of an example in which the input device 1 of the present invention is applied to a mobile phone 4 which is an electronic device.

As is widely known, the cellular phone 4 includes a CPU 4A which generally controls the cellular phone 4 according to a loaded program, and an input unit for inputting various data and commands related to the use of the cellular phone 4 ( 4B, 1: That is, the input device of the present invention), the monitor 4C for displaying various information regarding the use of the mobile phone 4, various programs related to the overall operation of the mobile phone 4 and various data input / output A memory 4D for storing, a communication unit 4E having an antenna and a duplexer for allowing mobile communication with the base station through an antenna, an audio unit 4F having a speaker and a microphone for a call, and supplying power It can be said that the configuration including the power supply unit 4G, the input device 1 of the present invention is an input device applied to the input unit 4B.

In using the mobile phone 4 having such a configuration, inputting predetermined data and commands using the input units (input devices 4B and 1), monitoring related information via the monitor 4C, and memory 3D. Are stored, and mobile communication is executed through the communication unit 4E, and all such operations are controlled overall by the CPU 4A, and the necessary power is supplied from the power supply unit 4G.

The input device 1 of the present invention, which is used as an input unit of the portable electronic device 4, has an input module 2 and an input module (2) for generating a change in capacitance due to pressure as an input signal, as shown in FIG. The flexible display module 3, in which the input key 3A displaying the input contents input by 2) is displayed in a proper shape, is stacked up and down, but in the case of a conventional input / display integrated device, the display module In contrast to the structure in which the input modules are stacked on the upper surface of the input device 1 of the present invention, the display module 3 is stacked on the upper surface of the input module 2.

In the input device 1 according to the present invention, a structure in which the display module 3 is stacked on the surface of the input module 2 is possible. As an input module, a module for generating a change in capacitance generated by pressure as an input signal is provided. It is because it adopts flexible module that can adopt pressure and transmit pressure as display module. That is, due to the flexibility of the display module 3, even if the display module 3 is pressed without directly pressing the input module 2, the pressure can be transmitted to the input module 2, and the input module 2 is Since the input signal is generated from a change in capacitance due to pressure, the input signal can be generated by indirect pressure transmission through the display module 3 without direct contact.

Therefore, when the input key 3A displayed on the display module 3 is pressed to display the input contents, the pressure is received by the flexibility of the display module 3 and is transmitted to the input module 2 so that the input module 2 is closed. Even if not directly pressurized, a change in capacitance occurs in the input module 2 to generate a corresponding input signal.

As shown in FIG. 3, the input module 2 applied to the input device 1 of the present invention may be said to have a configuration including a sensor unit 10 and a controller 20.

The sensor unit 10 is a component that detects a user's manipulation (pressure) applied to the input device 1 to input a specific operation to the mobile phone 4, and the controller 30 is controlled by the sensor unit 10. It is a component that generates a corresponding input signal from the detected signal and transmits it to the CPU 4A of the cellular phone 4.

4 and 5, an exemplary sensor unit 10A applicable to the input device 1 of the present invention will be described.

As shown, the sensor unit 10A of the present embodiment includes a substrate 110, a first electrode plate 120, an elastic layer 130, a second electrode plate 140, and a protective layer 150. It is.

The substrate 110 is a conventional substrate such as, for example, a circuit board (PCB and FPCB) capable of printing the electrode plates 120 and 140 in a grid shape, the size of which is applied to the input device 1 of the present invention. It may be appropriately selected according to the type of portable electronic device 4 to be input, the size of the input device 1, the type of input content input by the input device 1, and the like.

The first pole plate 120 is preferably a strip-shaped thin copper plate as a conductor corresponding to one pole plate among pole plates arranged up and down in parallel in a general capacitance sensor. The first electrode plates 120 are printed on the substrate 110 such that a plurality of first electrode plates 120 are arranged in parallel in rows at regular intervals. The size and number of the first electrode plates 120 and the distance between the adjacent electrode plates 120 are the types of portable electronic devices 4 in which the input device 1 is used, and the space allowed for mounting the input device 1. Can be selected according to the size of the input device, the type of input operation required for the input device 1, the sensitivity of the input device 1, and the like.

The elastic layer 130 is coated on the first pole plates 120 with a constant thickness (d: distance). The elastic layer 130 is present between the two electrode plates 120 and 140, acting as a kind of dielectric, and the thickness d is elastically (resiliently) varied according to the pressure applied to the sensor portion 10A. By varying the distance d between the first pole plate 120 and the second pole plate 140, the capacitances of the sensing points S corresponding to each intersection point change depending on the pressing pressure.

As the elastic layer 130, for example, a TPE suitable for the present invention may be selected and used among well-known thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) such as polyolefins, PVCs, polystyrenes, polyesters, polyurethanes, and polyamides. have.

The second electrode plate 140 is, for example, a strip-shaped copper plate like the first electrode plate 120, and is printed on the elastic layer 130 in the same manner as the first electrode plate 120, but with the first electrode plate 120. Are printed in rows at regular intervals in the vertical direction.

As the plurality of strip-shaped first electrode plates 120 and the plurality of second electrode plates 140 are printed to cross the elastic layer 130 therebetween, the second electrode plates 140 may be elastic layers 130. The first pole plates 120 and the grid-like netting structure are disposed at a distance d corresponding to the thickness of), and the intersection points of the anode plates 120 and 140 are the first electrode plate 120 and the second electrode plate. As the positions where all of the 140 are located, these intersection points form a sensing point S that causes a change in capacitance according to the pressure in the sensor unit 10A.

That is, when a specific position of the sensor unit 10A is pressed, the second electrode plate 140 and the elastic layer 130 are pressed at the sensing points S under the pressing position, so that the elastic layer 130 is pressed. As the contraction contracts, the distance d between the first electrode plate 120 and the second electrode plate 140 is variable (reduced), and C = ?? A / at the sensing point S according to the change of the distance d. A change in capacitance occurs, corresponding to the formula of d (where C is the capacitance, ?? is the dielectric constant, A is the area, and d is the distance between the pole plates), where the change in capacitance is dependent on the magnitude of the pressing pressure. Differently. After the pressing force is removed, the elastic layer 130 and the second electrode plate 140 are returned to their original positions by the elasticity of the elastic layer 130.

Conventional capacitive input devices can detect parasitic capacitance by touching a conductor such as a hand, but the input module 2 applied to the input device 1 of the present invention can vary the distance d. If it is possible to apply a certain pressure, for this reason, even if the display module (3) is stacked on the surface of the input module (2) by pressing the display module 3 to the sensing point (S) of the input module (2) It can be pressurized.

The interval between the sensing points S (that is, the interval between the intersection points) is the type of portable electronic device 4 in which the input device 1 of the present invention is used, and the size of the space allowed for mounting the input device 1. Can be selected according to the type of input operation required for the input device 1, the sensitivity of the input device 1, and the like.

The protective layer 150 is a layer for protecting the second electrode plate 140 and may be formed of, for example, polyester. The protective layer 150 may be formed as thin as possible to protect the second electrode plate 140, and the display module 3 is stacked on the surface of the input module 2 to function as a protective layer. The protective layer 150 may be omitted.

6 and 7, another exemplary sensor unit 10B applicable to the input device 1 of the present invention will be described.

The sensor unit 10B of the illustrated embodiment is configured to include a substrate 210, a first pole plate 220, an elastic layer 230, a second pole plate 240, and a protective layer 250. Since the substrate 210, the elastic layer 230, and the protective layer 250 are substantially the same as the sensor unit 10A described with reference to FIG. 4, the first electrode plate 220 and the second electrode plate ( 240).

The first pole plate 220 is a conductor corresponding to one pole plate among the pole plates arranged up and down in parallel in the capacitive sensor, but is not a strip as shown in FIG. 4 and is preferably a circular copper plate. The first electrode plate 220 is printed on the substrate 210 to be arranged at a corresponding number and positions of the input keys 3A displayed on the display module 3.

The size, number, and arrangement of the first electrode plates 220 may include the type of portable electronic device 4 in which the input device 1 is used, the size of space allowed for mounting the input device 1, and the input device 1. According to the type of input operation required for the) may be variously selected, the illustrated embodiment is illustrated that 19 circular first pole plate 220 is disposed.

The second electrode plate 240 is a conductor plate (for example, a copper plate) like the first electrode plate 220, and is printed on the elastic layer 230 in parallel with the first electrode plate 220, but the first electrode plate 220 is separated from the first electrode plate 220. Likewise, a plurality of pieces are not printed in correspondence with the number and positions corresponding to the input keys 3A, but are printed with a single copper plate covering the entirety of the first electrode plate 220.

As the first electrode plates 220 and the second electrode plate 240 are printed with the elastic layer 230 interposed therebetween, the second electrode plate 240 may have a distance d corresponding to the thickness of the elastic layer 230. The first pole plates 220 and the second pole plates 220 are disposed in parallel with each other, and the overlapping points of both pole plates 220 and 240 are positions where both the first pole plate 220 and the second pole plate 240 are located. The dots form a sensing point S that causes a change in capacitance according to the pressure in the sensor unit 10B.

That is, when a specific position of the sensor unit 10B is pressed, the second electrode plate 240 and the elastic layer 230 are pressed at the sensing points S under the pressing position, so that the elastic layer 230 is pressed. As the contraction occurs, the distance d between the first pole plate 220 and the second pole plate 240 at the corresponding position is variable (reduced), and according to the change of the distance d, at the sensing point S, C =? The change in capacitance corresponding to the formula of A / d occurs, and the change in capacitance is different depending on the magnitude of the pressing pressure.

For convenience, the sensor unit 10 of FIG. 3 displays the intersection point of the embodiment of FIG. 4 and the overlapping point of FIG. 6 to indicate the sensing point S. FIG.

The change in the capacitance generated at each sensing point S of the sensor unit 10 described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 is transmitted to the controller 20 electrically connected to the sensor unit 10, and the controller 20 is Measuring the capacitance based on the signal from the sensor unit 10 and converting the measured capacitance into a voltage to generate a digital input signal corresponding to the position of the sensing point S is applied pressure and the magnitude of the pressure Transfer to CPU 4A of device 4.

In other words, if no pressure is applied to the sensor unit 10, there is no change in capacitance due to pressure, and thus a signal corresponding to a constant pattern of capacitance determined by the controller 20 is transmitted from the sensor unit 10. When pressure is applied to the sensor unit 10, a change in capacitance occurs while the distance d between the upper and lower pole plates of the sensing point S (the intersection of FIG. 4 and the overlapping point of FIG. 6) to which the pressure is applied is varied, The signal regarding the change in capacitance of the sensing point S and the magnitude thereof is converted into a corresponding input signal by the controller 20 and transmitted to the CPU 4A of the portable electronic device 4, and the CPU 4A is portable. According to a program mounted on the electronic device 4, an input action corresponding to the corresponding input signal is executed.

The display module 3 applied to the present invention has a flexibility (flexibility) that is not rigid, and the pressure can be transmitted to the input module 2 below and an input input by the input module 2. A module that can display contents (input key; 3A) is not particularly proposed. For example, a plastic LCD or a flexible EL light emitting sheet having flexibility can be used by using a plastic substrate.

The display module 3 is electrically connected to the CPU 4A of the portable electronic device 4 and is controlled by the CPU 4A in the mode in which the input device 1 of the present invention is used. The input contents (input key 3A) inputted by) are displayed. The content of the input key (3B) to be displayed is to build the relevant circuit of the input module (2), the display module (3) and the portable electronic device (4) as necessary and to install the necessary software, the input device (1) of the present invention Can be set freely according to the purpose and function of the.

In Fig. 1, input keys 3A such as numbers 0-9, *, #, up, down, left and right movements, SAND, END, etc., which are commonly used as input keys of keypads of mobile phones, are displayed by the display module 3. 2 illustrates an example of a state in which an input key 3A that can be used for, for example, a game is displayed.

In applying the input device 1 of the present invention to the portable electronic device 1, only one set of input contents can be input through the input module 2 and the display module 3 has only one corresponding thereto. Although the set of input keys 3A can be displayed, the input module 2 and the display module 3 can selectively input and display two or more sets of input contents as necessary.

For example, when the mobile phone 4 to which the input device 1 of the present invention is applied is used for a telephone call or the like, as shown in Fig. 1, an input key 3A such as a number 0-9 can be displayed and input. When playing the game with the mobile phone 4, as shown in Fig. 2, it is possible to display and input the input key 3A necessary for the game.

As such, inputting and displaying two or more sets of input contents with the input device 1 of the present invention requires the related circuits of the input module 2, the display module 3, and the portable electronic device 4; It can be realized freely by building according to the configuration and mounting the necessary software, thereby minimizing the space occupied by the portable electronic device 4 by the input device 1.

The input device of the portable electronic device according to the present invention described above is various by generating an input signal from a change in capacitance due to contact pressure, rather than generating an input signal by distinguishing a simple contact and non-contact with the pole plate (copper plate). Sophisticated operation can be input without a malfunction, and since the display module displaying the input contents is stacked on the upper surface of the input module, the sharpness of the input contents displayed on the display module can be maintained.

Claims (4)

An input module 2 for generating a capacitance change due to pressure as an input signal, and a flexible display module stacked on an upper surface of the input module 2 and displaying input contents which can be input by the input module 2; (3); When the input key 3A corresponding to the input contents displayed on the display module 3 is pressed, the pressure is received by the flexibility of the display module 3 and is transmitted to the input module 2 so that the input module 2 The input device of the portable electronic device, characterized in that for generating an input signal due to the change in capacitance. The method of claim 1, wherein the input module 2, the substrate 110, a plurality of first pole plates 120, a plurality of first pole plates 120 printed on the substrate 110 in a row at a predetermined interval is covered. Elastic layer 130 that is elastically variable in thickness by pressure, and is printed on the elastic layer 130 in a row at regular intervals in a vertical direction with the first electrode plate 120 to form a thickness of the elastic layer 130. A sensor unit (10A) having a plurality of second pole plates (140) arranged in a lattice form with respect to the first pole plate (120) at a distance (d) corresponding thereto; At the intersections of the first electrode plates 120 and the second electrode plates 140, the capacitances change according to the change of the distance d due to pressure, so that the intersection points are mesh-shaped sensing points S. And measuring the capacitance of the sensing points S and generating an input signal corresponding to the position of the sensing point S and the magnitude of the applied pressure from the measured capacitance. An input device for a portable electronic device, characterized in that being transmitted to the CPU 4A. The method of claim 1, wherein the input module 2 includes a substrate 210, a plurality of first electrode plates 220 printed on a corresponding number and positions of input keys 261 on the substrate 210. An elastic layer 230 coated on the first electrode plates 220 and elastically changed in thickness by pressure, and a distance corresponding to the thickness of the elastic layer 230 printed on the elastic layer 230. a sensor unit (10B) having a second pole plate (240) disposed in a plate shape covering the entirety of the first pole plates (220) with respect to (d); The overlapping points of the sensing points S are generated by changing the capacitance according to the change of the distance d due to the pressure at the upper and lower overlapping positions of the first electrode plates 220 and the second electrode plate 240. Measuring the capacitance of the sensing points (S) to generate an input signal according to the position of the sensing point (S) and the amount of pressure applied to transmit to the CPU (4A) of the portable electronic device (4) An input device for a portable electronic device, characterized in that. 4. A portable electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the input module (2) and the display module (3) are selectively input and displayed with two or more sets of input contents. Input device.

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