KR20060095120A - Structure for navigation key and operating method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a navigation key structure and an operation method which can be easily performed in a more detailed direction such as a diagonal direction other than east, west, north and north,

The navigation key structure according to the present invention includes a pole that can be manipulated in various directions by the application of an external physical force, a direction protrusion provided on the side of the pole, and pointing at least five directions including east, west, north and south directions, and the pole At least five cylindrical members provided along the circumference of the pole at a position spaced from the side of the at least one, and a number corresponding to the direction protrusions at positions corresponding to the direction protrusions of the poles on the inner side of the cylindrical member; Characterized in that comprises a detection sensor.

Navigation, direction, joystick

Description

Structure for navigation key and operating method of the same}

1 is a perspective view of a navigation key structure according to the present invention;

2A and 2B are a front view and a plan view, respectively, of a navigation key structure according to the present invention;

3 is a circuit diagram for explaining the operation of the navigation key structure according to the present invention;

Description of the main parts of the drawing

101: Paul 102: cylindrical member

103: direction projection 104: detection sensor

105: conductor 110: housing

120: PCB

The present invention relates to a navigation key structure and a method of operation, and more particularly, to a navigation key structure and a method of operation that can be easily performed in a more detailed direction, such as a diagonal direction other than the north, south, west, and north.

Due to the development of the telecommunications industry and the rapid expansion of mobile communication services, many people are carrying mobile communication terminals, and various functions such as music file playback and wireless internet, etc. It is added to a mobile communication terminal. In particular, as a mobile communication terminal increases its role as an information processing device that provides users with necessary information without limitation of time and space, various functions are required. A representative example of such information processing function is storing a phone number and its name. There is a phone book function for searching and sending, and a short message function for sending or receiving a required message in a sentence.

On the other hand, the mobile communication terminal is provided with a key input consisting of a plurality of numeric keys and function keys. In order to perform various functions of the mobile communication terminal as described above, the use of the key input unit is essential. In particular, the phone book function, the short message function and the like play an absolute role in the use of the key input unit. Recently, a map search using GPS, a game function, and the like have been added to a mobile communication terminal, thereby increasing the use of the key input unit. The direction key is particularly important for such a map search and game function using GPS.

In the prior art, a navigation key is provided in a user interface, that is, a key input unit provided in not only a mobile communication terminal but also a portable game machine, an electronic product remote controller, and the like. However, in order to perform complicated menu functions and support various game functions as described above, navigation keys pointing only in four directions have limitations in device operation.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation key structure and an operation method which can be easily performed in a more detailed direction such as a diagonal direction other than east, west, north and south.

The navigation key structure according to the present invention for achieving the above object is provided with a pole that can be manipulated in various directions by the application of an external physical force, and is provided on the side of the pole, at least five or more directions including east, west, north and south directions A number corresponding to the direction protrusion, and a cylindrical member provided along the circumference of the pole at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the side of the pole, and a position corresponding to the direction protrusion of the pole on the inner surface of the cylindrical member. It is characterized in that it comprises at least five or more detection sensors provided.

Preferably, the sensing sensor comprises a piezoelectric sensor, a force-sensing sensor.

Preferably, the electronic device further includes a controller configured to recognize and process an electrical signal generated by contact between a specific direction protrusion of the pole and a specific sensor of the cylindrical member as an input signal in a specific direction by application of an external physical force.

Preferably, a conductor provided at a position spaced apart from the lower surface of the pole by a predetermined distance and electrically connected to the controller, the conductor may be in physical contact with the pole when an external physical force is applied to the pole. Equipped.

In the operation method of the navigation key structure according to the present invention, the pole is moved in a specific direction by the application of an external physical force, and the direction protrusion in the specific direction among the plurality of direction protrusions provided on the side of the pole is cylindrical. When contacting the sensing sensor corresponding to the specific direction provided on the inner surface of the member, a predetermined electrical signal is generated by the contact of the direction projection in the specific direction and the sensing sensor and the control unit transmits the electrical signal in a specific direction. Characterized in that the input signal, characterized in that processing.

According to a feature of the present invention, the pole is provided with a cylindrical member along the circumference of the pole capable of operation in various directions, and the sensor is mounted on the inner surface of the cylindrical member in subdivided directions including east, west, north and south, respectively. By detecting the specific direction through the contact with the sensor of the sensor, it is possible to operate in a more granular direction in addition to the four directions of the north, south, west, and north indicated by the key input unit of the electronic device including the conventional mobile communication terminal.

Hereinafter, a navigation key structure and an operation method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a perspective view of a navigation key structure according to the present invention, Figures 2a and 2b is a front view and a plan view, respectively, of the navigation key structure according to the present invention, Figure 3 to explain the operation of the navigation key structure according to the present invention It is a circuit diagram for.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, in a state where a housing 110 defining a main body of a mobile communication terminal is provided, various components required for performing an operation of the mobile communication terminal in the housing 110. And a printed circuit board (PCB) 120 on which circuits are mounted. An opening defining a space in which the navigation key structure according to the present invention is provided is formed at a predetermined portion of the upper surface of the housing 110.

A dome-shaped conductor 105 is provided on the PCB 120 corresponding to the opening. The dome-shaped conductor 105 is electrically connected to a terminal controller (not shown) provided on one side of the PCB 120, and an electrical signal generated by physical contact with a pole to be described later. It serves to deliver to the terminal control unit.

At a position spaced a predetermined distance upward from the dome-shaped conductor 105, a pole 101 capable of operating in subdivided general directions including east, west, north and south directions is provided by an external physical force. The side of the pole 101 is provided with at least five direction protrusions 103 pointing in a predetermined direction, for example, east, west, south, north, northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest. Here, the pawl 101 and the direction protrusion 103 may be integrally formed of the same material.

The cylindrical member 102 is provided along the circumference of the pole 101 at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the side of the pole 101. The inner surface of the cylindrical member 102, exactly, the inner surface of the cylindrical member 102 at a position corresponding to the direction projection 103 of the pole 101, the number of detection sensors corresponding to the direction projection (103) ( 104 is provided. The sensing sensor 104 may be composed of a piezoelectric sensor, a force sensing sensor (FSR, Force Sensing Resistor), and the like, and each of the sensing sensors 104 is electrically connected to a terminal controller on the PCB 120. . In addition, the lower end of the pawl 101 may be fixed to the cylindrical member 102.

Referring to the operation of the navigation key structure according to the present invention having such a configuration as follows. First, when the pole 101 is operated in a specific direction by an external physical force, the direction protrusion 103 in the corresponding direction provided on the side of the pole 101 is provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical member 102. It comes into contact with the sensing sensor 104 in the corresponding direction.

When the direction protrusion 103 of the pole 101 comes into contact with the detection sensor 104, the detection sensor 104, for example, the force-sensing sensor 104 generates a predetermined electrical signal and generates the generated electrical signal. The signal is amplified and output by a buffer stage connected to each force-sensing sensor 104 (see FIG. 3). The signal output from the buffer stage is transmitted to the control input terminal of the analog switch so that the input value x and the input value y are connected when the control signal becomes high. Through this process, the input signal in a specific direction is detected. On the other hand, each force-sensing sensor 104 is provided with a unit direction processing circuit required for subsequent signal processing as well as the buffer stage as described above.

Through the contact between the direction protrusion and the sensor as described above, it is possible to operate the key in all directions. The key operation will be described below with an example of practical application. For example, when using the menu function of the mobile communication terminal, it is possible to move to a specific item (lower menu, etc.) on the menu window using the above-described key manipulation process while the specific menu window is displayed on the display window of the mobile communication terminal. In addition, when the pole is pressed vertically by the application of an external physical force in the state of moving to a specific item, the pole and the conductor on the PCB are in contact with the key input signal indicating that the specific item is selected is generated It is delivered to the terminal controller.

On the other hand, the above-described navigation key structure according to the present invention has been described by applying to a mobile communication terminal as an embodiment, but in addition to the mobile communication terminal, electronic devices such as a remote control, a game device, a PDA, etc. requiring a direction operation is the same. Of course, it can be applied.

Navigation key structure and operation method according to the present invention has the following advantages.

A pole that can be manipulated in various directions and a cylindrical member along the circumference of the pole are mounted on the inner side of the cylindrical member, and a sensing sensor is mounted in a subdivided direction including east, west, north and south, respectively, to contact the pole with the sensor. By recognizing the specific direction through, it is possible to operate in a more granular direction in addition to the four directions of the east, west, north, and south indicated by the key input unit of the electronic device including the conventional mobile communication terminal.

In this way, the operation in all directions with respect to the pole can be realized more realistically, and thus it can be effectively applied to various game devices as well as mobile communication terminals.

Claims (5)

A pole capable of being operated in various directions by the application of an external physical force; A direction protrusion provided on a side of the pole and pointing at least five directions including east, west, north and south directions; A cylindrical member provided along a circumference of the pole at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the side of the pole; And at least five or more sensing sensors provided in a number corresponding to the direction projections at a position corresponding to the direction projections of the poles on the inner side of the cylindrical member. The navigation key structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing sensor includes a piezoelectric sensor and a force-sensing sensor. The control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to recognize and process an electrical signal generated by contact between a specific direction protrusion of the pole and a specific sensor of the cylindrical member as an input signal in a specific direction by application of an external physical force. Navigation key structure characterized in that. According to claim 1 or claim 3, provided in a position spaced apart from the lower surface of the pole and electrically connected to the control unit, when the external physical force is applied to the pole to be in physical contact with the pole. The navigation key structure further comprises a conductor capable of. In the method of operating a navigation key using the navigation key structure of claim 1, The pole is moved in a specific direction by the application of an external physical force, and among the plurality of direction protrusions provided on the side of the pole, the direction protrusion in the specific direction is provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical member. When contacted with the sensing sensor corresponding to the direction, a predetermined electrical signal is generated by the contact between the direction projection in the specific direction and the sensing sensor, and the control unit recognizes and processes the electrical signal as an input signal in a specific direction. How navigation keys work.

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