System and method for multi-mode command input

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022261090-A1
Application number	US-202217737664-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 5, 2022
Priority date	Dec 22, 2009
Publication date	Aug 18, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A controlling device has a moveable touch sensitive panel positioned above a plurality of switches. When the controlling device senses an activation of at least one of the plurality of switches when caused by a movement of the touch sensitive panel resulting from an input at an input location upon the touch sensitive surface, the controlling device responds by transmitting a signal to an appliance wherein the signal is reflective of the input location upon the touch sensitive surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A controlling device, comprising:
a casing having an opening; and an input device disposed in the opening comprised of a moveable touch sensitive surface positioned above a plurality of switches; wherein the controlling device is adapted to respond to an activation event indicative of an activation of at least one of the plurality of switches by: a) using a determined touch location upon the touch sensitive surface to select a one of the plurality of switches; b) using the selected one of the plurality of switches to retrieve from a library of command data stored in a memory of the controlling device a command data for use in controlling a functional operation of an appliance; and d) using the retrieved command data to transmit a command signal to the appliance via use of a transmission protocol recognizable by the appliance.

2 . The controlling device as recited in claim 1 , wherein, in a navigation operating mode of the controlling device, the controlling device additionally responds to a moving input upon the touch sensitive surface by transmitting to the appliance a navigation signal that comprises data representative of coordinates for the moving input upon the touch sensitive surface.

3 . The controlling device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive surface comprises a keycap disposed over a multiple-electrode capacitive touch sensor.

4 . The controlling device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of switches comprise silicon rubber keypad buttons supported upon a printed circuit board.

5 . The controlling device as recited in claim 4 , wherein the keycap displays a plurality of user interface elements.

6 . A method performed by a controlling device, comprising a casing having an opening and an input device disposed in the opening comprised of a moveable touch sensitive surface positioned above a plurality of switches, to transmit a signal to an appliance, the method comprising:
responding to an activation of at least one of the plurality of switches by: a) using a determined touch location on the moveable touch sensitive surface to select a one of the plurality of switches; b) using the selected one of the plurality of switches to retrieve from a library of command data stored in a memory of the controlling device a command data for use in controlling a functional operation of an appliance; and c) using the retrieved command data to transmit a command signal to the appliance via use of a transmission protocol recognizable by the appliance.

7 . The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein a plurality of surface touch zones for the touch sensitive surface is defined.

8 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the plurality of surface touch zones for the touch sensitive surface are defined as a function of an active one of a plurality of operational modes for the controlling device.

9 . The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the touch sensitive surface comprises a keycap disposed over a multiple-electrode capacitive touch sensor and the method further comprises using the keycap to display a plurality of user interface elements.

10 . The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises defining a plurality of surface touch zones for the touch sensitive surface each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of user interface elements.

11 . The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising using an active one of a plurality of operational modes for the controlling device to determine the plurality of user interface elements to be displayed.

Assignees

• Universal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Hatambeiki Arsham
• Kohanek Jeffrey
• Keiles Pamela Eichler

Classifications

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F3/03547

  Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface · CPC title

• G06F3/0219 Primary

  Special purpose keyboards · CPC title

• G06F2203/04106

  Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection · CPC title

• H01H25/041

  having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls · CPC title