US-12625565-B2 - Electronic device having complex human interface and operation method thereof

US12625565B2US 12625565 B2US12625565 B2US 12625565B2US-12625565-B2

Abstract

Proposed is an electronic device having a multi-function human interface, the electronic device including a plurality of key caps, wherein the plurality of key caps include a first key cap, a plurality of elastic units, wherein the plurality of elastic units include a first elastic unit, a plurality of conductive materials, wherein the plurality of conductive materials include a first conductive material, and an electrode layer configured to generate key input signals and touch input signals.

Inventors

Eunhyung Cho

Assignees

MOKIBO, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240823
Priority Date: 20220225

Claims (15)

1 . An electronic device having a multi-function human interface, the electronic device comprising: a plurality of key caps, wherein the plurality of key caps comprise a first key cap; a plurality of elastic units, wherein the plurality of elastic units comprise a first elastic unit; a plurality of conductive materials, wherein the plurality of conductive materials comprise a first conductive material; and an electrode layer configured to generate key input signals and touch input signals; wherein the electrode layer is comprising: a first type electrode configured to generate touch input signals; and a second type electrode configured to generate at least key input signals; wherein a first electrode included in the first type electrode and a second electrode included in the second type electrode are arranged to overlap with the first key cap at least partially, wherein the second electrode is arranged to overlap with the first conductive material at least partially, wherein the first electrode is arranged not to overlap with the first conductive material, wherein the electrode layer further includes a third electrode included in the first type electrode and a fourth electrode included in the second type electrode, wherein the third electrode and the fourth electrode are arranged to overlap with the first key cap at least partially, wherein the fourth electrode is arranged to overlap with the first conductive material at least partially, and wherein the third electrode is arranged not to overlap with the first conductive material at least partially.
2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode layer comprises a first type lines consisting of electrodes electrically connected in a longitudinal direction of a keyboard layout and a second type lines consisting of electrodes electrically connected in a width direction of the keyboard layout, wherein the first type lines are configured to function as one of a transmitter or a receiver, and the second type lines are configured to function as the other of the transmitter or the receiver.
3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are included in the first type lines.
4 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are included in the second type lines.
5 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode is included in either the first type lines or the second type lines, wherein the second electrode is included in the other of the first type lines or the second type lines.
6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode and the fourth electrode are arranged adjacent to each other.
7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second type electrode comprises a protrusion.
8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second type electrode comprises a protrusion, wherein a shape of a protrusion of the second electrode is the same as a shape of a protrusion of the fourth electrode.
9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second type electrode comprises a protrusion, wherein a shape of a protrusion of the second electrode is different from a shape of a protrusion of the fourth electrode.
10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second type electrode comprises a protrusion, wherein a protrusion of the second electrode and a protrusion of the fourth electrode are arranged to overlap with the first conductive material.
11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein a size of an area where the protrusion of the second electrode overlaps with the first conductive material is the same as a size of an area where the protrusion of the fourth electrode overlaps with the first conductive material.
12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive material is arranged to move in accordance with a movement of the first key cap.
13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first conductive material is formed to be included in the first key cap.
14 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive material is formed to be included in the first key cap.
15 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive material is formed to be included in the first elastic unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an electronic device having a multi-function human interface. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an electronic device having an interface and an operation method thereof, the interface for connecting to an electronic device, such as a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet PC, a mobile phone, a TV, or a beam projector, and forwarding text information or pointer position related information to the electronic device, such as the computer. BACKGROUND ART An electronic device, such as a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet PC, a mobile phone, a TV, and a beam projector needs to be provided with at least one interface for operations, such as generating at least one piece of data, storing at least one piece of data, and executing at least one command. In the case of a computer, a text input device such as a keyboard may be provided as an interface, or a pointing device such as a mouse may be provided as an interface. Text information may be obtained from the keyboard connected to the computer, or pointer position related information or a pointer execution command may be obtained from the mouse connected to the computer. In addition, in the case of a tablet PC or a mobile phone, a touch sensor may be provided as an interface, and movement/change information on a displayed screen, at least one function execution command, or text information via a virtual keyboard may be obtained through the provided touch interface. However, the interface for the electronic device, such as a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet PC, a mobile phone, a TV, and a beam projector, is not limited to the above-described examples, and various interfaces may be provided. DISCLOSURE Technical Problem The present disclosure is directed to providing an electronic device having a multi-function human interface, wherein a key input sensor and a touch input sensor are integrated. In addition, the present disclosure is directed to providing an electronic device having a multi-function human interface, wherein an electrode layer in which a key input sensor and a touch input sensor are integrated is included. In addition, the present disclosure is directed to providing an electronic device having a multi-function human interface and reduced volume. In addition, the present disclosure is directed to providing an operation method of an electronic device having a multi-function human interface for enhancing user convenience. Technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned technical problems and other technical problems which are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the present specification and the accompanying drawings. Technical Solution According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device having a multi-function human interface, the electronic device including: a plurality of key caps, wherein the plurality of key caps include a first key cap; a plurality of elastic units, wherein the plurality of elastic units include a first elastic unit and the first elastic unit includes a first conductive material; and an electrode layer configured to generate key input signals and touch input signals, wherein the first elastic unit is placed corresponding to the first key cap, and the electrode layer includes a first-type electrode configured to generate touch input signals and a second-type electrode configured to generate at least key input signals, and a first electrode included in the first-type electrode and a second electrode included in the second-type electrode are placed to be at least partially overlapped by the first key cap, and the second electrode is placed to be at least partially overlapped by the first conductive material of the first elastic unit, and the first electrode is placed not to be overlapped by the first conductive material of the first elastic unit. In addition, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device having a multi-function human interface, the electronic device including: a plurality of key caps, wherein the plurality of key caps include a first key cap; and an electrode layer configured to generate key input signals and touch input signals, wherein the electrode layer includes a first-type electrode configured to generate touch input signals and a second-type electrode configured to generate at least key input signals, wherein the electrode layer includes first to fourth holes related to the first key cap, and a first electrode included in the second-type electrode is positioned in a first area defined by the first to fourth holes. In addition, according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device having a multi-function human interface, the electronic device including: a plurality of key caps, wherein the plurality of key caps inclu