CN108803881A - Input unit with rotation input disc - Google Patents

Abstract

A kind of input unit, including a shell；One rotation input disc, with at least two input patterns, it is respectively used to the character that input kinds of characters is concentrated, wherein, the rotation input disc is equipped with a switching key, the rotation input disc is switched to next input pattern by it when being operated by current input mode, which is rotatablely arranged at from an initial position on the shell；One annular region, it is set on the shell and surrounds the rotation input disc, peripherally direction is equipped with spaced multiple input position to the annular region, and the multiple input position corresponds to multiple characters of the character set under the current input mode of the rotation input disc respectively；An and processor, it is set in the shell, the processor is directed at a wherein input position for the annular region in the initial position of the rotation input disc, and when receiving the rotation input disc one confirmation signal of transmission, a control instruction is generated according to character corresponding with the input position.

Description

Input device with rotary input disk

technical field

The present invention relates to an input device, in particular to an input device with a rotating input disc.

Background technique

Generally speaking, input devices such as personal digital assistants and remote controllers are usually provided with a plurality of mechanical keys for users to input instructions to control the input device to perform corresponding functions. However, in order to improve the functions of this type of input device, the mechanical keys usually include number keys, letter keys, and symbol keys, etc., so the number is relatively large, which increases the size of the input device, which is not conducive to the development of thinner and lighter input devices. . In addition, the large number of mechanical keys will also affect the appearance of the input device.

Contents of the invention

In view of this, it is necessary to provide an input device that can solve the above problems.

The present invention provides an input device, which includes a casing. The input device also includes: a rotary input disk with at least two input modes, which are respectively used to input characters in different character sets, wherein the rotary input disk is provided with a switch A button, which switches the rotary input disk from the current input mode to the next input mode when it is operated, and the rotary input disk is rotatably arranged on the casing from an initial position; an annular area is arranged on the casing And around the rotating input disk, the annular area is provided with a plurality of input positions at intervals along the peripheral direction, and the plurality of input positions respectively correspond to a plurality of characters of the character set in the current input mode of the rotating input disk; and a A processor, which is arranged in the housing, aligns the initial position of the rotating input disk with one of the input positions of the annular area, and when receiving a confirmation signal sent by the rotating input disk, according to the input The character corresponding to the position generates a control command.

In the embodiment of the present invention, characters belonging to different character sets are integrated on the rotary input disk, and the input mode is switched by switching keys, so that users can input characters of different character sets. Therefore, it is beneficial to reduce the number of mechanical keys and make the input The device can be developed towards a thinner and lighter direction, and in addition, the aesthetics of the input device can be improved.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an input device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the input device shown in FIG. 1 in a first input mode.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the input device shown in FIG. 1 in a second input mode.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the input device shown in FIG. 1 in a third input mode.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an input device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Description of main component symbols

input device 1 shell 10 ring area 11 input location 12 Turn the input disc 20 switch button twenty one initial position 22,410 Confirm button twenty three processor 30 display screen 40 virtual input disk icon 41 virtual indicator ring icon 42 indicator light 50 second capacitor plate 120 first capacitor plate 220

The following specific embodiments will further illustrate the present invention in conjunction with the above-mentioned drawings.

Detailed ways

FIG. 1 is an input device 1 in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which includes a housing 10, a rotary input disk 20 rotatably arranged on the housing 10, and a processing device disposed in the housing 10. device 30. Wherein, the input device 1 can be a remote controller.

The rotary input disk 20 has different input modes, which are respectively used for users to input characters in different character sets (such as numbers, uppercase characters, lowercase letters, symbols). Wherein, the rotary input disk 20 is provided with a switching button 21 for switching the rotary input disk 20 from the current input mode to the next input mode when operated by the user. The rotary input disc 20 is roughly circular, and a rotary shaft (not shown) is provided at the bottom thereof. The rotary input disc 20 is rotatably disposed on the casing 10 from an initial position 22 via the rotary shaft. Wherein, the rotation input disc 20 can rotate relative to the casing 10 in at least one of clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

The casing 10 is provided with an annular area 11 surrounding the rotary input disk 20 . The ring-shaped area 11 is provided with a plurality of input positions 12 arranged at intervals along the peripheral direction, and the plurality of input positions 12 respectively correspond to a plurality of characters of the character set in the current input mode of the rotary input disk 20 . If the user wants to input a certain character of the character set in the current input mode, first the rotary input disk 20 can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to the initial position 22 to align with the character corresponding to the character to be input. Enter position 12.

The processor 30 is used to align the initial position 22 of the rotary input disc 20 with one of the input positions 12 of the annular area 11, and when receiving a confirmation signal sent by the rotary input disc 20, according to the input position 12 The corresponding character generates a control command.

In this embodiment, the rotating input disc 20 is provided with a first capacitive plate 220 at the initial position 22 . The annular area 11 is provided with a second capacitive plate 120 at each input position 12 . Every time when the initial position 22 of the rotating input disk 20 is aligned with an input position 12 of the annular area 11, the first capacitive plate 220 and the second capacitive plate 120 together form a capacitive switch (not shown in the figure) ), the capacitive switch generates a capacitance value between the first capacitive plate 220 and the second capacitive plate 120, and the plurality of input positions 12 correspond to different capacitance values respectively. The processor 30 is used for judging the input position 12 of the annular area 11 aligned with the initial position 22 of the rotating input disk 20 according to the capacitance value when the capacitance value is detected.

Further, after the user rotates the rotary input disk 20 until the initial position 22 is aligned with the input position 12 corresponding to the character to be input, the user can continue to press the initial position 22 . At this time, the rotary input disk 20 sends the confirmation signal to the processor 30 . More specifically, the rotary input disk 20 includes a touch input interface for the user to input the confirmation signal when pressing the initial position 22 . In other embodiments, after the user rotates the rotary input disk 20 to the initial position 22 aligned with the input position 12 corresponding to the character to be input, the user can release the rotary input disk 20 . At this time, the initial position 22 of the rotating input disc 20 is reset, so that the capacitance between the first capacitor plate 220 and the second capacitor plate 120 is reduced to zero. The processor 30 is configured to determine that the rotating input disk 20 sends the confirmation signal when the capacitance value is detected and the capacitance value decreases to zero.

In this embodiment, the input device 1 further includes a display screen 40, which is arranged on the casing 10, and is used to display a virtual input disk icon 41 corresponding to the rotating input disk 20 and corresponding to the circular area 11 around the A virtual indicator ring icon 42 is set to the virtual input disk icon 41 . The virtual input disk icon 41 has an initial position 410 . The virtual indicator ring icon 42 is divided into different scales along the peripheral direction, and the scales are respectively marked with a plurality of characters of the character set in the current input mode of the rotating input disk 20 . In this way, when the user rotates the rotating input disk 20 to the initial position 22 to align with the input position 12 corresponding to the character to be input, the processor 30 controls the virtual input disk icon 41 to rotate synchronously to the initial position 410 The scale corresponding to the character is aligned, so as to be used for the user to accurately operate the rotary input disk 20.

In this embodiment, the input modes include three input modes for inputting characters in the first character set, the second character set, and the third character set (hereinafter referred to as "first input mode", "second input mode" respectively). input mode" and "third input mode"). More specifically, the first character set is numbers, the second character set is uppercase letters, and the third character set is lowercase letters. Certainly, in other implementation manners, the number of the input modes, the character types of the first character set, the second character set and the third character set can also be changed according to specific requirements.

Please also refer to FIG. 2 , in the first input mode, the annular area 11 may include ten input positions, and the ten input positions correspond to numbers 0-9 respectively. More specifically, according to the user's cognition and habit of the clock scale, the orientations set by the ten input positions are the same as the zero o'clock, one o'clock, two o'clock, ..., and nine o'clock orientations of the clock scale, so as to provide It is more intuitive for users to enter specific characters. That is, if the user wants to input the number "1", the rotary input disk 20 can be rotated clockwise to the same position as the one o'clock position of the clock scale. In this embodiment, the rotation input disc 20 can rotate clockwise and counterclockwise relative to the housing 10 . When the user rotates counterclockwise to the same position as the one o'clock position of the clock scale, the number "1" can also be input.

In this embodiment, the switching button 21 is arranged at a position corresponding to the rotation input dial 20 and the area between the nine o'clock and twelve o'clock positions of the clock scale.

Please also refer to FIG. 3 , in the second input mode, the annular area 11 may also include ten input positions, and the ten input positions correspond to capital letters AZ respectively. In this embodiment, when the number of input positions is less than the number of characters in the corresponding character set, the characters are divided into at least two layers. That is, in this case, the twenty-six capital letters A~Z corresponding to the ten input positions are divided into three layers: the first layer is capital letters A~J, the second layer is capital letters K~ T, the third layer is capital letters U~Z. The annular area 11 is provided with an elastic piece (not shown) at a position corresponding to the initial position 22 , and the elastic piece is triggered when the rotary input disc 20 rotates one revolution (360 degrees), thereby outputting a trigger signal. When the processor 30 receives the trigger signal for the first time, it switches the input position 12 to the uppercase letter corresponding to the next layer. That is, if the user wants to input a capital letter "B", the rotary input disk 20 can be rotated clockwise until the initial position 22 is aligned with the input position 12 corresponding to the capital letter "B". If the user wants to input the capital letter "L", the rotary input disc 20 can be rotated clockwise for one circle to trigger the elastic piece, and at this time, the processor 30 switches the input position 12 to correspond to the second layer of uppercase Letters K~T. Then the user can continue to rotate the rotary input disk 20 clockwise until the initial position 22 is aligned with the input position 12 corresponding to the capital letter "L". Of course, in the second input mode, the input position 12 can further correspond to a plurality of commonly used symbols (such as "@", ".", "-" and "_", which are distributed in the third layer of capital letters After U~Z.

More specifically, before receiving the trigger signal for the first time, the processor 30 also judges the rotation direction of the rotation input disc 20 according to the capacitance values generated twice last (as corresponding to the input position 12 in the clockwise direction). The capacitance value gradually increases, so when the last two generated capacitance values gradually increase, it can be judged that the rotation input disk 20 rotates in the clockwise direction), and when receiving the next trigger signal, the processor 30 judges Whether the rotation input disk 20 rotates in the same direction. When the rotary input disk 20 rotates in the same direction (such as clockwise), the processor 30 switches the input position 12 to the next uppercase letter; when the rotary input disk 20 is not in the same direction (such as When turning clockwise for the first time and counterclockwise for the second time), the processor 30 switches the input position to uppercase letters.

Please also refer to FIG. 4 , in the third input mode, the rotation range may include twenty-six input positions, and the twenty-six input positions correspond to lowercase letters a to z respectively. This situation is similar to the input of capital letters A to Z, and will not be repeated here.

Please refer to FIG. 5 , in another embodiment, the display screen 40 can be omitted, and the input device 1 includes an indicator light 50 , which is arranged on the housing 10 or the rotary input disk 20 to indicate that the rotary input The current input mode of disc 20. More specifically, the indicator light 50 indicates the current input mode of the rotary input disk 20 through the light color or light intensity. For example, the indicator light 50 can indicate the first input mode, the second input mode and the third input mode by emitting red light, yellow light and green light respectively.

In this embodiment, the input mode further includes a fourth input mode for the user to input other control commands (such as move up, move down, move left, move right, confirm, etc.). In the fourth input mode, the user can press the four positions of up, down, left and right of the rotary input disk 20 (that is, the rotary input disk 20 corresponds to zero o'clock, three o'clock, six o'clock and nine o'clock of the clock scale). orientation), and a confirmation button 23 to input the corresponding control command. In this embodiment, the confirmation button 23 is arranged at the center of the rotary input disk 20 .

Because the embodiment of the present invention integrates the characters belonging to different character sets on the rotary input disk 20, and switches the input mode through the switch button 21, thereby allowing the user to input characters of different character sets, therefore, it is beneficial to reduce the number of mechanical keys, The input device 1 can be developed towards a thinner and lighter direction, and in addition, the aesthetics of the input device 1 can be improved.

Those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Alterations and variations are within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims (12)

1. a kind of input unit, including a shell, which is characterized in that the input unit further includes：

One rotation input disc, has at least two input patterns, is respectively used to the character that input kinds of characters is concentrated, wherein should It rotates input disc and is equipped with a switching key, switch to by current input mode the rotation input disc when being operated next Input pattern, the rotation input disc are rotatablely arranged at from an initial position on the shell；

One annular region is set on the shell and surrounds the rotation input disc, and peripherally direction is equipped with interval to the annular region The multiple input position of setting, the multiple input position correspond to the character under the current input mode of the rotation input disc respectively Multiple characters of collection；And

One processor is set in the shell, which is directed at the annular region in the initial position of the rotation input disc A wherein input position, and receive the rotation input disc send a confirmation signal when, according to corresponding with the input position Character generate a control instruction.

2. input unit as described in claim 1, which is characterized in that the rotation input disc is equipped with one the in the initial position One capacitor plate, the annular region are equipped with one second capacitor plate at each input position, every time when the rotation input disc Initial position when being directed at an input position of the annular region, which collectively forms with second capacitor plate One capacitance-type switch, the capacitance-type switch generate a capacitance, and institute between a capacitor plate and second capacitor plate It states multiple input position and corresponds respectively to different capacitances, the processor is when detecting the capacitance, according to the capacitance Judge the input position for the annular region being aligned with the initial position of the rotation input disc.

3. input unit as claimed in claim 2, which is characterized in that the processor is when detecting the initial position and being pressed Judge that the rotation input disc sends the confirmation signal.

4. input unit as claimed in claim 2, which is characterized in that the processor is detecting the capacitance and the capacitance When being decreased to zero, judge that the rotation input disc sends the confirmation signal.

5. input unit as described in claim 1, which is characterized in that further include a display screen, it is outer which is set to this On shell, show that a virtual input tray icon of the corresponding rotation input disc and the corresponding annular region surround the virtual input One virtual indicating ring icon of tray icon setting, this virtually inputs tray icon and is equipped with an initial position, the virtual indicating ring figure Mark is divided into different scales, the word being labeled with respectively on the scale under the current input mode of the rotation input disc along bead direction Multiple characters of collection are accorded with, which turns to its initial position in the rotation input disc and be directed at the corresponding input position of the character When, it controls the virtual input tray icon and rotates synchronously scale corresponding with the character to the alignment of its initial position.

6. input unit as described in claim 1, which is characterized in that the input pattern includes for inputting the first character Collection, the first input pattern of the second character set and the character in third character set, the second input pattern and third input mould Formula, first character set are number, and second character set is capitalization, and the third character set is lowercase.

7. input unit as claimed in claim 6, which is characterized in that under first input pattern, which includes ten A input position corresponds to number 0~9 respectively, the orientation set by described ten input positions and clock scale zero clock to nine The orientation at o'clock is identical.

8. input unit as claimed in claim 6, which is characterized in that under second input pattern, which includes ten A input position, corresponds to capitalization A~Z respectively, and capitalization A~Z corresponding to 12 input positions is divided It it is three layers, which is equipped with a shrapnel in position corresponding with the initial position, which rotates in the rotation input disc Be triggered at one week, to output one trigger signal, the processor when receiving the trigger signal from the shrapnel for the first time, The input position is switched to corresponding next layer of capitalization.

9. input unit as claimed in claim 8, which is characterized in that the processor receive for the first time the trigger signal it Before, the rotation direction of the rotation input disc is judged according to the capacitance generated twice recently, and receiving next trigger signal When, judge whether the rotation input disc rotates in the same direction, the processor is when the rotation input disc rotates in the same direction The input position is switched into again next layer of capitalization, and will be described when the rotation input disc is not same direction rotation Input position switches to last layer capitalization.

10. input unit as claimed in claim 6, which is characterized in that under the third input pattern, which includes ten A input position, corresponds to lowercase a~z respectively, and lowercase a~z corresponding to described ten input positions is divided into Three layers, which is equipped with a shrapnel in position corresponding with the initial position, which rotates one in the rotation input disc It is triggered when all, to one trigger signal of output, which judges whether to receive to come from and be somebody's turn to do before generating the control instruction The trigger signal of shrapnel, and the input position is switched to corresponding next layer of small letter when judging to receive the trigger signal It is female.

11. the input unit as described in claim 7,8 or 10, which is characterized in that also further correspondence is more for the input position A symbol.

12. input unit as described in claim 1, which is characterized in that further include an indicator light, which indicates the rotation The current input mode of input disc.