Touch-sensitive keypad control device

1. A touch-sensitive keypad control device for use with a controlled device, comprising:

a housing;

a touch control device including a one-dimensional touch sensing unit formed with a plurality of separate sensing electrodes on a substrate accommodated in the housing, wherein at least one of the sensing electrodes includes an outer ring member, and a central member surrounded by the outer ring member; and

a keypad device integrated with a first portion of the sensing electrodes and independent from a second portion of the sensing electrodes, wherein the keypad device is uncovered from the housing to be pressed by a user, and includes at least one cover and a flexible dome member which is deformable so as to be movable toward the central member in response to a pressing operation of a user on the cover, and when pressed, the flexible dome member moves toward the substrate to have a level change relative to the first portion of the sensing electrodes;

wherein the flexible dome member is electrically coupled to the outer ring member; a first touch sensing command is generated for controlling the controlled device in response to a first gesture of a user over the first portion of the sensing electrodes, a second touch sensing command is generated for controlling the controlled device in response to a second gesture of a user over the second portion of the sensing electrodes, and a key input command is generated for controlling the controlled device in response to the movement of the keypad device enabled by a user relative to the first portion of the sensing electrodes, and

at least one of the first portion of the sensing electrodes includes the outer ring member, the central member surrounded by the outer ring member and covered by the keypad device, and a bridge member being the only connection between the outer ring member and the central member.

2. The touch-sensitive keypad control device according to claim 1 , being a remote controller, wherein the keypad device includes a plurality of push buttons each independently movable to trigger the generation of the key input command in response to a pressing operation of a user.

3. The touch-sensitive keypad control device according to claim 1 , wherein the first gesture is a sliding operation on or over the first portion of the sensing electrodes, and the second gesture is a sliding operation on or over the second portion of the sensing electrodes.

4. The touch-sensitive keypad control device according to claim 1 , wherein the movement of the keypad device enabled by a user relative to the first portion of the sensing electrodes is a vertical movement within a specified range or a holding-still action for a specified duration above the keypad device, and the first gesture is a sliding operation on or over the keypad device.

5. The touch-sensitive keypad control device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing electrodes and a first common electrode are separately formed on a first surface of the substrate, and a second common electrode is formed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface and electrically coupled to the first common electrode via a through hole between the first and second surfaces, wherein the outer ring member has a first part covered by an insulating paint layer, a second part uncovered by the insulating paint layer and an inner space where the first common electrode is disposed.

6. The touch-sensitive keypad control device according to claim 5 , wherein at least one cover overlies the flexible dome member, and the flexible dome member is deformable so as to be movable toward the first common electrode in response to the pressing operation of the user on the cover.

7. The touch-sensitive keypad control device according to claim 1 , wherein the touch control device further includes a waterproof insulating layer overlying the one-dimensional touch sensing unit.

8. A remote controller, comprising:

a housing;

a touch control device including a one-dimensional touch sensing unit formed with a plurality of separate sensing electrodes on a substrate accommodated in the housing, wherein at least one of the sensing electrodes includes an outer ring member, a central member surrounded by the outer ring, and a bridge member being the only connection between the outer ring member and the central member; and

a keypad device uncovered from the housing to be pressed by a user, and when pressed, moving toward the substrate to have a level change relative to the substrate;

wherein the keypad device includes a cover and a flexible dome member covered by the cover and disposed between the cover and the substrate, and

wherein the sensing electrodes and a first common electrode are separately formed on a first surface of the substrate, and a second common electrode is formed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface and electrically coupled to the first common electrode via a through hole between the first and second surfaces, wherein the outer ring member includes a first part covered by an insulating paint layer, a second part uncovered by the insulating paint layer and an inner space where the first common electrode is disposed, and the flexible dome member is electrically coupled to the second part of the outer ring member, and

wherein a movement of the flexible dome member of the keypad device enabled by a user toward the central member renders a key input action, and a gesture of a user over the sensing electrodes covered by the cover but uncovered from the flexible dome member renders a touch sensing action.