IP Library Granted Patent US 11,579,665
Granted Patent B2
US 11,579,665 · App. 16/947,326 · Granted Feb 14, 2023

Knob on display devices and related systems, methods, and devices

Inventors: Nigel Hinson (Lymington, GB); Gareth Michael Jones (Salisbury, GB)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
G06F1/169G05G9/047G06F3/0354G06F3/0362G06F3/0412G06F3/0414G05G2009/0474G05G2009/04766G06F2203/04103G06F2203/04106
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,579,665
App. No.
16/947,326
Granted
Feb 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Knob on display (KoD) devices and related systems, methods, and devices are disclosed. A KoD device includes a touch surface including a conductive material. The touch surface is configured to be positioned in a released position and in a depressed position. The touch surface is configured to be positioned in the depressed position responsive to pressure applied to the touch surface. The KoD device also includes a push electrode pad configured to be positioned in engagement proximity to a touch sensor of a touch screen device in both the released position and the depressed position. The push electrode pad is electrically connected to the conductive material of the touch surface responsive to the depressed position and electrically isolated from the conductive material of the touch surface in the released position.

Claims (36)

1. A knob on display (KoD) device, comprising:

a touch surface comprising an electrically conductive material, the touch surface movable to a released position and to a depressed position;

a dome switch pad comprising an electrically conductive material;

a dome switch physically mounted to and electrically connected to the dome switch pad;

a push electrode pad in engagement proximity to a touch sensor of a touch screen device in both the released position and the depressed position, the push electrode pad electrically isolated from the dome switch pad in the released position;

a rotation electrode pad in engagement proximity to the touch sensor of the touch screen device in both the released position and the depressed position;

an electrically conductive structure physically and electrically connected to the dome switch pad and the rotation electrode pad, the electrically conductive structure defining a continuous electrically conductive path from the rotation electrode pad, through the dome switch, to the electrically conductive material of the touch surface in both the released position and the depressed position; and

a push contact electrically connected to the push electrode pad, the push contact electrically connected, through the dome switch, to the electrically conductive material of the touch surface responsive to one of the depressed position and the released position, and electrically isolated from the electrically conductive material of the touch surface in the other of the depressed position and the released position.

2. The KoD device of claim 1 , wherein the push contact is electrically connected to the electrically conductive material of the touch surface responsive to the depressed position and electrically isolated from the electrically conductive material of the touch surface in the released position.

3. The KoD device of claim 1 , comprising a touch cap including the touch surface, the touch cap electrically connected to the dome switch.

4. The KoD device of claim 1 , comprising a printed circuit board electrically connecting the rotation electrode pad to the dome switch pad and electrically connecting the push electrode pad to the push contact.

5. The KoD device of claim 4 , wherein the printed circuit board is a folded flexible printed circuit.

6. The KoD device of claim 1 , comprising an electrically conductive overmold including the push electrode pad and the rotation electrode pad.

7. The KoD device of claim 1 , comprising a hub to secure to a touch screen of the touch screen device, the rotation electrode pad rotatable about the hub.

8. The KoD device of claim 7 , comprising detent actuators mechanically coupled to the rotation electrode pad, wherein the hub includes detents to provide mechanical resistance against the detent actuators responsive to rotation of the detent actuators about the hub.

9. The KoD device of claim 1 , comprising:

a touch cap including the touch surface; and

a cushion to compress by the touch cap responsive to the depressed position of the touch surface.

10. The KoD device of claim 9 , wherein the touch cap includes clips to secure the touch cap to a circuit board including the dome switch pad.

11. A method of operating a knob on display (KoD) device, the method comprising:

electrically connecting a touch surface of a KoD device to a rotation electrode pad regardless of a depressed position of the KoD device or a released position of the KoD device through a dome switch comprising an electrically conductive material physically mounted to a dome switch pad, the dome switch pad physically and electrically connected to the rotation electrode pad through an electrically conductive structure, the electrically conductive structure defining a continuous electrically conductive path from the rotation electrode pad, through the dome switch, to the touch surface of the KoD device;

electrically connecting, through the dome switch and a push contact electrically connected to a push electrode pad, the touch surface to the push electrode pad of the KoD device responsive to the depressed position of the KoD device; and

electrically isolating the touch surface and the dome switch pad from the push electrode pad of the KoD device responsive to the released position of the KoD device.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising maintaining the push electrode pad and the rotation electrode pad a constant distance from a touch screen of a touch screen device regardless of the depressed position and the released position of the KoD device.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein electrically connecting the touch surface to the push electrode pad responsive to the depressed position comprises contacting the dome switch to the push contact responsive to depression of the dome switch to the push contact, the dome switch electrically connected to the touch surface.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein electrically isolating the touch surface from the push electrode pad responsive to the released position comprises electrically isolating the push contact from the dome switch, the dome switch electrically connected to the touch surface.

15. A knob on display (KoD) system, comprising:

a touch screen device including a touch screen and a touch sensor; and

a KoD device secured to the touch screen, the KoD device comprising:

a dome switch pad;

a dome switch comprising an electrically conductive material physically mounted to and electrically connected to the dome switch pad;

a touch surface; and

a push electrode pad and a rotation electrode pad to remain a constant distance from the touch screen regardless of a depressed position and a released position of the KoD device, the rotation electrode pad and the dome switch pad physically and electrically connected to an electrically conductive structure, the electrically conductive structure defining a continuous conductive path from the rotation electrode pad to the touch surface through the dome switch pad and the dome switch,

wherein the push electrode pad is electrically isolated from the dome switch pad in the released position of the KoD device.

16. The KoD system of claim 15 , wherein the KoD device comprises a hub secured to the touch screen, wherein the rotation electrode pad is rotatable about the hub responsive to rotation of the KoD device.

17. The KoD system of claim 15 , wherein the rotation electrode pad is electrically connected to the touch surface through the dome switch pad and the dome switch regardless of the depressed position and the released position of the KoD device, and wherein a push contact electrically connected to the push electrode pad is electrically connected to the touch surface responsive to the depressed position and electrically isolated from the touch surface responsive to the released position.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059357/0823 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059264/0384 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0238 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0380 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2021
From: HINSON, NIGEL; JONES, GARETH MICHAEL
To: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 057119/0582 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2021
From: ATMEL TECHNOLOGIES U.K. LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057119/0576 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62901383 · Sep 17, 2019
Provisional Application 62887657 · Aug 15, 2019
Related Publication 20210048845A1 · Feb 18, 2021
Cited By (4)
US 12,189,438 US 12,307,030 US 12,387,550 US 12,429,965