IP Library Granted Patent US 12,164,719
Granted Patent B2
US 12,164,719 · App. 17/174,963 · Granted Dec 10, 2024

Base assemblies having conductive pads for knob on display devices and related systems, methods, and devices

Inventors: Nigel Hinson (Lymington, GB); Samuel Daniel Brunet (Fareham Hampsh, GB)
Assignee: AMTEL CORPORTATION
G06F3/04162G06F3/0338G06F3/04164
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,164,719
App. No.
17/174,963
Granted
Dec 10, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Base assemblies for knob on display (KoD) devices and related systems and devices are disclosed. A base assembly for a KoD device includes a base portion for positioning between one or more electrode pads and a touch screen of a touch screen device. The base portion includes electrically insulating material. The base portion further includes an exterior surface to face the touch screen, an interior surface to face the one or more electrode pads, and extender pads including electrically conductive material. The extender pads extend through the base portion from the interior surface to the exterior surface.

Claims (51)

1. A base assembly for a knob on display (KoD) device, the base assembly comprising:

a base portion to mount the KoD device to a touch screen of a touch screen device, the base portion including:

electrically insulating material having an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, a thickness of the base portion defined between the interior surface and the exterior surface;

the exterior surface of the electrically insulating material to face and mount to the touch screen; and

multiple extender pads including electrically conductive material, the multiple extender pads disposed through the base portion from the interior surface to the exterior surface, respective ones of the multiple extender pads circumferentially disposed around the base portion at a distance radially from a center of the base portion;

an inner housing having a surface adjacent the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion, the inner housing to rotate about a post within the base assembly, the post extending from the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion; and

one or more electrode pads carried by and exposed at the surface of the inner housing, the one or more electrode pads to rotate with the inner housing and move over the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion responsive to rotation of the inner housing, at least one of the one or more electrode pads to make contact with, at the interior surface, at least one of the multiple extender pads responsive to the rotation, the one or more electrode pads maintained at a constant distance from the touch screen substantially equal to the thickness of the base portion,

wherein the multiple extender pads are physically exposed at the exterior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion from a perspective taken from outside of the base assembly.

2. The base assembly of claim 1 , comprising a lateral portion extending from the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion.

3. The base assembly of claim 2 , wherein the multiple extender pads extend radially outward toward the lateral portion.

4. The base assembly of claim 2 , wherein the lateral portion includes a lateral interior surface defining detents for engaging with one or more detent actuators carried by the inner housing.

5. The base assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multiple extender pads are in a fixed position at the exterior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion during rotation of the inner housing.

6. The base assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) including the one or more electrode pads, the PCB mechanically coupled to the inner housing to rotate with the inner housing.

7. The base assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrode pads are maintained at the constant distance from the touch screen regardless of a released position or a depressed position of the KoD device.

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

a base assembly to mount the KoD device to a touch screen, the base assembly including:

a base portion including electrically insulating material, the electrically insulating material having an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, a thickness of the base portion defined between the interior surface and the exterior surface, the exterior surface of the electrically insulating material to face and mount to the touch screen;

multiple extender pads including electrically conductive material, the multiple extender pads disposed through the base portion from the interior surface to the exterior surface, respective ones of the multiple extender pads circumferentially disposed around the base portion at a distance radially from a center of the base portion;

an inner housing having a surface adjacent the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion, the inner housing to rotate about a post within the base assembly, the post extending from the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion; and

the one or more electrode pads carried by and exposed at the surface of the inner housing, the one or more electrode pads to rotate with the inner housing and move over the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion responsive to rotation of the inner housing, at least one of the one or more electrode pads to make contact with, at the interior surface, at least one of the multiple extender pads responsive to the rotation, the one or more electrode pads maintained at a constant distance from the touch screen substantially equal to the thickness of the base portion,

wherein the multiple extender pads physically exposed at the exterior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion from a perspective taken from outside of the base assembly.

9. The KoD device of claim 8 , wherein the base assembly comprises:

a printed circuit board (PCB) including the one or more electrode pads, the PCB mechanically coupled to the inner housing to rotate with the inner housing.

10. The KoD device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more electrode pads are rotatable about the post to two or more different positions relative to the multiple extender pads.

11. The KoD device of claim 8 , wherein the base portion includes a lateral portion, the lateral portion having a lateral interior surface extending from the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion, the lateral interior surface including detents, the detents for engaging with detent actuators carried by the inner housing.

12. The KoD device of claim 11 , wherein a number of the detents is equal to a number of the multiple extender pads.

13. The KoD device of claim 8 , wherein:

the multiple extender pads include at least two extender pads; and

the one or more electrode pads are respectively of a size to substantially completely overlap at least two of the multiple extender pads at a time.

14. The KoD device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more electrode pads are moveable to two or more different positions relative to the multiple extender pads.

15. The KoD device of claim 14 , wherein:

a first position of the two or more different positions corresponds to one of the one or more electrode pads overlapping a first set of the multiple extender pads; and

a second position of the two or more different positions corresponds to the one of the one or more electrode pads overlapping a second set of the multiple extender pads, the second set different from the first set.

16. The KoD device of claim 15 , wherein:

the first set of the multiple extender pads includes a first extender pad and a second extender pad; and

the second set of the multiple extender pads includes the second extender pad and a third extender pad.

17. The KoD device of claim 14 , wherein a respective position of the two or more different positions corresponds to a different set of two of the multiple extender pads.

18. The KoD device of claim 8 , comprising a touch surface electrically connected to the at least one of the one or more electrode pads, the touch surface electrically connected to at least a portion of the multiple extender pads via the at least one of the one or more electrode pads.

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

a touch screen device including a touch screen; and

a KoD device including a base assembly comprising:

a base portion including electrically insulating material between the KoD device and the touch screen, the electrically insulating material having an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, a thickness of the base portion defined between the interior surface and the exterior surface, the exterior surface to face and mount to the touch screen, the base portion including multiple extender pads disposed through the electrically insulating material of the base portion from the interior surface to the exterior surface, the multiple extender pads including electrically conductive material, respective ones of the multiple extender pads circumferentially disposed around the base portion at a distance radially from a center of the base portion;

an inner housing having a surface adjacent the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion, the inner housing to rotate about a post within the base assembly, the post extending from the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion; and

one or more electrode pads carried by and exposed at the surface of the inner housing, the one or more electrode pads to rotate with the inner housing and move over the interior surface of the electrically insulating material of the base portion responsive to rotation of the inner housing, at least one of the one or more electrode pads to make contact with, at the interior surface, at least one of the multiple extender pads responsive to the rotation, the one or more electrode pads maintained at a constant distance from the touch screen substantially equal to the thickness of the base portion,

wherein the multiple extender pads are physically contacting the touch screen free of intervention from other portions of the base assembly.

20. The KoD system of claim 19 , wherein the base assembly comprises:

a printed circuit board (PCB) including the one or more electrode pads, the PCB mechanically coupled to the inner housing to rotate with the inner housing.

21. The KoD system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more multiple extender pads include an electrically conductive plastic.

22. The KoD system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more multiple extender pads include a metal.

23. The KoD system of claim 19 , wherein the KoD device includes a touch surface electrically connected to at least a portion of the one or more-multiple extender pads via the at least one of the one or more electrode pads.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 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 059363/0001 →
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
Reel/Frame 059358/0398 →
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 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058213/0959 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2021
From: HINSON, NIGEL; BRUNET, SAMUEL DANIEL
To: MICROCHIP TOUCH SOLUTIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 057119/0257 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TOUCH SOLUTIONS LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057119/0354 →
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 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 16947327 · Jul 28, 2020
Provisional Application 62901383 · Sep 17, 2019
Provisional Application 62887657 · Aug 15, 2019
Related Publication 20210173542A1 · Jun 10, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,326,988