IP Library Granted Patent US 12,189,438
Granted Patent B2
US 12,189,438 · App. 18/168,468 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Knob on display

Inventors: Nigel Hinson (Hants, GB); Gareth Michael Jones (Salisbury, GB)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
G06F1/169G05G9/047G06F3/0354G06F3/0362G06F3/0412G06F3/0414G05G2009/0474G05G2009/04766G06F2203/04103G06F2203/04106
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,189,438
App. No.
18/168,468
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

One or more examples relate to a knob-on-display. An apparatus of such a knob-on-display includes a touch surface, a dome switch pad, a dome switch, a rotation electrode pad, and an electrically conductive structure. The touch surface may include an electrically conductive material, the touch surface movable to a released position and to a depressed position. The dome switch may include an electrically conductive material. The dome switch may be physically mounted to and electrically connected to the dome switch pad. The rotation electrode pad may be in engagement proximity to a touch sensor of a touch screen device in both the released position and the depressed position. The electrically conductive structure may be 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.

Claims (48)

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

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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:

a touch cap including the touch surface, the touch cap electrically connected to the dome switch.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:

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.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , comprising:

a push contact electrically connected to the push electrode pad, the push contact electrically connected, via 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.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , comprising:

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.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , comprising: wherein the printed circuit board is a folded flexible printed circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , comprising: an electrically conductive overmold including the rotation electrode pad and the push electrode pad.

8. The apparatus 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.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , 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.

10. The apparatus 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.

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

12. A 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, via the dome switch, the touch surface to 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 KoD device responsive to the released position of the KoD device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein electrically connecting, via the dome switch, the touch surface to the KoD device comprises:

electrically connecting, via the dome switch and a push contact electrically connected to a push electrode pad of the KoD device, the touch surface to the push electrode pad of the KoD device.

14. The method of claim 13 , 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.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein electrically isolating the touch surface and the dome switch pad from the KoD device comprises:

electrically isolating the touch surface and the dome switch pad from a push electrode pad of the KoD device.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein electrically connecting, via the dome switch, the touch surface to the KoD device comprises:

contacting the dome switch to a push contact pad of the KoD device responsive to depression of the dome switch to the push contact pad, the dome switch electrically connected to the touch surface.

17. A 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 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.

18. The system of claim 17 , 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.

19. The system of claim 17 , 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.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the KoD device comprising:

a push electrode pad; 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.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the push electrode pad is electrically isolated from the dome switch pad in the released position of the KoD device.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 16947326 · Jul 28, 2020
Provisional Application 62901383 · Sep 17, 2019
Provisional Application 62887657 · Aug 15, 2019
Related Publication 20230195185A1 · Jun 22, 2023
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