WO2002060159A2

WO2002060159A2 - Operating element for an electronic appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2002060159A2
Application number: PCT/DE2002/000122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christine Kocourek; Bernd Holz Auf Der Heide; Walter Engl; Frank Blaimberger; Markus Andert
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2001-01-25
Filing date: 2002-01-17
Publication date: 2002-08-01
Also published as: DE10103335A1; WO2002060159A3

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating element for an electronic appliance, comprising a display screen on at least on side, especially the upper side, which illustrates the various functions of the appliance. One such operating element facilitates operation and renders it more clear. In this way, the electronic appliance can be controlled by means of a small number of operating elements.

Description

description

Control element for an electronic device

The present invention relates to an operating element for an electronic device and a correspondingly equipped device.

Modern information, entertainment and communication devices have a variety of functions and uses. For example, in addition to the actual (already very complex) telecommunication functions, certain comfortable mobile radio devices (cell phones) have an appointment planner, a calculator, an Internet access option, games and sometimes a dictation machine, camera or audio player etc.

The control of the extensive and complex functions places high demands on the input means used, particularly in the case of such mobile devices, since the area available for this is relatively small due to the miniaturization. Attempts have been made to counter this by multiple assignment of input keys or control elements with different functions depending on the context and / or by using virtual keys on the display. To control the very extensive and complex possibilities of mobile devices, the input means are typically implemented in three different ways, alternatively or in combination with one another.

In the first approach, permanently labeled keys, so-called hardkeys, are used in various forms, which are assigned multiple times due to the abundance of functions on the one hand and due to the limited area of the terminal device on the other. But that means depending on the context

Pressing a button triggers different functions. The different meanings of each key are here by appropriate Mehrfachbedruckung key Transfer on ^¬ telt, the fundamental problem is that the user has to find out for yourself and know each which function is called now currently keystroke. This is inconvenient and impractical. In addition, permanent multiple labeling is only possible with individual characters or symbols due to the small button size to ensure recognition.

In the second approach, one or more key (s) are arranged as close as possible to a display on the terminal. The current meaning of the key is now shown on the display, which has the advantage that the user can clearly see which function a key press triggers in the respective situation. A disadvantage, however, is that the basic principle of such an input means (usually referred to as a "soft key") - that is, the assignment of the display to the respective key - must first be understood. The problem here is that in practice, the interaction between

Key arrangement and display labeling is often not optimal ergonomically. A user can be confused by this and due to this the device u. May operate incorrectly.

In the third approach, a touch-sensitive display, a so-called touchscreen, is used, which, in an embodiment of interest here, shows virtual keys with context-specific labeling, which the user can then touch. This very flexible solution has the major disadvantage that the user presses on a smooth surface that does not offer any tactile feedback. This can lead to incorrect operation because, for example, a finger can slip away or the virtual key is not hit correctly due to its small size. The third approach is therefore basically impractical and uncomfortable for the user. _The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an operating element for an electronic device with which the operation is both simple and unambiguous and with which the electronic device can be controlled with a few operating elements.

This object is achieved by an operating element according to patent applica ^¬ demanding. 1

The invention includes the essential idea of making a function specification for a control element with several possible functions that is clearly and spatially clear and unmistakably executed, departing from the known multiple identification. It also includes the idea of providing a union of the two, departing from the also known juxtaposition of the actual operating element and the functional information. This leads to the idea of providing the control element itself with a changeable function display.

The proposed solution is of particular practical importance in the special design as a pushbutton, but the control element can also be a rotary control, slide control, rocker switch or other control elements with a variable input function.

An important advantage of the invention is that the user continues to receive tactile feedback for his input, although he presses (when the operating element is a key) on a changing display similar to a touch screen. Furthermore, the operation and control of the electronic device is practically error-free even for inexperienced users, since the executable function is displayed on the control element itself.

The display on the control element preferably has such a size and the eye relief during operation. Coordinated resolution that the function to be identified can be represented by text and / or clear symbols (pictograms or the like). In this way is even with small control elements ^¬ a clear and easy reading of the functional possible.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the indication comprises a structured matrixformig or a segment display first conductive film, a second film disposed un- terhalb of the conductive film, and a rule Zvi ^¬ the two films arranged matrix with balls. Half of the surface of the sphere is light, the other half is colored dark. An electrical field is applied as a control signal by means of the conductive foils, which causes the balls to rotate depending on the direction of the field in such a way that the individual matrix points or segments of the display turn bright or dark in a manner predetermined by the control signal.

In addition to optically purely passive ball coloring, which use ambient light or the light of a small light source arranged in the control element, displays with phosphorescent elements are of practical importance - especially for hand-held electronic devices with frequent outdoor use. B. has a ball half of the balls of an electronic ink phosphorescent coloring.

The display is preferably designed such that it remains stable without the supply of energy. In this embodiment, energy is only required if the function assigned to the control element changes.

A control element with an essentially curved shape is preferred. As a result, the control element can be adapted to tactile requirements. An important point here is that the display having the foils itself is curved can. Such a flexible display can adapt to different forms of an operating element.

In a preferred application, the control element is integrated in a telecommunications terminal, for example a mobile radio terminal or a landline terminal. In such a case, the currently executable device function is preferably synchronized with a corresponding display by means of a control unit. An important point is that this control unit is not part of the control element itself. This provides great flexibility in the applicability of the same.

In an alternative preferred application, the control element is integrated in a pocket computer (handheld, PDA). Here too, the executable device function is synchronized with a corresponding display by means of a control unit, and the control unit is not part of the control element itself.

Advantages and expediencies of the invention also emerge from the subclaims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. Here show:

1 shows a first embodiment of the invention,

2 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 3 shows a first example of an application, and

Fig. 4 shows a second example of an application of the present invention.

1 is an operating element 10 as a push button

Button 14 trained. The button 14 has a display 12 integrated in it on the concavely curved upper side. The Display 12 is based on the principle of electronic ink or electronic paper, which displays the respective content according to the "electronic labeling" without any power consumption and with a high display quality. In this context, permanent display means that energy is only required to change the display.

The display has a first, transparent, conductive film with a matrix structure and a second film, which is arranged below the first. A matrix of spheres is arranged between these two foils, each sphere having a light half and a dark half. For example, they are colored black on one half and white on the other half. For special areas of application, it makes sense that one of the two halves is phosphorescent or fluorescent, in order to have a display that can be clearly read even in the dark or in poor lighting for a device that is frequently used in the outdoor area in poor light, e.g. B. to get a cell phone. These spheres are rotatably supported within the matrix and rotate depending on the field direction of the electrical field applied by means of the conductive film.

The specific design of the electronic paper is selected in accordance with the function, shape and size of the control element to be provided so that a user with normal to moderate eyesight can reliably recognize the functions with a normal viewing distance. For the labeling of a pushbutton of a hand-held electronic device with dimensions customary today and of conventional design (for example a mobile phone) with a number or a letter or a few numbers or letters, a diameter of the beads of 200 m or less, especially 100 μm, is used or below, result in sufficient resolution and a typeface with satisfactory sharpness. The material of the embedding matrix should be selected for devices that are frequently used outdoors so that a change in the display in response to a changed function assignment of the control element, even at low temperatures down to -10 ° C and below.

The foils used for the display 12 are flexible so that the display can be attached to differently shaped buttons.

The control element 20 shown in Fig. 2 corresponds essentially to the first embodiment. Only the shape differs, so that a detailed description can be omitted here.

3 shows a mobile radio terminal 30 as the first application example. The device 30 has a display 33 and a keyboard field 34. An operating element 36 is part of the keyboard field 34. Individual or all operating elements of the keyboard field 34 are constructed in accordance with the present invention.

A pocket computer 40 is shown in FIG. 4 as a second application example. The pocket computer 40 has a display 42, a touchscreen field 44 and operating elements 46. Text information can be entered into the system by means of a stylus via the touchscreen field 44. The operating elements 46 correspond to the present invention. The pocket computer 40 also corresponds to a conventional handheld PC, depending on the program and function in which it is currently located (for example, scheduler, word processing, spreadsheet calculation, etc.), the operating elements 46 can display different functions to identify the current function exhibit. The user is thus able to control the full functionality of the pocket computer 40 with only a few control elements, namely the control elements 46 and the touchscreen 44.

At this point it should be pointed out that all the parts described above are seen on their own and in every grain. combination, in particular the details shown in the drawings are claimed as essential to the invention.

Claims

claims

1. Control element (10, 2.0) for an electronic device which has a controllable display (12, 22) on at least one side, in particular the upper side, which identifies different functions of the device.

2. Control element (10, 20) according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the display (12, 22) has a resolution such that the function can be designated by letters, numbers and / or symbols.

3. Control element (10, 20) according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the display (12, 22) has the following:

- a first conductive film,

- A second film, which is arranged below the first conductive film, and

- A matrix with balls arranged between the two foils, one half of which is colored light and the other half dark, whereby when an electric field is applied by means of the conductive foil, the balls rotate depending on the direction of the field, so that the individual Color the matrix points of the display (12, 22) light or dark.

4. Control element (10, 20) according to one of the preceding claims, that a d u r c h g e k e n e z e i c h n e t that the display (12, 22) is designed such that it remains stable without energy supply.

5. Control element (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an essentially curved shape.

6. Hand-held electronic device, in particular telecommunication terminal (30) or pocket computer (40), the equipment with at least one control element (10; 14; 24; 36; 46) according to one of the preceding claims.

7. The device according to claim 6, a control unit for synchronizing a representation of the controllable display (12; 22) with an input function that can currently be carried out by means of the control element (10; 20) carrying the display.