Keypad with virtual image
US7830368B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 31, 2007 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 28, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2239/068
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A keypad having a virtual floating image that appears to a user to be in a plane other than the apparent plane of the keypad surface. More particularly, the indicia on the keypad appear to float above or below the surface of the device. The keypad can be, for example, the keypad on a cell phone. For such an application there would be more than one array of indicia present on the keypad. For example, there might be ten arrays of indicia, which provide the numerals from 0 to 9 and two more arrays to provide virtual images of the * and # keys. In some embodiments, the keypad is integrated with an illumination source that light up the indicia. The present disclosure also provides a method of manufacturing a key pad with a virtual floating image.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.