US5598527A — Compact and ergonomic communications terminal equ…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 365 words

A man-machine communications terminal comprising a viewing screen and command means distributed around the periphery of the screen and comprising two detection devices, each detecting a position of a finger of an operator on a respective axis thereof, the axes of these two devices being perpendicular and each disposed facing an edge of the screen, each of said two detection devices having a first operating mode, enabling an object to be located on its detection axis, and a second operating mode according to which its detection axis is divided into a plurality of switching segments each constituting a switching zone assimilable with a switch operating key, each switching segment of said switching segments comprising means for triggering said second operating mode, said two detection devices further having means for guiding said finger along their respective axes, and means for centering said finger on each of said switching zones, wherein the means for guiding and the means for centering have a structure raised above an upper surface of each of said two detection devices for respectively guiding said finger along the axes of the two detection devices and centering said finger respectively on each of the switching zones, said upper surface being entirely flat and smooth, wherein the means for guiding consists of raised edges along a longitudinal axis which extends parallel to and on both sides of the axes of the detection devices so as to form with the upper surface of each of said two detection devices a gutter with a U-shaped profile, and the means for centering consist of scallopings arranged on each of the raised edges, each of which delimits a switching segment, means for activating the means for triggering the second operating mode when said finger exerts a pressure exceeding a certain threshold on a switching segment, wherein each of said switching segments being positioned below the upper surface and being a switch constituted by at least a fixed contact element and a mobile contact element which is applied on the fixed contact element under the effect of a pressure exceeding said certain threshold, said contact elements being used to detect the proximity of an electrically conductive finger by capacitive effect.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 365 words

A man-machine communications terminal comprising a viewing screen and command means distributed around the periphery of the screen and comprising two detection devices, each detecting a position of a finger of an operator on a respective axis thereof, the axes of these two devices being perpendicular and each disposed facing an edge of the screen, each of said two detection devices having a first operating mode, enabling an object to be located on its detection axis, and a second operating mode according to which its detection axis is divided into a plurality of switching segments each constituting a switching zone assimilable with a switch operating key, each switching segment of said switching segments comprising means for triggering said second operating mode, said two detection devices further having means for guiding said finger along their respective axes, and means for centering said finger on each of said switching zones, wherein the means for guiding and the means for centering have a structure raised above an upper surface of each of said two detection devices for respectively guiding said finger along the axes of the two detection devices and centering said finger respectively on each of the switching zones, said upper surface being entirely flat and smooth, wherein the means for guiding consists of raised edges along a longitudinal axis which extends parallel to and on both sides of the axes of the detection devices so as to form with the upper surface of each of said two detection devices a gutter with a U-shaped profile, and the means for centering consist of scallopings arranged on each of the raised edges, each of which delimits a switching segment, means for activating the means for triggering the second operating mode when said finger exerts a pressure exceeding a certain threshold on a switching segment, wherein each of said switching segments being positioned below the upper surface and being a switch constituted by at least a fixed contact element and a mobile contact element which is applied on the fixed contact element under the effect of a pressure exceeding said certain threshold, said contact elements being used to detect the proximity of an electrically conductive finger by capacitive effect.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 44 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position of said finger along the detection axis of each of said two detection devices is determined by computation of an average weighted by coefficients representing the level of excitation of said switching segments.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 171 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the detection devices is constituted by a glass lamina and comprises: a transmission transducer means for acoustic waves in the mass of said glass lamina, a means for redirecting said acoustic waves according to a multiplicity of paths of different lengths respectively associated with different positions of said finger along the detection axis of each of said detection devices, a reception transducer means for the acoustic waves propagating in said glass lamina, a means for redirecting said acoustic waves traveling along multiple paths towards said reception transducer means, a means for analyzing the signal supplied by the reception transducer means, capable of detecting a damping of acoustic wave amplitude caused by the presence of an object bearing on said glass lumina, and capable of determining which of the multiple paths has been traveled by the acoustic wave whose amplitude has been damped by said finger, said path enabling the position of said finger to be determined along the detection axis.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 49 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means for analyzing the signal supplied by said reception transducer means is capable of measuring said damping in order to determine the pressure exerted by said finger on said glass lamina, said pressure being a function of said damping.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 4, wherein said signal analyzing means activates the second operating mode when the pressure measured exceeds said certain threshold.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 43 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 3, wherein the detection devices comprise means for lighting said glass lamina by its edge and labels placed under the glass lamina, each label indicating the name of the command triggered when pressure is exerted thereon.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 1, comprising photodiodes measuring illumination thereof, a screen lighting device, and a management module for this lighting capable of controlling it as a function of the illumination measured by said photodiodes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 315 words

A man-machine communications terminal comprising: a viewing screen, two perpendicular command strips distributed around a periphery of the screen, each of said two command strips comprising a top contact surface and a bottom surface, the top contact surface being entirely flat and smooth; touch sensitive means located between the top contact surface and bottom surface for locating on the screen a position of a finger of an operator when moved on said top contact surface along a longitudinal axis of each of said two command strips; a plurality of switch segment means located between the top contact surface and the bottom surface, each of said plurality of switch segment means spaced apart along each said longitudinal axis for identifying information to be introduced onto the screen when pressed by said finger; each of said two command strips having means for guiding said finger when moved along each said longitudinal axis and means for centering said finger over each of said plurality of switch segment means, wherein said means for guiding and the means for centering have raised edges above and at both sides of the top contact surface to maintain said finger therebetween and on each said longitudinal axis, and scallops respectively formed in the raised edges around each of said plurality of switch segment means to center the finger thereover; a cross-section through each of said two command strips having a U-shaped profile forming a gutter with a top contact surface along each said longitudinal axis, wherein each of said switching segment means below a top contact surface is a switch key constituted by at least a fixed contact element and a mobile contact element which is applied on the fixed contact element under the effect of a pressure exceeding a certain threshold, said fixed contact element and said mobile contact element being used to detect the proximity of said finger by capacitive effect.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 315 words

A man-machine communications terminal comprising: a viewing screen, two perpendicular command strips distributed around a periphery of the screen, each of said two command strips comprising a top contact surface and a bottom surface, the top contact surface being entirely flat and smooth; touch sensitive means located between the top contact surface and bottom surface for locating on the screen a position of a finger of an operator when moved on said top contact surface along a longitudinal axis of each of said two command strips; a plurality of switch segment means located between the top contact surface and the bottom surface, each of said plurality of switch segment means spaced apart along each said longitudinal axis for identifying information to be introduced onto the screen when pressed by said finger; each of said two command strips having means for guiding said finger when moved along each said longitudinal axis and means for centering said finger over each of said plurality of switch segment means, wherein said means for guiding and the means for centering have raised edges above and at both sides of the top contact surface to maintain said finger therebetween and on each said longitudinal axis, and scallops respectively formed in the raised edges around each of said plurality of switch segment means to center the finger thereover; a cross-section through each of said two command strips having a U-shaped profile forming a gutter with a top contact surface along each said longitudinal axis, wherein each of said switching segment means below a top contact surface is a switch key constituted by at least a fixed contact element and a mobile contact element which is applied on the fixed contact element under the effect of a pressure exceeding a certain threshold, said fixed contact element and said mobile contact element being used to detect the proximity of said finger by capacitive effect.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 44 words

The communication terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein the position of the finger along the axis of each of said two command strips is determined by computation of an average weighted by coefficients representing the level of excitation of the touch sensitive means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 174 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the command strips is constituted by a glass lamina wherein said touch-sensitive means comprises: a transmission transducer means for acoustic waves in the mass of said glass lamina, a means for redirecting said acoustic waves according to a multiplicity of paths of different lengths respectively associated with different positions of the finger along the axis of each of said command strips, a reception transducer means for the acoustic waves propagating in said glass lamina, a means for redirecting said acoustic waves traveling along multiple paths towards said reception transducer means, a means for analyzing the signal supplied by the reception transducer means, capable of detecting a damping of acoustic wave amplitude caused by the presence of a finger of an operator on said glass lamina, and capable of determining which of the multiple paths has been traveled by the acoustic wave whose amplitude has been damped by the finger, said path enabling the position of the finger to be determined along the axis.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 49 words

The communication terminal as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for analyzing the signal supplied by said reception transducer means is capable of measuring said damping in order to determine the pressure exerted by said finger on said glass lamina, said pressure being a function of said damping.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 11, wherein said signal analyzing means activates a switch segment of said switch segment means when the pressure measured exceeds said certain threshold.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 45 words

The communication terminal as claimed in claim 10, wherein the command strips comprise means for lighting said glass lamina by its edge and labels placed under the glass lamina, each label indicating the name of the the switch segment triggered when pressure is exerted thereon.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 38 words

The communications terminal as claimed in claim 8, comprising photodiodes measuring illumination thereof, a screen lighting device, and a management module for this lighting capable of controlling it as a function of the illumination measured by said photodiodes.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-01-28	2000-07-29	2001-01-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-01-28	2004-07-29	2005-01-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-01-28	2008-07-29	2009-01-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Compact and ergonomic communications terminal equipped with proximity detection surfaces

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag