Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Multi-action capacitive switch and methods of use
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Application No.: US12892113Application Date: 2010-09-28
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Publication No.: US09780781B2Publication Date: 2017-10-03
- Inventor: Yun Sun Lee , Chin Feng Hsu
- Applicant: Yun Sun Lee , Chin Feng Hsu
- Applicant Address: CA Waterloo, Ontario
- Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
- Current Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
- Current Assignee Address: CA Waterloo, Ontario
- Agency: Fish & Richardson P.C.
- Main IPC: H03K17/94
- IPC: H03K17/94 ; H03K17/96 ; G06F3/023 ; H04M1/2745

Abstract:
A multi-action capacitive switch comprising a capacitive sensing area in a surface, a plunger comprising conductive material, and a structure of flexible conductive material. A change in capacitance caused by the presence of a user's finger travels from the capacitive sensing area, down the conductive material of the plunger, over the structure, and to a capacitive touch detector in contact with the structure. An actuation of the switch, for example by pressing, is detected by an actuation detector. In a handheld electronic device, a user may initiate a phone call using such a multi-action capacitive switch. The method includes displaying a list of phone numbers in response to detection of a user's finger on a predetermined key and calling one of the numbers when the user actuates the predetermined key.
Public/Granted literature
- US20120075486A1 Multi-Action Capacitive Switch and Methods of Use Public/Granted day:2012-03-29
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