Keyboards and other electronic input devices have a key or keys with glyphs that are invisible to an unaided human eye in a first condition, such as when an underlying display attached to the key is not emitting light. The glyphs are visible through the key or keys when the display emits light. A one-way visibility layer or structure obscures the visibility of the display when viewed from above, but when the display emits light, the light penetrates through the one-way visibility layer, such as by passing through an array of microperforations in the key, and is visible to an onlooker.

An intelligent hybrid touch display device, including: a touch display unit; a rotary mechanical switch, being integrated with the touch display unit in a body; and a control unit, located in the body and including: a first interface for driving the touch display unit; a second interface coupled with the rotary mechanical switch; a touch and switch detection unit coupled with the first interface and the second interface; a transmission interface for communicating with at least one external device; and a processor and an operating system stored in a memory, the processor being coupled with the touch and switch detection unit and the transmission interface, and being used for executing a control program with a support of the operating system, so that the touch display unit and the rotary mechanical switch can cooperate to provide a hybrid operation for selecting, changing or activating function options.

A hybrid touch button, including: a touch display unit having a touch display area; a mechanical switch having a plurality of conductive contacts; and a control unit, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface coupled with the touch display area, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts, and an output interface, wherein the control unit derives first input information from the first interface and second input information from the second interface, and determines an output configuration of the output interface according to the first input information and the second input information.

An arrangement of pushbutton switches with a programmable display that has a support structure with an assembly panel with openings for arranging there through an enclosure body of each push-button switch of the arrangement; a printed circuit board; and a shielding plate, wherein the enclosure body of each pushbutton comprises an appendix arranged through through-openings defined in the assembly panel, printed circuit board and plate; and a connector attached to the enclosure body that is opposite to and engaged with a connector of the printed circuit board, wherein each enclosure body is attached to the support structure by removable immobilizing means of said appendix with respect to said shielding plate, the immobilizing means comprising a nut with a coupling configuration to be coupled to a tubular shaft by a respective complementary coupling configuration integrated with or attached to the tubular shaft.

A key structure includes, from top to bottom in sequence: at least one key main body, made of light transmissible material; a key frame, adapted to mount the key main body; an elastic supporting portion, allowing the key main bodies to move back and forth vertically; at least one bump, formed on one side of the elastic supporting portion; a detection module, sensing the action of the key main body and allowing the bump to be in touch therewith selectively; and a display screen, configured on one side of the detection module. A user can see the bottom display screen through the key main body directly, and the elastic supporting portion drives the bumps to move downward to touch the detection module after the user presses the key main body down. Whereby, the applicable range of the present invention is increased by changing the contents of the display screen.

A keycap structure includes a keycap body and a display module. The keycap body includes a top wall and a lateral wall. The lateral wall is extended downwardly from a periphery region of the top wall. An accommodation space is defined by the top wall and the lateral wall collaboratively. The display module is disposed within the accommodation space. The display module includes a light-transmissible circuit substrate and plural light-emitting elements. The plural light-emitting elements are installed on the light-transmissible circuit substrate and electrically connected with the light-transmissible circuit substrate. After the light beams are transmitted through the light-transmissible circuit substrate and the top wall sequentially, the light beams are outputted from the keycap body. The light beams from the plural light-emitting elements are collaboratively formed as a luminous zone. Moreover, a pattern corresponding to the luminous zone is shown on the display module.

The present invention refers to a method for operating an active input element and a corresponding input element, input arrangement and computer program product, comprising the steps: a) set value C of clock counter to 0 (S2); b) increase value C of clock counter by 1 and shift data in shift register (5) by one Bit, when detecting a clock information (S3); c) compare (S4) value C of clock counter with a cycle length CLL, and return to step b) if comparison result is negative or proceed to step d) if comparison result is positive; d) read data (D.sub.FIFO) from shift register (S5); e) compare (S6) said read data (D.sub.FIFO) from shift register (5) with predetermined first data value (D1), and proceed to step f) if comparison result is positive or proceed to step a) if comparison result is negative; f) write data (D.sub.IE) derived from analog input device (S) into shift register (S7) and return to step a).

Disclosed are a switch display apparatus and an assembling method thereof. The apparatus includes a display unit (1), a support unit (2), and a base unit (3) that are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The display unit (1) includes a display device (4), a combined lens (5), and a display device and combined lens support component (6). The combined lens (5) is located above the display device (4). Both the display device (4) and the combined lens (5) are located inside the display device and combined lens support component (6). The display device and combined lens support component (6) includes a first support part (9) used for providing structural support for the combined lens (5), and a second support part (10) used for providing structural support for the display device (4).

According to various embodiments, there is provided a key switch mechanism including: a key button; a plunger attached to the key button and displaceable between a neutral position and an activation position; an elastomeric dome which, when the plunger is in the neutral position, is non-deformed and which, when the plunger is in the activation position, is elastically deformed by the plunger; a conductive spring having a stationary end portion and a moveable end portion, the stationary end portion electrically coupled to a circuit, and the moveable end portion coupled to the elastomeric dome in a manner to be moved when the plunger is displaced towards the activation position, in connection with the corresponding deformation of the elastomeric dome; and an electrical contact electrically coupled to the circuit, wherein, when the plunger is in the neutral position, the electrical contact is arranged at a distance from the moveable end portion, and, when the plunger is in the activation position, the moveable end portion is moved to contact the electrical contact.

Disclosed are a switch display apparatus and an assembling method thereof. The apparatus includes a display unit (1), a support unit (2), and a base unit (3) that are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The display unit (1) includes a display device (4), a combined lens (5), and a display device and combined lens support component (6). The combined lens (5) is located above the display device (4). Both the display device (4) and the combined lens (5) are located inside the display device and combined lens support component (6). The display device and combined lens support component (6) includes a first support part (9) used for providing structural support for the combined lens (5), and a second support part (10) used for providing structural support for the display device (4).