Method for processing data quantifying force applied to one or more keys of a computer keyboard

• US 20050057521A1
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bathiche, Steven N., Yamamoto, Hirofumi, Bhesania, Firdosh K., Aull, Randall E., Brewer, Timothy T., McCracken, Michael William John
• Granted Patent: US 7,417,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes

Abstract

A computer receives data from a keyboard having one or more keys which cause generation of keyboard data that quantitatively describe the relative force applied to those keys. The keyboard data are transmitted in an HID report containing identifiers for one or more keys that have been pressed and force data for each key. The force data may be a multi-bit value quantifying the key force, or a null indicator signaling that the key is not force-sensing. Keyboard data messages are then prepared which identify keys pressed, contain force data, and may indicate whether the force data updates previous force data. Force updates are only provided to application programs registering for key force data. In other aspects of the invention, key repeat messages are automatically generated for a key held pressed by a user. The key repeat messages are generated at a rate controlled by the amount of force applied to the key.

Claims

1. A method of processing data received from a keyboard having a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys including multiple keys having respective characters assigned thereto, the plurality of keys further including one or more force-sensing keys, the method comprising:

receiving keyboard data sets reporting, for keys of the plurality pressed by a keyboard user, key force data and key identification data;

determining whether key force data in a keyboard data set updates key force data corresponding to a previously-reported key press for a key continuing to be pressed;

generating first type keyboard data messages containing force updates based on updated key force data, key identifiers for the keys associated with the updated key force data, and force update indicators; and

generating second type keyboard data messages identifying initially pressed keys and forces applied to the initially pressed keys.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second type keyboard data messages have a common data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if reported key force data contains a null indicator; and

associating a null indicator with a non-force-sensing key.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a null indicator is a zero value for key force data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving keyboard data sets comprises receiving a data set having key identification data and key force data for multiple keys, and further comprising:

parsing the key identification data in the keyboard data set into an ordered list of key identifiers;

parsing the key force data in the keyboard data set into an ordered list of key force values; and

associating key identifiers and force values based on the orders in which the key identification data and the key force data appear in the data set.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising automatically generating, at a repeat rate based on key force data for a key held pressed by a user, a third type keyboard data message indicating the held key has been pressed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first, second and third type keyboard data messages have a common data structure.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said automatically generating a third type keyboard data message comprises mapping a repeat rate to the key force data for the held key.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

storing cumulative key force data; and

based on the stored cumulative key force data, mapping a repeat rate to the force data for the held key.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said mapping is based on a transfer function in which a range of force data values is subdivided into multiple sub-ranges, and wherein each of the sub-ranges is assigned a repeat rate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transfer function comprises an initial group of sub-ranges mapped to gradually increasing repeat rate values followed by a group of sub-ranges mapped to a sharply increasing repeat rate values.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein said automatically generating a third type keyboard message comprises:

determining if a repeat invoke delay has elapsed since the user initially pressed the held key; and

commencing said automatic generation after the repeat invoke delay has elapsed.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining if the key force data for another held key contains a null indicator; and

upon determining that the key force data for the other held key contains a null indicator, automatically generating, at a preset rate and after a preset delay, repeating keyboard data messages indicating the other held key has been pressed.

14. A method of processing data received from a keyboard having a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys including multiple keys having respective characters assigned thereto, the plurality of keys further including one or more force-sensing keys, the method comprising:

receiving a keyboard data set reporting, for multiple keys of the plurality pressed by a keyboard user, key force data and key identification data;

parsing the key identification data into an ordered list of key identifiers;

parsing the key force data into an ordered list of key force values; and

associating key identifiers and force values based on the orders in which the key identification data and the key force data appear in the keyboard data set.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining if reported key force data contains a null indicator; and

associating a null indicator with a non-force-sensing key.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a null indicator is a zero value for key force data.

17. A method for processing data received from a keyboard having a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys including multiple keys having respective characters assigned thereto, the plurality of keys further including one or more force-sensing keys, the method comprising:

receiving a registration from a first application program requesting keyboard input data and key force data;

receiving a registration from a second application program requesting keyboard input data;

receiving keyboard data messages identifying keys that have been pressed by a user and containing force values for forces applied to the pressed keys;

generating a first keyboard input message identifying a first pressed key and containing the force value for the first pressed key; and

generating a second keyboard input message identifying a second pressed key and containing the force value for the second pressed key and a force update indicator.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing the first keyboard input message to the first and second applications.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

only providing the second keyboard input message to applications requesting key force data.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the second keyboard input message is provided to the first application, and further comprising:

generating a third keyboard input message identifying a third pressed key and containing the force value for the third pressed key and a force update indicator; and

providing the third keyboard input message to the first application prior to providing a message indicating that the second pressed key is no longer being pressed.

21. The method of claim 17, comprising:

storing the identifier for the last key identified as pressed;

storing the most recently received force value for the last key identified as pressed;

receiving a keyboard data message lacking a force value and indicating that the last key identified as pressed remains pressed; and

generating a keyboard input message identifying the last key identified as pressed and containing the stored force value.

22. The method of claim 17, comprising:

receiving a simulated keyboard data message containing simulated key press data, the simulated key press data identifying an unpressed key and containing simulated key force data for the unpressed key; and

generating a third keyboard input message identifying the unpressed key, indicating a simulated key press, and containing the simulated key force value.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving keyboard data sets from a keyboard having a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys including multiple keys having respective characters assigned thereto, the plurality of keys further including one or more force-sensing keys, wherein the keyboard data sets report, for keys of the plurality pressed by a keyboard user, key force data and key identification data;

determining whether key force data in a keyboard data set updates key force data corresponding to a previously-reported key press for a key continuing to be pressed;

generating first type keyboard data messages containing force updates based on updated key force data, key identifiers for the keys associated with the updated key force data, and force update indicators; and

generating second type keyboard data messages identifying initially pressed keys and forces applied to the initially pressed keys.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first and second type keyboard data messages have a common data structure.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

determining if reported key force data contains a null indicator; and

associating a null indicator with a non-force-sensing key.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein a null indicator is a zero value for key force data.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said receiving keyboard data sets comprises receiving a data set having key identification data and key force data for multiple keys, and comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

parsing the key identification data in the keyboard data set into an ordered list of key identifiers;

parsing the key force data in the keyboard data set into an ordered list of key force values; and

associating key identifiers and force values based on the orders in which the key identification data and the key force data appear in the data set.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, comprising further instructions for performing a step comprising automatically generating, at a repeat rate based on key force data for a key held pressed by a user, a third type keyboard data message indicating the held key has been pressed.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the first, second and third type keyboard data messages have a common data structure.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein said automatically generating a third type keyboard data message comprises mapping a repeat rate to the key force data for the held key.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

storing cumulative key force data; and

based on the stored cumulative key force data, mapping a repeat rate to the force data for the held key.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein said mapping is based on a transfer function in which a range of force data values is subdivided into multiple sub-ranges, and wherein each of the sub-ranges is assigned a repeat rate.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the transfer function comprises an initial group of sub-ranges mapped to gradually increasing repeat rate values followed by a group of sub-ranges mapped to a sharply increasing repeat rate values.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein said automatically generating a third type keyboard message comprises:

determining if a repeat invoke delay has elapsed since the user initially pressed the held key; and

commencing said automatic generation after the repeat invoke delay has elapsed.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

determining if the key force data for another held key contains a null indicator; and

upon determining that the key force data for the other held key contains a null indicator, automatically generating, at a preset rate and after a preset delay, repeating keyboard data messages indicating the other held key has been pressed.

36. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a keyboard data set from a keyboard having a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys including multiple keys having respective characters assigned thereto, the plurality of keys further including one or more force-sensing keys, wherein the keyboard data sets report, for multiple keys of the plurality pressed by a keyboard user, key force data and key identification data;

parsing the key identification data into an ordered list of key identifiers;

parsing the key force data into an ordered list of key force values; and

associating key identifiers and force values based on the orders in which the key identification data and the key force data appear in the keyboard data set.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

determining if reported key force data contains a null indicator; and

associating a null indicator with a non-force-sensing key.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein a null indicator is a zero value for key force data.

39. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a registration from a first application program requesting keyboard input data and key force data;

receiving a registration from a second application program requesting keyboard input data;

receiving keyboard data messages identifying keys that have been pressed by a user on a keyboard having a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys including multiple keys having respective characters assigned thereto, the plurality of keys further including one or more force-sensing keys, wherein the keyboard data messages contain force values for forces applied to the pressed keys;

generating a first keyboard input message identifying a first pressed key and containing the force value for the first pressed key; and

generating a second keyboard input message identifying a second pressed key and containing the force value for the second pressed key and a force update indicator.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

providing the first keyboard input message to the first and second applications.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

only providing the second keyboard input message to applications requesting key force data.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the second keyboard input message is provided to the first application, and comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising

generating a third keyboard input message identifying a third pressed key and containing the force value for the third pressed key and a force update indicator;

and

providing the third keyboard input message to the first application prior to providing a message indicating that the second pressed key is no longer being pressed.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

storing the identifier for the last key identified as pressed;

storing the most recently received force value for the last key identified as pressed;

receiving a keyboard data message lacking a force value and indicating that the last key identified as pressed remains pressed; and

generating a keyboard input message identifying the last key identified as pressed and containing the stored force value.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving a simulated keyboard data message containing simulated key press data, the simulated key press data identifying an unpressed key and containing simulated key force data for the unpressed key; and

generating a third keyboard input message identifying the unpressed key, indicating a simulated key press, and containing the simulated key force value.