Keyboard With Reduced Keying Ambiguity
First Claim
1. A method of removing keying ambiguity in a keyboard comprising an array of keys, the method comprising repeating the following steps;
- (a) receiving from each of the keys a respective signal indicative of a degree of coupling between each key and a potential user;
(b) comparing the measured signals to determine the key having a maximum signal strength associated therewith;
(c) designating the key having the maximum signal strength as the user-selected key; and
(d) maintaining the key having the maximum signal strength as the user-selected key until the signal from that key falls below a threshold value, wherein signals from all other keys are suppressed or ignored during the maintaining step.
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Abstract
When an array of proximity sensors is used as a keyboard, it can provide an ambiguous output if a user'"'"'s finger overlaps several keys or if liquid is spilled on the keyboard. This ambiguity is reduced by an iterative method that repeatedly measures a detected signal strength associated with each key, compares all the measured signal strengths to find a maximum, determines that the key having the maximum signal strength is the unique user-selected key and then suppresses or ignores signals from all other keys as long as the signal from the selected key remains above some nominal threshold value.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of removing keying ambiguity in a keyboard comprising an array of keys, the method comprising repeating the following steps;
- (a) receiving from each of the keys a respective signal indicative of a degree of coupling between each key and a potential user;
(b) comparing the measured signals to determine the key having a maximum signal strength associated therewith;
(c) designating the key having the maximum signal strength as the user-selected key; and
(d) maintaining the key having the maximum signal strength as the user-selected key until the signal from that key falls below a threshold value, wherein signals from all other keys are suppressed or ignored during the maintaining step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- (a) receiving from each of the keys a respective signal indicative of a degree of coupling between each key and a potential user;
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10. An apparatus comprising:
- a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, each key comprising a respective sensor having a respective output connection for supplying a respective proximity signal representative of a user'"'"'s coupling to that key; and
a controller connected to receive the proximity signals from the keys, the controller having an output for transmitting a selected key output signal, wherein the controller comprises logic for resolving keying ambiguities which, in the event of the controller simultaneously receiving more than one proximity signal, the controller selects the key having the largest proximity signal and maintains that key as the selected key until the proximity signal from that key falls below a threshold value, characterized in that the controller is operable to suppress or ignore signals from all other keys while the selected key is maintained. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, each key comprising a respective sensor having a respective output connection for supplying a respective proximity signal representative of a user'"'"'s coupling to that key; and
Specification