KEYSTROKE TACTILITY ARRANGEMENT ON A SMOOTH TOUCH SURFACE
First Claim
1. A keyboard having a tactile feedback arrangement, the tactile feedback arrangement comprising:
- a first tactile feedback mechanism for each home row key; and
an additional tactile feedback mechanism distinct from the first tactile feedback mechanism for at least one key adjacent a home row key or at least one peripheral key.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are four arrangements for providing tactility on a touch surface keyboard. One approach is to provide tactile feedback mechanisms, such as dots, bars, or other shapes on all or many keys. In another embodiment, an articulating frame may be provided that extends when the surface is being used in a typing mode and retracts when the surface is used in some other mode, e.g., a pointing mode. The articulating frame may provide key edge ridges that define the boundaries of the key regions or may provide tactile feedback mechanisms within the key regions. The articulating frame may also be configured to cause concave depressions similar to mechanical key caps in the surface. In another embodiment, a rigid, non-articulating frame may be provided beneath the surface. A user will then feel higher resistance when pressing away from the key centers, but will feel a softer resistance at the key center.
417 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A keyboard having a tactile feedback arrangement, the tactile feedback arrangement comprising:
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a first tactile feedback mechanism for each home row key; and
an additional tactile feedback mechanism distinct from the first tactile feedback mechanism for at least one key adjacent a home row key or at least one peripheral key. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A touch sensitive surface configurable to operate as a keyboard, the touch sensitive surface comprising:
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a surface cover;
a touch sensitive electrode circuit board disposed beneath the surface cover having a plurality of holes disposed therein;
an articulating frame disposed beneath the touch sensitive electrode circuit board having integral therewith a plurality of key edge ridges aligned with the holes in the touch sensitive electrode; and
at least one actuator disposed between the articulating frame and an enclosure of the touch sensitive surface and configured to displace the articulating frame so as to extend the key edge ridges through the holes in the touch sensitive electrode circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A touch sensitive surface configurable to operate as a keyboard, the touch sensitive surface comprising:
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a surface cover;
a touch sensitive electrode circuit board disposed beneath the surface cover;
a frame disposed between the touch sensitive electrode circuit board and the surface cover, the frame comprising a fixed network of hard key edge ridges; and
a compliant material filling gaps between the key edge ridges. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification