Capacitive Keyboard with Enhanced Electrode Areas
First Claim
1. A capacitive keypad position sensor, comprising:
- a keypad touch panel comprising a plurality of defined key areas; and
a plurality of capacitive electrodes arrayed under the keypad touch panel to define two capacitive electrodes under each defined key area so that each capacitive electrode of the plurality of capacitive electrodes is shared with four immediately adjacent key areas that are internally or peripherally adjacent to each other without extending across an entire row or column of the keypad touch panel, thereby defining a unique combination of capacitive electrodes for each defined keypad area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A touch sensitive capacitive keypad (200) is provided that multiple electrodes (201-210) and associated wire connectors (220-229) formed under a touch panel in a single layer of conductive material, where the electrodes (201-210) are arrayed in relation to a keypad to form unique combinations of two electrodes per key, where each electrode is shared with only immediately adjacent keys. The electrodes are sized and arranged so that a first electrode (e.g., electrode E4 205) associated with a given key (e.g., the “5” key) is sized and arranged so that it is shared by only surrounding keys (e.g., the “4,” “7,” and “8” keys), while a second electrode (e.g., electrode E3 204) associated with the given key (e.g., the “5” key) is sized and arranged so that it is shared by only surrounding keys (e.g., the “2,” “3” and “6” keys). As a result, the area for each capacitive electrode is at least twice the area of a given key.
36 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A capacitive keypad position sensor, comprising:
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a keypad touch panel comprising a plurality of defined key areas; and a plurality of capacitive electrodes arrayed under the keypad touch panel to define two capacitive electrodes under each defined key area so that each capacitive electrode of the plurality of capacitive electrodes is shared with four immediately adjacent key areas that are internally or peripherally adjacent to each other without extending across an entire row or column of the keypad touch panel, thereby defining a unique combination of capacitive electrodes for each defined keypad area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic device, comprising:
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a controller; and a keypad coupled to the controller and configured to receive user input, the keypad comprising; a keypad touch panel comprising a first surface and a second surface having a plurality of key areas for receiving user contact; and a plurality of capacitive electrodes located adjacent to the first surface of the keypad touch panel, where the plurality of capacitive electrodes are positioned in relation to the keypad touch panel to form a unique combination of at least two capacitive electrodes for each key area, and where each capacitive electrode is shared with a plurality of immediately adjacent key areas that are internally or peripherally adjacent to one another without extending across an entire row or column of the keypad. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for detecting user contact at a keypad, comprising:
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receiving a user input touch at one of a plurality of defined key areas on an exterior surface of a keypad panel; determining which of the plurality of defined key areas is being touched by detecting a predetermined signal characteristic at one of a plurality of unique combinations of capacitive electrodes arrayed adjacent to an interior surface of the keypad panel, where the plurality of capacitive electrodes are positioned in relation to the keypad panel to form unique combinations of at least two capacitive electrodes per defined key area so that each capacitive electrode is shared with only internally or peripherally adjacent keys without extending across an entire row or column of keys on the keypad panel.
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Specification