HAPTIC KEYBOARD FEATURING A SATISFYING TACTILE KEYPRESS EXPERIENCE
First Claim
1. A haptic keyboard featuring a satisfying tactile keypress experience for a user, the keyboard comprising:
- a housing having at least one keyframe that defines an opening in a top of the housing, the keyframe opening being closed by at least one flexible platform;
a plurality of keycaps, each keycap being positioned with the keyframe opening and over the at least one flexible platform;
a plurality of key sensors, inside the housing, operably associated with the plurality of keycaps and each key sensor being positioned under a corresponding one of the plurality of keycaps;
a common active-feedback actuation mechanism, inside the housing, operably associated with the plurality of keycaps and positioned under the plurality of keycaps, the actuation mechanism configured to provide tactile feedback to the user when the user presses one of the plurality of keycaps via that keycap.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are techniques related to a haptic keyboard that features a satisfying tactile keypress experience. Using active tactile feedback (i.e., haptics) via its keys, one or more of the described example keyboards simulates the feel of a snap-over keypress of conventional keys, such as that of a rubber-dome keyboard. With its haptics, one or more of the described example keyboards feel like—through the user'"'"'s fingers on keycaps—keys having the non-linear force/displacement characteristics of the snap-over of conventional keys. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A haptic keyboard featuring a satisfying tactile keypress experience for a user, the keyboard comprising:
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a housing having at least one keyframe that defines an opening in a top of the housing, the keyframe opening being closed by at least one flexible platform; a plurality of keycaps, each keycap being positioned with the keyframe opening and over the at least one flexible platform; a plurality of key sensors, inside the housing, operably associated with the plurality of keycaps and each key sensor being positioned under a corresponding one of the plurality of keycaps; a common active-feedback actuation mechanism, inside the housing, operably associated with the plurality of keycaps and positioned under the plurality of keycaps, the actuation mechanism configured to provide tactile feedback to the user when the user presses one of the plurality of keycaps via that keycap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An assembly comprising:
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a chassis having at least one keyframe, that keyframe defining an opening in a top of the chassis; a keycap that is positioned with the opening; a key sensor, inside the chassis, that corresponds to the keycap; an active-feedback actuation mechanism, inside the chassis, operably associated with the keycap, the actuation mechanism including a pair of actuation planes that have conductive properties and are held in a spaced-apart position relative to each other and with a defined gap therebetween, the actuation mechanism being configured to permit at least one of the planes to move relative to the other effective to provide tactile feedback to the user when the user presses the keycap. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of simulating a feel of a snap-over keypress to a user, the method comprising:
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monitoring input from one or more sensors, wherein at least one of the sensors includes a key sensor that is associated with a keycap of a haptic keyboard; in response to the input from one or more of sensors, determining whether to trigger an active-feedback actuation mechanism associated with the keycap; in response to the determining whether to trigger, firing the active-feedback actuation mechanism to provide tactile feedback to the user pressing the keycap, wherein the firing includes; sending an electrical signal to the active-feedback actuation mechanism to drive at least one of a pair of spaced-apart electrically conductive planes to be attracted to the other of the pair of planes via electrostatic forces therebetween; releasing the attracted pair of electrically conductive planes and allowing the planes to return to their original spaced-apart arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification