TOUCH SENSITIVE KEYBOARD

• US 20190294258A1
• Filed: 09/15/2017
• Published: 09/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
• Original Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
• Inventors: Forlines, Clifton, Holman, David, Dennis, Stephen, Costa, Ricardo Jorge Jota, Sanders, Steven Leonard, Wilkinson, David Clark, Moseley, Braon, De Araujo, Bruno Rodrigues
• Granted Patent: US 11,029,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A touch sensitive keyboard is disclosed. In one embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard is provided that has a touchpad area separate from the keyboard keys. The keyboard is configured to disabled touchpad sensitivity when certain touch signals are received. In another embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard is used as a controller. In a controller mode, keys on a touch sensitive keyboard are adapted to output a signal strength corresponding to a distance between the key and a finger operating as a control. In an embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard includes a processor adapted to output a keystroke in response to one of the plurality of touch sensitive keys being pressed, and to output one or more touch points determined by interpolating signal strength for each of the plurality of touch sensitive keys on the keyboard.

Claims

1. Touch sensitive keyboard comprising:

a. a plurality of keys, wherein a plurality of the keys are each adapted to output a touch signal in response to proximity of a finger;

b. touchpad area separate from the keys, the touchpad area being sensitive to a touch; and

c. processor operatively connected to the plurality of keys such that it can receive touch signals output thereby, and configured to disable the touchpad sensitivity to touch when at least one proximity signals is received.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to disable the touchpad sensitivity to touch when a preconfigured group of proximity signals is received.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to not disable the touchpad sensitivity to touch in response to proximity signals from a set of preconfigured keys.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the keys does not include a pre-selected group of keys.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the pre-selected group of keys includes at least one selected from the group comprising:

control, shift, and alt.

6. Method of using a touch sensitive keyboard as control, a plurality of keys on the touch sensitive keyboard, each of the keys adapted to output a signal strength corresponding to a distance between the key and a finger operating as a control, the method comprising the steps of:

a. placing the touch sensitive keyboard into a control state based upon a predefined positioning of at least a portion of at least one finger with respect to the touch sensitive keyboard;

b. while in the control state, repeatedly determining a control direction by interpolating signal strength among a group of neighboring keys on the keyboard; and

c. outputting the control direction to a host for use in control.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

a. determining a control magnitude by interpolating signal strength among a group of neighboring keys on the keyboard; and

b. outputting the control magnitude to the host for use in control.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the predefined positioning is one selected from the group of:

two fingers of one hand resting on a ctrl key and alt key; and

both thumbs resting on a space bar.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the predefined positioning is preselected to be ergonomically easy, but is unlikely to happen accidentally in normal keyboard use.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises a center key and each adjacent key.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises each key adjacent to a center key.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises each key within a certain distance of a center key.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises a group of adjacent keys on one row of the touch sensitive keyboard.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises a group of adjacent keys on at least two adjacent rows of the touch sensitive keyboard.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the control direction and control magnitude are used to emulate a joystick.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the control direction and control magnitude are used to emulate a computer mouse.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

a. establishing a baseline position of a finger operating as a control; and

b. wherein the step of determining a control direction establishes a delta from the baseline position.

18. The method of claim 6, where the control direction is selected from the group consisting of:

up, down, left and right.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch sensitive keyboard remains in the control state for a period of time.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch sensitive keyboard remains in the control state until an occurrence of a second predefined positioning of at least a portion of at least one finger with respect to the touch sensitive keyboard.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second predefined positioning is a home row position.

22. Touch sensitive keyboard comprising:

a. a plurality of touch sensitive keys;

b. signal processor adapted to measure a signal strength corresponding to a distance between the each of the plurality of touch sensitive keys and at least one finger in proximity thereto;

c. processor adapted;

i. to output a keystroke in response to one of the plurality of touch sensitive keys being pressed, and

ii. to output one or more touch points determined by interpolating signal strength for each of the plurality of touch sensitive keys on the keyboard.