Programmable multiple output force-sensing keyboard
First Claim
1. Switch apparatus comprising:
- a switch member supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to said switch member; and
means for sensing the magnitudes of the switch member depression forces and responsively generating a plurality of different switch member stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of switch member stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating a plurality of different output functions for said switch member in sole response to its depression,said means for sensing being further operative to sense the duration of a depression of said switch member caused by a force within a selected one of said depression force ranges and responsively alter the corresponding switch member stroke output signal when said duration is longer than a predetermined time period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Representatively using force sensing resistors as key switch elements, keys on a computer keyboard are each provided with pluralities of different keystroke output function signals which may be selectively varied in response to simply altering the user keystroke force imposed on the key. In addition to being provided with a default key force range/output signal correlation, the keyboard may be programmed by the user to customize the key depression force ranges associated with selected different keystroke output signals. Representatively illustrated additional uses of this key force/output signal correlation capability include a key force-based typing correction mode and a combination character and key force sequence-based user password access system. To further expand the individual key functionality of the keyboard, a combination of sensed key depression force and duration is used to generate an additional keystroke output function signal for a given key.
260 Citations
37 Claims
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1. Switch apparatus comprising:
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a switch member supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to said switch member; and means for sensing the magnitudes of the switch member depression forces and responsively generating a plurality of different switch member stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of switch member stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating a plurality of different output functions for said switch member in sole response to its depression, said means for sensing being further operative to sense the duration of a depression of said switch member caused by a force within a selected one of said depression force ranges and responsively alter the corresponding switch member stroke output signal when said duration is longer than a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Keyboard apparatus comprising:
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a key structure supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to said key structure; a force receiving structure operative to receive at least portions of the key structure depression forces and responsively generate key force signals each having a magnitude related in a predetermined variable manner to its associated key stroke depression force; and a control system operative to utilize key force output signals from said force receiving structure to responsively generate a plurality of different key stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of key stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating a plurality of different output functions for said key structure in sole response to its depression, said control system being further operative to sense the duration of a depression of said key structure caused by a force within a selected one of said depression force ranges and responsively alter the corresponding key stroke output signal when said duration is longer than a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Electronic apparatus comprising:
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a screen on which generated indicia may be displayed; and keyboard apparatus for use in generating indicia on said screen, said keyboard apparatus including; a plurality of key structures each supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to the key structure, and control means for sensing the magnitudes of the key depression forces and responsively generating a plurality of different key stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of key stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating a plurality of different output functions for each key structure in sole response to its depression, said control means being further operative to sense the duration of a depression of at least one of said key structures caused by a force within a selected one of said depression force ranges and responsively alter the corresponding key stroke output signal when said duration is longer than a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. Electronic apparatus comprising:
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a screen on which generated indicia may be displayed; and keyboard apparatus for use in generating indicia on said screen, said keyboard apparatus including; a plurality of key structures each supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to the key structure, and control means for sensing the magnitudes of the key depression forces and responsively generating a plurality of different key stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of key stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating a plurality of different output functions for each key structure in sole response to its depression, said control means being selectively operable to detect incorrect characters in typed text and the depression force range associated with each detected incorrect character, and automatically delete each detected incorrect character which was generated in response to a key stroke depression force within a predetermined one of said key stroke depression force ranges. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. Electronic apparatus comprising:
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a screen on which generated indicia may be displayed and keyboard apparatus for use in generating indicia on said screen, said keyboard apparatus including; a plurality of key structures each supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to the key structure, and control means for sensing the magnitudes of the key depression forces and responsively generating a plurality of different key stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of key stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating a plurality of different output functions for each key structure in sole response to its depression, said control means being further operable, in response to the typing of an access password on said keyboard apparatus by a prospective user of said electronic apparatus, to; detect the character content and sequence of the typed-in password, detect the key stroke depression force range associated with each typed-in password character, and permit the prospective user operative access to said electronic apparatus only if; (1) the character content and sequence of the typed-in password matches the character content and sequence of a predetermined password, and (2) the key stroke depression force range of each typed-in character matches a predetermined key stroke depression force range associated with the corresponding character of the predetermined password.
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28. A computer comprising:
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a screen on which generated indicia may be displayed; and keyboard apparatus for use in generating indicia on said screen, said keyboard apparatus including; key structures supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to said key structures, force receiving structures associated with said key structures and operative to receive at least portions of the key stroke depression forces and responsively generate key force signals each having a magnitude related in a predetermined variable manner to its associated key stroke depression force; and a control system operative to utilize key force output signals from said force receiving structures to responsively generate, for each key structure, a plurality of different key stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of key stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating different output functions for the key structure in sole response to its depression, said control system being further operative to sense the duration of a depression of at least one of said key structures caused by a force within a selected one of said key stroke depression force ranges and responsively alter the corresponding key stroke output signal when said duration is longer than a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer comprising:
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a screen on which generated indicia may be displayed; and keyboard apparatus for use in generating indicia on said screen, said keyboard apparatus including; key structures supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to said key structures, force receiving structures associated with said key structures and operative to receive at least portions of the key stroke depression forces and responsively generate key force signals each having a magnitude related in a predetermined variable manner to its associated key stroke depression force; and a control system operative to utilize key force output signals from said force receiving structures to responsively generate, for each key structure, a plurality of different key stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of key stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating different output functions for the key structure in sole response to its depression, said control system being selectively operable to detect incorrect characters in typed text and the depression force range associated with each detected incorrect character, and automatically delete each detected incorrect character which was generated in response to a depression force within a predetermined one of said depression force ranges. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A computer comprising:
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a screen on which generated indicia may be displayed; and keyboard apparatus for use in generating indicia on said screen, said keyboard apparatus including; key structures supported for depressions through operative strokes by selectively variable forces applied by a user to said key structures, force receiving structures associated with said key structures and operative to receive at least portions of the key stroke depression forces and responsively generate key force signals each having a magnitude related in a predetermined variable manner to its associated key stroke depression force; and a control system operative to utilize key force output signals from said force receiving structures to responsively generate, for each key structure, a plurality of different key stroke output signals which correspond in a predetermined manner to a plurality of different ranges of key stroke depression force and may be utilized in creating different output functions for the key structure in sole response to its depression, said control system being further operative, in response to the typing of an access password on said keyboard apparatus by a prospective user of said computer, to; detect the character content and sequence of the typed-in password, detect the key stroke depression force range associated with each typed-in password character, and permit the prospective user to operatively access said computer only if; (1) the detected character content and sequence of the typed-in password matches the character content and sequence of a predetermined password, and (2) the detected key stroke depression force range for each typed-in password character matches a predetermined key stroke depression force range associated with the typed-in password character.
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Specification