Capacitive sensing keyboard and pointing device
First Claim
1. Electronic apparatus comprising:
- a combination keyboard/pointing device including;
a support member having a top side, a series of keys carried on said support member for movement through stroke distances toward said top side, and capacitance-based proximity sensing circuitry including proximity sensors disposed beneath said keys. said canacitance-based proximity sensing circuitry being switchable between;
(1) a typing mode in which said circuitry, via said proximity sensors capacitively senses changes in the proximity of a user'"'"'s fingers to said top side while the fingers are depressing said keys through said stroke distances, and responsively generates signals useable to generate corresponding typing characters on a screen, and (2) a pointing mode in which said circuitry, via the same proximity sensors, capacitively senses predetermined user hand orientations and movements upwardly adjacent said keys and responsively generates signals useable to control a movable cursor on a screen.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A combination keyboard and pointing device is incorporated in a portable computer and includes a dielectric base member on a top side of which a spaced series of electrically conductive pad member portions of a capacitance-based proximity sensing system are formed. Manually depressible key members are positioned above the pads. With the sensing system switched to a typing mode, the pads capacitively sense the proximity, velocity and acceleration of a user'"'"'s fingers depressing their associated keys and output signals useable by the computer to display the character associated with the depressed key. A sensed increased stroke velocity of each manually depressed key may be used to alter the key character image displayed on the screen, for example capitalizing, bolding or underlining the character. The sensing system may be manually or automatically switched from its typing mode to a pointing mode in which it capacitively senses various hand and finger motions and orientations to carry out various pointing functions, such as cursor movements, pick functions, and scrolling functions, in response to the sensed hand and finger motions and orientations.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Electronic apparatus comprising:
- a combination keyboard/pointing device including;
a support member having a top side, a series of keys carried on said support member for movement through stroke distances toward said top side, and capacitance-based proximity sensing circuitry including proximity sensors disposed beneath said keys. said canacitance-based proximity sensing circuitry being switchable between;
(1) a typing mode in which said circuitry, via said proximity sensors capacitively senses changes in the proximity of a user'"'"'s fingers to said top side while the fingers are depressing said keys through said stroke distances, and responsively generates signals useable to generate corresponding typing characters on a screen, and (2) a pointing mode in which said circuitry, via the same proximity sensors, capacitively senses predetermined user hand orientations and movements upwardly adjacent said keys and responsively generates signals useable to control a movable cursor on a screen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
a spaced series of electrically conductive pad structures underlying said keys in registry therewith and acting as said proximity sensors, means for impressing predetermined alternating wave forms on said pad structures, multiplexing switch circuitry having an input side connected to said pad structures, and an output side, analog electrical circuitry having an input side connected to said output side of said multiplexing switch circuitry, and an output side, said analog electrical circuitry being operative to sense capacitance changes at said pad structures caused by changes in proximity of objects adjacent thereto, and responsively generate analog output signals, and digital electrical circuitry for receiving said analog output signals, converting them to digital signals, and transmitting said digital signals to said computer control circuitry.
- a combination keyboard/pointing device including;
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13. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
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said circuitry includes a spaced series of electrically conductive pad structures underlying said keys in registry therewith and acting as said proximity sensors, and said circuitry is operative to cause said pad structures to function as electrical transceivers during said typing mode.
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14. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 wherein said circuitry is further operative to cause said pad structures to function as electrical transceivers during said pointing mode.
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15. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 wherein said circuitry, when in said pointing mode, is operative to cause at least one of said pad structures to function solely as an electrical transmitter, and to cause at least a portion of the balance of said pad structures to function solely as electrical receivers.
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16. The electronic apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
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said support member is a dielectric plate member, said circuitry includes a spaced series of electrically conductive pad structures disposed on said top side of said dielectric plate member, underlying said keys in registry therewith, and acting as said proximity sensors and each key has associated therewith a spring structure operative to resiliently bias the key toward an outwardly extended position relative to said top side of said dielectric plate member, and a stop structure operative to prevent the key from contacting its underlying pad structure when the key is depressed through its full stroke distance.
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Specification