Capacitive-matrix keyboard with multiple touch detection
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- detecting a presence of a conductive object on a touch-sensor device having a plurality of capacitive keys at respective locations on the touch-sensor device, wherein each of the plurality of capacitive keys comprises a unique combination of three or more sensor elements from three or more separate groups of one or more sensor elements; and
detecting activation of a first capacitive key of the plurality of capacitive keys when the presence of the conductive object is detected on the unique combination of three or more sensor elements corresponding to the first capacitive key, wherein the first capacitive key comprises;
a first ring-shaped segment of a first group of the three or more separate groups,a second ring-shaped segment of a second group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the first ring-shaped segment; and
a third ring-shaped segment of a third group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the second ring-shaped segment.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting activation of one or more capacitive keys when presences of the one or more touches are detected on unique combinations of three or more sensor elements at the respective locations of the capacitive keys on which the one or more touches are detected. In one embodiment, the method correctly detects the activations of multiple keys when multiple substantially simultaneous touches are detected.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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detecting a presence of a conductive object on a touch-sensor device having a plurality of capacitive keys at respective locations on the touch-sensor device, wherein each of the plurality of capacitive keys comprises a unique combination of three or more sensor elements from three or more separate groups of one or more sensor elements; and detecting activation of a first capacitive key of the plurality of capacitive keys when the presence of the conductive object is detected on the unique combination of three or more sensor elements corresponding to the first capacitive key, wherein the first capacitive key comprises; a first ring-shaped segment of a first group of the three or more separate groups, a second ring-shaped segment of a second group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the first ring-shaped segment; and a third ring-shaped segment of a third group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the second ring-shaped segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising
a processing device to detect a presence of a conductive object on a touch-sensor device having a plurality of capacitive keys at respective locations on the touch-sensor device, wherein each of the plurality of capacitive keys comprises a unique combination of three or more sensor elements from three or more separate groups of one or more sensor elements, and wherein the processing device is configured to detect activation of a first capacitive key of the plurality of capacitive keys when the presence of the conductive object is detected on the unique combination of three or more sensor elements corresponding to the first capacitive key, wherein the first capacitive key comprises: -
a first ring-shaped segment of a first group of the three or more separate groups, a second ring-shaped segment of a second group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the first ring-shaped segment; and a third ring-shaped segment of a third group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the second ring-shaped segment. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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a touch-sensor device having a plurality of capacitive keys, wherein each capacitive key comprises a unique combination of three or more sensor elements from three or more separate groups of one or more sensor elements, wherein at least one of the capacitive keys comprise a first ring-shaped segment of a first group of the three or more separate groups, a second ring-shaped segment of a second group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the first ring-shaped segment, and a third ring-shaped segment of a third group of the three or more separate groups disposed within the ring of the second ring-shaped segment; and means for detecting a plurality of activations of the plurality of capacitive keys when presences of a plurality of substantially simultaneous touches are detected using the unique combinations of the plurality of substantially simultaneous touches.
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Specification