Key screens formed from flexible substrate

• US 8,289,280 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Travis, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seyoum, Tsegaye
• Application Number:
  US12/535,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 345/172, 341/22, 341/23, 400/485, 400/489, 400/490, 400/491
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

Various embodiments related to an adaptive keyboard cut from a single flexible substrate are provided. One disclosed embodiment of an adaptive input device comprises a flexible substrate, and a plurality of key screens defined in the flexible substrate via cuts in the flexible substrate. The key screens are cut such that each key screen remains electrically connected to the flexible substrate, and each key screen comprises an image producing element configured to display an image on the key screen. The adaptive input device further comprises a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys disposed over the flexible substrate, where each key screen is turned upwardly from the flexible substrate to cover a corresponding key on the keyboard.

Claims

1. An adaptive input device for a computing device, the adaptive input device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a plurality of key screens defined in the flexible substrate via cuts in the flexible substrate such that each key screen remains electrically connected to the flexible substrate, wherein said each key screen comprises an image producing element configured to display an image on the key screen; and

a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys disposed over the flexible substrate, said each key screen being turned upwardly from the flexible substrate to cover a corresponding key of said plurality of keys on the keyboard.

2. The adaptive input device of claim 1, wherein the image producing element comprises an organic light emitting device (OLED).

3. The adaptive input device of claim 1, wherein the image producing element comprises an electrophoretic material.

4. The adaptive input device of claim 3, wherein the electrophoretic material is in electrical communication with an array of transistors printed on the flexible substrate.

5. The adaptive input device of claim 4, wherein the array of transistors includes one or more polymer transistors.

6. The adaptive input device of claim 1, wherein the key screens are bonded to the keys via an adhesive.

7. The adaptive input device of claim 1, wherein each key screen is affixed to a corresponding key via a cap placed over the key screen and key.

8. The adaptive input device of claim 1, wherein each key screen remains electrically connected to the flexible substrate by a connector portion of the flexible substrate, the connector portion comprising one or more electrical connectors.

9. The adaptive input device of claim 8, wherein each connector portion is configured to flex in response to depression of the corresponding key, and to provide a rebound effect including tactile feedback when the corresponding key is actuated.

10. An adaptive keyboard for interfacing with a computing device, the adaptive keyboard comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a plurality of key screens defined in the flexible substrate via cuts in the flexible substrate such that each key screen remains electrically connected to the flexible substrate via a connector portion of the flexible substrate, wherein said each key screen comprises electrophoretic material configured to display an image on the key screen; and

a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys disposed over the flexible substrate, said each key screen being turned upwardly from the flexible substrate to cover a corresponding key of said plurality of keys on the keyboard, wherein the connector portion of the flexible substrate corresponding to said each key screen is configured to flex in response to depression of the key.

11. The adaptive keyboard of claim 10, wherein each connector portion is further configured to provide a rebound effect including tactile feedback when the corresponding key is actuated.

12. The adaptive keyboard of claim 10, wherein each connector portion comprises one or more electrical connections.

13. The adaptive keyboard of claim 10, wherein the electrophoretic material is disposed over an array of transistors printed on the flexible substrate.

14. The adaptive keyboard of claim 13, wherein the array of transistors includes one or more polymer transistors.

15. The adaptive keyboard of claim 10, wherein each key screen is affixed to each key via an adhesive.

16. The adaptive keyboard of claim 10, wherein each key screen is affixed to each key via a cap placed over the key screen and key.

17. A method of manufacturing an adaptive input device, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of key screens on a flexible substrate, each key screen comprising an image producing element configured to display an image on the key screen;

cutting around said each key screen on the flexible substrate such that said each key screen maintains a peninsular connector portion of flexible substrate electrically connecting the key screen to the flexible substrate;

placing over the flexible substrate a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys; and

placing said each key screen over a corresponding key of said plurality of keys on the keyboard.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein forming the key screens includes forming organic light emitting devices on the flexible substrate.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein forming the key screens includes placing an electrophoretic material on an array of transistors printed on the flexible substrate.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein placing each key screen over the corresponding key on the keyboard comprises bending the associated peninsular connector portion such that the key screen is turned upwardly from the flexible substrate to cover the key.