Keyboard with user configurable granularity scales for pressure sensitive keys

• US 9,246,487 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Casparian, Mark A., Azor, Frank C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US12/316,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20100148999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,597 Days
• Field of Search: 341/34, 400/479.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7065 characterised by the mechanism between keys and layered keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/036 Variable resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2205/002 fixed to operating part
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/004 Collapsible dome or bubble
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/03 Different type of switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for user configurable pressure sensitive keys and techniques for controlling these keys for keyboards. User configuration information, including information for user configurable granularity scales for pressure levels, can be communicated from a host system to the keyboard and stored for later use by a keyboard controller to control the operation of the pressure sensitive keys. In this way, greater control of the pressure sensitive keys can be provided. This configurability is of particular use for applications such as where the keyboard is being used for gaming by a user running a gaming application on an information handling system.

Claims

1. A keyboard having user configurable pressure sensitive keys, comprising:

a keyboard device body including a plurality of pressure sensitive keys configured to provide pressure sensitive signals;

an output communication interface within the keyboard device body configured to be coupled to a separate external host system device to allow communication between the keyboard device body and the external host system device through the output communication interface;

a memory within the keyboard device body configured to store one or more configuration files;

at least one configuration file of the one or more configuration files stored within the memory, the at least one configuration file including user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys including one or more granularity scales of multiple different applied pressure levels to be indicated to the external host system device for the pressure sensitive keys based on the pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys; and

a keyboard controller within the keyboard device body and configured to receive the user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales from the external host system device through the output communication interface, to store the received user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys in the memory for later use by the keyboard controller, to receive the pressure sensitive signals from the pressure sensitive keys when depressed by a user, to use at least one of the one or more granularity scales included within the stored user configuration information to generate keyboard output signals corresponding to the applied pressure levels of at least one of the one or more granularity scales based upon the pressure sensitive signals, and to communicate the keyboard output signals to the external host system device through the output communication interface;

where the keyboard controller is further configured to allow the user to enter specific values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold from the external host system device to create one or more personal configuration files and to store the user-provided specific values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold as part of the one or more granularity scales for the pressure sensitive keys;

where the stored one or more granularity scales further comprises a relationship between different detected values based on the pressure sensitive signals and corresponding values of implied force that is defined to extend between the specific values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold; and

where the keyboard controller is further configured to store the user configuration information indicative of a first key operation mode in the memory for later use by the keyboard controller, the first operation mode configured to limit the keyboard output signals produced by the keyboard controller to indicate an existence of only a pressed or not pressed key condition in response to signals received from one or more of the pressure sensitive keys when depressed by the user; and

where the keyboard controller is further configured to selectively implement the first operation mode based on user selection information received from the user so as to allow the user to selectively change a keyboard output mode for signals generated and output through the same output communication interface to the external host system device by the keyboard controller for a given depressed key back and forth between;

     1) the first operation mode in which the keyboard output signals generated by the keyboard controller indicate the existence of only the pressed or not pressed key, and

     2) a second pressure sensitive mode in which the keyboard output signals generated by the keyboard controller across the same output communication interface correspond to the multiple different applied pressure levels based upon the pressure sensitive signals.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more granularity scales includes a given number of applied pressure levels for a given pressure sensitive key that is different from each other of the one or more granularity scales;

and where the user configuration information allows for different granularity scales having different numbers of applied pressure levels to be selected for different pressure sensitive keys.

3. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein the user configuration information allows for a granularity scale of the one or more granularity scales of applied pressure levels from at least 2 pressure levels to not more than 10 pressure levels to be selected for the pressure sensitive keys.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the one or more configuration files are stored in the memory and wherein the keyboard controller is further configured to allow the user to select one of the one or more configuration files for use.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keyboard controller further comprises an integrated circuit including a microcontroller and an analog input block for the pressure sensitive signals from the pressure sensitive keys.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pressure sensitive keys further comprise keys configured to produce a variable resistance signal when depressed by the user.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pressure sensitive keys further comprise keys configured to produce a variable capacitance signal when depressed by the user.

8. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the plurality of pressure sensitive keys further comprise a flexible and conductive half-dome structure positioned underneath a keycap.

9. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the keyboard controller is further configured to generate a count associated with a capacitance measurement, the count being utilized to represent pressure applied to the pressure sensitive key.

10. The keyboard of claim 9, wherein the stored one or more granularity scales further comprises a relationship between different values of detected count and corresponding values of implied force that is defined to extend between the specific values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold.

11. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of digital keys within the keyboard device body.

12. The keyboard of claim 1, where after the user configuration information further including the one or more granularity scales has been received through the output communication interface and stored in the memory, the keyboard controller is further configured to then receive additional user configuration information through the output communication interface to cause adjustment of the one or more granularity scales of the user configuration information previously stored in the memory so as to change a sensitivity of the keyboard output signals that are generated based upon the pressure sensitive signals that are received from the pressure sensitive keys.

13. The keyboard of claim 1, where the keyboard controller is further configured to receive the user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales through the output communication interface, to store the received user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys in the memory for later use by the keyboard controller, to receive the pressure sensitive signals from the pressure sensitive keys when depressed by the user, to use at least one of the one or more granularity scales included scale within the stored user configuration information to generate the keyboard output signals corresponding to one of the applied pressure levels of at least one of the one or more granularity scales based upon the pressure sensitive signals, and to communicate the keyboard output signals to the external host system device through the output communication interface.

14. The keyboard of claim 1, where the user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys further includes the one or more granularity scales stored in a table within the memory.

15. The keyboard of claim 1, where the keyboard controller is further configured to receive the pressure sensitive signals from each of the pressure sensitive keys that are capacitance or resistance measurements representative of an amount of pressure applied to each of the pressure sensitive keys;

where each of the one or more granularity scales further includes a correlation of given measured capacitance or resistance to respective given applied pressure levels to be indicated for the pressure sensitive keys; and

where the keyboard controller is further configured to;

select an applied pressure level that correlates to each of the capacitance or resistance measurements,

generate the keyboard output signals corresponding to each of the applied pressure levels selected from the one or more granularity scales based upon the capacitance or resistance measurements, and

communicate the keyboard output signals associated with the pressure sensitive keys to the external host system device through the output communication interface.

16. The keyboard of claim 1, where the keyboard controller is further configured to store the user configuration information that categorizes each of the one or more granularity scales by a particular corresponding video game or particular video game genre;

and where each of the one or more granularity scales further defines different game actions corresponding to different corresponding applied pressure levels to be indicated for the pressure sensitive keys based on the pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys.

17. The keyboard of claim 16, where the keyboard controller is further configured to simultaneously store the user configuration information that comprises a first granularity scale configured for output to a first video game application that corresponds to a first user, and a second and different granularity scale for the same first video game application that corresponds to a second user.

18. The keyboard of claim 16, where the keyboard controller is further configured to simultaneously store the user configuration information that comprises a first granularity scale configured for output to a first video game application, and a second and different granularity scale configured for output to a second video game application that is different than the first video game application.

19. The keyboard of claim 1, where the keyboard controller is further configured to allow the user to adjust the previously specific values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold, and to switch from generation of the keyboard output signals corresponding to the applied pressure levels to generation of on/off keyboard output signals.

20. A method for user control of pressure sensitive keys for a keyboard, comprising:

providing a keyboard device body having a plurality of pressure sensitive keys, a memory, and a keyboard controller within the keyboard device body;

coupling the keyboard device body to a separate external host system device through an output communication interface device to allow communication between the keyboard device body and the external host system device through the output communication interface;

receiving with the external host system device user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys, the user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys including one or more granularity scales of multiple different of applied pressure levels to be indicated to the external host system device for the pressure sensitive keys based on pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales of the applied pressure levels to be indicated to the external host system device for the pressure sensitive keys based on the pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys;

sending the user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales from the external host system device to the keyboard controller through the output communication interface;

using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to store the user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales for later use in the memory on the keyboard in one or more configuration files;

producing the pressure sensitive signals for the pressure sensitive keys when depressed by a user;

using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to use the stored user configuration information within a configuration file of the one or more configuration files including the one or more granularity scales to generate the keyboard output signals corresponding to the applied pressure levels of at least one of the one or more granularity scales based upon the pressure sensitive signals; and

using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to communicate the keyboard output signals associated with the pressure sensitive keys to the external host system device through the output communication interface;

where the method further comprises using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to allow the user to create one or more personal configuration files by receiving specific user-selected values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold input by the user from the external host system device across the output communication interface to create the one or more personal configuration files and storing the specific user-selected values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold as part of the one or more granularity scales for the pressure sensitive keys;

where the stored one or more granularity scales further comprises a relationship between different detected values based on the pressure sensitive signals and corresponding values of implied force that is defined to extend between the specific user-selected values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold

storing user configuration information indicative of first key operation mode in the memory for later use by the keyboard controller, the first operation mode configured to limit the keyboard output signals produced by the keyboard controller to indicate an existence of only a pressed or not pressed key condition in response to signals received from one or more of the pressure sensitive keys when depressed by a user; and

selectively implementing the first operation mode based on user selection information received from the user to selectively change a keyboard output mode for signals generated and output to the external host system device through the same output communication interface by the keyboard controller for a given depressed key back and forth in response to a user selection between;

     1) the first operation mode in which the keyboard output signals generated by the keyboard controller indicate the existence of only the pressed or not pressed key, and

     2) a second pressure sensitive mode in which the keyboard output signals generated by the keyboard controller and output to the external host system device across the same output communication interface correspond to multiple different applied pressure levels based upon the pressure sensitive signals.

21. The method of claim 20, where each of the one or more granularity scales includes a given number of the applied pressure levels for a given pressure sensitive key that is different from each other of the one or more granularity scales;

and where the method further comprises allowing the user to set different granularity scales for different pressure sensitive keys.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising using the keyboard output signals within the external host system device to control features of a gaming application.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to store the one or more configuration files on the keyboard and allowing the user to select one of the one or more configuration files for use.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the producing step further comprises producing the pressure sensitive signals based upon a variable resistance signal.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the producing step further comprises producing the pressure sensitive signals based upon a variable capacitance signal.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to generate a count associated with a measurement of the variable capacitance signal and utilizing the count to represent pressure applied to a pressure sensitive key of the pressure sensitive keys.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to allow the user to create the one or more personal configuration files by receiving the specific user-selected values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold input by the user from the external host system device across the output communication interface to create the one or more personal configuration files and storing the specific user-selected values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold as part of the one or more granularity scales for the pressure sensitive keys;

where the stored one or more granularity scales further comprises a relationship between different values of detected count and corresponding values of implied force that is defined to extend between the specific user-selected values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing a plurality of digital keys within the keyboard device body and using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to receive and communicate the keyboard output signals associated with the digital keys to the external host system device through the output communication interface.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising after storing the user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales for later use in the memory;

and then;

receiving with the external host system device additional user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys, the additional user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys including the one or more granularity scales of the applied pressure levels to be indicated to the external host system device for the pressure sensitive keys based on the pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales of the applied pressure levels to be indicated for the pressure sensitive keys based on the pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys,

sending the additional user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales from the external host system device to the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body through the output communication interface,

using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to store the additional user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales and/or including a selection among the one or more granularity scales for later use in the memory on the keyboard in the one or more configuration files, and

adjusting the one or more granularity scales of the user configuration information previously stored in the memory so as to change a sensitivity of the keyboard output signals that are generated based upon the pressure sensitive signals that are received from the pressure sensitive keys.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving with the external host system device the user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys, the user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys including the one or more granularity scales of the applied pressure levels to be indicated to the external host system device for the pressure sensitive keys based on the pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys;

sending the user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales from the external host system device to the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body through the output communication interface;

using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to store the user configuration information including the one or more granularity scales for later use in the memory on the keyboard in the one or more configuration files;

producing the pressure sensitive signals for the pressure sensitive keys when depressed by the user;

using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to use the stored user configuration information within the configuration file of the one or more configuration files including the one or more granularity scales to generate the keyboard output signals corresponding to one of the applied pressure levels of at least one of the one or more granularity scales based upon the pressure sensitive signals; and

using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to communicate the keyboard output signals associated with the pressure sensitive keys to the external host system device through the output communication interface.

31. The method of claim 20, where the user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys further includes the one or more granularity scales;

and where the method further comprises using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to store the user configuration information for the pressure sensitive keys in a user-configurable table within the memory.

32. The method of claim 20, where the pressure sensitive signals produced and received from each of the pressure sensitive keys are capacitance or resistance measurements that are representative of an amount of pressure applied to each of the pressure sensitive keys;

where each of the one or more granularity scales further includes a correlation of given measured capacitance or resistance to respective given applied pressure levels to be indicated for the pressure sensitive keys; and

where the method further comprises using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to perform the following steps;

using the stored user configuration information within the configuration file of the one or more configuration files including the one or more granularity scales to select an applied pressure level that correlates to each of the capacitance or resistance measurements,

generating the keyboard output signals corresponding to each of the applied pressure levels selected from the one or more granularity scales based upon the capacitance or resistance measurements, and

communicating the keyboard output signals associated with the pressure sensitive keys to the external host system device through the output communication interface.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to store the user configuration information in a manner that categorizes each of the one or more granularity scales by a particular corresponding video game or video game genre;

and where each of the one or more granularity scales further defines different game actions corresponding to different corresponding applied pressure levels to be indicated for the pressure sensitive keys based on the pressure sensitive signals received from the pressure sensitive keys.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to:

store the user configuration information including a first granularity scale configured for output to a first video game application that corresponds to a first user, and to separately and simultaneously store the user configuration information including a second and different granularity scale for the same first video game application that corresponds to a second user.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to:

store the user configuration information including a first granularity scale configured for output to a first video game application, and to separately and simultaneously store the user configuration information including a second and different granularity scale configured for output to a second video game application that is different than the first video game application.

36. The method of claim 20, further comprising using the keyboard controller within the keyboard device body to allow the a user to adjust the previously specific user-selected values of minimum threshold and maximum threshold, and to switch from generation of the keyboard output signals corresponding to the applied pressure levels to generation of on/off keyboard output signals.