Capacitive keyboard having variable make points

• US 9,632,591 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marshall, Blake R., Tan, Liquan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eurice, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US14/533,044
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/98 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94026 Automatic threshold calibration; e.g. threshold automatically adapts to ambient conditions or follows variation of input

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an input device having variable make points. More specifically, the various embodiments described herein are directed to an input device having a key, a first button member and a second button member. A dielectric may be positioned between the first button member and the second button member. The key is also associated with a capacitive sensor that is configured to determine a change in capacitance as a distance between the first button member and the second button member changes.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a key;

a first button member associated with the key;

a second button member associated with the key and disposed within the first button member;

a dielectric material positioned between the first button member and the second button member; and

a capacitive sensor configured to determine a change in a capacitance as a distance between the first button member and the second button member changes, wherein;

the first button member and the second button member are disposed, at least in part, above a ground layer, and

a first change in the capacitance is associated with a first make point of the key and a second change in the capacitance is associated with a second make point of the key.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first button member is a dome.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein the second button member is a dome.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to detect a change in a second capacitance of a second key of the input device.

5. The input device of claim 4, wherein a first type of actuation is associated with the first make point.

6. The input device of claim 5, wherein a second type of actuation is associated with the second make point.

7. The input device of claim 6, wherein output associated with the first type of actuation is different than output associated with the second type of actuation.

8. The input device of claim 6, wherein output associated with the first type of actuation of the key is associated with output associated with the second type of actuation of the key.

9. A method of detecting actuation of a key of an input device, the method comprising:

receiving actuation of the key of the input device;

detecting a change in capacitance between a first portion of the key and a second portion of the key, the first portion and the second portion being disposed, at least in part, above a ground layer;

when the change in capacitance exceeds a first threshold amount, causing a first type of output; and

when the change in capacitance exceeds a second threshold amount, causing a second type of output that is different than the first type of output.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the change in capacitance between a first portion of the key and a second portion of the key is based, at least in part, on a change of distance between the first portion of the key and the second portion of the key.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first type of output is associated with the second type of output.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving actuation of a second key and detecting a change in capacitance between a first portion of the second key and a second portion of the second key.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a change in capacitance between the first portion of the second key and the second portion of the second key; and

when the change in capacitance exceeds third threshold amount, causing the first type of output, wherein the third threshold amount is different than the first threshold amount and the second threshold amount.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting the change in capacitance between the first portion of the second key and the second portion of the second key; and

when the change in capacitance exceeds a fourth threshold amount, causing the second type of output, wherein the fourth threshold amount is different than the first threshold amount, the second threshold amount and the third threshold amount.

15. An input device comprising:

a plurality of keys, wherein each of the plurality of keys has;

a first actuation member;

a second actuation member;

at least one ground layer; and

a plurality of capacitive sensors;

wherein;

the first actuation member and the second actuation member of each key are positioned at least in part above the ground layer;

each of the plurality of capacitive sensors is configured to determine a change in capacitance between the first actuation member and the second actuation member in each of the plurality of keys, and is adapted to provide each key of the plurality of keys a dynamic make point.

16. The input device of claim 15, wherein a first key in the plurality of keys has a first capacitive sensitivity level and wherein a second key in the plurality of keys has a second capacitive sensitivity level that is different than the first capacitive sensitivity level.

17. The input device of claim 15, wherein the at least one ground layer is positioned between the second actuation member and the plurality of capacitive sensors.

18. The input device of claim 15, wherein a first key of the plurality of keys is associated with a first capacitive sensor and wherein a second key of the plurality of keys is associated with a second capacitive sensor.

19. The input device of claim 15, wherein the change in capacitance occurs in response to actuation of one or more keys of the plurality of keys.

20. The input device of claim 15, wherein the change in capacitance occurs in response to an input mechanism being placed in proximity to one or more keys of the plurality of keys.