GESTURE-ENABLED KEYBOARD AND ASSOCIATED APPARATUS AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM
First Claim
1. A keyboard comprising:
- an arrangement of keys;
circuitry forming a grid of circuits underneath respective keys of the arrangement of keys, a circuit of the grid of circuits being configured to generate a signal in response to a keystroke in which a respective key of the arrangement of keys is depressed;
a first processor configured to receive the signal from the circuit of the grid of circuits, and compare a location of the respective circuit to a character map to determine how to interpret the keystroke;
a plurality of proximity sensors forming a grid of sensors underneath the keys, the proximity sensors being configured to measure a proximity of an object to the respective proximity sensors, and produce a signal representative of the measured proximity; and
a second processor configured to receive the signal representative of the measured proximity, determine at least one of a position or movement of the object relative to the proximity sensors based on the respective signal, and produce a gesture signal representative of the determined at least one of position or movement, the gesture signal being interpretable into one or more commands or instructions for directing performance of one or more operations of an apparatus or software operating on the apparatus.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A keyboard is provided that includes an arrangement of keys, circuitry and a first processor configured to generate a signal in response to a keystroke in which a respective key of the arrangement of keys is depressed, and determine how to interpret the keystroke. The keyboard also includes a plurality of proximity sensors and a second processor configured to measure the proximity of an object to the respective proximity sensors, determine a position and/or movement of the object relative to the proximity sensors based on the respective signal, and produce a gesture signal representative of the determined position and/or movement. This gesture signal is interpretable into one or more commands or instructions for directing performance of one or more operations of an apparatus or software operating on the apparatus. A related apparatus and computer-readable storage medium are also provided.
28 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A keyboard comprising:
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an arrangement of keys; circuitry forming a grid of circuits underneath respective keys of the arrangement of keys, a circuit of the grid of circuits being configured to generate a signal in response to a keystroke in which a respective key of the arrangement of keys is depressed; a first processor configured to receive the signal from the circuit of the grid of circuits, and compare a location of the respective circuit to a character map to determine how to interpret the keystroke; a plurality of proximity sensors forming a grid of sensors underneath the keys, the proximity sensors being configured to measure a proximity of an object to the respective proximity sensors, and produce a signal representative of the measured proximity; and a second processor configured to receive the signal representative of the measured proximity, determine at least one of a position or movement of the object relative to the proximity sensors based on the respective signal, and produce a gesture signal representative of the determined at least one of position or movement, the gesture signal being interpretable into one or more commands or instructions for directing performance of one or more operations of an apparatus or software operating on the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus comprising a processor configured to at least perform or cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:
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receiving a signal from a keyboard, the keyboard comprising; an arrangement of keys; a plurality of proximity sensors forming a grid of sensors underneath the keys, the proximity sensors being configured to measure a proximity of an object to the respective proximity sensors, and produce a signal representative of the measured proximity; and a second processor configured to receive the signal representative of the measured proximity, determine at least one of a position or movement of the object relative to the proximity sensors based on the respective signal, and produce a signal representative of the determined at least one of position or movement, the signal received from the keyboard including the signal representative of the determined at least one of position or movement; and determining one or more commands or instructions for directing performance of one or more operations of the apparatus or software operating on the apparatus, the one or more commands or instructions being determined as a function of the signal received from the keyboard. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program portions being configured to direct a processor to at least perform or cause an apparatus to at least perform the following:
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receiving a signal from a keyboard, the keyboard comprising; an arrangement of keys; a plurality of proximity sensors forming a grid of sensors underneath the keys, the proximity sensors being configured to measure a proximity of an object to the respective proximity sensors, and produce a signal representative of the measured proximity; and a processor configured to receive the signal representative of the measured proximity, determine at least one of a position or movement of the object relative to the proximity sensors based on the respective signal, and produce a signal representative of the determined at least one of position or movement, the signal received from the keyboard including the signal representative of the determined at least one of position or movement; and determining one or more commands or instructions for directing performance of one or more operations of the apparatus or software operating on the apparatus, the one or more commands or instructions being determined as a function of the signal received from the keyboard. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification