FUSION KEYBOARD

• US 20130063286A1
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: John Greer Elias, Steven J. Martisauskas
• Inventors: ELIAS, John Greer, Martisauskas, Steven J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,041,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/66 the operating member having only two positions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/002 superimposed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/03 Different type of switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/02 Other elements in moving part
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/074 Actuation by finger touch
• 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 2217/96054 Double function: touch detection combined with detection of a movable element

Abstract

Touch sensitive mechanical keyboards for detecting touch events and key depressions on the keyboard are provided. The keyboard can include a set of individually depressible mechanical keys having a touch sensitive area located on their surface. A touch sensor can be included to detect touch events on the surface of the keys. A keypad can also be included to detect a depression of the mechanical keys. One or more of the depressible mechanical keys can be multi-purpose keys capable of being depressed to multiple levels. The touch sensitive mechanical keyboard can receive key depression input, touch event input, or combinations thereof at the same time. The touch sensitive mechanical keyboard can further include a processor for distinguishing detected touch events from detected key depressions. The processor can generate a key depression command or a touch event command in response to the detected touch events and key depressions.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a plurality of depressible keys, wherein at least one key of the plurality of depressible keys is a dual-purpose key configured to be depressed a first distance to a first level and a second distance to a second level;

a plurality of switch sensors configured to detect a depression of a key of the plurality of depressible keys, wherein at least one switch sensor of the plurality of switch sensors is configured to detect the at least one dual-purpose key being depressed the first distance to the first level and the at least one dual-purpose key being depressed the second distance to the second level; and

an array of capacitive sensors configured to detect a touch event on a surface of one or more of the plurality of depressible keys.

2. The keyboard of claim 1 further comprising a processor configured to:

receive a touch event signal indicating that the touch event has been detected by the array of capacitor sensors on the surface of the one or more of the plurality of depressible keys; and

receive a key depression signal indicating that the depression of the key of the plurality of depressible keys has been detected by the plurality of switch sensors, wherein the processor is configured to generate a command signal based at least in part on the touch event signal.

3. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein the command signal comprises at least one of a touch event command signal or a key depression command signal, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate the key depression command signal in response to receiving the key depression signal; and

generate the touch event command signal in response to a threshold length of time elapsing from receiving the touch event signal without receiving the key depression signal.

4. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the touch event occurs coextensive in time with the depression of the key of the plurality of depressible keys.

5. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein the key depression signal comprises at least one of a first key depression signal or a second key depression signal, and wherein processor is further configured to:

receive the first key depression signal indicating that the depression of the first distance to the first level of the at least one dual-purpose key has been detected by the at least one switch sensor; and

receive the second key depression signal indicating that the depression of the second distance to the second level of the at least one dual-purpose key has been detected by the at least one switch sensor.

6. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a first key depression command signal in response to a threshold length of time elapsing from receiving the first key depression signal without receiving the second key depression signal; and

generate a second key depression command signal in response to receiving the second key depression signal within the threshold length of time from receiving the first key depression command signal.

7. A keyboard comprising:

a plurality of depressible keys;

a plurality of switch sensors configured to detect a depression of a key of the plurality of depressible keys; and

an array of capacitive sensors configured to detect a touch event on a surface of one or more the plurality of depressible keys, wherein the plurality of switch sensors and the array of capacitive sensors are further configured to;

detect a first input comprising one of a depression of a first key of the plurality of depressible keys or a touch event on a surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys; and

detect a second input comprising one of a depression of a second key of the plurality of depressible keys or a touch event on a surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys, wherein the first input occurs coextensive in time with the second input; and

a processor configured to generate;

a first command signal in response to the first input; and

a second command signal based in response to the second input.

8. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the first command signal comprises at least one of a first touch event command signal or a first key depression command signal and the second command signal comprises at least one of a second touch event command signal or a second key depression command signal, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate the first key depression command signal in response to the first input comprising the depression of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys;

generate the first touch event command signal in response to the first input comprising the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys;

generate the second key depression command signal in response to the second input comprising the depression of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys; and

generate the second touch event command signal in response to second input comprising the touch event on the surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.

9. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the a plurality of depressible keys comprises at least one dual-purpose key operable to be depressed a first distance to a first level and a second distance to a second level, and wherein at least one switch sensor of the plurality of switch sensors is further operable to detect the at least one dual-purpose key being depressed the first distance to the first level and the at least one dual-purpose key being depressed the second distance to the second level.

10. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the first command signal comprises information associated with the depression of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys or the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys, and wherein the second command signal comprises information associated with the depression of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys or the touch event on the surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.

11. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the keyboard is coupled to a computing device.

12. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the keyboard is incorporated within a computing device.

13. A method for generating a keyboard command signal, the method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of depressible keys for a depression of a key of the plurality of depressible keys, wherein at least one key of the plurality of depressible keys is a multi-purpose key being monitored to detect the at least one multi-purpose key being depressed a first distance to a first level and the at least one multi-purpose key being depressed a second distance to a second level;

monitoring the plurality of depressible keys for a touch event on a surface of one or more of the plurality of depressible keys; and

generating a command signal based on the monitoring of the plurality of depressible keys for the depression of the key of the plurality of depressible keys and the monitoring of the plurality of depressible keys for the touch event on the surface of one or more of the plurality of depressible keys.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a first key depression signal in response to a detection of the at least one multi-purpose key being depressed the first distance to the first level; and

receiving a second key depression signal in response to a detection of the at least one multi-purpose key being depressed the second distance to the second level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the command signal comprises at least one of a first key depression command signal or a second key depression command signal, and wherein generating the command signal comprises:

generating the first key depression command signal in response to a threshold length of time elapsing from receiving the first key depression signal without receiving the second key depression signal; and

generating the second key depression command signal in response to receiving the second key depression signal within the threshold length of time from receiving the first key depression command signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one multi-purpose key is a spacebar key, and wherein the first key depression command signal causes generation of a space character, and wherein the second key depression command signal causes generation of a mouse click command.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the touch event occurs at a key that is different than the depressed key.

18. A method for generating keyboard command signals, the method comprising:

receiving a first input, wherein the first input comprises one of a depression of a first key of a plurality of depressible keys or a touch event on a surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys;

receiving a second input, wherein the second input comprises one of a depression of a second key of the plurality of depressible keys or a touch event on a surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys;

determining whether the first input comprises the depression of the first key of a plurality of depressible keys or the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys;

determining whether the second input comprises the depression of the second key of a plurality of depressible keys or the touch event on the surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys;

generating a first command signal based on the determining whether the first input comprises the depression of the first key of a plurality of depressible keys or the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys; and

generating a second command signal based on the determining whether the second input comprises the depression of the second key of a plurality of depressible keys or the touch event on the surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

generating a first key depression command signal in response to the first input comprising the depression of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys;

generating a first touch event command signal in response to the first input comprising the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys;

generating a second key depression command signal in response to the second input comprising the depression of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys; and

generating a second touch event command signal in response to the second input comprising the touch event on the surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of one of generating the first key depression command signal or generating the first touch event command signal occurs coextensive in time with one of generating the second key depression command signal or generating the second touch event command signal.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first input comprises the depression of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys, and wherein the second input comprises the depression of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the first input comprises the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys, and wherein the second input comprises the depression of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the first input comprises the depression of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys, and wherein the second input comprises the touch event on the surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the first input comprises the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys, and wherein the second input comprises the touch event on the surface of the second key of the plurality of depressible keys.