Keystroke tactility arrangement on a smooth touch surface

• US 7,920,131 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Westerman, Wayne Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEUNG, MATTHEW M
• Application Number:
  US12/550,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20090315830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/05 electromechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/014 handicapped
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/018 Indication of switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/024 Profile on actuator
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/064 Simulating the appearance of touch panel

Abstract

Disclosed are four arrangements for providing tactility on a touch surface keyboard. One approach is to provide tactile feedback mechanisms, such as dots, bars, or other shapes on all or many keys. In another embodiment, an articulating frame may be provided that extends when the surface is being used in a typing mode and retracts when the surface is used in some other mode, e.g., a pointing mode. The articulating frame may provide key edge ridges that define the boundaries of the key regions or may provide tactile feedback mechanisms within the key regions. The articulating frame may also be configured to cause concave depressions similar to mechanical key caps in the surface. In another embodiment, a rigid, non-articulating frame may be provided beneath the surface. A user will then feel higher resistance when pressing away from the key centers, but will feel a softer resistance at the key center.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive surface configurable to operate as a keyboard, the touch sensitive surface comprising:

a surface cover;

a touch sensitive electrode circuit board disposed beneath the surface cover having a plurality of holes disposed therein;

an articulating frame disposed beneath the touch sensitive electrode circuit board having integral therewith a plurality of key edge ridges aligned with the holes in the touch sensitive electrode circuit board; and

at least one actuator disposed between the articulating frame and an enclosure of the touch sensitive surface and configured to displace the articulating frame so as to extend the key edge ridges through the holes in the touch sensitive electrode circuit board.

2. The touch sensitive surface of claim 1 wherein the surface cover includes a plurality of holes aligned with the holes in the circuit board and wherein the actuator is configured to displace the articulating frame so as to extend the key edge ridges through the holes in the surface cover.

3. The touch sensitive surface of claim 1 wherein the surface cover is attached to the touch sensitive electrode circuit board at a center of a key region such that extending the key edge ridges through the holes in the touch sensitive electrode circuit board forms a concave depression within the key region.

4. A touch sensitive surface according to claim 1 wherein the key edge ridges are extended when the device operates in a typing mode and retracted when the devices operates in a pointing mode.

5. A touch sensitive surface according to claim 2 wherein the key edge ridges are extended when the device operates in a typing mode and retracted when the devices operates in a pointing mode.

6. A touch sensitive surface according to claim 3 wherein the key edge ridges are extended when the device operates in a typing mode and retracted when the devices operates in a pointing mode.

7. The touch sensitive surface of claim 4 wherein switching between typing mode and pointing mode is accomplished manually.

8. The touch sensitive surface of claim 7 wherein manual switching is accomplished by at least one of:

actuating a switch, pressing a button, touching the surface in a pre-defined region, and performing a pre-determined gesture.

9. The touch sensitive surface of claim 4 wherein switching between typing mode and pointing mode is accomplished automatically.

10. The touch sensitive surface of claim 9 wherein at least one of the following:

the typing mode is activated when asynchronous touches are detected;

the typing mode is deactivated when asynchronous touches are no longer detected;

the typing mode is activated when homing chords are detected;

the typing mode is deactivated when homing chords are no longer detected;

the pointing mode is activated when lateral sliding gestures are detected;

the pointing mode is deactivated when lateral sliding gestures are detected;

the pointing mode is activated when mouse clicking activity chords are detected; and

the pointing mode is deactivated when mouse clicking activity chords are detected.

11. The touch sensitive surface of claim 4 wherein the key edge ridges comprise a plurality of distinct bars or dots.

12. The touch sensitive surface of claim 1 wherein the key edge ridges comprise tactile feedback mechanisms located at a center of one or more key regions.

13. The touch sensitive surface of claim 2 wherein the key edge ridges comprise tactile feedback mechanisms located at a center of one or more key regions.

14. The touch sensitive surface of claim 12 wherein the tactile feedback mechanisms are selected from the group consisting of:

a single raised dot, two raised dots arranged horizontally, two raised dots arranged horizontally, a raised bar oriented horizontally, and a raised bar oriented vertically.

15. The touch sensitive surface of claim 12 wherein the tactile feedback mechanisms comprise:

a first tactile feedback mechanism for each home row key; and

an additional tactile feedback mechanism distinct from the first tactile feedback mechanism for at least one key adjacent a home row key or at least one peripheral key.

16. The touch sensitive surface of claim 15 wherein the additional tactile feedback mechanism comprises:

a second tactile feedback mechanism for at least one key adjacent the home row keys; and

a third tactile feedback mechanism for at least one peripheral key;

wherein the second and third tactile feedback mechanisms are distinct from each other.

17. The keyboard of claim 16 wherein:

the second feedback mechanism is provided for each key adjacent a home row key; and

the third feedback mechanism is provided for each peripheral key.