Fusion keyboard
First Claim
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;
an array of capacitive sensors configured to detect a touch event on a surface of one or more of the plurality of depressible keys; and
a processor configured to;
receive a touch event signal indicating that the touch event has been detected by the array of capacitive sensors on the surface of the one or more of the plurality of depressible keys;
receive a key depression signal indicating that the depression of the key of the plurality of depressible keys has been detected by at least one of the plurality of switch sensors;
generate a key depression command signal in response to receiving the key depression signal; and
generate a 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.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
121 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A keyboard comprising:
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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; an array of capacitive sensors configured to detect a touch event on a surface of one or more of the plurality of depressible keys; and a processor configured to; receive a touch event signal indicating that the touch event has been detected by the array of capacitive sensors on the surface of the one or more of the plurality of depressible keys; receive a key depression signal indicating that the depression of the key of the plurality of depressible keys has been detected by at least one of the plurality of switch sensors; generate a key depression command signal in response to receiving the key depression signal; and generate a 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A keyboard comprising:
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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 of 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 in response to the second input. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for generating a keyboard command signal, the method comprising:
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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, wherein the command signal comprises a touch event command signal, the touch event command signal generated in response to a threshold length of time elapsing from detecting a touch event without detecting depression of the key. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for generating keyboard command signals, the method comprising:
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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 the plurality of depressible keys or the touch event on the surface of the first key of the plurality of depressible keys, wherein determining whether the first input comprises a touch event comprises detecting a threshold length of time elapsing from detecting the touch event on the surface of the first key without detecting the depression of the first key; determining whether the second input comprises 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, wherein determining whether the second input comprises a touch event comprises detecting the threshold length of time elapsing from detecting the touch event on the surface of the second key without detecting the depression of the second key; generating a first command signal based on the determining whether the first input comprises 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 generating a second command signal based on the determining whether the second input comprises 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. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification