Patent · US Expired

Multipurpose keyboard using digitizer pad featuring spatial minimization of a pressure contact area and method of making same

US5053585A · kind A · utility

123Cited by
1References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 12, 1990
Grant dateOct 1, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 12, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/023
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multipurpose keyboard incorporating an electronic pressure sensing device, a digitizer pad featuring spatial minimization of a pressure contact area capable of locating the leading and trailing edges of the pressure contact area is described. A processor coupled to the electronic pressure sensing device is programmed to sense when various regions on a simple, fully interchangeable template overlay and the underlying electronic pressure sensing device are depressed. The sensed region is associated by the processor with a particular key identification on the template overlay. The variation of the resistance in the digitizer pad enables the processor to detect the actuation of more than one key on the template overlay at the same time, thereby defecting key rollover. A method of fabrication for a multipurpose keyboard is also described.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.