Method and apparatus for detecting key actuations
US5798716A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 23, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 25, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 23, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M1/23
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronic device (100) comprises a first plurality of keys (117), a second plurality of keys (119), and a processor (506) having a plurality of inputs (600) and an output (620). The output (620) is utilized to bias the plurality of inputs (600) at a first predetermined voltage during a first predetermined time period and at a second predetermined voltage during a second predetermined time period. An actuation of any one of the first plurality of keys (117) couples a unique combination of two inputs of the plurality of inputs (600) to the second predetermined voltage, and an actuation of any one of the second plurality of keys (119) couples a unique combination of two inputs of the plurality of inputs (600) to the first predetermined voltage. Thus, the processor (506) can detect actuations of the first plurality of keys (117) during the first predetermined time period and the second plurality of keys (119) during the second predetermined time period.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.