Patent · US Active

Low pin count solution using capacitance sensing matrix for keyboard architecture

US9019133B1 · kind B1 · utility

1Cited by
89References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 1, 2013
Grant dateApr 28, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 1, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K2217/960755
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method for selecting a keyboard key based on a position of a presence of a conductive object on a sensing device and a pre-defined area of the keyboard key. The apparatus may include a sensing device and a processing device. The sensing device may include a plurality of sensor elements to detect a presence of a conductive object on the sensing device. Multiple keyboard keys are assigned to pre-defined areas of the sensing device. The processing device is coupled to the sensing device using capacitance sensing pins, and may be operable to determine a position of the presence of the conductive object, and to select a keyboard key based on the position of the conductive object and the pre-defined areas of the sensing device.

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