Abstract:
The present invention includes a flexible, pressurizable keyboard made of resilient layers of plastic material, with molded keys which are deformable when pressed so as to send a signal to an electrical device. The keys are arranged with a flexible electrical circuit thereattached, which when depressed, establish a proper complete circuit.
Abstract:
A keyswitch-integrated pointing assembly in which a plurality of substantially planar force sensing elements are disposed on a planar surface adjacent a keyswitch on a keyboard. The keyswitch includes a plunger which extends downwardly from a key cap for actuating a switch at the lower end of vertical key cap travel. The key cap engages an indexing surface when fully depressed which transmits force applied to the key cap to the force sensing elements. The force sensing elements are sandwiched between a pair of opposing plates thereby biasing the elements into a substantially linear operating region when no force is applied to the key cap.
Abstract:
A push button switch which may be used, for example, as a zooming switch in a video camera, having a uniform electrical resistance/applied pressure characteristic and which can be manufactured easily and at a low cost. The switch includes a conductive layer and a pressure-sensitive resistance element disposed between electrode patterns provided on a printed circuit board and an insulated push button. The conductive layer is coated with a pressure-sensitive conductive paste and the pressure-sensitive resistance element is fixed to the insulated push button at a opposed surface to the electrode patterns separated by a predetermined distance.
Abstract:
A spacerless switch circuit for use in multiple switch keyboards includes a first base member having a front surface and a second base member having a front surface in touching relationship against the front surface of the first base member. A plurality of first and second conductor traces are respectively deposited on the front surfaces of the first and second base members. An insulative layer is deposited over regions of either or both of the first and second conductor traces to insulate the conductor traces from each other when the front surfaces of the two base members are touching one another. One or more first switch contacts are deposited on the first base member and one or more facing second switch contacts are deposited on the second base member to define one or more on/off switches. At least one of the first switch contacts includes a first conductive pad and a first pressure sensitive layer applied over the first conductor pad so that a surface junction is formed between the first and second switch contacts where the surface junction is electrically nonconductive when the first contact noncompressively touches the facing second contact and is electrically conductive when the first contact compressively touches the facing second contact.
Abstract:
A housing having key portions of a resilient pad extending therethrough with a metal impregnated elastomer pad overlying the rear surface thereof, a sheet of insulating material having openings therethrough corresponding with the key portions and a plurality of contact areas on a printed circuit board overlying the insulating sheet and having a plurality of contacts on the rear surface thereof, a connecting link formed of a second sheet of insulating material having a plurality of areas of metal impregnated elastomeric material extending therethrough and corresponding in position with the contacts, a second PC board having a plurality of contacts in contact with the elastomeric areas of the connecting link and a frame compressing all of the components together to provide an electrical contact to the elastomeric material in the connecting link and complete a circuit between various contacts on the two printed circuit boards and provide a weather-tight multi-push button switch.
Abstract:
A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.
Abstract:
A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display, a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a glass top case. The glass top case defines an exterior surface and a keyboard opening through the glass top case from the exterior surface to an interior surface. The portable computer further includes a keyboard positioned at least partially within the keyboard opening and comprising a substrate, a key configured to move relative to the substrate, and a fabric cover disposed over the key and defining a user interface surface of the key.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are disclosed for user configurable pressure sensitive keys and techniques for controlling these keys for keyboards. User configuration information, including information for user configurable granularity scales for pressure levels, can be communicated from a host system to the keyboard and stored for later use by a keyboard controller to control the operation of the pressure sensitive keys. In this way, greater control of the pressure sensitive keys can be provided. This configurability is of particular use for applications such as where the keyboard is being used for gaming by a user running a gaming application on an information handling system.
Abstract:
Pressure sensitive key techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a device includes at least one pressure sensitive key having a flexible contact layer spaced apart from a sensor substrate by a spacer layer, the flexible contact layer configured to flex responsive to pressure to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input, for a computing device, associated with the pressure sensitive key. At least one of the flexible contact layer or the sensor substrate are configured to at least partially normalize an output resulting from pressure applied at a first location of the flexible contact layer with an output resulting from pressure applied at a second location of the flexible contact layer that has lesser flexibility than the first location.
Abstract:
One or more sensors are disposed to sense user inputs in an active display area as well as user inputs in an extended area that is outside of the active display area. Data for user inputs, such as gestures, may include data from user inputs sensed in both the active display area and outside of the active display area. The user inputs can begin and/or end outside of the active display area.