Patents by Inventor Karen G. Luton

Karen G. Luton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4888600
    Abstract: A matrix keyboard system for producing key codes in response to the actuation of key switches. The keyboard system includes ghost key condition detection. In the keyboard system, a group of parallel drive lines and a group of orthogonal parallel sense lines form a matrix, with a key switch being associated with each of the intersection points on the matrix. The drive lines are sequentially activated, and the actuation of a key switch along an activated drive line results in the coupling of a drive signal to the associated sense line. A ghost key condition arises when three of the four corners of a notional rectangle in the matrix contain an actuated key switch. The ghost key condition detector senses the presence of drive signals not only on the sense lines but also on the drive lines, with a ghost key condition being identified if a drive signal is sensed on two or more sense lines and two or more drive lines simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: International Business Machine Corp.
    Inventors: Frank E. Anderson, Christopher J. Gay, Scott A. Hightower, Karen G. Luton