Abstract: Electrodes and regions of top plate opposed to electrodes constitute switches that have capacitances varying when the regions of top plate are depressed from top plate toward electrodes. Depression detection circuit calculates the capacitance change amounts of switches indicating changes of the capacitances from a reference value. Depression detection circuit calculates the maximum value and sum of the capacitance change amounts of switches. When the capacitance change amount of at least one switch exceeds threshold and a situation in which the ratio of the maximum value to the sum is equal to or greater than threshold has lasted for the number of repetitions in, depression detection circuit determines that the switch having the maximum value of the capacitance change amount is in a depressed state.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a capacitive switching system may include a plurality of capacitive switches and at least one processor. Each of the capacitive switches may include an activation surface offset from an energized conductor by a dielectric region and a capacitance that is dependent upon an electric field generated by the energized conductor. The at least one processor may execute machine readable instructions to transform a change in the capacitance of one of the capacitive switches into a first control signal indicative of a first active state. A rejection delay may be activated by the at least one processor after the change in the capacitance of the one of the capacitive switches. The rejection delay can remain activated for a predetermined time period. A second control signal may be prevented from indicating a second active state while the rejection delay is activated.

Abstract: A keyboard includes a keyboard body, a first resistor, a first capacitor, a jumper block mounted to the keyboard body, a battery, a keyboard interface, and a keyboard control circuit. The jumper block includes a grounded first pin and a second pin. The battery includes a positive terminal grounded by the first resistor and the first capacitor connected in series, and a grounded negative terminal. The keyboard interface includes a data pin, a voltage pin, and an idle pin. The idle pin is connected to a node between the first resistor and the first capacitor, and connected to the second pin of the jumper block. The keyboard control circuit is connected to the data pin to transmit data, and connected to the voltage pin to receive a voltage.

Abstract: Keyboards, keypads and other data entry devices can suffer from a keying ambiguity problem. In a small keyboard, for example, a user's finger is likely to overlap from a desired key to onto adjacent ones. An iterative method of removing keying ambiguity from a keyboard comprising an array of capacitive keys involves measuring a signal strength associated with each key in the array, comparing the measured signal strengths to find a maximum, determining that the key having the maximum signal strength is the unique user-selected key, and maintaining that selection until either the initially selected key's signal strength drops below some threshold level or a second key's signal strength exceeds the first key's signal strength.

Abstract: A flexible touch-sense switch includes a force sensitive composite and an at least one proximity sensor. The force sensitive composite includes a plurality of force sensors disposed between a first layer and a second layer of polymide film defining a displacement region. The at least one proximity sensor generates an electromagnetic field that defines a detection region. The force sensitive composite and the at least one proximity sensor are mounted to the first layer of the polymide film for forming a flexible printed circuit board. A control circuit is electrically connected to the force sensitive composite and the at least one proximity sensor for selectively controlling the touch-sense switch activation in response to coincident actuation thereof.

Abstract: A keyboard allowing typists to use approximate QWERTY finger movements on a more compact, collapsible, and portable keyboard. The keyboard size is made more compact by using thin capacitance-responsive surfaces as key switches for the rows above and below the home row. The bottom, space-bar row is also touch-sensitive and is placed on the side of the keyboard facing the typist. The capacitance-responsive surface for the row of keys switches above the home row has a convex profile, and the capacitance-responsive surface for the row of keys switches below the home row has a concave profile, such that the keyboard can fold compactly upon itself. The home row retains depressible key switches in order to provide standard rest positions for the fingers. Characters and commands assigned to the rows above and below the home row are engaged by sliding the fingers over the capacitance-responsive surfaces adjacent to the home row.

Abstract: A housing assembly in which is placed a membrane keyboard is placed between the pressing layer and the base support. Pressing labels and key zones are respectively printed on a surface of the membrane keyboard and on the pressing layer at corresponding locations. An image layer with image features can be further placed between the pressing layer and the membrane keyboard. The housing assembly hence constructed can be fashionable by changing the upper cover and/or image layer, while the membrane keyboard can be further used on leveled working surfaces.

Abstract: A keyboard apparatus has keys for operation by a user. The keyboard includes a first plurality of keys being coupled to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from their operation. A second plurality of the keys is not coupled to electrical generator apparatus. The first plurality of keys exhibits a greater average statistical frequency of usage per key than does the second plurality.

Abstract: A soft cover adapter for customizing and/or simplifying the use of a computer keyboard comprises an easily attachable soft cover made of cloth, vinyl, leather, or the like, configured in size and shape to cover a computer keyboard. The cover may be attached to the keyboard by means of elastic banding. A multiplicity of plastic discs are removably attached (for example, by hook and loop attachments) to the inside surface of the cover. Each of the plastic discs is removably positioned above a pre-selected group of keys on the computer keyboard. On the outer surface of the cover, an icon, such as a photo, drawing, letter, word, or other symbol is positioned above each disc so that when the icon is depressed, it will, in turn, depress the corresponding plastic disc, which, in turn, will depress one or more of the pre-selected group of keys beneath it.

Abstract: A touchpad is formed of an electrically insulating membrane (10) with a first series of spaced apart conductors (12) on a first face of membrane (10) and a second series of spaced apart conductors (14) on or proximal thereto, in which there is no electrical contact between the first and second series of conductors (12, 14) Each conductor in the first and second series of conductors is sensitive to the proximity of a finger to modify the capacitance of the proximate conductor to detect the presence of the finger positioned close to that conductor. A scanning system operative to sample one of the conductors in turn from both the first and second series of conductors (12, 14) in order to measure and store a capacitance value associated with that respective conductor. The scanning system is operative to maintain all conductors (12-n, 14-n) at a common potential equal to the potential of the conductor being sampled when the remaining conductors are not actively being sampled by the scanning system.