# US 11,029,843 B2 · Touch sensitive keyboard > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,843 B2 - Document ID: US11029843B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/334,010 - Filed: 2017-09-15 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-16 - Assignees: Tactual Labs Co. - Applicants: Tactual Labs Co. - Inventors: Clifton Forlines; David Holman; Stephen Dennis; Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa; Steven Leonard Sanders; David Clark Wilkinson; Braon Moseley; Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029843B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G06F 3/0202: {Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device} - G06F 3/023: Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes - G06F 3/0234: {using switches operable in different directions} - G06F 3/0235: {using chord techniques (G06F3/0234 takes precedence)} - G06F 3/0238: {Programmable keyboards (key guide holders G06F3/0224)} - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/0426: {tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface (virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886)} - G06F 2203/04108: Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A touch sensitive keyboard is disclosed. In one embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard is provided that has a touchpad area separate from the keyboard keys. The keyboard is configured to disabled touchpad sensitivity when certain touch signals are received. In another embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard is used as a controller. In a controller mode, keys on a touch sensitive keyboard are adapted to output a signal strength corresponding to a distance between the key and a finger operating as a control. In an embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard includes a processor adapted to output a keystroke in response to one of the plurality of touch sensitive keys being pressed, and to output one or more touch points determined by interpolating signal strength for each of the plurality of touch sensitive keys on the keyboard. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Touch sensitive keyboard comprising: a. a plurality of keys comprising transmit antennas and receive antennas, wherein the plurality of keys are each adapted to output a touch signal in response to capacitively determining proximity of a finger using at least some of the transmit antennas and receive antennas; b. touchpad area separate from the plurality of keys, the touchpad area being sensitive to a touch; and c. processor operatively connected to the plurality of keys such that it can receive touch signals output thereby, and configured to disable the touchpad area sensitivity to touch when at least one proximity signal is received. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to disable the touchpad area sensitivity to touch when a preconfigured group of proximity signals is received. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to not disable the touchpad area sensitivity to touch in response to proximity signals from a set of preconfigured keys. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the keys does not include a pre-selected group of keys. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the pre-selected group of keys includes at least one selected from the group comprising: control, shift, and alt. ### Claim 6 Method of using a touch sensitive keyboard as control, a plurality of keys comprising transmit antennas and receive antennas on the touch sensitive keyboard, each of the plurality of keys adapted to output a signal strength corresponding to a capacitively determined distance, using at least some of the transmit antennas and receive antennas, between the key and a finger operating as a control, the method comprising the steps of: a. placing the touch sensitive keyboard into a control state based upon a predefined positioning of at least a portion of at least one finger with respect to the touch sensitive keyboard; b. while in the control state, repeatedly determining a control direction by interpolating signal strength among a group of neighboring keys on the keyboard; and c. outputting the control direction to a host for use in control. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: a. determining a control magnitude by interpolating signal strength among a group of neighboring keys on the keyboard; and b. outputting the control magnitude to the host for use in control. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the predefined positioning is one selected from the group of: two fingers of one hand resting on a ctrl key and alt key; and both thumbs resting on a space bar. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises a center key and each adjacent key. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises each key adjacent to a center key. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises each key within a certain distance of a center key. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises a group of adjacent keys on one row of the touch sensitive keyboard. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the group of neighboring keys comprises a group of adjacent keys on at least two adjacent rows of the touch sensitive keyboard. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the control direction and control magnitude are used to emulate a joystick. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the control direction and control magnitude are used to emulate a computer mouse. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of: a. establishing a baseline position of a finger operating as a control; and b. wherein the step of determining a control direction establishes a delta from the baseline position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, where the control direction is selected from the group consisting of: up, down, left and right. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the touch sensitive keyboard remains in the control state for a period of time. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the touch sensitive keyboard remains in the control state until an occurrence of a second predefined positioning of at least a portion of at least one finger with respect to the touch sensitive keyboard. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the second predefined positioning is a home row position. ### Claim 21 Touch sensitive keyboard comprising: a. a plurality of touch sensitive keys comprising transmit antennas and receive antennas; b. signal processor adapted to process measure a signal strength corresponding to a capacitively determined distance, using at least some of the transmit antennas and receive antennas, between the each of the plurality of touch sensitive keys and at least one finger in proximity thereto; c. processor adapted: i. to output a keystroke in response to one of the plurality of touch sensitive keys being pressed, and ii. to output one or more touch points determined by interpolating signal strength for each of the plurality of touch sensitive keys on the keyboard.