# US 11,307,672 B2 · Keyboard pivotally attached to a part comprising a touch-sensitive surface

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- Number: US 11,307,672 B2
- Document ID: US11307672B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/075,634
- Filed: 2017-06-13
- Published: 2021-07-08
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-13
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Bradley Neal Suggs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307672B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/1683: {for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling}
- G06F 3/0202: {Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device}
- G06F 1/1615: {with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function (constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206)}
- G06F 1/1618: {the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure}
- G06F 1/1671: {Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop (G06F1/1666 takes precedence)}
- G06F 1/1677: {for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment}
- G06F 1/1681: {Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683)}
- G06F 3/0213: {Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick (for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033)}
- G06F 3/0227: {Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer (G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence)}
- G06F 3/0393: {Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads}
- G06F 3/044: by capacitive means
- 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 3/045: using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
- G06F 2203/04809: Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

In some examples, an electronic device includes a first part comprising a touch-sensitive surface, and a mechanical keyboard pivotally attached to the first part, where the mechanical keyboard is pivotable between a first position where the keyboard is away from the touch-sensitive surface, and a second position where the keyboard is engaged to the touch-sensitive surface. The touch-sensitive surface is to detect actuations of keys of the mechanical keyboard when the mechanical keyboard is at the second position and engaged with the touch-sensitive surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device comprising:
a first part comprising a touch-sensitive surface;
a second part comprising a display device;
a first hinge connecting the second part to the first part on one side of the first part;
a mechanical keyboard pivotally attached to the first part; and
a second hinge connecting the first part to the mechanical keyboard on an opposite side of the first part, the mechanical keyboard pivotable at the second hinge between a first position where the mechanical keyboard is away from the touch-sensitive surface, and a second position where the mechanical keyboard is engaged to the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the mechanical keyboard is an overlay keyboard without any electrically conductive lines and sensing circuitry to detect actuations of keys of the mechanical keyboard,
the touch-sensitive surface to detect actuations of the keys of the mechanical keyboard when the mechanical keyboard is at the second position and engaged with the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the mechanical keyboard is pivotable at the second hinge to the first position where the mechanical keyboard is under the first part so that the touch-sensitive surface is accessible for user input and the touch-sensitive surface and the display device both face a user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive surface is to detect a touch input made on the touch-sensitive surface by a physical contact between an actuated key of the mechanical keyboard and the touch-sensitive surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive surface is part of a touch-sensitive display that is included in the first part.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the display device is separate from the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:
sensors to detect different positions of the first part, the second part, and the mechanical keyboard; and
a processor to operate the electronic device in respective different modes responsive to the detected different positions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The electronic device of claim 5,
wherein the sensors are to detect positions of the first and second hinges.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first part is to wirelessly communicate with the second part.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first part comprises a first tablet computer, and the second part comprises a second tablet computer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the keys of the mechanical keyboard are actuatable to touch respective different touch locations of the touch-sensitive surface, the electronic device further comprising:
a controller to map the different touch locations to respective keys of the mechanical keyboard.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:
a processor to invoke a virtual keyboard application responsive to receiving an indication that the mechanical keyboard is at the second position,
the virtual keyboard application executable to perform tasks in response to detected actuations of the keys.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mechanical keyboard has a palm rest portion providing a place for a user's palm.

### Claim 12

An apparatus comprising:
a first display member comprising a display device;
a second display member comprising a touch-sensitive display;
a first hinge connecting the second display member to the first display member on a first side of the second display member;
a moveable member comprising a keyboard; and
a second hinge connecting the second display member to the moveable member on a second side of the second display member, the second side opposite the first side, wherein the moveable member is pivotally attached to the second display member at the second hinge and is moveable relative to the second display member between a first portion and a second portion,
a key of the keyboard when actuated to impart a touch input on the touch-sensitive display when the moveable member is at the second position, wherein the keyboard is an overlay keyboard without any electrically conductive lines and sensing circuitry to detect actuations of keys of the keyboard, wherein the moveable member is pivotable at the second hinge to the first position where the keyboard is under the second display member so that the touch-sensitive display is accessible for user input and the touch-sensitive display and the display device both face a user.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the keys comprise a light transmissive material, and light of the touch-sensitive display is to pass through the keys.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the keyboard is removably attached to the moveable member, and the keyboard is removable from the moveable member for replacement with another keyboard.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the keys of the keyboard are actuatable to touch respective different touch locations of the touch-sensitive display, the apparatus further comprising:
a controller to map the different touch locations to respective keys of the keyboard.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a virtual keyboard is not displayed in the touch-sensitive display while the touch-sensitive display detects touches of the keys of the keyboard when actuated.

### Claim 17

A method of making an electronic device, comprising:
pivotally attaching, by a first hinge, a first part comprising a display device to a base part comprising a touch-sensitive surface, wherein the first hinge is on a first side of the base part; and
pivotally attaching, by a second hinge, the base part comprising the touch-sensitive surface to a second part comprising a keyboard, wherein the second hinge is on a second side of the base part, the second side opposite the first side, wherein the keyboard is moveable at the second hinge between a first position where the keyboard is away from the touch-sensitive surface, and a second position where the keyboard is engaged to the touch-sensitive surface, the touch-sensitive surface to detect actuations of keys of the keyboard when the keyboard is at the second position and engaged to the touch- sensitive surface, wherein the keyboard is an overlay keyboard without any electrically conductive lines to detect actuations of the keys of the keyboard, and
wherein the keyboard is pivotable at the second hinge to the first position where the keyboard is under the base part so that the touch-sensitive surface is accessible for user input and the touch-sensitive surface and the display device both face a user.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the first side and the second side of the base part are spaced apart by a gap that includes a width of the touch-sensitive surface on the base part.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the keys of the keyboard are actuatable to touch respective different touch locations of the touch-sensitive surface, the method further comprising:
providing a controller in the electronic device to map the different touch locations to respective keys of the keyboard.