US 12,093,458 B2 · Haptic keyboard system

Abstract

One variation of a keyboard system includes: a substrate including an array of inductors; a tactile layer arranged over the substrate defining an array of key locations over the array of inductors; an array of magnetic elements, each arranged within the tactile layer at a key location configured to inductively couple to an adjacent inductor and configured to move relative to the adjacent inductor responsive to application of a force on the tactile layer at the key location; and a controller configured to read electrical values from the inductors. In response to detecting a change in electrical value at a first inductor, the controller also configured to: register a first keystroke of a first key type associated with a first key location defined over the first inductor; and drive an oscillating voltage across the first inductor to oscillate the tactile layer over the substrate during a haptic feedback cycle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for detecting touch inputs comprising:

a substrate;
a set of planar coil traces:
arranged across a set of layers of the substrate;
and
forming a first inductor;
a tactile layer:
arranged over the substrate;
and
defining a first key location over the first inductor;
a first magnetic element:
defining a first polarity facing the first inductor;
and
configured to inductively couple the first inductor responsive to application of a force on the tactile layer at the first key location;
and
a controller configured to:
access electrical values from the first inductor;
and
at a first time, in response to detecting a first change in electrical value at the first inductor:
register a first keystroke of a first key type associated with the first key location defined over the first inductor;
and
trigger an oscillating voltage across the first inductor during a first haptic feedback cycle to induce alternating magnetic coupling between the first inductor and the first magnetic element and oscillate the tactile layer, at the first key location, relative to the substrate.

18 more elements

A system for detecting touch inputs comprising:

a substrate comprising:
a sensor layer comprising a set of drive and sense electrode pairs;
and
a set of inductor layers comprising:
a first inductor layer comprising a first spiral trace coiled in a first direction;
and
a second inductor layer:
arranged below the first inductor layer;
and
comprising a second spiral trace coiled in a second direction opposite the first direction and coupled to the first spiral trace to form a first inductor;
a tactile layer arranged over the substrate;
a first magnetic element defining a first polarity facing the multi-layer inductor and configured to inductively couple the first inductor responsive to application of a force on the tactile layer;
and
a controller configured to:
access a first set of electrical values from the set of drive and sense electrode pairs;
access a second set of electrical values from the first inductor;
interpret a touch input on the tactile surface based on the first set of electrical values;
interpret a force magnitude for the touch input on the tactile surface based on a first change in electrical value in the second set of electrical values;
and
at a first time, in response to the force magnitude for the touch input exceeding a threshold magnitude, trigger an oscillating voltage across the first inductor during a first haptic feedback cycle to induce alternating magnetic coupling between the first inductor and the first magnetic element and oscillate the tactile layer.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Haptic keyboard system

Life of this patent

Haptic keyboard system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20