Interactive keyboard with viewable display

A method of making a keyboard with viewable output display capability, comprising:

• situating a plurality of keys over a display device, where each of the plurality of keys is mechanically depressible relative to the display device and configured to permit passage of image light from the display device through the key;
• and
• providing an electrical trace network underneath the plurality of keys, where said providing includes:
• forming at least a portion of the electrical trace network with a transparent conductive material to permit passage of image light from the display device through the electrical trace network;
• and
• configuring the electrical trace network so that, for each of the plurality of keys, the electrical trace network produces an electrical signal associated with the key in response to depression of the key.

A keyboard with viewable output display capability, comprising:

• a display device;
• a plurality of keys situated over the display device, each of the plurality of keys being mechanically depressible so that the key is reciprocally movable toward and away from the display device, each of the plurality of keys being further configured to permit image light from the display device to pass through the key;
• a mechanical understructure for each of the plurality of keys, the mechanical understructure being configured to provide tactile user feedback and guide reciprocating movement of the key toward and away from the display device;
• and
• an electrical trace network underneath the plurality of keys, including an upper trace set formed at least in part from a transparent conductive material and a lower trace set formed at least in part from a transparent conductive material, the upper trace set and the lower trace set being configured so that, for each of the plurality of keys, depression of the key causes a resilient deformation in which an associated portion of the upper trace set is brought into electrical contact with an associated portion of the lower trace set to thereby produce an electrical signal associated with the key, where said electrical contact occurs through one of a plurality of holes in a transparent insulative sheet positioned between the upper trace set and the lower trace set.