Hand Gestures Recognition over a Switch Based Keyboard

A method of controlling a computing device, comprising

• identifying changes in capacitance on a sense line of a keyboard even when a key of the keyboard is not depressed, wherein the keyboard includes a transmit line selectively connectable to the sense line through a switch when the key is depressed, the transmit line and the sense line being configured to store capacitive energy between each other when the switch is open and the transmit line is energized;
• identifying a hand gesture performed proximate the keyboard based on the changes in capacitance;
• and
• executing an action based on at least one the identification of the hand gesture;
• wherein the changes in electrical properties on the sense line due to closure of the switch from a key press are distinguishable from the changes in the capacitance electrical properties on the sense line when an electrical conductor is proximate the key and the switch is open such that the programmed instructions are configured to distinguish between these key press inputs and capacitance inputs and measure both the key press inputs and capacitance inputs from the same sense line.

A computer-program product for controlling a computing device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

• identify changes in capacitance on a sense line of a keyboard even when a key of the keyboard is not depressed, wherein the keyboard includes a transmit line selectively connectable to the sense line through a switch when the key is depressed the transmit line and the sense line being configured to store capacitive energy between each other when the switch is open and the transmit line is energized;
• identify a hand gesture performed proximate the keyboard based on the changes in capacitance;
• and
• execute an action based on at least one the identification of the hand gesture;
• wherein the changes in electrical properties on the sense line due to closure of the switch from a key press are distinguishable from the changes in the capacitance electrical properties on the sense line when an electrical conductor is proximate the key and the switch is open such that the programmed instructions are configured to distinguish between these key press inputs and capacitance inputs and measure both the key press inputs and capacitance inputs from the same sense line.