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US 6,958,711 B2Granted
Keyboard
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorRonald Hauf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A keyboard includes a plurality of key elements arranged in rows and columns in a matrix-like manner. Each key element has first and second break contacts which are decoupled for safety reasons and are commonly activated when the key element is actuated. An energy supply unit feeds to an evaluation unit electric energy serially via the first break contacts for each separate column and serially via the second break contacts for each separate row. In this way the location of the key element actuation can be reliably ascertained through column and row detection.
Claims4
A keyboard, comprising:
- a plurality of key elements arranged in rows and columns, each said key element including first and second break contacts which are decoupled and are commonly activated, when the key element is actuated;
- an energy supply unit;
- and
- an evaluation unit,
- wherein the energy supply unit is electrically connected to the evaluation unit serially via the first break contacts separately for each of the columns and serially via the second break contacts separately for each of the rows, thereby enabling the evaluation unit to ascertain actuation of a one of the key elements through column and row detection.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.