Systems and methods for implementing haptics for pressure sensitive keyboards

A method of imparting haptics motion, comprising:

• providing one or more pressure sensitive keys that comprise a keycap and separate haptics actuation circuitry for each keycap, the separate haptics actuation circuitry for each given keycap comprising a separate piezo transducer coupled to separately vibrate the given keycap;
• producing an analog output signal for each given one of the pressure sensitive keys when depressed during a key pressure application event of a given applied pressure level by a user, the analog output signals being representative of the level of pressure applied to the given pressure sensitive key by the user;
• and
• simultaneously providing both haptics key pressure indication signals and separate digital key emulation key pressure indication signals by separate respective signal paths and responsive to each of the same given key pressure application events applied to the corresponding same given one of the pressure sensitive keys, each haptics key pressure indication signal and its simultaneous separate digital key emulation key pressure indication signal both being based upon the same analog output signal and both the haptics key pressure indication signals and separate digital key emulation key pressure indication signals being representative of at least two respective different levels of pressure applied to the given pressure sensitive key by the user, the at least two different levels of pressure comprising at least first and second different levels of pressure;
• imparting a variable haptics motion characteristic independently to each given one of the pressure sensitive keys in response to each given key pressure application event based at least in part on a provided haptics key pressure indication signal that is representative of pressure applied to the given pressure sensitive key by the user during each given key pressure application event such that a first haptics motion is imparted to the given one of the pressure sensitive keys at the first pressure level applied during a first key pressure application event to the given one of the pressure sensitive keys that is different than a second haptics motion that is imparted to the given one of the pressure sensitive keys at the second pressure level applied during a second and different key pressure application event to the given one of the pressure sensitive keys;
• and
• providing a digital key emulation key pressure indication signal corresponding to a given key pressure application event at the same time as providing a separate haptics key pressure indication signal corresponding to the same given key pressure application event to the haptics actuation circuitry;
• and providing pressure sensing interface circuitry, a legacy digital keyboard controller, and switching circuitry coupled between the pressure sensing interface circuitry and the legacy digital keyboard controller;
• converting a high/low digital output stream into a stream of alternating opens and shorts using a separate optoisolator or transistor within the switching circuitry for each corresponding pressure sensitive key.

A keyboard system, comprising:

• one or more pressure sensitive keys configured to provide analog output signals corresponding to each given one of the pressure sensitive keys that is representative of the level of pressure applied to the given key during a key pressure application event of a given pressure level;
• pressure sensing interface circuitry coupled to receive the analog output signal from each given one of the pressure sensitive keys, the pressure-sensing digital output circuitry being configured to provide haptics key pressure indication signals representative of at least two respective different levels of pressure applied to the corresponding given one of the pressure sensitive keys, the at least two different levels of pressure comprising at least first and second different levels of pressure;
• and
• haptics actuation circuitry corresponding to each given one of the pressure sensitive keys and coupled and configured to impart a variable haptics motion characteristic only to a given one of the pressure sensitive keys separately and independently from all of the other pressure sensitive keys based at least in part on the haptics key pressure indication signals provided by the pressure sensing interface circuitry corresponding to the pressure level applied to the corresponding given one of the pressure sensitive keys during a key pressure application event such that a first haptics motion is imparted to a given one of the pressure sensitive keys and not to the other pressure sensitive keys at the first pressure level applied during a first key pressure application event to the given one of the pressure sensitive keys that is different than a second haptics motion that is imparted to the given one of the pressure sensitive keys at the second pressure level applied during a second key pressure application event to the given one of the pressure sensitive keys;
• and
• where the pressure sensing interface circuitry is coupled to provide the haptics key pressure indication signals to the haptics actuation circuitry in response to the given key pressure application events;
• and where the system further comprises a respective haptics control switch coupled between the pressure sensing interface circuitry and the separate haptics actuation circuitry corresponding to each individual one of the pressure sensitive keys, each given haptics control switch being configured to allow and disallow application of the single common haptics control signal to the haptics actuation circuitry of a corresponding one of a plurality of pressure sensitive keys based on the respective presence and absence of a haptics enable signal selectively applied by the pressure sensing interface circuitry to the given haptics control switch to allow the single common haptics control signal to selectively impart haptics motions to multiple separate haptics actuation circuitries corresponding to multiple pressure sensitive keys;
• and wherein the pressure sensing interface circuitry is coupled to a legacy digital keyboard controller through switching circuitry;
• and wherein the switching circuitry is configured to convert a high/low digital output stream into a stream of alternating opens and shorts using a separate optoisolator or transistor provided for each corresponding pressure sensitive analog key switch location.

A method of imparting haptics motion, comprising:

• providing one or more pressure sensitive keys;
• providing haptics control circuitry and separate haptics actuation circuitry corresponding to each individual one of the pressure sensitive keys;
• providing pressure-sensing digital interface circuitry;
• providing a respective haptics control switch coupled between the pressure sensing interface circuitry and the separate haptics actuation circuitry corresponding to each individual one of the pressure sensitive keys;
• producing an analog output signal for each given one of the pressure sensitive keys when depressed during a key pressure application event of a given pressure level by a user, the analog output signals being representative of the level of pressure applied to the given pressure sensitive key by the user;
• receiving the analog output signal from each given one of the pressure sensitive keys in the pressure-sensing interface circuitry;
• providing a separate haptics key pressure indication signal from the pressure-sensing interface circuitry, each of the separate haptics key pressure indication signals being based upon a corresponding received analog output signal and being representative of at least two respective different levels of pressure applied to each given corresponding one of the pressure sensitive keys, the at least two different levels of pressure comprising at least first and second different levels of pressure;
• simultaneously providing a separate respective haptics enable signal to individual haptics control switches to allow actuation of only the haptics actuation circuitry corresponding to the identity of each given one of the pressure sensitive keys based upon each respective received haptics key pressure indication signal;
• receiving each of the separate haptics key pressure indication signals in the haptics control circuitry and providing from the haptics control circuitry to all the haptics actuation circuitry only a single common haptics control signal based upon the received single common key pressure indication signal;
• and
• using a respective haptics control switch coupled between the pressure sensing interface circuitry and the separate haptics actuation circuitry corresponding to each individual one of the pressure sensitive keys to allow and disallow application of the single common haptics control signal to the haptics actuation circuitry of a corresponding one of a plurality of pressure sensitive keys based on the respective presence and absence of a haptics enable signal selectively applied by the pressure sensing interface circuitry to the given haptics control switch to allow the single common haptics control signal to be selectively used to impart haptics motions to multiple separate and different haptics actuation circuitries corresponding to multiple pressure sensitive keys;
• and providing pressure sensing interface circuitry, a legacy digital keyboard controller, and switching circuitry coupled between the pressure sensing interface circuitry and the legacy digital keyboard controller;
• converting a high/low digital output stream into a stream of alternating opens and shorts using a separate optoisolator or transistor within the switching circuitry for each corresponding pressure sensitive key.