Programmable analog keys for a control device
AssigneeLogitech Europe S.A.
InventorsDenis O'Keeffe, Christophe Dayer, Damien O'Sullivan, Timothy O'Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control devices includes a key having a top surface configured to be pressed by a user, and a resistance device coupled to the key and configured to provide a resistance force to the key that opposes a user force applied to the top surface. A force sensor is coupled to the resistance device and is configured to detect the user force applied to top surface. A control circuit is coupled to the resistance device and is configured to change the resistance force of the resistance device according to a force profile.
Claims15
A control device comprising:
- a key having a top surface configured to be pressed by a user;
- a resistance device coupled to the key and configured to provide a resistance force to the key that opposes a user force applied to the top surface;
- a force sensor coupled to the resistance device and configured to detect the user force applied to the top surface;
- a displacement sensor coupled to the key and configured to measure a displacement of the key;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the resistance device, the force sensor, and the displacement sensor, the control circuit configured to:
- control a key travel threshold corresponding to an amount of key displacement needed in order for the control circuit to register a key press event, wherein the key displacement is measured by the displacement sensor;
- and
- control a key press threshold force corresponding to an amount of the user force required for the control circuit to register the key press event.
A control device comprising:
- a key having a top surface configured to be pressed by a user;
- a resistance device coupled to the key and configured to provide a resistance force to the key that opposes a user force applied to the top surface;
- a displacement sensor coupled to the key and configured to detect a displacement of the key from the user force;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the resistance device and the displacement sensor, the control circuit configured to:
- detect output from the resistance device and the displacement sensor;
- control a key travel threshold corresponding to an amount of key displacement needed in order for the control circuit to register a key press event, wherein the key displacement is measured by the displacement sensor;
- and
- control a key press threshold force corresponding to an amount of the user force required for the control circuit to register the key press event.
A method for setting key press properties in a control device, the method comprising:
- receiving a first input corresponding to a setting of a force profile for one or more keys, wherein the force profile defines a resistance force for the one or more keys;
- receiving a second input corresponding to a setting of an amount of key travel required to activate a key press event,
- wherein the key travel is measured by a displacement sensor to detect a displacement of the key from a user force;
- receiving a third input corresponding to a setting of a threshold user force to activate the key press event;
- and
- controlling the key press properties for the one or more keys to correspond to the force profile, the threshold user force, and the amount of key travel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.