Gesture multi-function on a physical keyboard

摘要

A computer keyboard includes position sensors such as capacitive sensors on each of the keys for monitoring positions of fingertips on the keys. A processor receives an indication of contact of a finger on a surface of a key, including an identity of the key and an indication of a position of the contact on the surface. The processor also receives an indication of a motion gesture comprising displacement of the position of the contact on the surface of the key. Using the identity of the key and the indication of the motion gesture, an input from a human operator is determined.

主权项

1. A method for receiving input from a human operator, comprising:
receiving an indication of contact of a finger on a surface of a first mechanical keyboard key, including an indication that a switch of the first mechanical keyboard key was triggered by a downward motion of the first mechanical keyboard key, and an indication of a position of the contact on the surface, the first mechanical keyboard key being one of a plurality of mechanical keyboard keys, each representing one or more of a plurality of characters; in response to receiving the indication that the switch of the first mechanical keyboard key was triggered, ignoring indications of positions of contacts on surfaces of other mechanical keyboard keys of the plurality of mechanical keyboard keys; receiving an indication of a motion gesture comprising displacement of the position of the contact on the surface of the first mechanical keyboard key, the displacement beginning in a statically defined fixed null zone near a center of the surface of the first mechanical keyboard key and subsequently exiting the fixed null zone, the displacement ending in one of a plurality of quadrants surrounding and adjacent to the fixed null zone; determining the input from the human operator using an identity of the first mechanical keyboard key and the indication of the motion gesture, the input being determined as a character represented by the first mechanical keyboard key and modified in accordance with the one of the quadrants in which the displacement ends; receiving an indication of a second contact; receiving an indication of a second motion gesture comprising a second displacement of a position of the second contact, the second displacement beginning in the statically defined fixed null zone and subsequently exiting the fixed null zone, the second displacement ending in a second null zone adjacent the fixed null zone and separating radial edges of two adjacent quadrants of the quadrants surrounding the fixed null zone; and ignoring the indication of a second motion gesture based on the second displacement ending in the second null zone.