Keyboard including movement activated optical keys and related methods

摘要

A keyboard may include a plurality of optical keys. Each optical key may include an optical module and an interaction surface. The optical key may be configured to be activated based on movement of an object on or adjacent the interaction surface. Each movement may produce a different output from the optical module to thereby generate a predetermined input for a device.

主权项

1. A keyboard comprising:
a plurality of optical keys, each optical key comprising an optical module, and an interaction surface; each of said plurality of optical keys being configured to be activated based upon movement of a user's finger on or in a vicinity of the interaction surface; said optical module being configured to
generate two images of the user's finger based upon the user's finger being on or in the vicinity of the interaction surface, the two images defining different finger ridge deformation patterns,track movement of the user's finger based upon the different finger ridge deformation patterns by at least
determining when the tracked movement of the user's finger corresponds to a swipe movement based upon the different finger ridge deformation patterns caused by application of pressure by the user's finger, anddetermining when the tracked movement of the user's finger corresponds to a key press movement based upon the different finger ridge deformation patterns caused by application of pressure by the user's finger, andproduce a first output when the tracked movement of the user's finger corresponds to the swipe movement and produce a second output different than the first output when the tracked movement corresponds to the key press movement.