Capacitive keyswitch technologies

摘要

Described herein are techniques related to capacitance-based keyswitch technologies. According to one implementation, an apparatus includes a key with a floating electrode. The floating electrode pairs with a fixed electrode and a capacitance may be generated between them. The apparatus has a controller configured to measure the capacitance as the electrodes move relative to each other as the key is depressed and released. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

主权项

1. A keyboard comprising:
a capacitance-based keyswitch matrix comprising:
a plurality of keycaps, each keycap of the plurality of keycaps including a surface configured to be pressed by a user of the keyboard;a plurality of first electrodes, wherein the plurality of first electrodes is associated with the plurality of keycaps such that each keycap of the plurality of keycaps is associated with an electrode of the plurality of first electrodes;a plurality of second electrodes capacitively coupled with the plurality of first electrodes,wherein a press force applied by the user to the surface of a first keycap of the plurality of keycaps moves the first keycap and causes a change in a measureable capacitance of the capacitance-based keyswitch matrix by moving the electrode of the plurality of first electrodes associated with the first keycap relative to the electrode of the plurality of second electrodes associated with the first keycap; and a controller communicatively coupled to the capacitance-based keyswitch matrix, the controller configured to:
operate the capacitance-based keyswitch matrix to sense the change in the measurable capacitance; anddetermine the press force applied to first keycap based upon the change in the measurable capacitance.