DETECTION OF INTENDED KEY ACTIVATION ON A MOBILE DEVICE

摘要

A method and device are provided for preventing unintended activation of one or more hard keys on a mobile device. A capacitive sensor senses a capacitance level at a location on the keyboard, to detect whether a hard key is being actuated by a human hand or human skin. If the sensed capacitance level exceeds a key activation capacitance threshold, a key circuit connection is identified as being associated with an intended hard key activation. If the measured capacitance level is within an uncertainty tolerance below the key activation capacitance threshold, a secondary capacitance level is measured at a non-keyboard location. The key circuit connection is identified as being associated with an intended hard key activation when the measured secondary capacitance level exceeds a key activation confirmation threshold. Additional secondary indicators can be obtained based on size and shape capacitance pattern, timing information, and an active application or device state.