Sensing keyboard and sensing keyswitches thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12020873-B2
Application number	US-202217894254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2022
Priority date	Oct 27, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A sensing keyswitch including a key body, a key-sensing switch and an enabling switch is provided. The key body includes a key top, and a key driver and an enabler which can move with the key top in the same keystroke cycle. The key-sensing switch electrically connected to a key circuit is in a disabled mode to save power and cannot sense the change of the sensing intensity caused by the movement of the driver. The enabling switch is electrically connected to an enabling circuit, wherein when the enabling switch is triggered by the enabler, the enabling switch outputs an enabling signal through the enabling circuit for enabling the key-sensing switch to enter an enabled mode, so that the key-sensing switch can sense the change of the sensing intensity caused by the movement of the key driver to trigger a key signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensing keyswitch, comprising:
a key body, comprising a key top, a key driver and an enabler, wherein the key driver and the enabler can move with the key top in a same keystroke cycle;
a key-sensing switch electrically connected to a key circuit, wherein the key-sensing switch is in a disabled mode to save power and cannot sense a change of sensing intensity caused by a movement of the key driver; and
an enabling switch electrically connected to an enabling circuit;
wherein, when the enabling switch is triggered by the enabler, the enabling switch outputs an enabling signal through the enabling circuit for enabling the key-sensing switch to enter an enabled mode, so that the key-sensing switch can sense the change of the sensing intensity caused by the movement of the key driver to trigger a key signal.

2. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein after the key signal is triggered, the key-sensing switch returns to the disabled mode to save power.

3. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein after the key signal is triggered, the key-sensing switch maintains at the enabled mode.

4. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein when the key-sensing switch maintains at the enabled mode, the enabling switch is in a disabled mode; when the key-sensing switch returns to the disabled mode, the enabling switch is in an enabled mode.

5. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein the enabler moves with the key top along an enabling path to trigger the enabling switch.

6. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein the key driver moves with the key top along a key driving path to trigger the key-sensing switch.

7. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein the key body comprises a pair of brackets, a bottom plate and a restorator; the pair of brackets connect the key top and the bottom plate, the restorator is disposed between the key top and the bottom plate, and the key driver is located on the key top, the brackets or the restorator.

8. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein the key driver and the enabler are extended from the key top in one piece and synchronically move with the key top.

9. The sensing keyswitch according to claim 1 , wherein in the keystroke cycle, the enabling switch is triggered earlier than the key-sensing switch.

10. The sensing keyboard comprising a plurality of sensing keyswitches according to claim 1 , wherein after one of the sensing keyswitches is enabled by a corresponding enabler, only a corresponding key-sensing switch of the enabled sensing keyswitch can sense the change of the sensing intensity caused by the movement of the corresponding key driver to trigger the key signal, a corresponding key-sensing switches of the remaining sensing keyswitches maintain at the disabled mode.

11. The sensing keyboard comprising a plurality of sensing keyswitches according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing keyswitches respectively have an exclusive enabler and an exclusive enabling switch; after one of the sensing keyswitches is enabled by a corresponding enabler, apart from the enabled sensing keyswitch, each or at least one of the remaining sensing keyswitches also can sense the change of the sensing intensity caused by the movement of the corresponding key driver to trigger the key signal through the corresponding key-sensing switch.

12. A sensing keyboard, comprising:
at least one enabling switch and an enabler, wherein the enabling switch is electrically connected to an enabling circuit; and
a plurality of sensing keyswitches, each comprising:
a key body, comprising a key top and a key driver, wherein when the key top moves, the key driver is synchronically driven to move; and
a key-sensing switch electrically connected to a key circuit, wherein the key-sensing switch is in a disabled mode and cannot sense a change of sensing intensity caused by a movement of the key driver;

wherein, when the key top of at least one of the sensing keyswitches moves and the enabler is synchronically driven to move and trigger the enabling switch, the key-sensing switch enters an enabled mode, so that the key-sensing switch can sense the change of the sensing intensity caused by the movement of the key driver to trigger a key signal.

13. The sensing keyboard according to claim 12 , wherein after the enabling switch is triggered in a previous keystroke cycle, the key-sensing switch cannot be triggered until a next keystroke cycle.

14. The sensing keyboard according to claim 12 , wherein after the key signal is triggered, the key-sensing switch returns to the disabled mode to save power.

15. The sensing keyboard according to claim 12 , wherein after the key signal is triggered, the key-sensing switch maintains at the enabled mode.

16. The sensing keyboard according to claim 12 , wherein when the key-sensing switch maintains at the enabled mode, the at least one enabling switch is in a disabled mode; when the key-sensing switch returns to the disabled mode, the at least one enabling switch is in an enabled mode.

17. The sensing keyboard according to claim 12 , wherein the key driver moves with the key top along a key driving path to trigger the key-sensing switch, the enabler moves with the key top along an enabling path to trigger the enabling switch, and the enabling path is shorter than the key driving path.

18. The sensing keyboard according to claim 12 , wherein the sensing keyboard has a working mode and a non-working mode; at least one of the sensing keyswitches in the working mode normally is in the disabled mode to save power.

19. The sensing keyboard according to claim 12 , wherein after entering the enabled mode, one of the sensing keyswitches maintains the enabled state in a delay period; if one of the sensing keyswitch is not pressed for second time in the delay period, the sensing keyswitches return to the disabled state.

20. A sensing keyboard, comprising:
at least one enabling switch electrically connected to an enabling circuit; and
a plurality of sensing keyswitches, each comprising:
a key body, comprising a key top and a key driver, wherein when the key top moves, the key driver is synchronically driven to move; and
a key-sensing switch electrically connected to a key circuit, wherein the key-sensing switch is in a disabled mode and cannot sense a change of sensing intensity caused by a movement of the key driver;

wherein, in a first keystroke cycle, the key top of at least one of the sensing keyswitches is pressed for a first time and drives the key driver to move and trigger the enabling switch, so that the key-sensing switch enters an enabled mode;
wherein, within at least one second keystroke cycle after the first keystroke cycle, the key top of at least one of the sensing keyswitches is pressed and drives the key driver to move, so that the key-sensing switch can sense the change of the sensing intensity caused by the movement of the driver to trigger a key signal.

Assignees

• Darfon Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Hsieh Yu Chun
• Yang Chen
• Liu Chia Hung
• Hsiao Shao Lun

Classifications

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• H01H13/70

  having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard (mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B) · CPC title

• H01H13/803

  characterised by the switching function thereof, e.g. normally closed contacts or consecutive operation of contacts · CPC title

• H01H2225/008

  Two different sites for one circuit, e.g. for safety · CPC title