Apple Inc.

Impact Systems, Inc.

Harold James Welch

Patrick Kessler

James J Niu

Chad Andrew Bronstein

Chris A Ligtenberg

Stephen Paul Zadesky

David Albert Lundgren

Benjamin B Lyon

Peter Henry Mahowald

Wing Kong Low

Benjamin Cory Rubenson

Duncan Robert Kerr

Keith J Hendren

John M Brock

Craig C Leong

Robert Andrew Howard

Robert Sean Murphy

Stephen Peart

David H Nguyen

Pekka M Typpo

Robert L Coish

Li-Quan Tan

Abraham S Farag

Jeffrey Braun Doar

Thai Quoc La

William P Yarak, Iii

David W Shen

Matthew Herron

Andrew L Carter

Brian H Berkeley

William H Bull

Dexter W Francis

Bartley K Andr&eacute;

Ray Riley

Embodiments of a backlit keyboard assembly are described. A keycap assembly is mounted into a case web having intersecting ribs. A flange, which can be angled, is on the bottom perimeter of the keycap and a correspondingly shaped flange is on each rib of the case web. An overlap of the keycap flange and the case web flanges prevents direct sighting of the backlight light source and also provides a more evenly distributed halo around the keycap, thereby improving both aesthetics and functionality by providing better light control and contrast.

Keyboard design

A keyswitch mechanism having reduced key rattle and a keyboard having reduced key rattle. A rattle suppression mechanism may be formed on a portion of the scissor mechanism or on a portion of the keycap. The rattle suppression mechanism is configured to maintain force on the portion of the scissor mechanism abutting the keycap.

Rattle-free keyswitch mechanism

A narrow key switch for a low travel keyboard and methods of fabrication are described. The low-travel keyboard having narrow keys is suitable for a thin-profile computing device, such as a laptop computer, netbook computer, desktop computer, etc. The keyboard includes a key cap positioned over an elastomeric dome and a two-part scissor mechanism having two separate linkage structures on opposite sides of the dome. A link bar is also provided to transfer a load from a side of a key to the center if the key cap is depressed in an off-center manner. Transferring the load to the center helps to deform the elastomeric dome so that it can activate the switch circuitry of the membrane on printed circuit board underneath the dome. Separating the linkage structures into two separate parts allows for the use of a full-sized elastomeric dome for a narrow key switch. The full-sized dome provides the desired tactile feedback to a user. Thus, the tactile feel of the key is not compromised even thought the key is narrower than a conventional key.

Narrow key switch

A computer keyboard includes a plurality of keys arranged in a pattern contained within a plane, a webbed structure defining openings for each of the keys, an illumination source, and one or more light pipes positioned along the webbed structure and arranged to deliver light from the illumination source to the keys, wherein each of the keys is illuminated thereby. Although the keys have the appearance of being backlit similar to traditional illuminated keyboards, the illumination source is actually located along at least one side of and within the same plane as the pattern of keys, rather than beneath the keys. The keyboard can thus be made thinner in such arrangements where the illumination source does not need to be located beneath the keys.

In-plane keyboard illumination

Methods and systems for efficiently embedding information in a keyboard membrane. Information can be embedded in the keyboard membrane by integrating an information embedding circuit with a switch matrix used to identify location of a key press event. The information is embedded by either hardwiring a column to a selected row, or a row to a selected column. In order to access the embedded information, the row (column) is asserted resulting in the hardwired column (row) to also be asserted. The identification of the asserted column (row) is used to point to the embedded information.

Efficiently embedding information onto a keyboard membrane

A keyboard and methods of making the same. The keyboard comprises of a bottom conducting base plate, an illumination layer, a transparent top conducting layer, a light transmissive keyboard membrane, and a plurality of input keys. The illumination layer is deposited on the bottom conducting base plate. The transparent top conducting layer is deposited on the illumination layer. The light transmissive keyboard membrane is disposed on the transparent top conducting layer. And, the plurality of input keys is disposed on the light transmissive keyboard membrane wherein each of the plurality of input keys has a keyswitch mechanism and a keycap including an upper strike surface attached to the keyswitch mechanism.

Keyboard having a lighting system

The invention generally pertains to a computing device. More particularly, the invention pertains to an improved keyboard arrangement for use in the computing device. One aspect of the invention pertains to a movable keyboard that can be opened or removed to gain easy access to internal components of the computing device. Another aspect of the invention pertains to a magnetic keyboard securing system suitable for holding the movable keyboard relative to the computing device. The invention is particularly useful in computing devices such as portable computers.

Magnetic securing system for a detachable input device

According to one aspect of the invention an apparatus is provided for remotely controlling a digital processing system, comprising a housing, a scrolling detector, a cursor positioning detector, and a transmitter. The housing has a wall having an outer scrolling surface over which a finger of a person's hand is movable in a scrolling movement. The scrolling detector is located within the housing. The scrolling detector detects the scrolling movement remotely through the wall and generates a scrolling signal. The cursor positioning detector is secured to the housing and is actuable by the hand to generate a position signal. The transmitter transmits the scrolling signal and the position signal to the digital processing system.

Apparatus for remotely controlling a digital processing system

Keyboard arrangement

A caliper gauge for moving sheet material such as paper which measures the thickness of the paper accommodates bumps or holes in the paper by providing at least one side of the caliper gauge with a long continuous smooth arm which because of its mounting in close proximity to the moving sheet, which is partially made possible by the use of air bearings for the upper and lower portions of the gauge, provides a gradual wedge-shaped opening which thus allows the transfer of the momentum of the bump or hole in the paper to gradually overcome the inertia of the measuring arm which is pushed away from the paper. The arm itself is made of a single piece of sapphire and is universally pivoted by the use of a polyimide material adhered to the top of the arm which gives the arm at least 2.degree. of dimensional freedom while still maintaining it aligned in the moving direction of the paper.

Contacting thickness gauge for moving sheet material

An integrated adjustable data entry keyboard. A divided keyboard arrangement comprises first key field and second key fields pivotably mounted upon a stationary base. The first and second key fields substantially comprise a keyboard arrangement. A space bar is separately attached to the base and occupies a lower keyboard region centrally disposed between the first and second key fields. The space bar is enlarged so as to remain within the radius of a user's thumb's 'strike zone' when a user adjusts the first and second key fields. A synchronizing coupling means may be employed to ensure complimentary movement of the first key field relative to the second key field and thereby relative to the user's hands and wrists, even if only one of the individual key fields is pivoted. Compliantly mounted detachable palm rests may be attached to each of the first and second key fields to provide substantially integrated palm and hand support for the user throughout the range of motion of the key fields, thereby increasing the user's comfort.

Adjustable data entry keyboard

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Harold James Welch