The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 16, 2012
Filed:
Apr. 30, 2010
Steve Gerber, Austin, TX (US);
Steve Gerber, Austin, TX (US);
Silicon Laboratories Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
In one form, a keypad includes a substrate and a flexible membrane disposed above a top surface of the substrate. The substrate has the top surface, a first conductor below the top surface, an insulator layer separating the first conductor from the top surface, and a second conductor disposed in proximity to the first conductor and to the top surface and coupled to a voltage terminal. The flexible membrane is disposed above the top surface of the substrate and has a third conductor forming a key. The third conductor is movable relative to the top surface. In another form, a keypad system includes such a keypad and a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to the first conductor for sensing a change in capacitance between the first conductor and the voltage terminal when the third conductor moves relative to the top surface.