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. 23, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 13, 2009
Colin Mark Werner, Waterloo, CA;
Lawrence Edward Kuhl, Waterloo, CA;
Keizo Marui, Waterloo, CA;
Chao Chen, Waterloo, CA;
Ken Wu, Waterloo, SG;
Colin Mark Werner, Waterloo, CA;
Lawrence Edward Kuhl, Waterloo, CA;
Keizo Marui, Waterloo, CA;
Chao Chen, Waterloo, CA;
Ken Wu, Waterloo, SG;
Research In Motion Limited, Waterloo, Ontario, CA;
Abstract
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.