Patent ID: 11880506
Assignee: SENSEL, INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 18:
19. A keyboard system comprising:
a substrate comprising an array of inductors, each inductor in the array of inductors defining a spiral trace fabricated on a first layer of the substrate;
a tactile layer:
arranged over the substrate;
defining an array of key locations facing the array of inductors; and
comprising an array of translucent regions arranged within the array of key locations;

an array of light elements, each light element in the array of light elements:
arranged on the first layer of the substrate adjacent a spiral trace of an inductor in the array of inductors;
facing a key location, in the array of key locations, of the tactile layer; and
configured to illuminate a translucent region, in the array of translucent regions, within the key location;

an array of magnetic elements, each magnetic element in the array of magnetic elements:
arranged within the tactile layer at a key location in the array of key locations;
configured to inductively couple to an adjacent inductor in the array of inductors; and
configured to move relative to the adjacent inductor responsive to application of a force on the tactile layer at the key location; and

a controller configured to:
read electrical values from the array of inductors; and
at a first time, in response to detecting a first change in electrical value at a first inductor, in the array of inductors:
register a first keystroke of a first key type associated with a first key location, in the array of key locations, defined over the first inductor; and
drive an oscillating voltage across the first inductor during a first haptic feedback cycle to:

induce alternating magnetic coupling between the first inductor and a first magnetic element, in the array of magnetic elements, arranged within the tactile layer at the first key location; and
oscillate the tactile layer, at the first key location, relative to the substrate.