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

Claim 19:
20. A keyboard system comprising:
a substrate:
comprising an array of inductors; and
defining an array of bores adjacent the array of inductors;

a tactile layer comprising a set of discrete key elements arranged over the substrate, each discrete key element in the set of discrete key elements:
defining a key face arranged over an inductor in the array of inductors;
comprising an elastic post:
extending rearward from the key face through a bore, in the array of bores, in the substrate; and
retaining the discrete key element over the substrate; and

configured to compress against the substrate responsive to application of a force on the key face;

an array of magnetic elements, each magnetic element in the array of magnetic elements:
arranged within the tactile layer at a discrete key element in the array of discrete key elements;
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 discrete key element; 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 discrete key element, in the array of discrete key elements, 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 discrete key element; and
oscillate the tactile layer, at the first discrete key element, relative to the substrate.