Patent ID: 9507521
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: G06F

Claim Text:
1. An input apparatus, coupled to a handheld electronic device, the input apparatus comprising: a touchpad having a button region defined thereon, the button region having a plurality of virtual buttons defined therein, wherein the touchpad is configured for operatively sensing a touch gesture made by a user over the button region, and correspondingly generating a touch coordinate data and a touch pressure value; a processing unit coupled to the touchpad, and configured to operatively determine whether to cause the input apparatus to enter a keyboard mode or a cursor mode according to the touch pressure value; the processing unit having a first predefined pressure value, a second predefined pressure value and a third predefined pressure value; wherein, when the touch pressure value is less than the first predefined pressure value, the processing unit determines the touch gesture is a false operation; when the touch pressure value is between the first predefined pressure value and the second predefined pressure value, the processing unit causes the input apparatus to enter the cursor mode and the processing unit outputs a cursor control signal to the handheld electronic device; when the touch pressure value is between the second predefined pressure value and the third predefined pressure value, the processing unit determines the touch gesture is a false operation; when the touch pressure value is greater than the third predefined pressure value, the processing unit causes the input apparatus to enter the keyboard mode and the processing unit outputs a button signal to the handheld electronic device.