Patent ID: 8988355
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A keyboard that activates registration of a user input by a touchscreen, which underlies the keyboard, in response to a user applying a pressing force of a pressure source into contact with the keyboard, wherein the keyboard responds to said pressing force by forming a discharge path for an area of the touchscreen corresponding to a pressed key of the keyboard, the touchscreen being a capacitive discharge touchscreen of a type that registers user input in response to touch by discharging from a touched area of the touchscreen, the touchscreen discharging said area corresponding to said pressed key into said keyboard along the formed discharge path, the keyboard comprising: a plurality of keys by which the pressure source applies physical contact with the keyboard; a corresponding plurality of non-conductive areas configured to electrically isolate the touchscreen from the pressure source at a location of said physical contact between the pressure source and the keyboard; and a deformable diaphragm having a portion that is electrically conductive, said electrically conductive portion comprising either one of all or less than all of the diaphragm; wherein a first key among said plurality of keys is configured to be activated in response to application of said pressing force to said first key; and wherein in response to activation of said first key, said discharge path, which excludes said pressure source, is formed between said contacted touchscreen area corresponding to the activated first key and at least the diaphragm, the diaphragm being electrically isolated from said pressure source, which presses said activated first key, by at least said corresponding non-conductive area to exclude the pressure source from the discharge path by which the touchscreen registers said input in response to said activation of said first key.