Patent ID: 7978181

Claim:
A touch sensitive surface configurable to operate as a keyboard, the touch sensitive surface comprising: a flexible surface cover; a touch sensitive layer that detects fingers in contact and close proximity to the surface cover, the touch sensitive layer being disposed beneath an exterior surface of the surface cover; a base; and a network of separated, rigid key edge ridges disposed between the base and the surface cover, wherein distal edges of each of a plurality of key regions of the surface cover are defined by a plurality of the separated, rigid key edge ridges, and a compressible volume is formed beneath each key region, such that a finger pressure applied to the surface cover on the distal edge of one of the key regions deflects the surface cover towards the base and compresses the volume beneath the key region to form a depression in the surface cover, the depression including a tactually detectable edge at the location of the rigid key edge ridge.