Patent ID: 8294601

Claim:
A mobile device, comprising: a keyboard including a keypad defining a plurality of hard keys; a printed circuit board (PCB) including a plurality of key circuits to detect actuation of the plurality of hard keys; a capacitive sensor provided between the keypad and the printed circuit board and arranged to detect a capacitance level on the keypad; a processor arranged to identify an intended hard key activation in response to receiving an indication of connection of one of the plurality of key circuits, and when a detected capacitance level on the keypad exceeds a key activation capacitance threshold; and a secondary capacitive sensor disposed at a non-keyboard location on the mobile device and arranged to detect a secondary capacitance level at the non-keyboard location, wherein the processor is arranged to compare the measured secondary capacitance level at the non-keyboard location to a key activation confirmation threshold, and to identify the key circuit connection as being associated with an intended hard key activation when the measured secondary capacitance level exceeds the key activation confirmation threshold.