Patent ID: 6993607

Claim:
An iterative method for controlling an array of non-bistable keys to uniquely determine which one, if any, key of the array thereof has been is being touched by a user, wherein each of the keys provides a respective signal output representative of the a respective coupling of the user thereto, the method comprising the iterated steps of: comparing the respective signals from all the keys and; only if a previous iteration determined that the one of the keys had been touched by the user, comparing die respective signal from the previously touched one of the keys with a selected signal threshold value; and if the signal from the previously touched one of the keys exceeds the selected signal threshold value, confirming the previously touched one of the keys to be the key being touched and decrementing a respective counter value uniquely associated with each of the other keys and otherwise; selecting the key having the highest signal output associated therewith and, if the highest signal output exceeds a the selected signal threshold value, incrementing the respective associated counter value, comparing the incremented counter value with a selected terminal count value and, if the incremented counter value exceeds the terminal count value, determining that the key having the highest signal associated therewith is the touched key being touched and decrementing the respective counter value uniquely associated with each of the other keys; and otherwise determining that no key has been is being touched by the user.