Patent ID: 8614675

Claim:
An input device, comprising: a first plurality of keys enabled when the input device is operating in a first mode in which the input device is positioned on a surface; a sensor enabled in the first mode and sensing movement of the input device along the surface and providing a sensor output indicative of the input device being moved along the surface and the input device being lifted off the surface; a second plurality of keys enabled when the input device is operating in a second mode and disabled when the input device is operating in the first mode; mode transition logic detecting conditions for transition from the first mode to the second mode based on the sensor output indicating that the input device is lifted off the surface wherein, prior to transitioning to the second mode, the mode transition logic places the input device in a transition mode in which the first plurality of keys are disabled, the sensor remains enabled and the second plurality of keys are enabled; wherein, when the input device is in the transition mode, the mode transition logic places the input device in the second mode, from the transition mode, if the mode transition logic detects actuation of one of the second plurality of keys, and places the input device back in the first mode, from the transition mode, if the sensor output indicates that the input device is back on the surface and is being moved across the surface; and a processor, activated by the mode transition logic, to control operation of the input device in a mode that it is placed in by the mode transition logic.