Patent ID: 8711011

Claim:
A keyboard system, comprising: one or more pressure sensitive keys configured to provide analog output signals corresponding to each given one of the pressure sensitive keys that is representative of the given amount of pressure being currently applied to the given key; and pressure sensing interface circuitry coupled to receive the analog output signal from each given one of the pressure sensitive keys, the pressure-sensing interface circuitry being configured to provide a corresponding separate toggled alternating open and short on/off digital output signal based thereupon having a frequency alternating between on and off that is representative of the given amount of pressure being currently applied to the corresponding given one of the pressure sensitive keys by: sensing in real time pressure applied to each given one of the pressure sensitive keys, identifying a pressure sensitive key presently being pressed, determining a degree of pressure being applied to the presently-pressed pressure sensitive key, providing a separate toggled alternating open and short on/off digital output signal by toggling a digital output signal corresponding to the identity of the presently-pressed pressure sensitive key to emulate the action of a user's finger repeatedly pressing a conventional digital key with a rate that is relative to the pressure being applied to the presently-pressed pressure sensitive key, and monitoring and reevaluating the degree of pressure being applied to the presently-pressed pressure sensitive key and outputting an updated toggled digital output signal for as long as the presently-pressed pressure sensitive key remains pressed.