"To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth--all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances."
Lee deForest, American radio pioneer ; 1957
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8159372 | Keyboard with plural key switch matrices to detect ghosting Keyboard apparatus and methods for processing keyboard depressions are disclosed. One disclosed keyboard apparatus includes a keyboard having a plurality of keys configured to be depressed in a concurrent depression state, and a plurality of key switch matrices. Eac... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8102285 | Modular debouncing device A modular debouncing device is adapted to be connected between an input device, such as a switch or sensor element, and a controlled element and analyzes an input signal from the input device according to a stored debouncing algorithm in order to determine whether a... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8031088 | Method and apparatus for high performance key detection with key debounce A system for detecting a key with key debounce including a circuit for detecting a key activation; a first counter coupled to the circuit and a clock for testing the key activation for a first user definable number of clock cycles; a key debounce buffer for storing ... | 10/04/2011 |
| 7786901 | Key press registration in an electronic device with moveable housings A method for key press registration in an electronic device uses a first key press debounce limit (233) if a first housing of the electronic device has not moved relative to a second housing of the electronic device and a second key press debounce limit (2... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7453376 | Method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for key press determination A system, method, and computer-readable medium having instructions for determining a key press from a current keyboard state at a current time is described. The system stores signals indicative of a last key press, a last key press time, and a last keyboard state. T... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7446676 | Self-scan programmable keypad interface Various embodiments are disclosed relating to a self-scan programmable keypad interface. In an example embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes a processor, and a keypad interface circuit. The keypad interface circuit may include a detection circuit to det... | 11/04/2008 |
| 7386882 | Key pad decoder A system for determining which key of a key-pad device is activated by an algorithm that employs the same number of steps to make the determination regardless of which key is pressed. In one embodiment, the algorithm first determines if more than one key is pressed ... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7356626 | Method and device for signal protection Method for decreasing the existence of externally detectable revealing signals, so-called {umlaut over (R)}ÖS, from keyboards (1), e.g. for computers, where the keyboard is fed with signals, so-called matrix signals, which are detected for detection of activ... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7324021 | Input device An input device includes a plurality of input keys arranged in a matrix of three or more rows and three or more columns; electrodes facing parts of or all surfaces of the input keys that surround intersection of rows and columns formed by the arrangement of the inpu... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7230548 | Method and apparatus for high performance key detection with key debounce A system for detecting a key with key debounce including a circuit for detecting a key activation; a first counter coupled to the circuit and a clock for testing the key activation for a first user definable number of clock cycles; a key debounce buffer for storing ... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7224344 | Key code filter apparatus and method An apparatus for use in kiosks or other computerized devices for filtering out selected key codes transmitted between an input device, such as a keyboard, and a host computer. The apparatus includes an input port to receive key codes transmitted from a keyboard en r... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7218250 | Method and apparatus for keyboard control with programmable debounce and jog A method for providing debounce and jog control for a keyboard includes loading a first electronic storage register with a value indicative of a debounce period for the keyboard and loading a second electronic storage register with a value indicative of a jog period... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7215257 | Depression judgment device A depression-judgment apparatus which properly judges the ON/OFF of a key switch without being affected by chattering that occur when key switch is turned ON is provided. The depression-judgment apparatus of the present invention comprises a timer selector circuit c... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7203779 | Fast turn-off slow turn-on arbitrator for reducing tri-state driver power dissipation on a shared bus A bus arbitrator for use in a shared bus system in which N bus devices request access to a shared bus. The bus arbitrator slowly activates and rapidly de-activates tristate line drivers coupled to the shared bus. The bus arbitrator comprises: 1) an input interface f... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7200765 | Docking station for a wireless mouse with control of a computer A docking station for a wireless mouse includes an output for communicating with a computer and a mouse detector for detecting when the mouse is docked in the docking station. The docking station is configured to transmit a signal to the computer to automatically de... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7170428 | Electronic device and method of managing its keyboard The invention relates to an electronic device and a method of managing a virtual keyboard of the electronic device. The device comprises a touch pad (106), a processing unit (600) and a feedback unit (612), which provides tactile feedback unit (... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7167107 | Keypad array having reduced number of input/outputs and method for generating same The invention concerns a method (200) of generating an array (100, 300, 400) having a reduced number of input/outputs (114, 314, 414). The method includes the steps of, for each array row input/output, grouping (212) at least one set of r... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7151533 | Keyboard for an electronic writeboard and method An electronic writeboard for communicating with a computer including applications software and running an active application comprises a touch sensitive panel on which the screen image output of the computer is displayed. The touch sensitive panel is responsive to u... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7135995 | Method for automatic determination of validity or invalidity of input from a keyboard or a keypad The method for automatic determination of validity or invalidity of input from miniaturized keypads or keyboards, in which more than one key is operated at the same time, includes designating a number of keys as principal keys and assigning each key neighboring each... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7133668 | Wireless human input device and transmission-quality test method A test method for testing a wireless human input device being totally implemented in program codes which are built in the input device is disclosed. A step (A) is to start a test of transmission quality of the input device. A sub step (a1) is to judge whether receiv... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7091955 | Multi-purpose keyboard Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for a keyboard. A removable part of a keyboard includes keyboard keys and stores identification data for indicating software for the particular removable keyboard or model of removable keyboard. The removable part of a keyboard ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7091953 | Multi-purpose keyboard A keyboard for use as an input device for a host computer comprising a removable part that comprises a set of specific of keys each of which having a contact and held by a foundation. The removable part is associated with a specific software application to be execut... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7056043 | Keyboard for a mobile device An apparatus has a keyboard panel with a QWERTY array of alphabetic key actuation indicia. The apparatus further has a QWERTY array of keys that are free of alphabetic key actuation indicia, and are located adjacent to corresponding alphabetic key actuation indicia ... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7049830 | Sensor device and method for interrogating a sensor device A sensor device includes i sensor elements of a first type and j additional sensor elements of a second type, the i sensor elements of the first type being connected in a circuitry (n×m) matrix array with n row conductors and m column conductors, where i, j, n and ... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7026973 | Electronic device with multiple buttons An electronic device with multiple buttons includes a first resistor combination, a second resistor combination, N buttons, and an output node. A first end of the first resistor combination is connected to a high voltage. A second end of the first resistor combinati... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6992601 | Input apparatus using multidimensional electrodes to define key functions and the encoding method thereof An input apparatus using multidimensional electrodes to define key functions and the encoding method thereof is peculiarized by utilizing N-dimensional electrodes to define the individual key functions, where N is a positive integer number greater than two. The keyb... | 01/31/2006 |
| 6954134 | Apparatus and method for timing an output of a remote keyless entry system A crystal-less keyless entry system includes a microprocessor or micro controller, a timing circuit, and a radio frequency circuit. The timing circuit is a unitary part of the microprocessor. When configured to compensate for power up delays in the radio frequency c... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6946987 | Common operational amplifier and gain circuit and A/D converter using thereof A common operational amplifier for a pipeline circuit is provided. The common operational amplifier is used by the stage circuits of the pipeline circuit by turns according to a predetermined timing. The common operational amplifier comprises an operational amplifie... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6947031 | Data processing apparatus with replacement keyboard Data processing apparatus (101 and 102) configured to receive signals from an input sensor (106) arranged to duplicate or replace operations of a keyboard, in which the signals correspond to positions of mechanical interactions with the sensor (... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6912605 | Method and/or apparatus for implementing security in keyboard-computer communication A method for altering timing between transmissions of an input device comprising the steps of (A) receiving a plurality of inputs from the input device, (B) altering the timing between the inputs and (C) presenting the altered inputs in a potentially insecure enviro... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6911971 | Computer and method providing for illumination of keyboard The computer of the present invention is provided with a main body on which keys to be operated by the user are disposed and a display unit that displays an image in accordance with each operation executed for the main body. Each key disposed on the main body is com... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6876354 | Keyboard type input device and portable information processor A key-board type input mechanism suitable for inputting large quantity of data is provided to a portable information technology device having a pen-input type display device. A keyboard (33 or 35) of the present invention comprises a key top panel port... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6781574 | Apparatus and method for preventing poor operation of key due to chattering noise An apparatus and method for preventing poor operation of a key due to chattering noise are provided. The apparatus includes a control button section for generating a key signal to control a display monitor, and a microcomputer which contains a control program for pr... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6748468 | Caps lock notification A Caps Lock notification method, system, mechanism, algorithm, and computer program product. A determination is made as to whether a Caps Lock key of a computer keyboard is in an error state, based on ascertaining whether a first condition has been satisfied. If it ... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6710769 | Portable computing device that records operator inputs A computing device includes a keyboard controller that is adapted to convey an operator input from the keyboard controller along a communications channel. Also included is a battery module, which is interfaced to the communications channel, for receiving the operato... | 03/23/2004 |
| 6681347 | Method for testing keyboard complied with language code A method for testing a keyboard complied with a language code table comprises the steps of reading an embedded language code of the keyboard to be tested through a central processing unit (CPU), comparing the read language code with the language code tabl... | 01/20/2004 |
| 6677931 | Keyboard A keyboard with a numbers of keys disposed on the base is capable of showing the three-dimensional characters. Each key includes a shell and a three-dimensional character embedded in the shell. Combined with an illuminant module positioned between the bas... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6661408 | Touch screen capable of isolating noise signals A touch screen capable of isolating noise signals is mainly a touch screen installing at the front side of a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen or cathode ray tube (CRT) for eliminating electromagnetic and radio frequency interference received by the LCD... | 12/09/2003 |
| 6567016 | Typematic guard protocol for wireless keyboards A wireless keyboard may be provided with a guard protocol which prevents unintended typematics. An alive signal may be periodically generated to advise a host processor-based system that the keyboard communication link is still effective. If the host proc... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6441753 | Multi-function key assembly for an electronic device An improved multi-function key assembly (12) is provided. The multi-function key assembly includes a printed circuit board substrate (28) having a popple dome switch array (26) mounted thereto. Attached to the substrate is a button member (22) adapted for... | 08/27/2002 |