Actuated Key Assembly for Preventing Unintended Key Inputs
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electronic devices, unintended key inputs can interrupt multimedia services when using keyboards, leading to errors during game or application modes where specific keys are required, causing undesired key presses and reducing the likelihood of pressing the necessary key.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a key assembly that includes a housing, keycap, printed circuit board, support structure, restoring member, and actuator, which adjusts the keycap's height or position to prevent unintended inputs by using an actuator to move the keycap or connection rod, ensuring only the necessary key is pressed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a keyboard with multiple keys is used for controlling multimedia services, then the versatility of input options is improved, but the likelihood of unintended key inputs increasing operations interrupting the service worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by predicting the user's intended key before the actual press occurs. The prediction module analyzes pressing patterns, timing, and spatial relationships to anticipate which key the user intends to press, allowing the system to prepare and validate the intended operation before execution, thereby preventing unintended inputs while maintaining full keyboard functionality
2Ease of operation
If all keys are kept at the same height, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ability to distinguish and prevent unintended key presses worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional key layout to a three-dimensional structure by adding vertical height differentiation. Specific keys are raised to form a distinguished layer, creating a tactile and visual dimension that helps users identify and press only the intended keys, while the underlying circuit board and support structure maintain the electrical connectivity for all keys
3Reliability
If the keycap position is adjusted to fix a pre-specified key, then the reliability of preventing unintended inputs is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member acts as an intermediary element between the keycap and the circuit board. This intermediate component enables selective vertical adjustment of specific keycaps through a simple actuating mechanism, providing reliable input accuracy while avoiding the need for complex mechanical structures or multiple adjustment components for each key
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents unintended key inputs by adjusting the keycap's position or fixing it to avoid errors, thereby ensuring accurate key presses in game or application modes, increasing the likelihood of pressing the correct key.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator coupled to the movable portion and providing a force for moving the keycap in the first direction or the second direction depending on whether the actuator is activated
Implementation Method 2
a restoring member disposed between the keycap and the printed circuit board to restore the pressed keycap to an original position
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may include a housing including a first plate facing in a first direction and a second plate facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a key assembly disposed on at least part of the first plate and including a plurality of keys for inputting data by a pressing operation, wherein the key assembly includes a keycap, a printed circuit board, a support structure disposed on the printed circuit board to support the keycap and supporting a pressing operation of the keycap, a contact point portion disposed between the support structure and the printed circuit board, a movable portion coupled to the support structure in the second direction, and an actuator coupled to the movable portion and providing a force for moving the keycap in the first direction or the second direction depending on whether the actuator is activated.