US 12,444,554 B2
Partial scanning in a hybrid switch array
Jérémie Willemin, Zhubei (TW); Yu-Sen Chen, Hsinchu County (TW); Keson Tsao, Lausanne (CH); and Laurent Plancherel, Lausanne (CH)
Assigned to Logitech Europe S.A., Lausanne (CH)
Filed by Logitech Europe S.A., Lausanne (CH)
Filed on Oct. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/905,075.
Application 18/905,075 is a continuation of application No. 18/457,974, filed on Aug. 29, 2023, granted, now 12,119,187.
Prior Publication US 2025/0191858 A1, Jun. 12, 2025
Int. Cl. G06F 3/023 (2006.01); G06F 3/02 (2006.01); H01H 13/70 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 13/70 (2013.01) [G06F 3/0202 (2013.01); G06F 3/0231 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A keyboard system comprising:
a plurality of hybrid key structures configured in an array, the array comprised of a plurality of subarrays,
wherein each of the plurality of key structures is configured within any one of the plurality of subarrays and includes:
a depressible element;
a first type of key switch configured to generate a first signal when the depressible element is activated; and
a second type of key switch configured to generate a second signal when the depressible element is activated; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of hybrid key structures and configured to, during a scan period comprised of a plurality of scan intervals:
receive the first signal from an activated hybrid key structure when its corresponding depressible element is activated;
determine a corresponding subarray that the activated hybrid key structure is configured within;
during a last scan interval of the plurality of scan intervals and independent of when the first signal is received, scan the corresponding subarray for a generated second signal;
detect the generated second signal from the corresponding subarray;
identify the activated hybrid key structure based on the detected, generated second signal; and
register a key press for the identified activated hybrid key structure at an end of the scan period.