A keyboard device includes M driving circuits DC(1)DC(M), N transition circuits TC(1)TC(N), a control module, M column signal lines C(1)C(M), N row signal lines R(1)R(N) and M*N key units KU(1,1)KU(M,N). The control module performs a scanning process to sequentially scan the M column signal lines C(1)C(M) in M scan cycles scan(1)scan(M). If the key unit KU(k,x) connected with the k-th column signal line C(k) and the x-th row signal line R(x) is depressed, a scan voltage is transmitted from the k-th column signal line C(k) to the x-th row signal line R(x) through a switch sw(k,x) of the key unit KU(k,x). The transition circuit TC(x) connected with the x-th row signal line R(x) is turned on according to the scan voltage. Consequently, an output voltage Rout(x) from the transition circuit TC(x) has a first voltage level.

The invention relates in an aspect A to a method for determining active input elements (S1a, S2a) of an input arrangement (10), comprising providing input elements (S1a to S2b) that are connected according to a matrix arrangement, providing within the matrix arrangement at least two drive lines (L1, L2) that are each connected to a respective driving circuit (2, 4), providing within the matrix arrangement at least two sense lines (Ca, Cb) that may be used to detect active input elements (S1a, S2a), providing within the matrix arrangement serial connections (SC1 to SC4) each comprising one of the input elements (S1a) and a resistor (R1a) and each serial connection (SC1 to SC4) being connected to a respective one of the drive lines (L1, L2) and to a respective one of the sense lines (Ca, Cb), providing pull resistors (Ra, Rb) that connect the sense lines (Ca, Cb) to a first potential, and using a control device for the driving circuits that drives an active drive line (L1) to a second potential that is different from the first potential and that drives a non active drive line (L2) or non active drive lines to the first potential or to a potential having an absolute offset value from the first potential that is at most 50 percent or at most 10 percent of the absolute value of the difference of the first potential and of the second potential.

The invention relates in an aspect A to a method for determining active input elements (S1a, S2a) of an input arrangement (10), comprising providing input elements (S1a to S2b) that are connected according to a matrix arrangement, providing within the matrix arrangement at least two drive lines (L1, L2) that are each connected to a respective driving circuit (2, 4), providing within the matrix arrangement at least two sense lines (Ca, Cb) that may be used to detect active input elements (S1a, S2a), providing within the matrix arrangement serial connections (SC1 to SC4) each comprising one of the input elements (S1a) and a resistor (R1a) and each serial connection (SC1 to SC4) being connected to a respective one of the drive lines (L1, L2) and to a respective one of the sense lines (Ca, Cb), providing pull resistors (Ra, Rb) that connect the sense lines (Ca, Cb) to a first potential, and using a control device for the driving circuits that drives an active drive line (L1) to a second potential that is different from the first potential and that drives a non active drive line (L2) or non active drive lines to the first potential or to a potential having an absolute offset value from the first potential that is at most 50 percent or at most 10 percent of the absolute value of the difference of the first potential and of the second potential.

A keyboard is able to illuminate particular keys and to detect keypresses in an efficient manner. The keys of the array are logically arranged into one or more two-dimensional arrays (e.g., row/column arrays) so that the illumination and keypress detection functions share a common set of electrical signal lines in one dimension of the array. By coupling both the lights and the key actuation switches of each key to a common set of signal lines in one dimension, the number of signal lines used in the keyboard can be reduced.

A keyboard is able to illuminate particular keys and to detect keypresses in an efficient manner. The keys of the array are logically arranged into one or more two-dimensional arrays (e.g., row/column arrays) so that the illumination and keypress detection functions share a common set of electrical signal lines in one dimension of the array. By coupling both the lights and the key actuation switches of each key to a common set of signal lines in one dimension, the number of signal lines used in the keyboard can be reduced.

An electronic apparatus and a method for detecting status of keys thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a key module, a key control circuit, a conversion circuit with calibration mechanism and a processor. The key control circuit detects whether any of keys in the key module is pressed. If the detection result is affirmative, the press status of each of the keys is scanned by the key control circuit to obtain a coarse scan result. The conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is configured to perform the other system function of the electronic apparatus. When the processor determines that at least one of the keys is not pressed according the coarse scan result, the conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is switched to assist a re-scan operation of the press status of the at least one of the keys.

An electronic apparatus and a method for detecting status of keys thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a key module, a key control circuit, a conversion circuit with calibration mechanism and a processor. The key control circuit detects whether any of keys in the key module is pressed. If the detection result is affirmative, the press status of each of the keys is scanned by the key control circuit to obtain a coarse scan result. The conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is configured to perform the other system function of the electronic apparatus. When the processor determines that at least one of the keys is not pressed according the coarse scan result, the conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is switched to assist a re-scan operation of the press status of the at least one of the keys.

An electronic apparatus and a method for detecting status of keys thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a key module, a key control circuit, a conversion circuit with calibration mechanism and a processor. The key control circuit detects whether any of keys in the key module is pressed. If the detection result is affirmative, the press status of each of the keys is scanned by the key control circuit to obtain a coarse scan result. The conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is configured to perform the other system function of the electronic apparatus. When the processor determines that at least one of the keys is not pressed according the coarse scan result, the conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is switched to assist a re-scan operation of the press status of the at least one of the keys.

An electronic apparatus and a method for detecting status of keys thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a key module, a key control circuit, a conversion circuit with calibration mechanism and a processor. The key control circuit detects whether any of keys in the key module is pressed. If the detection result is affirmative, the press status of each of the keys is scanned by the key control circuit to obtain a coarse scan result. The conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is configured to perform the other system function of the electronic apparatus. When the processor determines that at least one of the keys is not pressed according the coarse scan result, the conversion circuit with calibration mechanism is switched to assist a re-scan operation of the press status of the at least one of the keys.

A keyboard device includes M driving circuits DC(1)DC(M), N transition circuits TC(1)TC(N), a control module, M column signal lines C(1)C(M), N row signal lines R(1)R(N) and M*N key units KU(1,1)KU(M,N). The control module performs a scanning process to sequentially scan the M column signal lines C(1)C(M) in M scan cycles scan(1)scan(M). If the key unit KU(k,x) connected with the k-th column signal line C(k) and the x-th row signal line R(x) is depressed, a scan voltage is transmitted from the k-th column signal line C(k) to the x-th row signal line R(x) through a switch sw(k,x) of the key unit KU(k,x). The transition circuit TC(x) connected with the x-th row signal line R(x) is turned on according to the scan voltage. Consequently, an output voltage Rout(x) from the transition circuit TC(x) has a first voltage level.