BlackBerry has just registered a new patent for a tactile keypad, something very similar to the Windermere with the featured gesture-based keyboard that we reported on a few weeks ago. Sounds like BlackBerry’s CEO John Chen wants to take the already impressive BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard that everyone loves an enhance it with some features we have never seen before.
The document describes the structure and operation of the keyboard, which apparently is pretty standard overlay for the phone and the screen, some have seen already on the market. More information on the patent description:
Most users prefer a physical keyboard on the virtual keyboards. One way to reconcile both of these solutions is to offer a temporary overlay on the touchscreen. Such solutions are already present on the market, however, fulfill only one function – to enter text.
A physical keyboard having a plurality of individual keys temporarily overlays a touch-sensitive display. Each individual key selectively provides either of a first level of capacitive coupling and a second, different level of capacitive coupling to the touch-sensitive display.
You can do some digging and find more information on the patent here.