How Does a Keyboard Work

Question

Examlex · Accepted Answer

The Answer is A keyboard is a device that converts letters,numbers,and other characters into electrical signals that can be read by the computer's processor.The keyboard does this with its own processor and a grid of circuits underneath the keys.When you press a key or combination of keys,the current flowing through the circuits is interrupted.The processor determines where the break occurs and compares the location information with a character map (organized by x,y coordinates)located on the keyboard's ROM chip.The character information is briefly stored in the keyboard's memory buffer,which usually holds about 16 bytes.The keyboard then sends the data in a stream to the PC via a wired or wireless connection. (Laptops use an internal wired connection.)The computer has a keyboard controller,an integrated circuit whose job it is to process all the data that comes from the keyboard and forward it to the operating system.The operating system checks to see if the keyboard data is operating-system-specific or application-specific.

How Does a Keyboard Work

Definitions: