Keypad with optical sensors

1. A device comprising:

a display;

a keypad having keycaps, each keycap having a top surface;

a plurality of optical sensors located beneath top surfaces of adjacent keycaps, the plurality of optical sensors are arranged in a grid, each of the plurality of optical sensors located between respective adjacent keycaps;

a plurality of light guides, each of the plurality of light guides extending from a respective optical sensor towards the top surfaces;

at least one decoration bar between the adjacent keycaps, the at least one decoration bar including the plurality of light guides; and,

a processor in communication with the plurality of optical sensors and the display, the processor configured to convert detection events at adjacent optical sensors that occur within a given time period to gesture based events at the display.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors are located between respective adjacent keycaps.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the the at least one decoration bar is separate from the plurality of light guides.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light guides are integrated with the decoration bar between the adjacent keycaps.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors comprises a combined light emitter and light sensor.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors comprises a light emitter and a light sensor, each of the plurality of light guides configured to:

channel light from the light emitter towards the top surfaces of the adjacent keycaps; and,

channel the light reflected back to the light sensor for detection.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors comprises a light emitter and a light sensor, each of the plurality of light guides having at least one lens configured to:

disperse light from the light emitter; and,

collect the light reflected back to the light sensor for detection.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one lens is integrated with the decoration bar between the adjacent keycaps.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors comprises a light emitter and a light sensor, each of the plurality of light guides having:

a first convex lens configured to disperse light from the light emitter towards the top surfaces of the adjacent keycaps; and,

a second convex lens configured to collect the light reflected back to the light sensor for detection, a first viewing angle of the first convex lens narrower than a second viewing angle of the second convex lens.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of light guides extends to one of: below the top surfaces of the adjacent keycaps; about the same level as the top surfaces of the adjacent keycaps; or above the top surfaces of the adjacent keycaps.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein a light emitting surface of each of the light guides comprises one or more of a coating and an ink transparent to light emitted by the plurality of optical sensors.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical sensors comprises nine optical sensors arranged in a three-by-three grid.

13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a telephonic device and wherein at least one of the plurality of optical sensors is configured as a proximity detector when a call is received at the telephonic device.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors comprises an infrared light emitting diode (LED) and an infrared sensor.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors is further located between adjacent actuation devices of the adjacent keycaps.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of optical sensors replaces at least a portion of a light blocking layer located between the keypad and a light configured to illuminate the keypad from underneath the keypad.