Hi,
I have a project that requires an arduino to replace a 3x4 keypad.
I have mapped out which pins are needed to do the keypresses such as:
Key 1 = 9,3
Key 2 = 8,3 etc...
But I am stuck on how I would simulate the actual key press? eg, 9 and 3 need be joined for the hardware expecting the keypress "1".
Is this actually possible with an Arduino?
Ta.
Assuming that the keypad circuit and the Arduino have a common ground, you can use CD4066 analog switches to do this. Or you can use reed relays or optocouplers if you need full galvanic isolation. You'll need ten digital output pins on the Arduino, which is quite feasible.
Thanks for the reply 
Are there any schematics on how to do this, and I thought I would only need 7 pins on the arduino as I have rows 1 - 4 and cols 1-3?
The board I am interfacing to (that expects keypresses) does not share the ground with the arduino.
The board I am interfacing to does not share the ground with the arduino.
Is it possible to connect the grounds, or is it essential to keep them seprarate? If they must be kept separate (i.e. galvanic isolation), then you will be limited to using relays or optocouplers.
Yes, I think you can reduce the number of switches to seven if you switch on two of them each time (one row, one column).
HI,
Yup I think I can have them on the same ground. The device I am interfacing to runs on 12v and I can take power to the Arduino from that, thus sharing grounds.
How can this be done without opto couplers / relays etc?
An optocoupler is simply a LED and a photodiode in an opaque package. If you light the LED, the photodiode (or phototransistor) will conduct. Now, lighting LEDs is something that Arduino users know all about! So that part should be straightforward. The photodiode part of the optocoupler will need to be connected to the switch matrix with the proper polarity (so the the diodes can conduct).
Relays will need more drive circuitry (search in the forums for lots of examples) but will not care about the polarity of the switch matrix circuit. Relays are also likely to be more bulky than optocouplers.
You can use two 4051 multiplexor IC's to simulate pressing a key in a key matrix.
One 4051 selects the row, the other selects the columns.
The output of the two 4051's are connected together.
This setup can control a matrix up to 8 x 8
Would this do what I want?
The idea is that for eg, I put Optos 1 and 4 high from the arduino, that will short the 2 wires 1 and 5 connected to the keypad connector making it think key 8 for example was pressed.
Yes, that's the right idea. But, you'll need to reverse the polarity of some of the phototransistors, according to the polarity of the signal on the keypad. If you follow the current path through your circuit, from + to - (conventional current), then it must always flow in the direction of the arrows on the emitters of the transistors.
Hey hey, I have it working (I think).
Thanks for you help
Glad to hear that it's working!
It's too bad that the CD22100 integrated circuit is "pure unobtanium" now. These chips were nice for situations like this.
ScanTronic Project - Part 2 the keypad interface. - YouTube Here is a link of this project in action The opto couplers did the trick.