Electronic input device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A reconfigurable keyboard, comprising:
- a stored keyboard map comprising key locations;
an electromagnetic wave output that generates an electromagnetic signal;
a detector for detecting an object contacting the electromagnetic signal;
instructions for calculating the coordinates of the object and determining which key location has been activated.
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Abstract
A device and a method are disclosed for creating a virtual keyboard, mouse, or position detector. The device is an electronic keyboard that detects the position of a user'"'"'s finger. The position of a user'"'"'s fingers are detected by sending out a light beam parallel to the surface of, for example, a desk, and then detecting the position of a user'"'"'s finger as the light beam is blocked by the finger. The position and movement of the user'"'"'s fingers determine which key is to be struck or in which direction to move the pointer.
187 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A reconfigurable keyboard, comprising:
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a stored keyboard map comprising key locations;
an electromagnetic wave output that generates an electromagnetic signal;
a detector for detecting an object contacting the electromagnetic signal;
instructions for calculating the coordinates of the object and determining which key location has been activated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39)
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12. An electronic keyboard, comprising:
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a stored keyboard map comprising key locations;
a line generator that outputs an electromagnetic wave across a plane;
a detector for detecting objects that traverse the plane;
stored instructions for determining the position of an object and calculating which key location within said keyboard map has been activated.
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23. A method of transmitting data to an electronic device, comprising:
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generating a light plane parallel to a surface;
detecting the position of an object that traverses the light plane determining the position of an object breaking the light plan;
mapping the coordinate position of the object to a stored keyboard map comprising key locations;
determining which key location within said keyboard map was activated;
transmitting a code corresponding to the activated key to an electronic device.
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29. A reconfigurable keyboard, comprising:
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a light output that generates a light plane;
a detector for detecting an object traversing the light plane;
instructions for calculating the position of the object.
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37. A method of transmitting data to an electronic device, comprising:
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generating a light plane parallel to a surface;
detecting the position of an object that traverses the light plane determining the position of an object breaking the light plan;
mapping the coordinate position and movement of the object.
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Specification