Improved Keyboard

• US 20020114654A1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiyasu Abe
• Original Assignee: Toshiyasu Abe
• Inventors: Abe, Toshiyasu
• Granted Patent: US 6,520,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/486
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence

Abstract

A user interface device for inputting and outputting information. The user interface device includes a plurality of keys slidably retained within a housing, each key being associated with a plurality of alphanumeric characters or functions. The keys are joined together to slide substantially in unison. The user interface device also includes a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to one or more of the plurality of keys, a direction sensor configured to detect direction of motion of the plurality of keys, a selection component for selecting at least one of an alphanumeric character or function based on the sensed pressure and sensed direction of motion, and an output device for presenting the selected at least one alphanumeric character or function based on the sensed pressure and sensed direction of motion. The selected alphanumeric character or function is associated with the key where the pressure was sensed and with an associated direction closest to the sensed direction of motion. Each alphanumeric character and function associated with each key is further associated with a direction of motion of the plurality of keys.

Claims

1. A user interface device comprising:

a plurality of geometrically-shaped keys slidably retained within a housing, each key being associated with a plurality of characters or functions, the plurality of keys further joined together to slide substantially in unison;

a force detector configured to detect force applied to one or more of the plurality of keys;

a lateral movement sensor configured to sense direction of motion of the plurality of keys; and

a selection component for selecting at least one of a character or function based on the detected force and the sensed direction of motion.

2. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the lateral movement sensor comprises a direction sensor and a distance sensor, wherein the direction of motion is sensed based on a lateral movement sensed by the lateral movement sensor and a distance value sensed by the distance sensor.

3. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the lateral movement sensor comprises a plurality of key mounted activators and housing-mounted sensors, wherein the housing-mounted sensors sense when a key mounted activator is within a threshold distance and wherein the direction of motion is sensed based on the housing-mounted sensor that sensed an activator within the threshold distance.

4. The user interface device of claim 1, further comprising an output device for presenting the selected character or function based on the detected force and the sensed direction of motion.

5. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component is associated with the key where the force was detected.

6. The user interface device of claim 5, wherein each character and function associated with each key is further associated with a direction of motion of the plurality of keys.

7. The user interface device of claim 6, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component is the character or function associated with a direction on the key closest to the sensed direction of motion.

8. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the selection component selects from a first set of characters or functions regardless of whether a sensed direction of motion or a detected force is first in a series of sensor detections provided that if a detected force is first, the following sensed direction of motion above a threshold amount comes within a threshold period of time from the detected force, and if a sensed direction of motion that follows a detected force in a series of sensor detections does not come within a threshold period of time from the detected force, the selection component selects from a second set of characters or functions.

9. The user interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a thumb control pad moveable within the housing.

10. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the direction sensor is further configured to detect direction of motion of the thumb control pad.

11. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein thumb control pad movement moves the plurality of keys in the same direction of motion that the thumb control pad is being moved.

12. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of keys are circular.

13. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the keys are hexagon shaped.

14. The user interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second set of a plurality of keys slidably retained within the housing, each key being associated with a plurality of characters or functions, the plurality of keys further joined together to slide substantially in unison,

wherein the force detector is configured to detect force applied to one or more of the second set of the plurality of keys, the direction sensor is configured to detect direction of motion of the second set of the plurality of keys, and the selection component selects at least one of the plurality of characters or functions associated with the second set of the plurality of keys based on the detected force and sensed direction of motion applied to the second set of the plurality of keys.

15. The user interface device of claim 14, further comprising:

a pair of thumb control pads moveable within the housing, each thumb control pad being associated with one of the sets of a plurality of keys.

16. The user interface device of claim 15, wherein the direction sensor is further configured to detect direction of motion of the thumb control pads.

17. The user interface device of claim 16, wherein movement of each thumb control pad moves the corresponding set of plurality of keys in the same direction of motion that the thumb control pad is being moved.

18. The user interface device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of keys of the first and second set of plurality of keys are circular.

19. The user interface device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of keys of the first and second set of plurality of keys are hexagon shaped.

20. The user interface device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of characters comprise letters of the English alphabet and the plurality of letters associated with the first and second set of a plurality of keys are arranged in at least one of a substantially QWERTY, alphabetic, or Dvorak relationship.

21. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the force detector comprises a key identifying component for identifying the key where the greatest force was detected.

22. A user interface method using a plurality of geometrically-shaped keys each key being associated with a plurality of characters or functions, comprising:

detecting force applied to one or more of the plurality of keys;

detecting direction of motion of one or more of the plurality of keys; and

selecting at least one of a character or function based on the detected force and sensed direction of motion.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein detecting direction of motion comprises sensing lateral movement and a distance value and wherein the detected direction of motion is based on the sensed lateral movement and distance value.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

presenting the selected at least one character or function based on the detected force and sensed direction of motion.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component is associated with the key where the force was detected.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each character and function associated with each key is further associated with a direction of motion of the plurality of keys.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component is associated with a direction on the key closest to the sensed direction of motion.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein selecting comprises:

determining whether a sensed direction of motion in a series of sensor detections is detected before a detected force;

selecting from a first set of a plurality of characters or functions, if a sensed direction of motion in a series of sensor detections is sensed before a detected force; and

selecting from a second set of a plurality of characters or functions, if a detected force in a series of sensor detections is sensed before a sensed direction of motion.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein selecting comprises:

selecting from a first set of a plurality of characters or functions regardless of whether a sensed direction of motion or a detected force is first in a series of sensor detections, provided that if a detected force is first, the following sensed direction of motion comes within a threshold period of time from the detected force, and

if a sensed direction of motion that follows a detected force in a series of sensor detections does not come within a threshold period of time from the detected force, selecting from a second set of a plurality of characters or functions.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein detecting force comprises identifying the key where the greatest force was detected.

31. A user interface device comprising:

a plurality of geometrically-shaped keys slidably retained within a housing, each key being associated with a plurality of characters or functions, the plurality of keys further joined together to slide substantially in unison;

a force detector means for detecting force applied to one or more of the plurality of keys;

a lateral movement sensor means for sensing direction of motion of the plurality of keys; and

a selection component means for selecting at least one of a character or function based on the detected force and the sensed direction of motion.

32. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein the lateral movement sensor comprises:

a direction sensor means for sensing lateral movement; and

a distance sensor means for sensing a distance value,

wherein the direction of motion is sensed based on the sensed lateral movement and the sensed distance value.

33. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein the lateral movement sensor comprises:

a plurality of key mounted activators means; and

a plurality of housing-mounted sensor means for sensing when a key mounted activator is within a threshold distance,

wherein the direction of motion is sensed based on the housing-mounted sensor means that sensed an activator within the threshold distance.

34. The user interface device of claim 31, further comprising an output means for presenting the selected character or function based on the detected force and the sensed direction of motion.

35. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component means is associated with the key where the force was detected.

36. The user interface device of claim 35, wherein each character and function associated with each key is further associated with a direction of motion of the plurality of keys.

37. The user interface device of claim 36, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component means is the character or function associated with a direction on the key closest to the sensed direction of motion.

38. The user interface device of claim 37, wherein the selection component means selects from a first set of characters or functions regardless of whether a sensed direction of motion or a detected force is first in a series of sensor detections provided that if a detected force is first, the following sensed direction of motion above a threshold amount comes within a threshold period of time from the detected force, and if a sensed direction of motion that follows a detected force in a series of sensor detections does not come within a threshold period of time from the detected force, the selection component selects from a second set of characters or functions.

39. The user interface device of claim 31, further comprising:

a thumb control means moveable within the housing.

40. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein the direction sensor is further configured to detect direction of motion of the thumb control means.

41. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein thumb control means movement moves the plurality of keys in the same direction of motion that the thumb control pad is being moved.

42. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein the plurality of keys are circular.

43. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein the keys are hexagon shaped.

44. The user interface device of claim 31, further comprising:

a second set of a plurality of keys slidably retained within the housing, each key being associated with a plurality of characters or functions, the plurality of keys further joined together to slide substantially in unison,

wherein the force detector means is configured to detect force applied to one or more of the second set of the plurality of keys, the direction sensor is configured to detect direction of motion of the second set of the plurality of keys, and the selection component selects at least one of the plurality of characters or functions associated with the second set of the plurality of keys based on the detected force and sensed direction of motion applied to the second set of the plurality of keys.

45. The user interface device of claim 44, further comprising:

a pair of thumb control pads moveable within the housing, each thumb control pad being associated with one of the sets of a plurality of keys.

46. The user interface device of claim 45, wherein the direction sensor is further configured to detect direction of motion of the thumb control pads.

47. The user interface device of claim 46, wherein movement of each thumb control pad moves the corresponding set of plurality of keys in the same direction of motion that the thumb control pad is being moved.

48. The user interface device of claim 44, wherein the plurality of keys of the first and second set of plurality of keys are circular.

49. The user interface device of claim 44, wherein the plurality of keys of the first and second set of plurality of keys are hexagon shaped.

50. The user interface device of claim 44, wherein the plurality of characters comprise letters of the English alphabet and the plurality of letters associated with the first and second set of a plurality of keys are arranged in at least one of a substantially QWERTY, alphabetic, or Dvorak relationship.

51. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein the force detector means comprises a key identifying component for identifying the key where the greatest force was detected.

52. A user interface device comprising:

a plurality of buttons displayed on a touch sensitive screen, each button being associated with a plurality of characters or functions;

a force detector for detecting force applied to one or more of the plurality of buttons;

a lateral movement sensor for sensing direction of motion of a stroke performed on the touch sensitive screen; and

a selection component for selecting at least one of a character or function based on the detected force and the sensed direction of motion.

53. The user interface device of claim 52, wherein the lateral movement sensor comprises a direction sensor and a distance sensor, wherein the direction of motion is sensed based on a lateral movement sensed by the lateral movement sensor and a distance value sensed by the distance sensor.

54. The user interface device of claim 52, further comprising an output device for presenting the selected character or function based on the detected force and the sensed direction of motion.

55. The user interface device of claim 52, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component is associated with the button where the force was detected.

56. The user interface device of claim 55, wherein each character and function associated with each button is further associated with a direction of motion.

57. The user interface device of claim 56, wherein the character or function selected by the selection component is the character or function associated with a direction on the button closest to the sensed direction of motion.

58. The user interface device of claim 52, wherein the selection component selects from a first set of characters or functions regardless of whether a sensed direction of motion or a detected force is first in a series of sensor detections provided that if a detected force is first, the following sensed direction of motion above a threshold amount comes within a threshold period of time from the detected force, and if a sensed direction of motion that follows a detected force in a series of sensor detections does not come within a threshold period of time from the detected force, the selection component selects from a second set of characters or functions.

59. The user interface device of claim 52, further comprising:

a thumb control pad moveable within the housing.

60. The user interface device of claim 52, wherein the direction sensor is further configured to detect direction of motion of the thumb control pad.

61. The user interface device of claim 52, wherein thumb control pad movement moves the plurality of buttons in the same direction of motion that the thumb control pad is being moved.

62. The user interface device of claim 52, wherein the buttons are circular.

63. The user interface device of claim 52, wherein the buttons are hexagon shaped.

64. A user interface device comprising:

a plurality of geometrically-shaped keys slidably retained within a housing, each key being associated with a plurality of characters or functions, the plurality of keys being separately slidable;

a force detector configured to detect force applied to one or more of the plurality of keys;

a lateral movement sensor configured to sense direction of motion of the plurality of keys; and

a selection component for selecting at least one of a character or function based on the detected force and the sensed direction of motion.