Digital information appliance input device

• US 20020118175A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liebenow, Frank, Vossler, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 6,909,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A digital information appliance comprises a housing having a display disposed on a first surface for displaying information to a user of the digital information appliance and an input device disposed on a second surface opposed to the first surface for imputing information. The input device is oriented with respect to the display so as to be operable by the fingers of the user'"'"'s hand for input of information while holding the housing so the display is viewable.

Claims

1. A digital information appliance, comprising:

a housing having generally opposed first and second surfaces;

a display disposed on said first surface for displaying information to a user of the digital information appliance; and

an input device disposed on the second surface for inputting information;

wherein said input device is oriented with respect to said display so as to be operable by the user for input of information while the user is holding said housing so said display is viewable.

2. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device comprises a keyboard.

3. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the keyboard comprises a QWERTY key configuration.

4. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein said keyboard comprises left and right key ranges oriented so the user may type on the keyboard in an inverted orientation while holding said housing.

5. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 4, wherein the keyboard comprises a QWERTY key configuration and wherein keys normally typed by the right hand are positioned in the right key range and keys normally typed by the left hand are positioned in the left key range so as to be generally in the natural QWERTY position relative the user'"'"'s fingers while holding said housing.

6. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least one key disposed on at least one of the first surface or a side surface of the digital information appliance and positioned for actuation by a thumb of the user.

7. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device comprises a numeric keypad.

8. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device comprises at least one touch sensitive panel.

9. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 8, wherein said touch sensitive panel is configured to emulate a keyboard including left and right key ranges oriented so the user may type thereon in an inverted orientation while holding said housing.

10. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 8, wherein said touch sensitive panel is configured to emulate a keyboard having a plurality of keys and wherein the position of at least one key of the emulated keyboard is determined by the user.

11. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said display displays a representation of the position of the keys of the emulated keyboard to the user.

12. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 11, wherein the representation is semi-transparent and displayed over information displayed by said display.

13. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one key disposed on at least one of the first surface and a side surface of the digital information appliance and positioned for actuation by a thumb of the user.

14. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a touch sensitive panel disposed over said display for input of information.

15. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gripping aid mounted to said housing for aiding the user in holding said housing so as to enter information via said input device.

17. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 16, further comprising second means, disposed on the first surface and position for actuation by a thumb of the user, for inputting information.

18. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein said display means displays a representation of the inputting means to the user to aid the user in inputting information.

19. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 18, wherein the representation is semi-transparent and displayed over information displayed by said display means.

20. The digital information appliance, as claimed in claim 16, further comprising means, disposed over said display means, for inputting information via touch input.

21. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 16, further comprising means, mounted to said housing, for aiding the user in holding said housing so as to enter information via said input means.

16. A digital information appliance, comprising:

a housing having generally opposed first and second surfaces;

means, disposed on said first surface, for displaying information to a user of the digital information appliance; and

means, disposed in the second surface, for inputting information;

wherein said input means is oriented with respect to said display means so as to be suitable for hand entry of information by the user while holding said housing so said display means is viewable.

22. A method of entering information into a digital information appliance, wherein the digital information appliance includes a display disposed on a first surface and an input device disposed on a second surface generally opposed to the first surface, the method comprising:

holding the digital information appliance so the display is viewable and the input device is positioned in a generally inverted orientation opposite the display so as to not be viewable;

positioning at least one finger of a hand holding the digital information appliance over a key of the input device; and

actuating the key thereby inputting information into the digital information appliance.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising:

positioning a thumb of the hand over a second key disposed on at least on of the first surface and a side surface of the digital information appliance; and

actuating the second key with thumb thereby inputting information into the digital information appliance.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising:

positioning a thumb of the hand over a second key disposed on the first surface; and

wherein a first key is actuated, thereafter actuating the second key to accept entry of information inputted via actuation of the first key.

25. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising identifying the position of the key by its position in the input device.

26. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising identifying the position of the key to be actuated via a representation of the input device displayed on the display.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the representation comprises semi-transparent indicia displayed over information displayed by the display.

28. The method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising identifying the actuated key by changing an attribute of the representation of the key in the input device.

29. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising verifying the position of the finger with respect to the key via a representation of the input device and finger position displayed on the display.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the representation comprises semi-transparent indicia displayed over information displayed by the display.

31. The method as claimed in claim 29, further comprising identifying the actuated key by changing an attribute of the representation of the key in the input device.

32. A method of aiding a user in entering information into a digital information appliance, wherein the digital information appliance includes a display disposed on a first surface and a input device disposed on a second surface, the second surface being generally opposed to the first surface, the method comprising displaying an indicia on the display for representing the position on the second surface of at least one key of the input device.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising:

sensing an actuation of the key; and

displaying a second indicia on the display for indicating that the key as been actuated.

34. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising:

sensing an actuation of the key; and

changing an attribute of the displayed indicia for indicating that the key has been actuated.

35. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising:

sensing a position of a user'"'"'s finger relative to the key; and

displaying a second indicia indicating the position of the finger.

36. The method as claimed in claim 32, comprising displaying the indicia as a semi-transparent image over the display.

38. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 37, further causing the digital information appliance to execute the steps of sensing

sensing an actuation of the key;

and

advising a user of the digital information appliance that the key as been actuated.

39. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 37, further causing the digital information appliance to execute the step of,

sensing an actuation of the key;

and

changing an attribute of the displayed indicia for indicating that the key as been actuated.

40. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 37, further causing the digital information appliance to execute the step of:

sensing a position of a user'"'"'s finger relative to the key; and

displaying a second indicia indicating the position of the finger.

41. The program of instructions as claimed in claim 37, firer causing the digital information appliance to display the indicia as a semi-transparent image over the display.

37. A program of instructions storable on a medium readable by a digital information appliance having a display disposed on a first surface and an input device disposed on a second surface, the second surface being generally opposed to the first surface, for causing the digital information appliance to execute steps for aiding a user in entering information into a digital information appliance via the input device, the steps comprising displaying an indicia on the display for representing the position on the second surface of at least one key of the input device.

42. A digital information appliance, comprising:

a housing having generally opposed first and second surfaces;

a processor disposed in said housing for executing a program of instructions on the digital information appliance;

a memory coupled to the processor for storing the program of instructions executable by the processor; and

a display disposed on the first surface for displaying information to a user of the digital information appliance; and

an input device disposed on the second surface for imputing information, said input device being oriented so as to be operable by the user for input of information while the user is holding said housing so said display is viewable by the user;

wherein the program of instructions configures the digital information appliance to display indicia for indicating the position of at least one key of the input device on the display to aid the user in locating the key.

43. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 42, wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.

44. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 42, wherein said keyboard comprises left and right key ranges oriented so the user may type thereon in an inverted orientation while holding said housing.

45. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 44, wherein said keyboard comprises a QWERTY key configuration and wherein keys normally typed by the right hand are positioned in the right key range and keys normally typed by the left hand are positioned in the left key range so as to be generally in the natural QWERTY position relative the user'"'"'s fingers while holding said housing.

46. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 42, further comprising at least one key disposed on at least one of the first surface and a side surface of the digital information appliance and positioned for actuation by a thumb of the user'"'"'s hand.

47. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 42, wherein said input device comprises at least one touch sensitive panel, wherein said touch sensitive panel is configured to emulate keys of a keyboard and wherein the keys are divided into left and right key ranges oriented so the user may type thereon in an inverted orientation while holding said housing.

48. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 42, wherein the program of instructions further configures the digital information appliance to sense an actuation of the key and advise a user of the digital information appliance that the key as been actuated.

49. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 42, wherein the program of instructions further configures the digital information appliance to sense a position of a user'"'"'s finger relative to the key and display second indicia indicating the position of the finger.

50. The digital information appliance as claimed in claim 42, wherein the program of instructions causes the digital information appliance to display the indicia as a semi-transparent image overlaying information displayed by the display.