Key-surround module inputting device

• US 20020149566A1
• Filed: 04/16/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arthur H. Sarkissian
• Original Assignee: Arthur H. Sarkissian
• Inventors: Sarkissian, Arthur H.
• Application Number:
  US09/835,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149566A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

A computer inputting device consists of a key, keys, a plural-directional plural-value pivotable key-inputting surrounding or surroundings, key-arrangement inputting surrounding or surroundings or a combination thereof, which due to their structure or placement form an inputting key-surround module or inputting key-surround modules. Each key or key-surrounding, though it may not necessarily surround, be circular in shape nor be concentric with respect to its “central” key, keys or key-surrounds, has a plurality of inputting key actuating constructs beneath. Such key-surround module or modules, respective components or a combination thereof may be stationary, displaced, rotated or a combination thereof, separately or in units, with an underlying support or a system of supports. The user is able to input conventional inputting values with more inputting space efficiency, greater accuracy, less requirement for exacting inputting movements than with that of a conventional inputting device, complete tactile familiarity, the availability of more key values than with conventional inputting devices, the availability of larger and conveniently shaped keys for ease of inputting with other keys, an increased awareness of the location of key values, a similar key resistance-feel as with that of conventional inputting devices, and with the ability to displace key value components while maintaining conventional Qwerty inputting device finger-to-key relationships.

Claims

1. A key-surround module inputting device comprised of

a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-direction pivotable key-surrounding as below, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding as below, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings or a combination thereof, and

a floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, or a combination thereof, not limited to resting concentric with regard to the above or to each other, not limited to surrounding the above, and not limited to being circular in shape, with a capacitive key actuating construct, an hard-contact key actuating construct, a plural-directional capacitive key actuating construct, a plural-directional hard-contact key actuating construct, a plurality of capacitative key actuating constructs, a plurality of hard-contact key actuating constructs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch sensitive surfaces or a combination thereof beneath.

2. A key-surround module inputting device comprised of

a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-direction pivotable key-surrounding as below, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding as below, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings or a combination thereof, and

a floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, or a combination thereof, not limited to resting concentric with regard to the above or to each other, not limited to surrounding the above, and not limited to being circular in shape, with a capacitive key actuating construct, an hard-contact key actuating construct, a plural-directional capacitive key actuating construct, a plural-directional hard-contact key actuating construct, a plurality of capacitative key actuating constructs, a plurality of hard-contact key actuating constructs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces or a combination thereof beneath, and

a support or supports which contains or contain the above, individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof, enabling any of the above to rotate individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof enabling any of the above to be displaced in a plurality of directions, individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof, enabling any of the above to be made concentric or non-concentric with respect to any of the above individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof, or a combination thereof.

3. A key-surround module inputting device comprised of

a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-directional pivotable key-surrounding as below, floating plural-directional pivotable key-surroundings, a key-arrangement key-surrounding as below, key-arrangement key-surroundings or a combination thereof, and

a floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding, floating plural-direction pivotable key-surroundings, a key-arrangement key-surrounding, key-arrangement key-surroundings or a combination thereof, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, or a combination thereof, not limited to being concentric with regard to the above, not limited to surrounding the above and not limited to being circular in shape, having a capacitive key actuating construct, an hard contact actuating key actuating construct, a plural-directional capacitive key actuating construct, a plural-directional hard-contact key actuating construct, a plurality of capacitative key actuating constructs, a plurality of hard-contact key actuating constructs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces or a combination thereof beneath, and

whereas said capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-direction pivotable key-surrounding, as above, floating plural-direction pivotable key-surroundings, a key-arrangement key-surrounding, key-arrangement key-surroundings or any combination thereof is or are manually or automatically adjustable with regard to concentricity amongst or between each other, or, is or are further comprised of a support or supports and extension or extensions beneath and a primary plate or primary plates beneath said extension or extensions containing a channel or channels by which said extension or extensions enable modular travel in a plurality of direction thereby allowing said inputting device to be reconfigured in a plurality of direction, allowing rotation and displacement for the unique comfort of any user, or, is or are further comprised of a secondary extension or secondary extensions beneath and a secondary plate or secondary plates beneath said secondary extension or secondary extensions containing a channel or channels by which said secondary extension or secondary extensions enable modular travel in a plurality of direction thereby allowing said primary plates or primary plates to be moved in any direction and to be rotated separately or in unison, or a combination thereof.

4. A key-surround module inputting device comprised of

a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-direction pivotable key-surrounding as below, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding as below, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings or a combination thereof, and

a floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, or a combination thereof, not limited to resting concentric with regard to the above or to each other, not limited to surrounding the above, and not limited to being circular in shape, with a capacitive key actuating construct, an hard-contact key actuating construct, a plural-directional capacitive key actuating construct, a plural-directional hard-contact key actuating construct, a plurality of capacitative key actuating constructs, a plurality of hard-contact key actuating constructs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces or a combination thereof beneath, and

a support or supports which contains or contain the above, individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof, enabling any of the above to rotate individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof, enabling any of the above to be displaced in a plurality of directions, individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof, enabling any of the above to be made concentric or non-concentric with respect to any of the above individually, in any unit, in units or a combination thereof, or any combination thereof.

5. An inputting device according to claim 4, further comprised of a motor or motors which provide said displacement and rotation automatically.

6. An inputting device according to claim 5, wherein said motor or motors is or are controlled by a computer which directs movement and rotation, and stores positions of the computer inputting device, thereby, allowing users to reconfigure and to recall positions the computer inputting device.

7. An inputting device according to claim 6, wherein the surface beneath said support, supports or a combination thereof, are part of a hinged folding or overlapping surface or surfaces which snap together, thereby, allowing the computer inputting device to be made more compact and portable.

8. A key-surround module inputting device comprised of

a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-directional pivotable key-surrounding as below, floating plural-directional pivotable key-surroundings, a key-arrangement key-surrounding as below, key-arrangement key-surroundings or a combinations thereof, and

a floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding, floating plural-direction pivotable key-surroundings, a key-arrangement key-surrounding, key-arrangement key-surroundings or a combination thereof, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, or a combination thereof, not limited to being concentric with regard to the above, not limited to surrounding the above and not limited to being circular in shape, having a capacitive key actuating construct, an hard contact actuating key actuating construct, a plural-directional capacitive key actuating construct, a plural-directional hard-contact key actuating construct, a plurality of capacitative key actuating constructs, a plurality of hard-contact key actuating constructs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces or a combination thereof beneath, and

whereas said capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-direction pivotable key-surrounding, as above, floating plural-direction pivotable key-surroundings, a key-arrangement key-surrounding, key-arrangement key-surroundings or any combination thereof is or are manually or automatically adjustable with regard to concentricity amongst or between each other, or, is or are further comprised of a support or supports and extension or extensions beneath and a primary plate or primary plates beneath said extension or extensions containing a channel or channels by which said extension or extensions enable modular travel in a plurality of direction thereby allowing said inputting device to be reconfigured in a plurality of direction, allowing rotation and displacement for the unique comfort of any user, or, is or are further comprised of a secondary extension or secondary extensions beneath and a secondary plate or secondary plates beneath said secondary extension or secondary extensions containing a channel or channels by which said secondary extension or secondary extensions enable modular travel in a plurality of direction thereby allowing said primary plates or primary plates to be moved in any direction and to be rotated separately or in unison, or a combination thereof.

9. An inputting device according to claim 8, further comprised of a motor or motors which provide said movement and rotation automatically.

10. An inputting device according to claim 9, wherein said motor or motors are controlled by a computer which directs movement and rotation, and stores positions of the computer inputting device, thereby, allowing users to reconfigure and to recall positions the inputting device.

11. An inputting device according to claim 10, wherein the surface beneath said secondary plate or plates are part of a hinged folding or overlapping surface or surfaces which snap together, thereby, allowing the inputting device to be made more compact and portable.

13. An inputting device according to claim 12, further comprised of a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a key-surrounding, key-surroundings or any combination thereof which is or are manually or automatically adjustable with regard to concentricity amongst or between each other.

14. An inputting device according to claim 13, further comprised of a support or supports and extension or extensions beneath said key-surrounding, key-surroundings, key-surrounding module, key-surrounding modules or a combination thereof and a primary plate or primary plates beneath said extension or extensions containing a channel or channels by which said extension or extensions enable modular travel in a plurality of direction, thereby, allowing said key-surrounding module or modules, in whole or in part, to be moved in a plurality of direction and to be rotated, allowing said inputting device to be adjustable for the unique comfort of any user.

15. An inputting device according to claim 14, further comprised of a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces not limited to a touch-sensitive screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, or a combination thereof, module or modules, with a support and extension or extensions beneath said module or modules and a primary plate or primary plates beneath said extension or extensions containing a channel or channels by which said extension or extensions enable modular travel in a plurality of direction, thereby, allowing said modules to be moved in a plurality of direction and to be rotated, allowing said device to be adjustable for the unique comfort of any user and complimenting the positioning of other said key-surrounding module or modules or components thereof.

16. An inputting device according to claim 15, wherein said primary plate or primary plates holds or hold a plurality of said modules, having a secondary extension or secondary extensions beneath and a secondary plate or secondary plates beneath said extension or extensions containing a channel or channels by which said secondary extension or secondary extensions enable modular travel in a plurality of direction, thereby, allowing a plurality of modules to be moved in a plurality of direction and to be rotated in unison.

17. An inputting device according to claim 16, wherein the surface beneath said secondary plate or secondary plates are part of hinged, folding, overlapping, interlocking surface or surfaces or a combination thereof, thereby, allowing the inputting device to be made more compact and portable.

18. An inputting device according to claim 17, wherein said key-surround, key-surrounds, module, modules, respective parts, components or a combination thereof are moved by means of a motor or motors, thereby, allowing automatic movement and rotation of the inputting device.

19. An inputting device according to claim 18, wherein said motor or motors are controlled by a computer which directs motor movement and stores positions of said module, modules, plate, plates, respective components or a combination thereof in its memory, thereby, allowing users to change positions of said module, modules, plate, plates, or respective components or a combination thereof, thereby, allowing the user to quickly and effortlessly change and recall positions of the inputting device.

12. A key-surround module inputting device comprised of a plurality of floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding or key-arrangement key-surrounding module or modules, each having a capacitive key, capacitive keys, an hard-contact key, hard-contact keys, a pointer-navigating device, pointer-navigating devices, a trackball, trackballs, a touch-sensitive surface or touch-sensitive surfaces including but not limited to a touch-screen, a screen or monitor display, screen or monitor displays, a floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding as below, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding as below, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings or a combination thereof, and

a floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surrounding, floating plural-direction pivotable inputting key-surroundings, a key-arrangement inputting key-surrounding, key-arrangement inputting key-surroundings or combination thereof, not limited to being concentric with regard to the above, not limited to surrounding the above and not limited to being circular in shape, with a capacitive key actuating construct, an hard-contact key actuating construct, a plural-directional capacitive key actuating construct, a plural-directional hard-contact key actuating construct, a plurality of capacitative key actuating constructs, a plurality of hard-contact key actuating constructs, a touch-sensitive surface, touch-sensitive surfaces or a combination thereof beneath.