Reduced keyboard system that emulates QWERTY-type mapping and typing

• US 20030193478A1
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xrgomics Pte Limited
• Original Assignee: Xrgomics Pte Limited
• Inventors: Tan, Ken Chin Foo, Ng, Edwin, Oh, Julian Joo Seng
• Granted Patent: US 7,202,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques

Abstract

A reduced keyboard system (100), with a reduced number of keys (13, 15, 23, 25, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112), but retaining the typing map of the conventional QWERTY or QWERTY-type keyboard by employing an intuitive and learning database engine. A plurality of letters, numerals, symbols and functions are assigned to a set of data keys, buttons or data inputs (multi-character keys). The arrangement of the multi-character keys together with the character assignments to the individual multi-character keys allows a user to use the same typing map, as when typing on a conventional QWERTY or QWERTY-type keyboard, be it visual mapping (i.e. physical location of keys) or finger mapping (i.e. touch typing for typist). This enhances the typing experience on the reduced keyboard system to have the same feeling, typing rhythm and speed as typing on a conventional QWERTY or QWERTY-type keyboard.

Claims

1. A reduced keyboard system for inputting information comprising:

a plurality of keys, each key having at least one feature wherein the feature is a data value, a function or a data symbol representative of a keystroke on a QWERTY-type keyboard wherein the key is assigned a keystroke of a QWERTY-type keyboard based on a mapping arrangement of a section comprised of adjacent keys of a QWERTY-type keyboard compatible with the memory mapping used by a user on a QWERTY-type keyboard;

a database for storing data wherein the data is a data character or a data symbol associated with an input keystroke sequence of the keys; and

a display for displaying the information.

2. A reduced keyboard system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a first set of keys within the plurality of keys wherein a feature of each key of the first set of keys is a data value representative of a key-character of a QWERTY-type keyboard; and

a second set of keys within the plurality of keys wherein a feature of each key in a second set keys is a function based on auxiliary functions.

3. A reduced keyboard system of claim 2, wherein the mapping arrangement is based on a visual-mapping arrangement of the QWERTY-type keyboard, the first set having less than seven keys and the second set having at least two keys.

4. A reduced keyboard system of claim 2, wherein the mapping arrangement is based on a touch-type-mapping arrangement of the QWERTY-type keyboard, the first set having less than nine keys and the second set having at least two keys.

5. A reduced keyboard system of claim 3 wherein the keys of the first set represent corresponding sections of the QWERTY-type keyboard, wherein the sections on the QWERTY-type keyboard are arranged in less than three columns and at least three rows.

6. A reduced keyboard system of claim 5, wherein each column is arranged to be accessible by at least one of the fingers of each hand of a user for two hand typing, the first set having:

a first key arranged to be accessible by a first finger of the left hand of a user, the first key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Q, W, E, R, and T;

a second character key arranged to be accessible by a second finger of the left hand of a user, the second key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters A, S, D, F, and G;

a third character key arranged to be accessible by a third finger of the left hand of a user, the third key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Z, X, C, and V;

a fourth character key arranged to be accessible by a first finger of the right hand of a user, the fourth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Y, U, I, O, and P;

a fifth character key arranged to be accessible by a second finger of the right hand of a user, the fifth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters H, J, K, and L;

a sixth character key arranged to be accessible by a third finger of the right hand of a user, the sixth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters B, N, and M.

7. A reduced keyboard system of claim 6, wherein each column is arranged to be accessible by at least one thumb of a user for thumb typing.

8. A reduced keyboard system of claim 5, wherein each column is arranged to be accessible by at least one of the fingers of each hand of a user for two hand typing, the first set having:

a first key arranged to be accessible by a first finger of the left hand of a user, the first key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Q, W, E, R, and T;

a second character key arranged to be accessible by a second finger of the left hand of a user, the second key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters A, S, D, F, and G;

a third character key arranged to be accessible by a third finger of the left hand of a user, the third key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Z, X, C, V, and B;

a fourth character key arranged to be accessible by a first finger of the right hand of a user, the fourth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Y, U, I, O, and P;

a fifth character key arranged to be accessible by a second finger of the right hand of a user, the fifth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters H, J, K, and L;

a sixth character key arranged to be accessible by a third finger of the right hand of a user, the sixth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters N and M.

9. A reduced keyboard system of claim 8, wherein each column is arranged to be accessible by at least one thumb of a user for thumb typing.

10. A reduced keyboard system of claim 4, wherein the keys of the first set represent corresponding sections of a QWERTY-type keyboard, wherein the sections of the QWERTY-type keyboard are arranged in less than nine columns and one row.

11. A reduced keyboard system of claim 10, wherein each column is arranged to be accessible by at least one of the fingers of each hand of a user for two hand typing, the first set having:

a first key arranged to be accessible by a first finger of the left hand of a user, the first key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Q, A, and Z;

a second character key arranged to be accessible by a second finger of the left hand of a user, the second key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters W, S, and X;

a third character key arranged to be accessible by a third finger of the left hand of a user, the third key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters E, D, and C;

a fourth character key arranged to be accessible by a fourth finger of the left hand of a user, the fourth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters R, F, V, T, G, and B;

a fifth character key arranged to be accessible by a first finger of the right hand of a user, the fifth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters Y, H, N, U, J, and M;

a sixth character key arranged to be accessible by a second finger of the right hand of a user, the sixth key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters I and K;

a seventh character key arranged to be accessible by a third finger of the right hand of a user, the seventh key having features representing at least the alphabetic characters O and L; and

a eighth character key arranged to be accessible by a fourth finger of the right hand of a user, the eighth key having features representing at least the alphabetic character P.

12. A reduced keyboard system of claim 11 wherein the first and second character keys are a single character key accessible by the first finger of the left hand of a user, and the seventh and eighth character keys are a single character key accessible by the third finger of the right hand of a user.

13. A reduced keyboard system of claim 1, wherein the allocation of numerals is based on a half-decimal system, each numeral assigned a key representing two numerals with one numeral being a base from 1 to 5 and another numeral being the base plus 5, with 10 being rounded to 0.

14. A reduced keyboard system of claim 1 further comprising a glove, wherein at least one key of the plurality of keys is arranged on a finger of a glove.

15. A reduced keyboard system of claim 1 wherein a key comprises a sensor for providing a signal upon detection.

16. A reduced keyboard system of claim 1 wherein the data stored is stored in an order of the most recently selected data to the least recently selected data.

17. A reduced keyboard system of claim 1 wherein the database further comprises a library for storing new data, wherein the library of the database further comprises a library with a predetermined limit of entries to store the stored data, wherein when the selected data is stored in the library and when the predetermined limit of entries is met, the selected data replacing the least recently selected stored data from the data associated with the keystroke sequence with the most number of associated data.

18. A reduced keyboard system of claim 2, wherein the second set comprises four keys wherein there is a key for spacebar, a key for backspace, a key for shift and a key for cycle.

19. A reduced keyboard system of claim 1 further comprising a screen or pad input, wherein at least one key of the plurality of keys is arranged on a touch screen or sensor pad, or a screen or virtual screen that works with a sensor object or sensor.

20. A method of inputting for a reduced keyboard system comprising:

pressing a first key in a plurality of keys wherein each key having at least one feature wherein the feature is a data value or a function representative of a keystroke on a QWERTY-type keyboard wherein the key is assigned a keystroke based on a mapping arrangement of a section comprised of adjacent keys of a QWERTY-type keyboard compatible with the memory mapping used by a user on a QWERTY-type keyboard;

matching a keystroke sequence pressed with a stored keystroke sequence in a database, the stored keystroke sequence having associated data stored in the database wherein the associated data is a data character, a function, or a data symbol associated with the stored keystroke sequence comprising a feature from each key in the keystroke sequence; and

displaying on a display information representative of the associated data stored in the database for the keystroke sequence.

21. A method of inputting of claim 20 further comprising:

cycling between associated data; and

selecting data displayed.

22. A method of inputting of claim 20 wherein the order of the associated data of the matching having an order of the most recently selected data to the least recently selected data.

23. A method of inputting of claim 22 wherein the associated data of the matching is stored in the database for each digraph association of the features of the preceding selected key in the keystroke sequence.

24. A method of inputting of claim 20 wherein the associated data of the matching comprises additional data based on a next potential keystroke in the keystroke sequence pressed wherein no stored keystroke sequence matches the keystroke sequence pressed.

25. A method of inputting of claim 24 wherein the matching wherein there is no stored keystroke sequence matching any next potential keystroke in the keystroke sequence pressed, no additional information is displayed.

26. A method of inputting of claim 20 further comprising:

changing a mode if the input keystroke corresponds to a prolonged use of one of the keys.

27. A method of inputting of claim 26 wherein the mode change is performed wherein a mode change is between intuitive text input mode and predictive non-intuitive text input mode, between caps lock mode and non-caps lock mode, or between text input mode and numerals input mode.

28. A method of inputting of claim 21 wherein the input keystroke sequence corresponds to at least one auxiliary key for a specific function for selecting the displayed information.

29. A method of inputting of claim 28 wherein the function is a spacebar, punctuation or carriage return.

30. A method of inputting of claim 28 wherein the auxiliary keys comprise four keys wherein there is a key for spacebar, a key for backspace, a key for shift and a key for cycle.

31. A method of inputting of claim 21 wherein the cycling step further comprises cycling to the next associated data stored for the keystroke sequence, and cycling in a forward direction and a backward direction.

32. A method of inputting of claim 21 wherein the database of the matching further comprises a library for storing new data, wherein the library of the database of the matching step further comprises a library with a predetermined limit of entries to store the stored data, wherein when the selected data is stored in the library and when the predetermined limit of entries is met, the selected data replacing the least recently selected stored data from the data associated with the keystroke sequence with the most number of associated data.

33. A method of inputting of claim 20 wherein the pressing further comprises providing a half-decimal numeral input, wherein the allocation of numerals is based on a half-decimal system, each numeral assigned a key representing two numerals with one numeral being a base from 1 to 5 and another numeral being the base plus 5, with 10 being rounded to 0.

34. A method of inputting of claim 20 wherein the associated data comprises single characters and full words and no partial words are stored in the database.

35. A method of inputting of claim 20 wherein all associated data is displayed as a selection/hint list.