Apparatus and method for generating data signals

• US 20040227728A1
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gametronics LLC (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: Keybowl Incorporated
• Inventors: McAlindon, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,262,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks

Abstract

An ergonomic apparatus for generating data signals that may be indicative of alphanumeric characters for use with an electronic device or system such as a computer or electric typewriter, for example. The apparatus may be configured in accordance with ergonomic principles and use one or two hands to generate the data signals. The apparatus may include a set of domes that are shaped and contoured to conform to the shape of hands in a relaxed state and to distribute pressures across the splayed underside of the user'"'"'s hand. Each dome may be capable of movement in a plurality of directions extending radially from a home position to generate the data signal or a portion of the data signal. The two-handed implementation disclosed utilizes input movements that enable keystroke actuation via only slight arm or hand movement, no finger movement being required. A keyboard layout may be used with the domes to associate movement of each dome with an alphanumeric layout of characters on a conventional keyboard such as a QWERTY keyboard layout. Dome movement may also be associated with the relative location of alphanumeric characters on an associated keyboard and the repsective relative frequency of use of an alphanumeric character to be produced. Hand-held embodiments of the apparatus are provided that may be used with portable or other similar electronic devices.

Claims

1. ) An handheld device comprising:

a main body;

a pair of thumb controllers integral with the main body and positioned with respect to each other so that each of the pair of thumb controllers may be tactilely engaged with a respective thumb of a user holding the handheld device;

a pair of sensing means operatively connected with respective ones of the pair of thumb controllers whereby each of the pair of sensing means will generate electrical signals in response to the user'"'"'s tactile engagement with a respective one of the pair of thumb controllers;

a processing module programmed with means for resolving a first set of electrical signals generated from a first one of the pair of sensing means and a second set of electrical signals generated from a second one of the pair of sensing means to determine an alphanumeric character to be generated;

means for generating a first set of data signals indicative of the alphanumeric character; and

means for transmitting the first set of data signals from the handheld device so they may be received by a receiving device.

2. ) The device of claim 1, the pair of sensing means comprising a first joystick and a second joystick wherein at least one of the first and second joystick will generate electrical signals in response to the respective joystick being moved axially.

3. ) The device of claim 2 wherein the processing module is programmed with means for resolving at least one of the first set of electrical signals and the second set of electrical signals with a third set of electrical signals generated in response to a joystick being moved axially to determine an executable function to be performed by a receiving device.

4. ) The device of claim 1 further comprising:

means for guiding at least one of the pair of thumb controllers into a plurality of directions.

5. ) The device of claim 4, the means for guiding comprising:

a plurality of recesses formed within an annular collar of the main body; and

a plurality of protuberances circumferentially extending from a lower portion of a thumb controller wherein the plurality of protuberances engage the plurality of recesses.

6. ) The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first template affixed to the handheld device proximate a left thumb controller, the first template containing indicia instructive to the user with respect to generating an alphanumeric character in response to tactilely engaging the left thumb controller; and

a second template affixed to the handheld device proximate a right thumb controller, the second template containing indicia instructive to the user with respect to generating the alphanumeric character in response to tactilely engaging the right thumb controller.

7. ) The device of claim 6 wherein the indicia of the first template instruct the user with respect to moving the left thumb controller in one of five color-coded directions and the indicia of the second template is divided into octants with each octant containing five respective color-coded alphanumeric character positions.

8. ) The device of claim 7 wherein a clockwise and sequential arrangement of the five color-coded directions of the first template are the same as a clockwise and sequential arrangement of the five respective color-coded alphanumeric character positions.

9. ) The device of claim 6 wherein the second template contains the letters of the alphabet in a clockwise and alphabetic order.

10. ) The device of claim 1, the means for resolving the first set of electrical signals and the second set of electrical signals comprising a linear regression model.

11. ) The device of claim 1 wherein the means for resolving determines an angular displacement of a sensing means.

12. ) The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a reprogrammable module that may be reprogrammed based on a set of user preferences with respect to an ease of learning, a throughput speed and a comfort level.

13. ) The device of claim 1 wherein the processing module is programmed with means for resolving the first and second sets of electrical signals to determine at least one of an ASCII character code and a code indicative of a mouse function;

the device further comprising means for generating a second set of data signals indicative of the ASCII character code and the code indicative of a mouse function; and

means for transmitting the second set of data signals from the handheld device so they may be received by a receiving device.

14. ) An apparatus for generating data signals, the apparatus comprising:

a main body;

first means for a user to tactilely generate a first signal integral with the main body;

second means for a user to tactilely generate a second signal integral with the main body;

processing means configured for resolving a first reference position associated with the first signal and a second reference position associated with the second signal;

processing means configured for associating at least one of the first reference position and the second reference position with an alphanumeric character and generating a data signal indicative of the alphanumeric character;

a first pattern instructive to the user for tactilely generating an alphanumeric character, the first pattern positioned proximate the means for generating the first signal; and

a second pattern instructive to the user for tactilely generating the alphanumeric character, the second pattern positioned proximate the means for generating the second signal.

15. ) The apparatus of claim 14, the processing means configured for resolving a first reference position associated with the first signal and a second reference position 10 associated with the second signal comprising a linear regression module configured to resolve the first reference position from a set of eight possible positions and the second reference position from a set of eight possible positions.

16. ) A handheld keyboard device, the device comprising:

a main body;

a first joystick comprising a pair of potentiometers for generating a first set of continuous electrical signals in response to movement of the first joystick;

a second joystick comprising a pair of potentiometers for generating a second set of continuous electrical signals in response to movement of the second joystick;

a first thumb controller connected with the first joystick for moving the first joystick in a plurality of directions;

a second thumb controller connected with the second joystick for moving the second joystick in a plurality of directions; and

a processing module configured to correlate the first and second sets of continuous electrical signals with a predetermined decision-making reference for determining an alphanumeric character to be generated by the handheld device wherein the predetermined decision-making reference associates predefined patterns of electrical signals with alphanumeric characters.

17. ) The device of claim 16 further comprising:

a first template affixed to the device proximate a left thumb controller, the first template containing indicia instructive to the user with respect to generating an alphanumeric character in response to moving the left thumb controller in a first direction; and

a second template affixed to the device proximate a right thumb controller, the second template containing indicia instructive to the user with respect to generating the alphanumeric character in response to moving the right thumb controller in a second direction.