Modified keyboard and systems containing the keyboard

• US 20050258981A1
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Infinium Labs, Inc. (Phantom Entertainment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Infinium Labs, Inc. (Phantom Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, Tyrol R., Lane, Ryan T., Hull, Eric J.
• Application Number:
  US11/122,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20050258981A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads

Abstract

A modified keyboard to facilitate use in a variety of applications such as, for example, gaming is provided. The modified keyboard can include features such as, for example, the relocation of the numeric keypad to the left of an alphanumeric keypad, the change in color of particular keys, the change in relative arrangement of keys, the addition of new keys, and the movement of functions to different sites on the keyboard.

Claims

1. A keyboard, comprising:

an alphanumeric keypad; and

a numeric keypad disposed to the left of the alphanumeric keypad.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the numeric keypad is arranged with numbers 7, 8, and 9 in a top row, numbers 4, 2, and 6 in a middle row, and numbers 1, 5, and 3 in a bottom row.

3. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein keys representing numbers 2, 4, 8, and 6 are a different color than a remainder of the keys of the numeric keypad.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the numeric keypad comprises an up arrow key, a down arrow key, a right arrow key and a left arrow key.

5. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein the numeric keypad is arranged with the up arrow key in a top row of the numeric keypad and the down arrow key, the right arrow key, and the left arrow key disposed in a middle row of the numeric keypad with the down arrow key directly below and in alignment with the up arrow key and the right and left arrow keys directly adjacent on respective right and left sides of the down arrow key.

6. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein said up arrow, down arrow, right arrow, and left arrow keys are a different color than a remainder of the keys of the numeric keypad.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the numeric keypad has no more than nine keys.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising directional keys disposed in the alphanumeric keypad with an up arrow key in a top row of the alphanumeric keypad and a down arrow key, a right arrow key, and a left arrow key disposed in a middle row of the alphanumeric keypad with the down arrow key directly below and in alignment with the up arrow key and the right and left arrow keys directly adjacent to the down arrow key.

9. The keyboard of claim 8, wherein up arrow key, down arrow key, right arrow key, and left arrow key of the alphanumeric keypad are a different color than adjacent keys of the alphanumeric keypad.

10. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a space bar disposed below the numeric keypad.

11. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the alphanumeric keypad comprises a row of function keys arranged from at least F1 to F12 and the caps lock function is associated with at least one of the function keys.

12. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the caps lock function is exclusively associated with at least one of the function keys.

13. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the alphanumeric keypad comprises a first row comprising number keys arranged from 1 to 0 and a second row comprising function keys arranged from F1 to F10, said function keys F1 to F10 being disposed directly above and in alignment with number keys 1 to 0, respectively.

14. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the alphanumeric keypad has a QWERTY arrangement of numbers and letters and a space bar disposed along a bottom row of the alphanumeric keypad with the space bar arranged to extend at least partially below the A and S keys in order to be more accessible to a left-mounted numeric keypad.

15. A keyboard comprising:

an alphanumeric keypad comprising a row of function keys arranged from at least F1 to F12; and

a caps lock function for the alphanumeric keypad that is associated with the function keys.

16. The keyboard of claim 15, wherein number lock and print screen functions are exclusively associated with the function keys.

17. The keyboard of claim 15, wherein a scroll lock function is exclusively associated with the function keys.

18. The keyboard of claim 15, wherein a pause function is exclusively associated with the function keys.

19. The keyboard of claim 15, wherein said caps lock function is exclusively associated with the function keys.

20. A keyboard comprising:

an alphanumeric keypad comprising;

a first row having number keys arranged from 1 to 9; and

a second row having function keys arranged from F1 to F9,

said function keys F1 to F9 being disposed directly above and in alignment with number keys 1 to 9, respectively.

21. The keyboard of claim 20, wherein said first row further comprises a 0 key immediately adjacent to the 9 key and said second row further comprises a function key F10 that is directly above and in alignment with the 0 key.

22. The keyboard of claim 21, wherein said second row further comprises function keys F11 and F12 arranged adjacent to function key F10.

23. The keyboard of claim 22, wherein a caps lock function is assigned to a one of the function keys F1 to F12.

24. A keyboard comprising:

an alphanumeric keypad having a first space bar;

a numeric keypad; and

a second spacebar disposed within or below said numeric keypad.

25. A keyboard comprising:

an alphanumeric keypad with a QWERTY arrangement of numbers and letters; and

a space bar disposed along a bottom row of the alphanumeric keypad, wherein the space bar is arranged to extend at least partially below the A and S keys.

26. The keyboard of claim 25, further comprising a directional arrow keypad disposed to the left of the alphanumeric keypad.

27. A system comprising:

a controller;

a display coupled to the controller to display information from the controller; and

a keyboard comprising an alphanumeric keypad and a secondary keypad, wherein the secondary keypad comprises more and less keys, wherein pressing the more key causes the controller to provide more information on the display and pressing the less key causes the controller to provide less information on the display.