One-row keyboard

• US 20060159507A1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 5 examples, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 5 examples, Inc.
• Inventors: Jawerth, Bjorn, Mehta, Viraj
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/472
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• 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 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/021 using combined folding and rotation motions combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention comprises an apparatus for data entry on an electronic device, comprising: a keyboard with only one row of keys used to type letters of an alphabet; and an electronic display device in communication with the keyboard; wherein each key of the one row of keys has a correspondence with a plurality of characters, and wherein the correspondence enables touch-typing consistent with touch-typing on QWERTY or other standard keyboard configurations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for data entry on an electronic device, comprising:

a keyboard with only one row of keys used to type letters of an alphabet; and

an electronic display device in communication with said keyboard;

wherein each key of said one row of keys has a correspondence with a plurality of characters, and

wherein said correspondence enables touch-typing consistent with touch-typing on QWERTY or other standard keyboard configurations.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said correspondence is based on a mapping of characters associated with a specified finger or thumb in standard keyboard typing to a specified key in said one row of keys.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a disambiguation unit.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said communication is via Bluetooth.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said correspondence is based on a mapping of characters associated with a specified thumb in standard two-thumb keyboard typing to a specified key in said one row of keys.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said communication is wireless.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said keyboard is two-sided, with keys on both sides.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said keyboard comprises at least two components attached to a hinge.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a main unit comprising a central processing unit (CPU).

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said keyboard is a projected keyboard.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said keyboard is a virtual keyboard.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1, operable to provide audio feedback to a user of said keyboard.

13. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a remote control device.

14. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said keyboard is detachable from said main unit.

15. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said keyboard is integrated with said main unit.

16. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said keyboard is operable to slide into an opening in said main unit.

17. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said keyboard comprises two or more components, each of which is rotatable into an opening in said main unit.

18. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said display device is rotatably attached to said main unit.

19. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said display device is operable to display output from said disambiguation unit.

20. An apparatus for data entry on an electronic device, comprising:

an electronic display device comprising an electronic display; and

one or more keys adjacent to said display;

wherein said electronic display is operable to display a grid with one or more vertical lines and one or more horizontal lines,

wherein each of said one or more vertical lines has a corresponding key comprised in said one or more keys and each of said one or more horizontal lines has a corresponding key comprised in said one or more keys, and

wherein said display device is operable to select a region or image on said electronic display corresponding to at least one of said vertical lines and at least one of said horizontal lines when a user presses keys corresponding to said at least one of said vertical lines and at least one of said horizontal lines.

21. A portable compact keyboard comprising:

a base including a first base portion and a second base portion hingedly attached to the first portion for pivotal movement, each portion having a top and a bottom, the base moveable from a closed position to an open position;

a first row of alphabetic keys supported by the top of the first base portion, the keys including alphabetic indicia corresponding to a first set of characters of an alphabet of a written language, wherein only the first row of keys of the first base portion contains the alphabetic indicia, at least one key containing more than one alphabetic indicia;

a first row of alphabetic keys supported by the bottom of the second base portion, the keys including alphabetic indicia corresponding to a second set of characters of an alphabet of a written language, the second set of characters being different than the first set, wherein only the first row of keys of the second base portion contains the alphabetic indicia, at least one key containing more than one alphabetic indicia;

wherein the keys of the first base portion face upwards towards the keys of the second base portion which face downwards when the base is in the closed position.

22. The keyboard of claim 21, wherein the keys of the first base portion are positioned adjacent to the keys of the second base portion when the base is in the open position, the keys of the first base portion and the second base portion all facing upwards.

23. The keyboard of claim 22, wherein the keys of the first base portion are axially aligned along a longitudinal axis with the keys of the second base portion.

24. The keyboard of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of keys disposed on the top of the second base portion.

25. The keyboard of claim 21, further comprising control logic operable to associate the alphabetic keys with the characters of the alphabet.