User interface incorporating emulated hard keys

• US 20060238510A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schroeder, Dale W., Panotopoulos, Georgios
• Granted Patent: US 7,382,357 B2
• 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 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

An emulated hard key that emulates a key of a user-selected keyboard is generated on a reconfigurable keyboard. In one exemplary embodiment, the reconfigurable keyboard has an array of microchambers. Each microchamber is operable to change from a first height to a second height. A keyboard emulator controller controls the array of microchambers to set a first group of microchambers to the second height. When set to the second height, the first group of microchambers collectively emulates a first key of the user-selected keyboard.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable interface, comprising:

a reconfigurable keyboard configurable to emulate a first user-selected keyboard; and

a keyboard emulator controller operable to generate upon the reconfigurable keyboard a first emulated hard key that emulates a first key of the first user-selected keyboard.

2. The reconfigurable interface of claim 1, wherein:

the reconfigurable keyboard comprises an array of microchambers, each microchamber being operable to change from a first height to a second height; and

the keyboard emulator controller is operable to set a first group of the microchambers in the array to the second height, the first group of microchambers collectively constituting the first emulated hard key.

3. The reconfigurable interface of claim 2, wherein the keyboard emulator controller is further operable to set a second group of microchambers to the second height, the second group of microchambers collectively constituting a second emulated hard key that emulates a second key of the first user-selected keyboard.

4. The reconfigurable interface of claim 2, wherein the keyboard emulator controller is further operable to set the first group of microchambers to the first height, the first group of microchambers emulating an inactive portion of the first user-selected keyboard.

5. The reconfigurable interface of claim 4, wherein the keyboard emulator controller is further operable to set a second group of microchambers to the second height, the second group of microchambers collectively constituting a second emulated hard key that emulates a first key of a second user-selected keyboard.

6. The reconfigurable interface of claim 5, wherein at least one of the microchambers is common to the first group of microchambers and the second group of microchambers.

7. The reconfigurable interface of claim 5, wherein the second group of microchambers is the same as the first group of microchambers.

8. The reconfigurable interface of claim 2, in which the keyboard emulator controller comprises:

a microchamber controller operable to provide to a microchamber a first volume of fluid corresponding to the first height of the microchamber, and a second volume of fluid corresponding to the second height of the microchamber.

9. The reconfigurable interface of claim 8, wherein the fluid comprises one of air, a liquid, a gas, and a gel.

10. The reconfigurable interface of claim 2, in which:

the reconfigurable keyboard comprises an electrogel contained in at least one of the microchambers; and

the keyboard emulator controller comprises a microchamber controller operable to apply to the electrogel a first voltage to set a first stiffness thereof, and a second voltage to set a second stiffness thereof.

11. The reconfigurable interface of claim 1, wherein the first emulated hard key provides tactile feedback.

12. The reconfigurable interface of claim 1, wherein the first user-selected keyboard comprises one of a QWERTY keyboard, a cellphone keypad, a music player keypad, and a game controller keypad.

13. The reconfigurable interface of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first portion operable to vibrate in response to the keyboard emulator controller, the first portion comprising the first emulated hard key.

14. The reconfigurable interface of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first portion operable in response to the keyboard emulator controller to provide a first electric stimulus to a user of the reconfigurable keyboard, the first portion comprising the first emulated hard key.

15. The reconfigurable interface of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first portion operable in response to the keyboard emulator controller to change visual appearance, the first portion comprising the first emulated hard key.

16. The reconfigurable interface of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first portion operable in response to the keyboard emulator controller a temperature change, the first portion comprising the first emulated hard key.

17. A method of keyboard emulation, the method comprising:

providing a reconfigurable keyboard;

providing a selector for selecting at least one of a first emulated keyboard and a second emulated keyboard;

emulating, when the first emulated keyboard is selected, a first key of the first emulated keyboard by configuring a first portion of the reconfigurable keyboard to emulate a first hard key; and

emulating, when the second emulated keyboard is selected, a first key of the second emulated keyboard by configuring a second portion of the reconfigurable keyboard to emulate a second hard key.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a tactile feedback to a user via at least one of a) the first emulated hard key and b) the second emulated hard key.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first portion is the same as the second portion.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first surface; and

configuring one of a) the first emulated hard key and b) the second emulated hard key comprises one of a) increasing and b) decreasing the height of the first surface in the respective one of the first portion and the second portion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein increasing the height comprises injecting a fluid.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first surface; and

configuring one of a) the first emulated hard key and b) the second emulated hard key comprises vibrating the first surface in the respective one of the first portion and the second portion.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first surface; and

configuring one of a) the first emulated hard key and b) the second emulated hard key comprises providing a first electrical stimulus from the first surface in the respective one of the first portion and the second portion.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the reconfigurable keyboard comprises a first surface of the keyboard; and

configuring one of a) the first emulated hard key and b) the second emulated hard key comprises changing a temperature of the first surface in the respective one of the first portion and the second portion.