Circular keyboard

• US 20070086825A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Byung Min
• Original Assignee: Byung Min
• Inventors: Min, Byung
• Application Number:
  US11/581,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20070086825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/472
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• 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 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

A generic circular keyboard 101 comprised of double concentric circles of switches 1-24 are arranged in a configuration that substantially follows the geometry of a clock face, i.e. 30 degree angular spacing. The adjacent pairs of concentric switches, 1 and 13, 2 and 14, etc. are implemented each as a 2-way rocker switch. Additionally, the center circle is implemented as a 4-way rocker switch 25-28 with 90 degree angular spacing. Said generic circular keyboard arrangement is situated within a tangential square that provides four additional switch locations 29-34, one at each corner. Said keyboard substantially doubles the number of generic key functions each time an on/off mode switch function is incorporated, i.e. 24, 48, 96, 192, etc. or 28, 56, 112, 224, etc.

Claims

1. A generic circular keyboard comprised of double concentric circles of switches are arranged in a configuration that substantially follows the geometry of a clock face, i.e. 30 degree angular spacing.

2. A generic circular keyboard arrangement of claim 1 that implements adjacent pairs of concentric switches, each as a 2-way rocker switch

3. A generic circular keyboard arrangement of claim 1 that includes a generic switch in the central location.

4. A generic circular keyboard arrangement of claim 1 that includes a 4-way rocker switch in the central location.

5. A generic circular keyboard arrangement of claims 1 and 3 that is situated within a tangential square that provides four additional switch locations, one at each corner.

6. A generic circular keyboard of claims 1, 3, and 5 that incorporate additional, two way (i.e., position 1 and position 2) functional keys, to increase the number of generic key functions in multiples of 24, i.e. 24, 48, 96, 192, etc.

7. A circular keyboard of claims 1, 3, and 5 with an alphanumeric keyboard such that 22 of 26 English alphabet letters are placed along double concentric circles from 1 o'"'"'clock to 11 o'"'"'clock directions and the remaining 4 in the center circle in 3 o'"'"'clock, 6 o'"'"'clock, 9 o'"'"'clock, and 12 o'"'"'clock directions with the numerals from 0 to 9 and * and # symbols placed along one of the circles substantially following the layout of a clock face from 12 o'"'"'clock direction to 11 o'"'"'clock direction in the clockwise order.

8. A circular keyboard of claims 1, 3, and 5 with an alphanumeric keyboard with the English alphabet placed substantially following the traditional QWERTY keyboard except each row or each pair is folded into two and the numerals from 0 to 9 and * and # symbols are placed along plurality of circles from 11 o'"'"'clock direction to 1 o'"'"'clock direction substantially following the layout of the traditional numeric key pad of the QWERTY keyboard.

9. A circular keyboard of claims 1, 3, and 5 with an alphanumeric keyboard with the 14 consonant symbols of the 24 Korean Hangeul alphabets placed substantially from 6 o'"'"'clock to 12 o'"'"'clock directions and the remaining 10 vowel symbols are placed substantially from 1 o'"'"'clock to 5 o'"'"'clock direction