Keyboard and Keys

• US 20070172287A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Hirsch
• Original Assignee: Steven Hirsch
• Inventors: Hirsch, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,734,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/489
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition

Abstract

In a preferred form, a keyboard has a single row of eight multi-position keys with the letters arranged in a standard QWERTY keyboard configuration. The eight keys correspond to the eight fingers used when touch typing; each finger operates one key, and that key contains all the letters that the finger normally accesses when touch typing on a standard QWERTY keyboard. With this design, no finger has to move to a different key while typing. When depressed at different locations on its key face, each key either moves straight down, or down while tilting slightly about one of a plurality of axes. Three-position keys have two tilt axes and six-position keys have five tilt axes. The switches utilize contacts located on the bottom of the switches which may be conductive or nonconductive.

Claims

1. A keyboard for typing letters, the keyboard comprising:

eight keys having all the letters of a predetermined alphabet arranged in a predetermined standard touch typing arrangement thereon; and

a distinct activation position for each letter on each of the eight keys arranged consistently with the predetermined standard touch typing arrangement.

2. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the keys are arranged in a horizontal sequence.

3. The keyboard according to claim 2,

wherein the predetermined alphabet comprises the English alphabet and the fourth of said keys from the right-hand side activates at least the letters U, Y, J, H, M, and N;

and

wherein the fourth of said multi-position keys from the left-hand side activates at least the letters R, T, F, G, V, and B.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein at least one of said keys contains at least one other character in addition to letters.

5. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein the eight keys comprise a first group of 6, three position keys, and a second group of 2, six position keys.

6. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the keys are arranged in a horizontal sequence, from left to right, as follows:

3, three-position keys;

followed by

2, six-position keys;

followed by

3, three-position keys.

7. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein at least one of said keys also contains at least one other character in addition to letters.

8. The keyboard of claim 6, wherein the predetermined alphabet is English, and one of said six-position keys activates the letters the letters R, T, F, G, V, and B and another of said six-position keys activates the letters U, Y, J, H, M and N.

9. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the predetermined alphabet is English, and said second of group 2, six-position keys activates at least the letters R, T, Y and U.

10. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the predetermined alphabet is English, and said first group of 6, three position keys activates at least the letters Q, W, E, I, O, and P.

11. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein each of said 2, six-position keys provides a different output signal when the key is:

1) pressed downward at a first position where it does not tilt,

2) pressed downward at a second position where it tilts about a first substantially horizontal axis,

3) pressed downward at a third position where it tilts about a second substantially horizontal axis,

4) pressed downward at a fourth position where it tilts to one side about a substantially vertical axis,

5) pressed downward at a fifth position where it tilts diagonally about a first diagonal axis which is diagonal to both said first horizontal axis and said vertical axis, and

6) pressed downward at a sixth position where it tilts diagonally about a second diagonal axis which is diagonal to said second horizontal axis and said vertical axis.

12. The keyboard of claim 11, wherein said substantially vertical axis is parallel to vertical edges of a key.

13. The keyboard of claim 11 wherein each of said 6, three-position keys provides a different output signal when the key is:

1) pressed downward at a first position where it does not tilt,

2) pressed downward at a second position where it tilts about a first substantially horizontal axis, and

3) pressed downward at a third position where it tilts about a second substantially horizontal axis.

14. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein the eight keys include a first group of 5, three position keys, and a second group of 3, six position keys.

15. The keyboard of claim 14 wherein the keys are arranged in a horizontal sequence, from left to right, as follows:

3, three-position keys;

followed by

2, six-position keys;

followed by

2, three-position keys; and

followed by

1, six-position key

16. The keyboard of claim 14, wherein at least one of said keys also contains at least one other character in addition to letters.

17. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the predetermined alphabet is English and the keys are arranged in a horizontal sequence, from left to right, as follows:

1, three-position key containing the letters Q, A, and Z;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letters W, S, and X;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letters E, D, and C;

followed by

1, six-position key containing the letters R, T, F, G, V, and B;

followed by

1, six -position key containing the letters Y, U, H, J, N and M;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letters I and K;

followed by

1, three position key containing the letters O and L;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letter P.

18. The keyboard of claim 14, wherein the predetermined alphabet is English, and the keys are arranged in a horizontal sequence, from left to right, as follows:

1, three-position key containing the letters Q, A, and Z;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letters W, S, and X;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letters E, D, and C;

followed by

1, six-position key containing the letters R, T, F, G, V, and B;

followed by

1, six-position key containing the letters Y, U, H, J, N and M;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letters I and K;

followed by

1, three-position key containing the letters O and L;

followed by

1, six-position key containing the letter P.

19. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein at least one of said keys also has at least one other character in addition to letters, and

additional keys over the eight keys for non-character typing functions.

20. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of said keys provides an output signal from each distinct activation position corresponding to the letter associated with said activation position.

21. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein the predetermined alphabet is English so that the predetermined standard touch typing arrangement is a standard QWERTY arrangement.

22. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein the predetermined alphabet is German so that the predetermined standard touch typing arrangement is standard QWERTZ arrangement.

23. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein the predetermined alphabet is French so that the predetermined standard touch typing arrangement is a standard AZERTY arrangement.

24. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein eight keys are divided into two groups of four keys with each group extending in either a curved or straight line.

25. The keyboard of claim 24 wherein the straight lines for each group are oblique to each other and extend in generally opposite directions to each other.

26. The keyboard of claim 1 in combination with a compact, mobile computing device.

27. The keyboard of claim 26 in wherein the compact, mobile computing device comprises a Tablet PC or an ultra-mobile PC.

28. The keyboard of claim 21 wherein the eight keys include seven multi-position keys and single positioning for the letter P.

29. The keyboard of claim 21 including additional keys over the eight keys with the additional keys being multi-position keys for number characters that are arranged on the additional, multi-position keys at substantially the same position as found in the standard QWERTY keyboard relative to the letters in the standard QWERTY arrangement thereof.