Keyboards
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A keyboard unit (10) comprising a plurality of keys (12) surrounding a centre (14) and operable singly and chordally by a single finger (or thumb). Preferred arrangements consist of three, four or seven surrounding keys (12), particularly for playing musical notes of an octave. A keyboard (16) may comprise a plurality of spaced apart units (10) in groups (18) operable by respective fingers. The different units (10) may operate different instrumental sounds. Variations include shift functions, operation of lights, e.g. in mixed sequence with notes, operation of alphanumeric characters, e.g. to produce up to a 10-character word or grouping simultaneously. The keyboard (16) may be on the back of a guitar neck (30) or arranged to correspond to the keys on a piano. Logical circuitry and mosaic and adapted QWERTY keyboards are described, also a piano keyboard with phantom black notes.
16 Citations
64 Claims
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1-44. -44. (canceled)
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45. :
- A keyboard unit comprising;
a plurality of keys surrounding a center region and operable singly and chordally by a single finger. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
- A keyboard unit comprising;
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46. :
- A keyboard unit comprising a group of keys arranged about a center in an array extending in two mutually transverse directions and adapted to be operable by a single finger with a playing area of maximum diameter 1.5 cm so that the single finger can operate a plurality of at least three of said keys together.
- View Dependent Claims (48)
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47. :
- A keyboard unit comprising a group of keys arranged about a center in an array extending in two mutually transverse directions and adapted to be operable by a single finger with a playing area of maximum diameter 1.5 cm so that the single finger can reach and operate a plurality of at least three of said keys singly or in combinations of two or more thereof without moving the finger more than a maximum distance of 0.5 cm.
- View Dependent Claims (49)
Specification