NAVIGATIONAL PROCESSOR KEYBOARD SYSTEM

• US 20090167688A1
• Filed: 12/30/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: FRANK, ANDREAS
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards

Abstract

A system and method are provided in which a processor executes an application program such as an enterprise resources planning application. A primary display displays at least one user interface screen from that application program. A keyboard associated with the processor and the primary display screen is provided having a plurality of data entry keys, and at least one secondary display. The one or more secondary displays may be a part of the keyboard itself or an extension of the keyboard. The one or more secondary displays may be display screen(s) and/or input panel(s). The input panel(s) includes at least one data entry key which effects an action recognized by the processor when activated.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a processor to execute an application program;

a primary display to display at least one user interface screen associated with the application program; and

a keyboard having a plurality of keys for data entry and at least one secondary display.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary display is located within the housing of the keyboard.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary display is located external to the housing of the keyboard.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the at least one secondary display is at least one of a physical attachment to, and a non-hardware attachment to the keyboard.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one data entry key located within the secondary display,

wherein the at least one data entry key effects an action when activated.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the action is at least one of an application launch, an entry of a character string, and a closing of an application.

7. The computer system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the at least one data entry key is a shortcut to control operation of the computer system.

8. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the action is a command to the processor to navigate to a transaction stage associated with the selected at least one data entry key.

9. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the action is a command to the processor to enter a data in a current application program.

10. The computer system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the at least one data entry key effects a change in the actions to be associated with some of the other data entry keys.

11. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the application is part of an enterprise resource planning system, and wherein navigation between the application and other applications does not modify the at least one data entry key.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein a table is used to log the at least one data entry keys with an associated action or command.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the table is stored in a memory device located within the processor, external to the processor, and in the keyboard device.

14. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary display is at least one of a touch screen, an LCD screen, an LED screen, hardware buttons, hardware toggles, and hardware keys.

15. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display area involves at least one display screen and at least one input panel.

16. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the at least one data entry key is initialized with data by a user, so that when activated, the respective at least one data entry key effects entry of its associated data on a current application running on the processor.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor running a guided procedure application;

a keyboard having at least one display area, the at least one display area having a display screen,

wherein the display screen indicates a current stage in the guided procedure application.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the keyboard receives information from the processor concerning the current stage of the guided procedure application, and displays on the display screen the current stage.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the display screen indicates more than one stage of the guided procedure application, and indicates with emphasis the current stage of the guided procedure.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the display area is at least one of a touch screen, an LCD screen, and an LED screen.

21. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the guided procedure application is part of an enterprise resource planning system.