Clock face keyboard

• US 20100266323A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Byung Kon Min
• Original Assignee: Byung Kon Min
• Inventors: Min, Byung Kon
• Granted Patent: US 8,459,885 B2
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

An alphanumeric keyboard that is easy to learn, easy to use, and mountable on a handset for one-hand operation, comprises a virtual clock face having the center for the rotation of virtual hands, first set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, surrounding the center, second set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, surrounding the center and nearer to the center than the first set of twelve hourly radial positions, twenty four key areas, each key area being uniquely associated with one hourly radial position of the first and second sets, wherein each key area is substantially of 30 degree annular sector shape and contiguous to the adjacent key areas associated with the adjacent hourly radial positions, wherein all twenty four key areas are substantially of equal area, at least thirteen alphabetic keys placed at predetermined hourly radial positions of the first and second sets, and wherein each key has an indicia surface that is within the associated key area for being pressed by a finger. The associated radial direction or time may be marked on the key surface for visual or tactile differentiation.

Claims

1. An alphanumeric keyboard that is easy to learn, easy to use, and mountable on a handset for one-hand operation, said keyboard comprising:

a virtual clock face having the center for the rotation of virtual hands,

first set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, surrounding the center,

second set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, surrounding the center and nearer to the center than the first set of twelve hourly radial positions,

twenty four key areas, each key area being uniquely associated with one hourly radial position of the first and second sets,

wherein each key area is substantially of 30 degree annular sector shape and contiguous to the adjacent key areas associated with the adjacent hourly radial positions,

wherein all twenty four key areas are substantially of equal area,

at least thirteen alphabetic keys placed at predetermined hourly radial positions of the first and second sets, and

wherein each key has an indicia surface that is within the associated key area for being pressed by a finger.

2. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 1:

wherein the indicia surface of at least one key has visual means for revealing the hour of the key'"'"'s hourly radial position.

3. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 1:

wherein the indicia surface of at least one key has tactile means for revealing the hour of the key'"'"'s hourly radial position,

4. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 3:

wherein the tactile means is the concavity on the indicia surface in the circumferential direction,

wherein the tactile means tends to guide the finger to the circumferential middle of the indicia surface hence tends to promote accurate typing, and

whereby the user tends to find the key for an alphanumeric letter by the key'"'"'s hourly radial position without visual contact.

5. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 1:

wherein all hourly radial positions with respect to the center are uni-directionally reduced by a predetermined ratio,

whereby the alphanumeric keyboard takes substantially an elliptical shape.

6. An alphanumeric keyboard that is easy to learn, easy to use, and mountable on a handset for one-hand operation, said keyboard comprising:

a virtual clock face having the center for the rotation of virtual hands,

first set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, surrounding the center,

second set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, surrounding the center and nearer to the center than the first set of twelve hourly radial positions,

third set of four hourly radial positions, from three o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock at every three hour, surrounding the center and nearer to the center than the second set of twelve hourly radial positions,

twenty eight key areas, each key area being uniquely associated with one hourly radial position of the first, second, and third sets,

wherein each key area of the first and second sets is substantially of 30 degree annular sector shape,

wherein each key area of the third set is substantially of 90 degree annular sector shape,

wherein each key area is contiguous to the adjacent key areas associated with the adjacent hourly radial positions,

wherein all twenty eight key areas are substantially of equal area,

at least twenty six alphabetic keys placed at predetermined hourly radial positions of the first, second, and third sets, and

wherein each key has an indicia surface that is within the associated key area for being pressed by a finger.

7. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 6:

wherein the indicia surface of at least one key has visual means for revealing the hour of the key'"'"'s hourly radial position.

8. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 6:

wherein the indicia surface of at least one key has tactile means for revealing the hour of the key'"'"'s hourly radial position,

9. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 8:

wherein the tactile means is the concavity on the indicia surface in the circumferential direction,

wherein the tactile means tends to guide the finger to the circumferential middle of the indicia surface hence tends to promote accurate typing, and

whereby the user tends to find the key for an alphanumeric letter by the key'"'"'s hourly radial position without visual contact.

10. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 6:

wherein all hourly radial positions with respect to the center are uni-directionally reduced by a predetermined ratio,

whereby the alphanumeric keyboard takes substantially an elliptical shape.

11. An alphanumeric keyboard that is easy to learn, easy to use, and mountable on a handset for one-hand operation, said keyboard comprising:

a virtual clock face having the center for the rotation of virtual hands,

at least two virtual annuli, outer and inner, that surround the center, concentric, and contiguous to each other,

first set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, within the outer virtual annulus,

second set of twelve hourly radial positions, from one o'"'"'clock to twelve o'"'"'clock, within the inner virtual annulus,

key areas, each key area containing and being uniquely associated with one hourly radial position and contiguous to the adjacent key areas,

wherein each key area is substantially of 30 degree annular sector shape,

wherein all key areas are substantially of equal area,

at least twenty four alphabetic keys placed at predetermined hourly radial positions of the first and second sets, and

wherein each alphabetic key has an indicia surface that is within the associated key area for being pressed by a finger.

12. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 11:

wherein the indicia surface of at least one key has visual means for revealing the hour of the key'"'"'s hourly radial position.

13. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 11:

wherein the indicia surface of at least one key has tactile means for revealing the hour of the key'"'"'s hourly radial position,

14. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 13:

wherein the tactile means is the concavity on the indicia surface in the circumferential direction,

wherein the tactile means tends to guide the finger to the circumferential middle of the indicia surface hence tends to promote accurate typing, and

whereby the user tends to find the key for an alphanumeric letter by the key'"'"'s hourly radial position without visual contact.

15. An alphanumeric keyboard of claim 11:

wherein all hourly radial positions with respect to the center are uni-directionally reduced by a predetermined ratio,

whereby the alphanumeric keyboard takes substantially an elliptical shape.