COMPUTER KEYBOARD WITH POINTER CONTROL

• US 20110210918A1
• Filed: 03/08/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert R. Kodama
• Original Assignee: Robert R. Kodama
• Inventors: Kodama, Robert R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer pointer control device includes a support base and a keyboard. The device includes a structure configured to reduce friction between the support base and an underlying surface. A wrist support is positioned on the support base, configured to receive a user'"'"'s wrist thereon such that keys of the keyboard are under the fingers of the user'"'"'s hand, while the user is able to slide the device over the underlying surface by applying lateral pressure to the wrist support. A position tracking mechanism coupled to the device detects horizontal movement of the base over the underlying surface and transmit a signal to an associated computer to control an on-screen pointer. The keyboard includes a column of special use keys between the right- and left-hand keys, for easy access to selected functions.

Claims

1. A computer keyboard, comprising:

a housing;

a first plurality of keys positioned on the housing and arranged for access by a user'"'"'s left hand;

a second plurality of keys positioned on the housing and arranged for access by a user'"'"'s right hand; and

a plurality of special operation keys arranged in a column on the housing between the first plurality of keys and the second plurality of keys, each of the special operation keys having a height that is different from a height of any of the first and second pluralities of keys positioned in a same row with the respective special operation key.

2. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of special operation keys has a height that is greater than a height of any of the first and second pluralities of keys positioned in the same row with the respective special operation key.

3. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of special operation keys has a height that is less than a height of any of the first and second pluralities of keys positioned in the same row with the respective special operation key.

4. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of special operation keys that is positioned behind another of the special operation keys of the column has a height that is greater than a height of any of the other of the special operation keys.

5. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of special operation keys is configured to activate a function selected from among:

Esc, Back Space, Tab, Shift, Ctrl, Alt, Delete, Insert, Home, End, Page up, and Page down.

6. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of special operation keys is configured to activate a standard keyboard function.

7. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein a function activated by each of the plurality of special operation keys is selectable by an operator.

8. A computer keyboard, comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of keys positioned on the housing and arranged for access by a user, and including a home-row of keys a majority of which correspond to letters of the alphabet; and

a toggle key configured such that when the toggle key is struck, selected ones of the home row of keys are reconfigured to correspond to numbers, and that when the toggle key is struck again, the keys are reconfigured to their original configuration.

9. The keyboard of claim 8 wherein keys of the home row correspond to the letters A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K, and L.

10. The keyboard of claim 8 operation of the toggle key is controlled by software provided with the keyboard and executed by a computer processor to which the keyboard is coupled.

11. A device, comprising:

a support base;

a wrist support pad configured to support right and left wrists of a user while operating a computer keyboard;

a position tracking mechanism configured to track movement of the pointer control device over an underlying surface; and

a tracking control mechanism configured to enable and disable the position tracking mechanism.

12. The device of claim 11, comprising a tracking control button positioned on the support base and configured to operate the tracking control mechanism to enable and disable the position tracking mechanism.

13. The device of claim 11, comprising a computer keyboard that includes a tracking control key configured to operate the tracking control mechanism to enable and disable the position tracking mechanism.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein the position tracking mechanism comprises a mouse dock configured to receive a computer mouse for tracking movement of the pointer control device over the underlying surface.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the a tracking control mechanism is configured to lift an end of the mouse off of the underlying surface a distance sufficient to disable operation of a tracking mechanism of the mouse, and to lower the end of the mouse to a position in which the tracking mechanism of the mouse is operable.

16. The device of claim 15, comprising a control bar that is accessible to the user, and that is coupled to the tracking control mechanism such pressure on the control bar causes the tracking control mechanism to lower the end of the mouse, the tracking control mechanism being configured to raise the end of the mouse in the absence of pressure on the control bar.

17. The device of claim 15, comprising a control bar that is accessible to the user, and that is coupled to the tracking control mechanism such pressure on the control bar causes the tracking control mechanism to lift the end of the mouse, the tracking control mechanism being configured to lower the end of the mouse in the absence of pressure on the control bar.

18. The device of claim 11, comprising a computer keyboard, and wherein the support base is movably coupled to the keyboard so as to be separately movable, relative to the keyboard over the underlying surface.

19. The device of claim 11 wherein the support base is configured to be attached to a computer keyboard and to move with the keyboard over the underlying surface.