KEYBOARD OVERLAY FOR OPTIMAL TOUCH TYPING ON A PROXIMITY-BASED TOUCH SCREEN
First Claim
1. A touch screen keyboard overlay comprising:
- eight home row rest key structures of compessible elastomeric material, the home row rest key structures including two forefinger home row rest key structures, each home row rest key structure having a finger surface with a top and a bottom, an outer sidewall and an interior support;
the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure sufficiently resistive of the resting weight of a finger that the finger surface top remains further than the actuation distance under resting pressure;
the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure collapsible under pressure so that the finger surface top is within an actuation distance of a touch screen under an actuation pressure;
the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure providing increasing resistance to compression during collapse;
the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure springing back upon release of actuation pressure;
the home row rest key structures positionable over the home row rest keys of a touch screen keyboard.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A keyboard overlay for use on a touch screen is disclosed, as well as novel key structures for use on overlays. The keyboard overlay and key structures have novel structures which can provide finger resting resistance, deceleration during actuation, pre-actuation cues, finger positioning cues, key identification cues, and other desired aspects of a keyboard optimized for touch typing. Methods for stowing and deploying the keyboard overlay to align with the virtual keyboard of a touch screen are also disclosed. The disclosed keyboard overlay can provide optimal touch typing characteristics for use on all known types of touch screens.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A touch screen keyboard overlay comprising:
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eight home row rest key structures of compessible elastomeric material, the home row rest key structures including two forefinger home row rest key structures, each home row rest key structure having a finger surface with a top and a bottom, an outer sidewall and an interior support; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure sufficiently resistive of the resting weight of a finger that the finger surface top remains further than the actuation distance under resting pressure; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure collapsible under pressure so that the finger surface top is within an actuation distance of a touch screen under an actuation pressure; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure providing increasing resistance to compression during collapse; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure springing back upon release of actuation pressure; the home row rest key structures positionable over the home row rest keys of a touch screen keyboard. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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6-11. -11. (canceled)
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17. A touch screen keyboard overlay comprising:
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two home row rest key structures of compressible elastomeric material, each home row rest key structure having a finger surface with a top and a bottom, an outer sidewall and an interior support; the outer sidewall taller than the actuation distance of a touch screen; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure sufficiently resistive of the resting weight of a finger that the finger surface top remains further than the actuation distance under resting pressure; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure collapsible under pressure so that the finger surface top is within an actuation distance of a touch screen under an actuation pressure; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure providing increasing resistance to compression during collapse; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of each home row rest key structure springing back upon release of actuation pressure; the home row rest key structures positionable over the home row rest keys of a touch screen keyboard. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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22. A key structure comprised of compressible elastomeric material having a finger surface with a top and a bottom, an outer sidewall and an interior support;
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the outer sidewall taller than the actuation distance of a touch screen; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of the key structure collapsible under pressure so that the finger surface top is within an actuation distance of a touch screen under an actuation pressure; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of the key structure providing increasing resistance to compression during collapse; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of the key structure springing back upon release of actuation pressure; the key structure positionable over a key of a touch screen keyboard. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A touch screen overlay key structure comprising:
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a finger surface, means to support a finger surface apart from the touch screen, means to support a finger resting on the finger surface to prevent actuation of a key of the touch screen keyboard at finger rest, means to decelerate the finger surface when the key structure is depressed, means to spring the key structure back when finger pressure is released; the key structure configured to permit actuation of a key of the touch screen keyboard when depressed. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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41. A key structure comprised of compressible elastomeric material having a finger surface with a top and a bottom, an outer sidewall and an interior support;
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the interior support taller than the actuation distance of a touch screen; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of the key structure collapsible under pressure so that the finger surface top is within an actuation distance of a touch screen under an actuation pressure; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of the key structure providing increasing resistance to compression during collapse; the finger surface, outer sidewall, and interior support of the key structure springing back upon release of actuation pressure; the key structure positionable over a key of a touch screen keyboard.
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Specification