Calculator apparatus with electronically alterable key symbols

• US 4,078,257 A
• Filed: 08/23/1976
• Issued: 03/07/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bagley, Alan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nusbaum, Mark E.
• Application Number:
  US05/716,867
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 340/365 R, 340/365 S, 340/324 R, 235/156, 235/145 R, 340/324 R, 364/200, 364/900, 200/5 R, 200/159 B
• US Class Current: 708/145
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/038 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/082 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/00 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/016 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/18 wherein the shift keys are operated before the operation of the multifunction keys

Abstract

A calculator system having a transparent keyboard includes an apparatus for electronically labeling the keyboard by displaying alphanumeric symbols through the keyboard. The apparatus comprises a keyboard selection device and a liquid crystal keyboard display device having a predetermined number of display planes each containing preselected symbols. The keyboard selection device operates both as a selection device and as an annunciator-feedback device, for selecting the symbols or legends of a given plane to label or configure the keyboard, and for feeding back to a user of the system the status of the selection device when it is activated. An alternative embodiment of the invention utilizes light-emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) for labeling the keyboard.

Claims

1. In a data entry system, a keyboard apparatus having at least one keyboard configuration of alphanumeric symbols disposed as energizeable elements on at least one plane, said apparatus comprising:

keyboard selection means having a keyboard with at least one labeled key and a plurality of transparent regions with unlabeled keys, said selection means including mode control means responsive to actuation of at least one of the labeled keys for selecting a first and a second mode of operation, and for selecting a keyboard configuration during said first mode, said keyboard selection means including means for selecting one of said planes; and

keyboard display means having at least one plane of energizeable elements disposed beneath the keyboard, and coupled to said keyboard selection means for electronically labeling the unlabeled keys during said first mode by energizing selected portions of selected ones of the energizeable elements on a selected plane, in accordance with the selected keyboard configuration and displaying the selected keyboard configuration of alphanumeric symbols through the transparent regions, the electronically labeled keys and selected ones of the labeled keys being actuatable during said second mode for entering information indicated by their labels.

2. The keyboard apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keys are disposed for indicating an activated state when activated by a user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the labeled key of the keyboard selection means is a single keyboard selection key disposed for selecting successive keyboard configurations when said key is successively activated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the labeled keys of the keyboard selection means includes a labeled keyboard selection key and at least one labeled numeric key for selecting a keyboard configuration, said labeled keyboard selection key being utilized for starting the selection procedure and said numeric keys being utilized for selecting the configuration identified by the numbers of the numeric keys.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keyboard selection means includes a flexible transparent layer having a first set of substantially transparent conductive strips, a substantially non-flexible transparent layer having a second set of substantially transparent conductive strips orthogonally disposed with respect to said first set, and an insulator layer separating said flexible and non-flexible layers with windows disposed therein for enabling said first set of conductive strips to make contact with said second set of conductive strips through said windows when the keys are activated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keyboard selection means includes a processor unit and a read-only memory unit having a keyboard selection routine stored therein for performing the keyboard selection operation indicated by the routine in response to keyboard-selection entries from the keyboard.

7. The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said read-only memory unit includes a routine stored therein for automatically displaying, in the absence of activation of the keyboard selection key, a preselected keyboard configuration whenever the operations corresponding to said preselected keyboard configuration must logically be performed following the completion of a current operation.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said energizeable elements are a plurality of liquid crystals from which selected alphanumeric symbols are displayed by the processor unit under control of said routine, said symbols being viewable through the transparent regions of the keyboard.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said energizeable elements are a plurality of substantially transparent matrices of light-emitting diodes, which, when selectively activated by the processor under control of said routine, form symbols that are viewable through the transparent portion of the keyboard.

10. A method of electronically labeling a keyboard with at least one keyboard configuration of alphanumeric symbols, the symbols being displayable from at least one substantially transparent plane of energizeable elements, the keyboard having at least one labeled key and a plurality of transparent regions with unlabeled keys, one of said labeled keys being disposed for selecting one of first and second modes of operation, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first mode of operation;

selecting a keyboard configuration of alphanumeric symbols during said first mode by selecting one of said transparent planes of energizeable elements; and

displaying the selected configuration of alphanumeric symbols through the transparent regions during said first mode to electronically label the unlabeled keys in response to actuation of at least one of the labeled keys, by energizing selected portions of selected ones of the energizeable elements on a selected plane in accordance with the keyboard configuration selected, the electronically labeled keys and selected ones of the labeled keys being actuatable during said second mode for entering information indicated by their labels.

11. The method of claim 10, where the step of selecting a keyboard configuration includes the steps of:

activating at least one labeled key;

identifying the activated key; and

selecting at least a first configuration of alphanumeric symbols in accordance with the identified activated key.

12. The method of claim 11, where the step of selecting at least a first configuration includes the steps of determining any subsequent configuration which logically follows said first configuration and which is logically displayable following said first configuration, and automatically selecting said subsequent configuration for display.

13. The method of claim 10 where the step of displaying includes the step of electronically labeling the unlabeled keys in response to each activation of a key.

14. The method of claim 10 where the step of displaying includes the step of electronically labeling the unlabeled keys, producing different keyboard configurations during the interval that a key is activated and held down in a depressed position.

15. A keyboard having at least one keyboard configuration of alphanumeric symbols disposed as energizeable elements on at least one plane, said keyboard being responsive to means for selecting at least two modes of operation, means for selecting a keyboard configuration by energizing selected ones of the elements on a selected plane, and means for displaying the selected configuration, said keyboard comprising:

a cover portion with at least one labeled key and a plurality of transparent unlabeled key regions, the labeled key being disposed for initiating the selection of one of the two modes of operation and for initiating the selection of a configuration of alphanumeric symbols during a first mode, to electronically label the unlabeled key regions;

a conductive portion disposed below said cover portion and having a first transparent portion located below said transparent unlabeled key regions; and

a display portion disposed below said conductive portion and having a second transparent portion located below said first transparent portion, said second transparent portion having at least one substantially transparent plane with the plurality of energizeable elements for producing and displaying through said transparent regions and portions at least one configuration of alphanumeric symbols to electronically label, during said first mode, the unlabeled key regions in accordance with the selected configuration, the electronically labeled key regions and the labeled keys being actuatable during a second mode for making keyboard entries indicated by their labels.

16. The keyboard as in claim 15 wherein said labeled key and unlabeled key regions are disposed for indicating an activated state when activated by a user.

17. The keyboard as in claim 16 wherein said conductive portion includes a flexible transparent layer having a first set of substantially transparent conductive strips, a substantially non-flexible transparent layer having a second set of substantially transparent conductive strips orthogonally disposed with respect to said first set, and an insulator layer separating said flexible and non-flexible layers with windows disposed therein for enabling said first set of conductive strips to make contact with said second set of conductive strips through said windows when the keys are activated.

18. The keyboard as in claim 15 wherein the energizeable elements are liquid crystal elements.

19. The keyboard as in claim 15 wherein the energizeable elements are substantially transparent matrices of light-emitting diodes.