Process for determining optimum keyboard formats for a given language

• US 4,715,736 A
• Filed: 04/09/1986
• Issued: 12/29/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FWM Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FWM Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: McGunnigle, Roger J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pieprz, William
• Application Number:
  US06/833,811
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 400/486, 400/484, 400/489
• US Class Current: 400/484
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition

Abstract

A keyboard arrangement suitable for use in typewriters, word processors, computer terminals and the like includes a number of manually actuable key members supported in a given array. Different letter formats can be selected for those key members corresponding to letter characters, wherein each of the letter chracter key members is made to correspond to a selected one of at least two different letters. Accordingly, a user can select, for example, either the conventional typewriter letter format or a new format wherein letters are assigned to the key members according to the frequency of use of the letters in a given language and the relative ease of accessibility of each key member to the fingers of the user'"'"'s hands. In one embodiment, the key members in the left-hand portion of the keyboard array are arranged in columns which slope downwardly toward the left side of the array, and the key members in the right hand portion of the array form columns which slope downwardly toward the right side of the array.

Claims

1. A process for determining optimum keyboard formats for a given language, comprising:

(a) establishing a fixed array of an upper row, a middle row and a lower row of key members with ten key members in each row, thereby defining a keyboard having a left-hand side and a right-hand side;

(b) defining sets of key members whereby each key member in a set is to be actuated by a certain finger of a keyboard operator after placing the operator'"'"'s first to fourth fingers of each hand at a rest position on the first to fourth and the seventh to tenth key members of the middle row, counting from left to right;

(c) consecutively ordering each of the key members of said keyboard according to the relative ease of finger actuation by the operator when the operator'"'"'s fingers start at said rest position, alternating between each hand for each of the first to fourth fingers, thereby establishing a different finger priority number for each of the key members;

(d) determining the frequency of use of characters including letters and punctuation marks, in words and sentences of said language;

(e) assigning a first frequency number corresponding to the character most frequently used in said language;

(f) continuing to assign consecutive frequency numbers to said characters from the character second most frequently used to the least frequently used character in said language;

(g) selecting one of a plurality of keyboard formats, said formats including a scientific keyboard format defined by

(h) matching each of the priority numbered key members with a corresponding frequency numbered character, thereby establishing a primary format whereby the ten most frequently used letter characters in said language are matched to the key members of the middle row;

(i) assigning only consonant letter characters to the middle row key members actuatable by the index fingers of the operator, by exchanging placement of a vowel letter character matched to the index finger key members with a consonant letter character matched to another middle row key member and having a frequency of use close to that of the vowel letter character which it replaces;

(j) assigning the four most frequently used vowel letter characters in said language to the key member group including the second, third, eighth and ninth key members of the middle row, counting from left to right, by exchanging placement of another kind of character matched to said key member group with a vowel letter character matched to a key member outside said key member group and having a frequency of use close to that of the other kind of character which it replaces;

(k) assigning vowel letter characters other than said four most frequently used ones to the third and eighth key members of said upper row, counting from left to right; and

(l) exchanging the placement of consonant letter characters with one another along the middle row and exchanging the placement of vowel letter characters with one another along said middle row to create a word-like sound of at least four letter characters for association with each hand thereby facilitating easy memorization of the letter character layout in said scientific keyboard format.

2. The process of claim 1, including causing each of the key members to convey the character with which the key member is matched to information receiving means, when the key member is actuated by the operator.

3. The process of claim 1, including matching the vowel letter characters A, E, I, O and the consonant letter characters, D, H, N, R, S and T to the ten key members of the middle row when selecting English as said given language.

4. The process of claim 3, including establishing the word-like sounds DOATS RHEIN for the middle row of key members.

5. The process of claim 3, including establishing the word-like sounds SAINT RHEOD for the middle row of key members.

6. The process of claim 1, including assigning only consonant letter characters to the key members in the set actuatable by said index fingers to that a maximum of bigrams which occur in words of said language can be formed by both index fingers in the action of one index finger following the other, by exchanging placement of consonant letter characters matched to said index finger set of key members while closely equating the frequency of use of the exchanged characters.

7. The process of claim 1, including arranging in key members of the right-hand side of said keyboard in columns which slope downwardly to the right, and arranging the key members of the left-hand side of said keyboard in columns which slope downwardly to the left.

8. A process according to claim 1, said selection step including selecting a people'"'"'s keyboard format alternatively to the scientific keyboard format of steps (h) to (l), said people'"'"'s keyboard format defined by assigning the 12 most frequently used letters in said given language to the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh key members of said upper, said middle and said lower rows of key members, thereby allowing the operator to actuate the key members corresponding to the 12 most frequently used letters with the index fingers when starting from said rest position.

9. A process for determining optimum keyboard formats for a given language, comprising:

(a) establishing a fixed array of rows of key members thereby defining a keyboard;

(b) placing the fingers of the hands of a keyboard operator at a touch-type home position along a home row of key members of said keyboard;

(c) determining the relative ease of actuation of each key member of said keyboard by the operator'"'"'s fingers, by

(1) assigning a first priority number corresponding to a most easily actuatable key member to that key member on which the index finger of a first one of said operator'"'"'s hands rests in said home position;

(2) assigning a second priority number corresponding to a second most easily actuatable key member on which the index finger of the second one of said operator'"'"'s hands rests in said home position;

(3) assigning a third priority number corresponding to a third most easily actuatable key member to that key member on which the second finger of the first one of the operator'"'"'s hands rests in said home position;

(4) assigning a fourth priority number corresponding to a fourth most easily actuatable key member to that key member on which the second finger of the second hand rests in said home position;

(5) continuing the above steps (c)(1) to (c)(4) sequentially for the third fingers of the first and second hands and for the fourth fingers of said hands, thereby assigning additional consecutive priority numbers for key members in said home row;

(d) establishing sets of key members in the vicinity of those key members on which the operator'"'"'s fingers rest in said home position, the key members in each set to be actuated by moving a given one of said fingers from said home position;

(e) continuing to assign consecutive priority numbers to key members in said sets according to the finger by which each key member is actuatable, alternating between like fingers of the first and second hands beginning with the index finger;

(f) determining the frequency of use of characters including letters and punctuation marks, in words and sentences of said language;

(g) assigning a first frequency number corresponding to the character most frequently used in said language;

(h) continuing to assign consecutive frequency numbers to said characters from the character second most frequently used to the least frequently used character in said language;

(i) selecting a scientific keyboard format by

(j) matching each of the priority numbered key members with a corresponding frequency numbered character, thereby establishing a primary format, whereby the ten most frequently used letter characters in said language are matched to the key members of the home row;

(k) assigning only consonant letter characters to the key members in said home row which are actuatable by the index fingers, by exchanging placement of a vowel letter character matched to the index finger key members with a consonant letter character matched to another home row key member and having a frequency to use close to that of the vowel letter character which it replaces;

(l) assigning the four most frequently used vowel letter characters in said language to the group of home row key members on which the second and the third fingers of the operator'"'"'s hands rest in said home position, by exchanging placement of another kind of character matched to said home row group with a vowel letter character matched to a key member outside said group and having a frequency of use close to that of the other kind of character which it replaces;

(m) assigning remaining vowel letter characters to key members which are actuatable by the second fingers of the operator'"'"'s hands and are in a row immediately above said home row; and

(n) exchanging the placement of consonant letter characters with one another along the home row and exchanging the placement of vowel letter characters with one another along said home row to create a word-like sound of at least four letter characters for association with each hand, thereby facilitating easy memorization of the letter character layout in said scientific keyboard format.

10. The process of claim 9, including matching the vowel letter characters A, E, I, O and the consonant letter characters D, H, N, R, S and T to ten key numbers of the home row when selecting English as said given language.

11. The process of claim 10, including establishing the word-like sounds DOATS RHEIN for the home row of key members.

12. The process of claim 10, including establishing the word-like sounds SAINT RHEOD for the home row of key members.

13. The process of claim 9, including assigning consonant letter characters to the key members in the set actuatable by said index fingers so that a maximum of bigrams which occur in words of said language can be formed by both index fingers in the action of one index finger following the other, by exchanging placement of consonant letter characters matched to said index finger set of key members while closely equating the frequency of use of the exchanged characters.

14. The process of claim 9, including arranging the key members at a right-hand side of said keyboard in columns which slope downwardly to the right, and arranging the key members at a left-hand side of said keyboard in columns which slope downwardly to the left.

15. The process of claim 9, including causing each of the key members to convey the character with which the key member is matched to information receiving means, when the key member is actuated by the operator.

16. A process according to claim 9, said selection step including selecting a people'"'"'s keyboard format alternatively to the scientific keyboard format of steps (j) to (n), said people'"'"'s keyboard format defined by assigning the 12 most frequently used letters in said given language to key members which are to be actuated with the index fingers, thereby allowing the operator to actuate the key members corresponding to the 12 most frequently used letters with the index fingers when starting from said home position.