Integrated keyboard system with typing and pointing modes of operation

• US 5,245,321 A
• Filed: 03/20/1992
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Home Row, Inc.
• Inventors: Straayer, David H., Franz, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US07/855,531
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 340/711, 340/710, 340/704, 340/706, 400/485, 400/489, 341/22, 341/23, 364/709.11, 364/709.12, 364/709.14, 364/709.15
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• 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 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/012 Joy stick type

Abstract

A computer system employs an integrated keyboard and pointing device to allow user input of alpha numeric (typing) information, pointing direction information and pointing event information without moving the user'"'"'s hands from the usual typing position on the keyboard. The new system has typing and pointing modes of operation. In the pointing mode, preassigned keyswitches are used to input pointing events, cursor speed changes, and other modifications to the system'"'"'s operation. All such modifications are transparent to the operating system and application software because they are processed at keyboard interrupt level.

Claims

1. A method of inputting typing information, pointing direction information and pointing event information to a computer or computer display terminal having a cursor and having system services software including pointing services and keyboard services, the method comprising:

providing a keyboard including an array of alpha-numeric keyswitches and having a plurality of operating modules including a typing mode and a pointing mode;

the array including a multi-purpose keyswitch having both means for sensing lateral forces applied to it for acquiring pointing direction information and a keyswitch;

assigning memory locations for storing integrated state data including an indication of the current operating mode of the keyboard, cursor positioning data and pointing device button status;

assigning at least one of the alpha-numeric keyswitches other than the multi-purpose keyswitch as a pointing event keyswitch for emulating a pointing device button during said pointing mode of operation of the keyboard and for inputting the corresponding alpha-numeric character during the typing mode of operation of the keyboard;

testing the integrated state data to determine the current operating mode of the keyboard;

scanning the array to detect actuation of the keyswitches; and

responsive to such detection,

reading the keyboard hardware to acquire data input by a user;

if the current mode is the typing mode, testing the input data to detect a change mode request;

if the data does not indicate a change mode request, extracting a key code from the data and enqueuing a corresponding character code signal for processing by the operating system keyboard services as conventional keyboard data; and

if the data does indicate a change mode request, updating the integrated state data to change the current operating mode of the keyboard to the pointing mode

and, if the current mode is the pointing mode and the actuated keyswitch is one of the pointing event keyswitches, updating the corresponding pointing device button status in the integrated state data memory locations to emulate actuation of a discrete pointing device button.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the memory locations for storing integrated state data are located in the keyboard.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

if the current mode is the pointing mode, checking the data to detect a mode change request;

if the data does indicate a change mode request, updating the integrated state data to change the current operating mode of the keyboard to the typing mode;

if the data does not indicate a change mode request, checking the data to detect cursor motion pointing data;

if the data contains cursor motion pointing data, updating the integrated state data to change the cursor location responsive to the cursor motion pointing data;

if the data is not cursor motion pointing data, checking the data to detect a press of the pointing event keyswitch; and

if the pointing event keyswitch was pressed, updating the integrated state data to change the corresponding pointing device button status so as to indicate a mouse button press to the system services software, thereby emulating a mouse button press, so that both cursor motion pointing data and mouse button data may be acquired without a discrete pointing device and in a manner transparent to the operating system software.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

if the current mode is the pointing mode, checking the data (188) to detect a press of a predetermined macro keyswitch; and

if the macro keyswitch was pressed, expanding the macro so as to emulate a series of pointing operations defined by the macro.

5. A method of inputting typing information and pointing information to a computer and display terminal having a cursor, the method comprising:

providing a keyboard including an array of keyswitches, the array including at least one pointing key arranged to allow lateral displacement for inputting point data, and the keyboard having a plurality of operating modes including a typing mode and a pointing mode;

assigning at least one of the keyswitches as a pointing event keyswitch having a corresponding pointing event;

assigning at least one of the keyswitches as a modify operation keyswitch having a corresponding operation modification;

acquiring data from the keyboard;

determining a current operating mode;

if the current mode is pointing, testing the keyboard data to detect an indication of a mode change to typing;

responsive to such an indication, changing mode to typing;

if the current mode is pointing, testing the data to detect pointing data;

if pointing data is detected, updating the cursor position according to the pointing data;

testing the data to detect actuation of the pointing event keyswitch;

if a pointing event keyswitch is detected, initiating the corresponding pointing event signal;

if the current mode is pointing, testing the data to detect actuation of the modify operation keyswitch; and

if actuation of the modify operation keyswitch is detected, effecting the corresponding modification of operation of the system without transmitting a keycode corresponding to the modify operation keyswitch to the operating system and without exiting a running application program.

6. A method according to claim 5 including:

assigning at least one of the keyswitches as a typing emulation keyswitch having a corresponding typing emulation function;

testing the data to detect actuation of the typing emulation keyswitch; and

responsive to such a detection, interpreting the data as a typing operation, whereby the integrated keyboard is temporarily changed to the typing mode responsive to the user entering typing data to allow the user to resume pointing operations without explicitly requesting an operating mode change.

7. A method according to claim 5 including:

assigning at least one of the keyswitches as a macro keyswitch having a corresponding macro;

testing the key code data to detect actuation of the macro keyswitch; and

if such actuation is detected, expanding the corresponding macro.

8. An integrated keyboard system for operator entry of alpha-numeric characters and pointing event information to a computer and computer display terminal or the like, the keyboard system comprising:

a keyboard including an array of keyswitches;

means for scanning the array to detect actuation of the keyswitches;

means for selecting one of a typing mode of operation and a pointing mode of operation;

means for detecting the selected operating mode; and

integrated interface software means for initiating a key code signal corresponding to an actuated one of the keyswitches when the selected operating mode is the typing mode; and

integrated state data memory means for storing state data including an indication of the current operating mode of the keyboard and pointing device button status;

the integrated interface software means including means for updating the pointing device button status memory means to create a pointing event signal corresponding to the actuated one of the keyswitches when the selected operating mode is the pointing mode, thereby emulating a discrete mouse button press of release.

9. An integrated keyboard system according to claim 8 in which:

the array includes a multipurpose keyswitch for indicating a corresponding alpha-numeric character when the system is in the typing mode and for indicating pointing information when the keyboard is in the pointing mode;

the keyboard includes sensing means coupled to the multipurpose keyswitch for sensing a lateral displacement of the multipurpose keyswitch; and

the processor means includes means responsive to such a lateral displacement of the multipurpose keyswitch for initiating cursor control signals to position the cursor on the computer display terminal responsive to the indicated pointing information.

10. An integrated keyboard system according to claim 8 including:

means in the microprocessor means for binary encoding the acquired typing data and the acquired sensor data; and

means in the computer for separating the binary encoded data to form character data for inputting alpha-numeric characters and to form pointing data for moving a cursor.

11. An integrated keyboard and pointing system for use in combination with a computer having a mouse driver interface module in communication with the operating system, for acquiring typing data, pointing direction data and pointing even data for input to the computer in a manner transparent to the operating system so as to obviate use of a discrete pointing device, the system comprising:

an integrated keyboard and pointing device (106) for acquiring typing data, pointing direction data and pointing event data;

integrated interface means (162) disposed in the computer;

means (236) interconnecting the integrated keyboard and pointing device (166) and the computer for communicating acquired data to the integrated interface means, the acquired data comprising all three of said typing, pointing direction and pointing event data;

integrated state data means (158), coupled to the integrated interface means for storing state data comprising a current operating mode, cursor location and pointing device button status so as to provide said state data to the mouse driver interface; and

means (154) in the integrated interface means for separating pointing direction data from the acquired data and for providing said pointing direction data to the mouse driver interface while the current operating mode is a pointing mode.

12. A system according to claim 11 further comprising means (160) in the integrated interface means (162) for updating the pointing direction data and the pointing device button status in the state data means responsive to data acquired from the integrated keyboard and pointing device (166).

13. A system according to claim 11 wherein the integrated interface means includes:

means for checking the acquired data to detect a predetermined keycode indicating a mode change request; and

means for updating the integrated state data to change the current operating mode responsive to the indicated mode change request.

14. A system according to claim 11 wherein the integrated keyboard includes at least one alpha-numeric keyswitch assigned as a pointing event keyswitch for emulating a mouse button during the pointing mode of operation of the keyboard and for inputting the corresponding alpha-numeric character during the typing mode of operation of the keyboard, and the integrated interface software includes:

means for checking the acquired data to detect pointing direction data;

means for requesting a change of cursor location responsive to the detected pointing direction data during the pointing mode of operation;

means for checking the acquired data to detect a press of the pointing event keyswitch; and

means for updating the integrated state data during the pointing mode of operation to change the pointing device button status so as to indicate a mouse button press, thereby emulating a mouse button press in response to actuation of the pointing event keyswitch.